DEATH AND THE SERVICE OF WITNESS

TO THE RESURRECTION

The session (the governing body) of the Little Chapel on the Boardwalk,

Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina, has prepared this statement (primarily based on the Book of Order of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)) with the hope and prayer that it will be of guidance, comfort and support to members, friends and visitors as they face the reality of their own deaths and the deaths of those they love.

DEATH IS SEEN IN THE LIGHT OF THE RESURRECTION

The Book of Order of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) states:

The resurrection is a central doctrine of the Christian faith and shapes Christians' attitudes and responses to the event of death.  Death brings loss, sorrow, and grief to all.  In the face of death Christians affirm with tears and joy the hope of the gospel.  Christians do not bear bereavement in isolation but are sustained by the power of the Spirit and the community of faith.  The church offers a ministry of love and hope to all who grieve.

CHRISTIAN BELIEF CONCERNING DEATH

In light of the above statement and our Biblical and Reformed faith, we can acknowledge certain beliefs concerning death.

1. DEATH IS REAL.

We live in a culture which encourages us to deny the reality of death.  As Christians, denial is impossible.  In Scripture we find a frank and healthy acceptance of this aspect of our humanity.  We are not expected to like or to celebrate or even to welcome death.  Yet to deny its reality is to cut ourselves off from the even greater reality of God's power over death.

2. DEATH IS INEVITABLE

Death is for each one of us the inescapable conclusion of life as we know it.

Once again, the Scriptures acknowledge this inevitability, yet still call us to

embrace and to affirm life.

3. DEATH CAUSES GRIEF.

The loss of a loved one leads to a harrowing experience of tangible pain, sharp anxiety, helplessness, guilt and anger.  Grief is a normal and natural human

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reaction to any form of loss and is more intense the deeper the relationship with the one who is lost.  As a normal human experience, grief is something of which we need not be ashamed or feel guilty.  Even with our hope as Christians we still affirm that tears are not out of place when confronted by the death of one we love.  Instead of denying the reality of grief, we need to support and encourage one another in dealing with the experience.  Since we are the Body of Christ, we do belong to one another in the Lord.  It is, therefore, in and through the church that we can have the most tangible experience of God's comfort and compassion ministering to our grief.

We would commend to those who are grieving the book, "Good Grief" by Dr. Granger E. Westberg and "Everything in it's Time..." a study guide produced by the Little Chapel on the Boardwalk in 1982.  Both of these books are available from the church office.

4.      DEATH IS NOT THE END

A.      With all Christians we believe that death has been conquered by God in Jesus Christ.  Every New Testament book declares or assumes that Christ rose from the dead.  "Jesus Christ is Risen Today" is the message not only for Easter day but for every day of the year, and is the foundation of our hope as Christian men and women.

B.    We believe that as the followers of Christ we shall share in his victory over the grave.  "And God raised up the Lord and will also raise us up by his power." (I Corinthians 6:14).  The fact of his resurrection is the rock upon which we build a faith that we shall be raised to a new and an everlasting life.

C.   What will the resurrected body be like?  No one knows.  The Apostle Paul tells us that it will not be a resurrection of the flesh but that God will give us "spiritual bodies".  This seems to mean that we will be individual persons with means of expression and identification.

D.   We affirm that at death the believer goes to the presence of God, who is our eternal home.  The Christian no longer inhabits a physical body.  The real person is taken to the presence of God.  With the Apostle Paul we affirm that not even death can separate us from God's love in Jesus Christ.

E.    The hope of eternal life is based not upon our own worth, which could only bring God's displeasure and condemnation, but upon the grace and the mercy of God.  As Christians, we commit into God's gracious care and keeping those who die, trusting in the good news of life beyond life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

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PLANNING ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE TIME OF DEATH

The Book of Order of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) states:

Because it is difficult under emotional stress to plan wisely, the session should encourage members to discuss and plan in advance the arrangements which will be necessary at the time of death, including decisions about the Christian options of burial, cremation, or donation for medical purposes. These plans should provide for arrangements which are simple, which bear witness to resurrection hope, and in which the Christian community is central. The session is responsible for establishing general policies concerning the observance of services on the occasion of death.

In light of the above statement, the session shares the following comments:

1. FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS

The session encourages families to make a calm appraisal of intents and desires concerning appropriate funeral arrangements before death is imminent.  The form on the attached pink sheet is intended to be of assistance to you in this matter.  A copy should be retained by the family in a place known to survivors.  A completed copy also may be placed in a sealed envelope with your name on the outside and given to a pastor to place in a confidential file at the church until needed.

