A Christian Funeral is a Worship service that provides an opportunity to give thanks to God for the life of a loved one, to remember the promises God makes to us, and to support and comfort one another.
The Funeral Arrangement Process:
Families first contacts their Funeral Home of choice and meets with them. Next, the Funeral Home contacts the Pastor(s) to set a date and time for the service. Finally, the Pastor(s) will schedule a meeting with the family to gather stories and memories of your loved one and plan Worship and other details.
What you should know about Funeral Services at Trinity:
- Visitation & Service Time: A visitation the evening prior to the funeral service or a one-hour visitation on the day of the funeral is preferred. Funerals are approximately 25 minutes long.
- Personal Remembrances: are shared during visitation and at a reception, not during the funeral service.
- Music: because a Funeral is a Worship service only hymns or classical music are used. It is common to sing hymns at a funeral. Families choose those in conjunction with the Pastor(s). Secular music/favorite songs are good for a visitation and/or a reception.
- Supplies Trinity can provide: easels for photo boards (up to 3), table in lobby for display of photos/special items, table at front of Worship space for urn/photo/flowers, some stands for flower arrangements.
- People Trinity provides: Pastor(s), Musician, Hospitality Host/Hostess to guide people unfamiliar with Trinity’s building.
- We highly encourage families to use the services of a Funeral Home the day of the funeral. The Funeral Home: sets up for the service; arranges photos, flowers, casket/urn; organizes family and friends to begin; packs up after the service; and leads the procession to the cemetery, including a police escort. The Funeral Home also provides a guest book, memorial cards or bulletins, a secure box for sympathy cards. These are not tasks the Pastor(s) or Church Staff perform.
Usage Fees (paid through the funeral home)
- Use of the church building & Worship space: no charge
- Use of the fellowship hall & kitchen (if lunch/reception held at the church): $100
- Pastor: $200
- Musician(s): $100
Receptions at Trinity:
Families are welcome to use the Fellowship Hall for up to 2.5 hours for post funeral gatherings (example: gathering starts at 11:45 and ends at 2:15).
- Food is provided is catered by the family’s arrangement. See our list of preferred caterers below.
- Trinity provides: decaf coffee, packets of creamer, sugar, and sugar free sweetener; plates, cups, napkins, flatware, and serving utensils; kitchen hosts to make coffee, pack up leftover food for the family, and clean the kitchen.
- Trinity’s Custodian will: set up and arrange tables; empty trash after receptions; clean floors, bathrooms, & kitchen counters.
- No alcohol is allowed.
- You’re welcome to use easels and tables for display. No tape or tacky on the walls.
Preferred Caterers
- Bon Ton Bakery (920) 674-3262
- Carla’s Catering (920) 728-3246
- Festival Foods (920) 563-3531
Order of Worship
- Gathering
- Invitation to Prayer
- Thanksgiving for Baptism
- Prayers
- Hymn
- Scripture Readings
- Sermon
- Hymn
- Creed
- Prayer (+ Lord’s Prayer)
- Commendation
- Hymn
Suggested Readings (not an exhaustive list):
- Isaiah 43: 1-2
- Jeremiah 29: 1-14 (especially v. 11)
- Psalms 22, 23, 121
- Matthew 11: 25-30
- Matthew 12: 1-12
- Matthew 19: 13-15
- Matthew 21: 1-11
- Mark 4: 35-41
- John 19: 25b-27 (for families that are beyond biology)
- Romans 8: 9-17
- Romans 8: 31-39
- Ephesians 3: 14-21
- Philippians 1: 3-11
Suggested Hymns (not an exhaustive list):
- Abide with Me
- Alleluia! Jesus is risen!
- Amazing Grace
- Beneath the Cross of Jesus
- Blessed Assurance
- Borning Cry For All the Saints
- Give Me Jesus Great is Thy Faithfulness
- Guide Me Ever, Great Redeemer
- How Great Thou Art
- I Am the Bread of Life
- In the Cross of Christ I Glory
- I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light
- Jesus Loves Me
- Love Divine, Love Excelling
- On Eagle’s Wings
- Precious Lord Take My Hand
- Thy Holy Wings
- Shall We Gather at the River
- Spirit of Gentleness
- When Peace Like A River