What should go into a funeral order of service

It is always a sad and challenging time when we lose loved ones but death is part of life. One of the ways that we cope with loss is to try and celebrate the life of the person that has gone and that is why the funeral service is such an important part of the grieving process. Most funerals are accompanied by a booklet that does so much more than tell mourners about the service, it is a beautiful memento to take away and keep to remind you of your lost loved one.

What goes into a funeral order of service

This is such an individual thing for the family of the deceased to decide. Each person has lived their own unique life so the way in which that is documented is an individual choice. The order of service is a chance to acknowledge a special set of memories evoked through music, photographs, prayers and readings that best capture the spirit of the person who has passed away.

Music

Music can evoke memories in such a powerful way and the choice either an individual or the family makes for the service is very important. Quite often these are joyful choices chosen deliberately to reflect the spirit of the person and how they lived. It might be that mourners hear a piece of music for the first time and want to know what it’s called. This is why it’s important to include that as part of the funeral card so that the songs are part of the cherished memories of that person.

Photographs

As humans we love to mark moments in life that were filled with joy such as birthdays, anniversaries, Christmas and weddings. These visual records document those important times in our life. Often the family will choose two or three images that best capture the spirit of their lost loved ones and these can be thoughtfully included as part of the funeral printing. Whilst that person is gone, it can be great comfort to take home the order of service with a beautifully printed set of images.

Readings

There are many different poems and readings that funeral directors can point families in the direction of to include in the order of service. It might be that the specific poem or piece of writing had real significance for the person or for the deceased. These are generally included as part of the booklet that we print to celebrate someone’s life

Prayers

Not everyone is religious but if you do believe in a higher power then inclusion of a prayer in the order of service is important. The funeral directors can guide you to a selection of meaningful prayers. These are then printed in the order of service; it perhaps gives the mourner the opportunity to go home and reflect on the words. A prayer may not land or connect during the service so having it in the printed booklet to take home is a powerful way for someone to process grief after the funeral.