2. DISPOSITION OF THE BODY

Christian methods of disposition of the body are burial, cremation or donation for medical purposes.  Even where the whole body is not donated for medical purposes consideration of the use of organs is an appropriate act of Christian stewardship.  In the case of cremation the ashes may be buried or scattered.  Whatever method of disposition is chosen, ostentation and undue expense should

be avoided.

3. MEMORIALS

In lieu of flowers, it is increasingly becoming a custom to suggest that memorial contributions be made to the church or to a specific charity.  This, along with remembering one's church and favorite charities in one's will, is a way of continuing the Christian stewardship that one has practiced in life.

4. FUNERAL OR MEMORIAL SERVICE?

Traditionally, the burial or cremation has taken place following the service at the

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church.  Such practice, though, was not that of the early Christians nor that of the early American Protestants.  The bringing of the body to the church was introduced by the Roman Catholic Church.

The ancient practice has much to commend it.  If the burial or cremation occur prior to the church service people are freer to turn their attention away from the physical remains to God, who is our refuge and strength.  A "Service of Witness to the Resurrection" concluding at the church rather than the graveside or crematorium can create a feeling far less stark and dreadfully final.  Such a service, unless the family so desired, would not require the services of a funeral director.

A SERVICE ON THE OCCASION OF DEATH

The Book of Order of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) states:

The service on the occasion of death ordinarily should be held in the usual place of worship in order to join this service to the community's continuing life and witness to the resurrection.  The service shall be under the direction of the pastor.  Others may be invited to participate as leaders in the service at the discretion of the pastor.  This service may be observed on any day. A request to observe such a service as a part of the Lord's Day service or to celebrate the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper as a part of a service on the occasion of death requires the approval of the session.

This service may be observed before or after the committal of the body.  In order that attention in the service be directed to God, when a casket is present it shall be closed.  It may be covered with a funeral pall.  The service shall be complete in itself, and any fraternal, civic, or military rites should be conducted separately.  When there are important reasons not to hold the service in the usual place of worship, it may be held in another suitable place such as a home, a funeral home, a crematorium, or a graveside.

In light of the above statements, the session would share the following comments:

1. A SERVICE OF WITNESS TO THE RESURRECTION

This title from The Book of Common Worship of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) reminds us that for Christians a service on the occasion of death is primarily one which focuses attention on the Christian hope of resurrection through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

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2. A SERVICE OF WORSHIP TO GOD

Central to any service on the occasion of death must be the recognition that it is God, the Creator and Sustainer of life, who is being worshipped and not the person who has died.  In this service God's people witness to their faith in the communion of saints, the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting.  Thanksgiving is offered to God, the Creator of all, for the gift of life given to the deceased.  God's promises of help and comfort to those who mourn are remembered and claimed.

3. AS A SERVICE OF WORSHIP IT SHOULD BE HELD IN THE CHURCH

There are sometimes, of course, extenuating circumstances, but normally the church is the most suitable place for such a service.  This is the place where faith is given birth and is nurtured, where marriage vows are made, where children are baptized and confirmed, where the Lord's Supper is celebrated and where week by week the congregation gathers to worship.  It is the setting and the association of the church that helps to give an awareness of the presence of God which brings assurance, comfort and hope.

ELEMENTS IN A CHRISTIAN SERVICE ON THE OCCASION OF DEATH

1. THE READING OF SCRIPTURE

God's Word to our need is the strength of the Christian service on the occasion of death.  God speaks to our grief his healing word of love and assurance.

Old Testament readings particularly appropriate for such a service include: Psalms 23; 27; 46; 90; 91; 103; 121; 130; 139; Job 19:23-27; Isaiah 25:6-9; 26:1-4,19; 40:1-11;27-31; 43:1-3a, 18-19,25; 55:1-3;6-13; 65:17-25.

New Testament readings particularly appropriate for such a service include: Luke 23:33, 39-43; John 11:17-27; 14:1-6 25-27; Romans 6:3-9; 8:28-39; 1 Corinthians 13 and 1 5; 11 Corinthians 4:16-5: 1; I Thessalonians 4:13-18; 1 Peter 1:3-9; Revelation 7:9-17; 21:1-4; 22:3-5.

