SAMPLE FUNERAL SERVICE 

Introduction

	The congregation stand as the clergy and mourners enter.
	The Funeral Sentences are read as the coffin is placed.
	
‘I am the resurrection and the life,’ says the Lord. ‘Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die.’  John 11.25,26

I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, 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.  Romans 8.38,39

Since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have died. So we will be with the Lord for ever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.  1 Thessalonians 4.14,17b,18

We brought nothing into the world, and we take nothing out. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.  1 Timothy 6.7; Job 1.21b

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.  Matthew 5.4

God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.  John 3.16

The minister says

We meet in the name of Jesus Christ,
who died and was raised to the glory of God the Father.
Grace and mercy be with you.

The minister introduces the service in these or other suitable words

We have come here today
to remember before God our brother/sister N
to give thanks for his/her  life;
to commend  his/her to God our merciful redeemer and judge;
to  prepare for the burial of his/her body,
and to comfort one another in our grief.

The minister says this prayer

God our refuge and strength,
close at hand in our distress;
meet us in our sorrow and lift our eyes
to the peace and light of your constant care.
Help us so to hear your word of grace
that our fear will be dispelled by your love,
our loneliness eased by your presence
and our hope renewed by your promises
in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Hymn

Dear Lord and Father of mankind,
forgive our foolish ways!
Reclothe us in our rightful mind,
in purer lives thy service find,
in deeper reverence praise.

In simple trust like theirs who heard,
beside the Syrian sea,
the gracious calling of the Lord,
let us, like them, without a word
rise up and follow thee.

O Sabbath rest by Galilee!
O calm of hills above,
where Jesus knelt to share with thee
the silence of eternity,
interpreted by love!

Drop thy still dews of quietness,
till all our strivings cease;
take from our souls the stain and stress,
and let our ordered lives confess
the beauty of thy peace.

Breathe through the heats of our desires
thy coolness and thy balm;
let sense be dumb let flesh retire;
speak through the earthquake wind and fire,
O still small voice of calm.

The Tribute

	A Brief Tribute is given.

	The Service of the Word

Hymn

The Lord's my shepherd, I'll not want;
he makes me down to lie
in pastures green; he leadeth me
the quiet waters by.

My soul he doth restore again,
and me to walk doth make
within the paths of righteousness,
e'en for his own name's sake.

Yea, though I walk through death's dark vale,
yet will I fear none ill;
for thou art with me, and thy rod
and staff me comfort still.

My table thou has furnished
in presence of my foes;
my head thou dost with oil anoint,
and my cup overflows.

Goodness and mercy all my life
shall surely follow me;
and in God's house for evermore
my dwelling-place shall be.

The Collect

The minister invites the people to recollect and pray, 
silence is kept and the minister says

Merciful Father,
hear our prayers and comfort us;
renew our trust in your Son,
whom you raised from the dead;
strengthen our faith
that all who have died in the love of Christ
will share in his resurrection;
who lives and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen.

Bible Reading

1 Thessalonians 4.13-end

We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about
those who have died, so that you may not grieve as others do who
have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again,
even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have
died. For this we declare to you by the word of the Lord, that we
who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will by no
means precede those who have died. For the Lord himself, with a
cry of command, with the archangel’s call and with the sound of
God’s trumpet, will descend from heaven, and the dead in Christ
will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught
up in the clouds together with them to meet the Lord in the air;
and so we will be with the Lord for ever. Therefore encourage
one another with these words.
Sermon 

Hymn

Lord of all hopefulness, Lord of all joy,
whose trust, ever childlike, no cares could destroy,
be there at our waking, and give us, we pray,
your bliss in our hearts, Lord, at the break of the day.

Lord of all eagerness, Lord of all faith,
whose strong hands were skilled at the plane and the lathe,
be there at our labours, and give us, we pray,
your strength in our hearts, Lord, at the noon of the day.

Lord of all kindliness, Lord of all grace,
your hands swift to welcome, your arms to embrace,
be there at our homing, and give us, we pray,
your love in our hearts, Lord, at the eve of the day.

Lord of all gentleness, Lord of all calm,
whose voice is contentment, whose presence is balm,
be there at our sleeping, and give us, we pray,
your peace in our hearts, Lord, at the end of the day.
The Prayers

Minister	Let us pray

Minister	Lord, have mercy.
	All	Lord, have mercy.
Minister	Christ, have mercy.
	All 	Christ, have mercy.
Minister	Lord, have mercy.
	All	Lord, have mercy.

	The minister prays for N,  
	for the principal mourners, 
	and for the whole congregation.

	Eternal God and Father,
we praise you that you have made people
to share life together
and to reflect your glory in the world.
We thank you now for Wendy,
for all that we saw of your goodness and love in her life
and for all that she means to each one of us.
As we too journey towards death
may we do so in the company of Jesus,
who came to share our life
that we might share the life of eternity.
To him be glory with you and the Holy Spirit
for ever and ever. Amen.

Almighty God,
Father of all mercies and giver of all comfort:
deal graciously, we pray, with those who mourn,
that, casting all their care on you,
they may know the consolation of your love;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Eternal Lord God, you hold all souls in life:
shed forth, we pray,
upon your whole Church in paradise and on earth
the bright beams of your light and heavenly comfort;
and grant that we,
following the good example of those who have loved
and served you here and are now at rest,
may at the last enter with them
into the fullness of your eternal joy;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Let us pray with confidence as our Saviour has taught us

	All say together

Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done;
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation;
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.
May the infinite and glorious Trinity,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
direct our life in good works,
and after our journey through this world
grant us eternal rest with all the saints. Amen.

	Hymn 

The day thou gavest, Lord, is ended,
the darkness falls at thy behest;
to thee our morning hymns ascended,
thy praise shall sanctify our rest.

We thank thee that thy Church unsleeping,
while earth rolls onward into light,
through all the world her watch is keeping,
and rests not now by day or night.

As o'er each continent and island
the dawn leads on another day,
the voice of prayer is never silent,
nor dies the strain of praise away.

The sun that bids us rest is waking
our brethren 'neath the western sky,
and hour by hour fresh lips are making
thy wondrous doings heard on high.

So be it, Lord; thy throne shall never,
like earth's proud empires, pass away;
thy kingdom stands, and grows for ever,
till all thy creatures own thy sway.

Commendation and Farewell

	The minister stands by the coffin and says

Let us commend   N  to the mercy of God,
our maker and redeemer.

Silence is kept.

God our creator and redeemer,
by your power Christ conquered death
and entered into glory.
Confident of his victory
and claiming his promises,
we entrust N  to your mercy
in the name of Jesus our Lord,
who died and is alive
and reigns with you,
now and for ever.
Amen.

N, go forth upon your journey from this world,
in the name of God the Father almighty who created you;
in the name of Jesus Christ who suffered death for you;
in the name of the Holy Spirit who strengthens you;
in communion with the blessed saints,
and aided by angels and archangels,
and all the armies of the heavenly host.
May your portion this day be in peace,
and your dwelling the heavenly Jerusalem.
Amen.

May the eternal God
bless and keep us, guard our bodies,
save our souls
and bring us safe to the heavenly country,
our eternal home,
where Father, Son, and Holy Spirit reign,
one God for ever and ever.
Amen.

Hymn

The pall bearers make ready to remove the coffin, and all sing

God be in my head,
and in my understanding;

God be in my eyes,
and in my looking;

God be in my mouth,
and in my speaking;

God be in my heart,
and in my thinking;

God be at my end,
and at my departing.

	The clergy escort the coffin out of the church, 
	followed by the principal  mourners.