1. The Christian Funeral Service

2. Euphemisms Bite the Big One Cash in your chips Pushing Daisies
Swimming with the fishes
Shuffle off this mortal coil
Kick the Bucket
Meet the Maker
Worm Food
Gone to the Happy Hunting Ground
Gone to the Big _____ in the Sky

3. In A Nutshell… Death is not the end
At the end of time every believer will be resurrected like Jesus was
They will share in the victory over death that Christ won on the cross
This belief is at the heart of every Christian Funeral Service

4. Funeral Rites
The customs and ceremonies that happen after a person has died
Burial or cremation
Bible reading (often reflecting ideas of the afterlife like John 11 v 25 – 26)
Prayers for the deceased (Catholic) and for family and friends
The eulogy is a speech made about the deceased
Hymns (the Lord is my Shepherd)
The Eucharist as a reminder of the death and resurrection of Christ
The Committal (prayers said at the graveside)

5. Funeral Rites How do funeral rites support the bereaved?
The deceased is now with God
Friends and family support one another and remember the deceased
A celebration of the life of the deceased
The bereaved can share their emotions and feelings
Gives the bereaved closure so they can move on with their lives

6. An Orthodox Funeral
As soon as a person has died, their body is washed, dressed and placed in an open coffin at the front of a church
The coffin remains open as a reminder of the punishment of sin
Candles are lit and incense is sprayed over the coffin to remind people of the hope of resurrection
Bible readings encourage people that death is not the end

7. A Catholic Funeral
The coffin arrives at the church the night before the funeral so that prayers can be offered for the deceased
Catholics believe their loved ones are in Purgatory and need their prayers
The Priest wears white to symbolise life after death and the resurrection of the body

8. Most Protestant Funerals
Hymns will be sung, the Bible will be read, prayers will be prayed and nice things will be said about the deceased
A service takes place in the church and later by the graveside / crematorium
The body is either buried or cremated (burned)

9. The Scripture
The most common scripture to be used in a funeral service is John 11 v 25
“I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me will live; and all those who live and believe in me will never die”
Jesus Christ