A funeral ceremony is an important time when family and friends will be thinking about the person who has died. It should help them to express their sadness but also to celebrate the life that was lived.
Those who have a religious faith will usually want a religious minister to conduct their funeral ceremony, but for those for whom religion is less important, or who have made a clear decision to live without it, there are other options.
These include a Celebration of Life ceremony, which may include some religious music or simple prayers or a Humanist ceremony; where there is no religious content, hymns or prayers.
In both cases, a Celebrant will visit close family and possibly others affected by the death. During a visit, they will ask questions, make notes and most importantly listen to family anecdotes, memories and details about the deceased's life.
This enables the Celebrant to write an accurate tribute of how that person lived; to speak of them with dignity and humour.
These ceremonies uniquely and affectionately honour the life of the deceased, and have warmth and meaning.
Members of the family can take part with a reading or poem, or their own tribute. It all helps to make the occasion more personal.
Music can be a poignant way of reflecting the personality of the person who has died, and crematoria and cemetery chapels have facilities for playing recorded music and this gives freedom of choice.
A typical order of ceremony includes introductory music, words of welcome, an explanation of context followed by the tribute.
A period of reflection or prayer may follow the tribute, and then the committal this is when the curtains may be closed. After the committal, closing words are said and the ceremony ends with a final piece of music.
For those who choose a burial, the coffin is lowered into the grave after the committal.