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Arranging a Funeral

Arranging a Funeral Service

There are lots of things which need to be taken into account when organising a funeral service. Some things can be made easier if the person who has died has left some requests in their Will, describing the sort of funeral arrangements they hoped for. Naturally, the family will want to keep to such arrangements as far as possible - and we will try to oblige. Some things, however, may not be possible. If the person who died or you live in either of Blandford or Langton Parishes, then you have the right to have a funeral in the parish church, even if they or you are not churchgoers.

So where do you begin ... ?The first thing to do is to contact a funeral director, who will organise the arrangements for everything apart from the service itself. They will contact one of the ministers in the local churches to check that they are available at the time when the funeral is planned. It is usually better to let them do this, rather than speak to the clergy themselves directly at this stage.
Arranging a funeral

Burials and cremations ....

At BFPC ..., the graveyard is "closed" which means that people cannot be buried in the churchyard surrounding the church. There is a small area for the burial of ashes but the space is normally reserved for those who have been active members of the Church community. Burials in Blandford usually take place at the Blandford Cemetery on the Salisbury Road.
At Langton Long ..., the graveyard is still open but limited space means that it is only available for people who have been active members of the Church community. There is an area for the burial of ashes.

These days six out of 10 funerals make use of the crematorium. This leaves the question of what is to be done with the ashes. Crematoria have gardens of rest where they can be buried and it may be possible for the ashes to be buried or scattered in one of the churchyards. However this should be done in consultation with the Church Office - please contact us by clicking here: .

Elements of The Funeral Service ....

There are a number of elements that go to make up a Funeral and what follows are resources which aim to help you to plan a service which is appropriate for the needs of those who will attend:

The Layout of the Service

  • A service in Church followed by the Committal at the Crematorium or Graveside - click here.
  • A service in Church when the Committal is included - click here.
  • A service at the Crematorium - click here.

    Resources for the Service

  • A list of hymns which might be appropriate - click here.
    To hear the tunes of these hymns, please go to this useful site: Funeral Hymns and click on the hymns to hear a midi file.
  • Other Resources - click here to see a site which contains many other useful resources for the service.

    Bible Readings for the Service

  • A reading from John 14 - click here.
  • A reading from Psalm 23 - click here.
  • A reading from Psalm 121 - click here.
  • A reading from Romans 8 - click here.
  • A reading from 1 Corinthians 15 - click here.
  • A reading from Revelation 21 - click here.

    Poems for the Service

  • "A Child Loaned" - click here.
  • "But Not Forgotten" - click here.
  • "Death Be Not Proud" - click here.
  • "Death is Nothing At All" - click here.
  • "He Is Gone" - click here.
  • "I'm Free" - click here.

    Prayers for the Service

  • The Lords Prayer - click here.
  • Contemporary Prayers - click here.
  • Traditional Prayers - click here.
  • A General Thanksgiving - click here.
  • The Prayer of John Donne - click here.

    Other questions you might want to consider

  • Do we want a service sheet with hymns and prayers on? BFPC Office is able to help with this, if you would like us to.
  • Do we want a collection at the end of the service for the church or a charity which is appropriate to the family?
  • Will there be a reception after the service for family and friends ?

    Please contact us if you wish to discuss any aspect of this. We will do our very best to help. Email us by clicking here: .

    After the funeral

    People who have lost someone close to them are often so busy with practical details and arrangements between the death and the funeral that they do not experience the full sense of their loss until later.

    Grieving is a natural and important part of coming to terms with and healing this loss and it may continue for several months. It is our desire to be there for you, if you feel we can help. Often people find it is those who have suffered a close bereavement themselves, clergy or lay people, who can most easily offer comfort and support to those who mourn.

    Arranging a funeral

    We believe that the greatest comfort is to be found in the promises of Jesus Christ and in the hope of the Resurrection. We pray that you will know the love of God supporting you through this difficult time and that it will deepen your own trust and belief in him.