A funeral finds all its meaning in the Resurrection. Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we, too, shall be raised. Our worship, therefore, is characterized by joy, in the certainty that, in Paul's words from his Letter to the Romans, "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 Lazarus. So, while we rejoice that the one we love has entered into the nearer presence of our Lord, we sorrow in sympathy with those who mourn. 

At Grace Church, we seek to provide family, friends and the entire faith community the opportunity to gather together and give thanks to God for the life of a loved one. 

The Christian understanding of death is that, in the words of the Preface in the Eucharistic Prayer, the Commemoration of the Dead, "life is changed, not ended; and when our mortal body lies in death, there is prepared for us a dwelling place eternal in the heavens." (The Book of Common Prayer, p. 382). Nevertheless, the death of a loved one can be an emotional and difficult time for family, friends, and the faith community. In the midst of grief, a series of decisions must be made. We offer this information to make it easier for family and friends to make appropriate decisions in preparing for a funeral so that we may share beautiful and meaningful worship.