Typical Humanist Service

Humanist funerals are normally held when the deceased was not committed to a religion and so allows individuals to say goodbye, mourn for the individual and celebrate the life of the deceased. Humanist funerals are a great way of honouring the deceased with affection and meaning.
Humanist funerals generally consist of:

• Music for an introduction
• A welcome message
• A non-religious perspective humanist view on life and death
• Tributes: An overview about the deceased, which can include poetry and contributions from family and friends.
• Private reflection for everyone to take a few moments to remember the deceased
• The committal: this is when the coffin is closed on the coffin, or the coffin is lowered into the floor
• Closing words
• Music to finish the service

Typical Christian Funeral

Christian funerals are based on the resurrection of the individual and their eternal life. Throughout the service you may wish to have a selection of hymns to be sung be the congregation, which can be chosen by the individual before their death or by family and friends.
Christian funerals generally consist of:

• An introduction in which the minister will open the service with a reading from the scriptures.
• After the introduction to the funeral a psalm is read out and there are often addition verses from the Old or New Testament.
• The minister will then allow the people at the services to add their own personal reflections on the individual’s life, as well as readings of poems and bible passages.
• Following the personal reflections the congregation will go into a session of prayers.
• In a Christian funeral there is also a silent time to reflect on the deceased, which generally goes on for a few minutes.
• The Minister will then commend the individual to the mercy of God, and then the minister will read a prayer about commending.
• Finally the service ends with the committal of the deceased. This is when the body is either committed to the ground or for a cremation it is the time when the curtains are closed or the coffin is lowered into the floor.

Typical Catholic Funeral

Catholic funerals are similar to other Christian funerals; however there are a few minor differences. For a Catholic funeral there is the choice to have a mass with the funeral if you wish.
The order of service is generally as follows:

• The Vigil for the Deceased: this event happens the day prior to the funeral, which can occur either at the church or at the home of your loved one. The Vigil is a service consisting of prayers, homilies and songs.
• Introductory rites: On the day of the funeral the priest greets the guests at the funeral venue and will lead the coffin into the church along the aisle. The priest will then sprinkle holy water and then there is a song and prayer to open the funeral.
• Liturgy of the Word: This consists of sermons that are taken from the Bible, a homily and a reading of a Psalm.
• Liturgy of the Eucharist: A Eucharist prayer is said and the priest gives the congregation Holy Communion
• Final commendation: The Mass ends and prayers are said as the coffin is taken from the church to either a graveyard or crematorium.