2. PRAYERS

Prayers shall be offered:

giving thanks to God

  -- for life in Jesus Christ and the promise of the gospel, for the life of the one who has died,

  -- for the comfort of the Holy Spirit,

  -- for the community of faith;

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making intercessions

  -- for family members and loved ones who grieve,

  -- for those who minister to and support the bereaved,

  -- for all who suffer loss;

lifting supplications

  -- for faith and grace for all who are present;

concluding with the Lord's Prayer.

3. AFFIRMATION OF FAITH

It is appropriate at such a service that the congregation affirm again its faith using the Apostles' or Nicene Creeds.  On such occasions the familiar words of the creeds, " the communion of saints, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting" take on a new meaning.

4. THE SINGING OF HYMNS

There is nothing which gives such a service its intended note of faith and victory as the united voices of Christians singing some of the great hymns which affirm God's power over death, a belief in the resurrection to life everlasting, and the assurance of the communion of saints.

Appropriate hymns for such a service are:

"A Mighty Fortress is our God"                         "Our God, Our Help in Ages Past"

"For All the Saints"                                            "Now Thank We All our God"

"How Firm a Foundation"                                  "Near to the Heart of God"

"Christ the Lord is Risen Today"                       "The Church's One Foundation"

"The Strife is O'er"                                             "Abide With Me"

"Praise to the Lord, the Almighty"                      "Give Thanks for Life"

"Crown Him With Many Crowns"                       "Amazing Grace"

"Guide Me, 0 Thou Great Jehovah"                   "The Lord's My Shepherd"

"Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee"                        "The Church's One Foundation"

"Love Divine, All Loves Excelling"                      "Eternal Father"

"Lord of the Living"                                             "O Lord of Life"                                       

"How Great Thou Art"                                         "Great is Thy Faithfulness"

"Lift High the Cross"                                           "I Danced in the Morning"

"We Know that Christ is Raised"                        " Baptized in Water"

"To God be the Glory"                                         "Christ is Alive"

"Christ is Risen!  Shout Hosanna"                      "Alleluia!  Alleluia!  Give Thanks"                     

"Jesus Christ is Risen Today”                            "Thine is the Glory"

“Morning Has Broken”

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5. ORGAN MUSIC, SOLOS AND ANTHEMS

All music used during such a service including solos, anthems and organ music should be selected in consultation with the church organist and should reflect the triumphant good news of God's victory over death in the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

6. THE ORDER OF SERVICE

The following order of worship is generally used at the Little Chapel for services on the occasion of death.

Organ Prelude

Call to Worship

Invocation

Hymn

Affirmation of Faith

Old Testament Lessons

Prayer of Thanksgiving

Organ Interlude/ Solo/ Anthem

New Testament Lessons

Prayer of Intercession

The Lord's Prayer

Hymn

The Charge and Benediction

Organ Postlude

CHURCH POLICIES CONCERNING SERVICES ON THE OCCASION OF DEATH

1.    The pastor, or a member of the church pastoral staff, should be contacted at the time of a death in order to assist the family in making the arrangements for a service.  No service should be scheduled before checking the availability of the church, the availability of a member of the staff to conduct the service, and arrangements are made with the director of music for someone to play the organ.   If a member of the pastoral staff is not available at the time of death these arrangements should be discussed with the church office.

2.    It is anticipated that the pastor and/or a member of the church pastoral staff will conduct such a service.  If the family should request another minister to participate in the service this should be made known to the person who will be conducting the service, so that this person may extend the invitation and work out the details of the service with the other minister.

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3.    If a member of the church’s pastoral staff is not available to take the service, the church office should be contacted to make arrangements for another minister to conduct the service.

4.    It is anticipated that the church organist will play for all such services.  If this person is not available the church will make arrangements for someone to play.  If whoever plays for the service is not paid through the Funeral Home or by the family a fee of $75.00 will be paid by the church from the Music Memorial Fund.

5.    If a guest soloist is requested by the family, that person must consult with the church organist regarding the selection of music and any rehearsal schedule.

6.    The adult choir, as a volunteer group, ordinarily will not be available to sing at such a service.

7.    The church pastoral staff do not charge a fee for their leadership in these services.

8.    The person who is conducting the service will consult with the family regarding special requests for elements to be included in the service but shall have final authority for determining the actual content of the service.

9.      The church provides a bulletin for each service held at the Little Chapel.  This      

      includes brief information concerning the deceased as well as the order of                     

      service.

