Funerals

The liturgy for the dead is an Easter liturgy. It finds all its meaning in the resurrection. Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we too, shall be raised. The liturgy, therefore, is characterized by joy, in the certainty that “neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” This joy, however, does not make human grief unchristian. The very love we have for each other in Christ brings deep sorrow when we are parted by death. Jesus himself wept at the grave of his friend. So, while we rejoice that one we love has entered into the nearer presence of our Lord, we sorrow in sympathy with those who mourn. (The Book of Common Prayer, page 507)

“I am the resurrection and life, says the Lord; whoever has faith in me shall have life.” So begins the service for The Burial of the Dead from the Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church. (The Book of Common Prayer, pp. 469-503)

According to the rubrics (directions) from the Prayer Book, the funeral or memorial service for a member should take place in the parish church and if possible, at a time when the congregation has the opportunity to be present. If the family desires, the Parish Hall should be made available for a reception following the service.

The Pastoral ministry of the clergy and staff of St. Peter’s Cathedral is to assist those who are mourning in the planning of such a service. Sometimes in the midst of grief it is difficult to focus on the details involved in planning a service. The clergy and staff strive to be sensitive to those who are grieving and are committed to making the planning process as easy and stress-free as possible.

To that end we offer some guidelines which we hope will be helpful to those who find themselves unexpectedly in the position of planning a service (or to anyone who wants to plan their own service ahead of time and file the service with the office).

For Members of the Cathedral
1. As a general rule, either a funeral home or a member of the family contacts the cathedral office. The date and time of the service is arranged in direct consultation with one of the clergy of the Cathedral and according to the availability of times on the cathedral calendar. If no member of the clergy is available then the pertinent information will be taken with the assurance that a clergy person or administrator will contact that person or funeral home as soon as possible. (There is to be a two hour period between our regularly scheduled weekday services and any funeral or memorial service. Any exceptions to this rule needs prior approval of the Dean/Clergy. We try not to schedule funerals early in the day on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays – preferably not before 11:30 a.m. This helps us to present the Cathedral as attractively and presentable as possible and gives the Altar and Flower Guilds adequate time for set-up).

If a member of the clergy not affiliated with the Cathedral is to conduct the service, then the Dean must give prior approval.

2. The family or person arranging the service meets with the clergy to discuss the particulars of the service: will the service include a Eucharist (highly encouraged), which lessons are to be read, who might read the lessons, will there be music, will the interment will take place in the Memorial Garden of the cathedral, and will there be a reception. This information is then passed on to the appropriate people, i.e. Organist, Altar Guild, Flower Guild, Sextons, Bereavement Committee, Ushers, and Acolytes.

There is no ‘charge’ for the services of the clergy. However, if desired, a donation for the clergy’s discretionary fund is always welcome (suggested amount is $100). The check should be made payable to St. Peter’s Episcopal Cathedral, and include the clergy name on the bottom along with the funeral party’s name. The clergy discretionary funds enable the clergy to give assistance from time to time to those who are in great need in the community.

3. The Cathedral provides the service leaflet. It is not necessary to buy one from the funeral home.

4. If music is desired, there is a charge for the services of the organist ($125.00). If a soloist or instrumentalist is requested, there is an additional charge for that person. Normally the soloist is hired by the cathedral musician.

5. Sometimes friends and relatives wish to donate flowers. We encourage people to honor the deceased by giving money in lieu of flowers to a charity of their choosing or to the Outreach Ministries of the Cathedral. Flower arrangements which are delivered on the day of the service are usually displayed in the entrance to the cathedral or in the Parrish Hall.

6. If the deceased is to be interred in the Memorial Garden the ashes will be placed directly into the ground. We suggest you do not purchase a container from the funeral home. The ashes are usually brought to the cathedral in a plain brown biodegradable box. The box is placed in a prominent place before the altar and a silk Pall (cover) is placed over it. If ashes are to be placed in a site in the garden then there is a burial site fee of $135 per person.

For Non-Members or Members who have not been active or contributed to the life of the Cathedral for five years.

The guidelines listed above are still relevant but extra fees will apply.

Church Use Fee	$250
Clergy	$100
Organist	$125
Facilities Mgr./Sexton	$50
Total	$525

We hope this information is helpful and if there are still questions please do not hesitate to call a member of the clergy or the Parish Administrator at 727-822-4173.