10.  Any audio or video recordings of services at the Little Chapel are the          

      responsibility of the family.  The person leading the service should be notified

      if such recordings are to be made.

11.  If the body is brought to the church, the casket shall remain closed.

12. The church's funeral pall is available for use in any service held in the church.  Its

      use is encouraged, though the family may elect to have a floral casket spray

      instead.

13. If flowers, in addition to a casket spray, are used in the church they shall be limited

      to two arrangements on the flower stands.  The family will be responsible for any

      such arrangement or arrangements. Two arrangements may also be placed on the

      credenzas in the narthex.  If the service takes place near a Sunday regular Sunday

      Memorial flowers may be used, in consultation with the moderator of the Flower

      subcommittee.

14. Photographs may only be placed in the narthex or the fellowship hall.

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15.  The church, through its funeral ushering committee, will provide a sufficient number                

       of ushers for the service. The pallbearers, though, are the responsibility of              

       the family.                      

16.  Any fraternal, civic or military rites shall be held at a time and place other

       than that of the worship service at the church.

17.   The stewardship and finance committee of the session is available to consult

        with the family regarding the use to be made of memorials given to the

        church as well as to advise those who are planning to remember the church

        in their wills.

18.  The Presbyterian Women through their circles are available to provide the

        family with a meal on the day of the service.  This may be held at the

        church, at the home, or at some other location dependent upon the

        preference of the family.

19.  The members, friends and visitors of the Little Chapel are encouraged to           

       discuss with their families their wishes and preferences regarding details                          

       and arrangements for a service on the occasion of death and disposition of

       the body using the attached form.  A copy should be retained by the

       family.  A copy of the form may be placed in a sealed envelope with your

       name on the outside and given to church office staff to place in a

       confidential file at the church.  This form should be updated as needed.               

       Two copies of the form are attached.  Additional forms may be obtained

       from the church office.

Updated July 2004

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PLANNING ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE TIME OF DEATH LITTLE CHAPEL ON THE BOARDWALK

WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH, NORTH CAROLINA

NAME: ________________________________________     DATE  ______________

The Session of the Little Chapel encourages individuals to complete this form and to discuss its contents with members of their family.  This information should be updated any time your personal situation or feelings on any of these matters change.  If you so desire, a copy may be placed in a sealed envelope with your name on the outside and given to a pastor to place in a confidential file at the church.

Do you prefer:

A funeral service ______     or a memorial service______

Do you prefer a service held:

In the church _____  At the funeral home_____   At the graveside only ______

Other ______  please specify _________________________________________

What is your preference for the disposition of your mortal body at the time of death?________________________________________________________________

Have you willed your body or any organs to medical science?

      Yes_____          No ______

If yes, where is that document located?__________________________________

If your body is to be buried, would you prefer:

A committal service first, followed by a memorial service?________

A funeral service, followed by a committal service?______________

If your body is to be cremated, would you prefer:

Cremation first, followed by a memorial service?___________

A service at the church with the body present prior to cremation?____________

If your body is to be cremated, what arrangements would you prefer for the disposition of your ashes?

Burial______ scattering______         (where)__________________________________

disposal by funeral home_______

Would you desire any service in conjunction with the disposition of your ashes?

Yes______              No______

If yes, what type of service would you want?_______________________________

Do you know of any circumstances which might alter these preferences? If so, what are they?_______________________________________________________

Do you have any special requests as far as your funeral or memorial service is concerned?

Scriptures you would like used_____________________________________________     

Hymns you would like sung_______________________________________________

Special Music you would like used__________________________________________

Other_____________________________________________________________

Preference in funeral director (if any)________________________________________

Would you prefer friends to call:

     At your home?__________  At the funeral home?__________

Location of family burial plot (if any)_________________________________________

If your preference is for memorial gifts, to what cause should they be designated?

     The Little Chapel?__________

 The Little Chapel for use for (Please Specify)_______________________________

 A specific charity?_______ (Please specify charity) _________________________

Donor's choice_______________________________________________________

Have you remembered the Little Chapel in your will?__________

What assistance from the congregation would your family probably need and appreciate?____________________________________________________________

Where are the following items located?

   Vital statistics about you and your life?_____________________________________

   List of relatives and friends to be contacted?________________________________                 

   The deed to the cemetery plot?___________________________________________

   Your will and other important papers?______________________________________

OTHER COMMENTS (Please use the space below.)