Planning a Funeral Service

Every person is unique and their funeral service should reflect that. Whether you are planning a funeral service after cremation or before a burial, the purpose remains the same. The funeral service should honor the deceased and help those affected by the loss begin to heal. Planning a meaningful funeral service is the single most important step you can take toward healing after loss – for everyone involved.

If your family is in need of assistance planning a funeral service in Chambersburg, our staff are here for you. Below we have broken down different aspects of the arrangement process to help you better understand what’s involved.

As always, if you are unsure how to plan a funeral service, feel free to reach out and speak with a member of our staff – they will gladly assist you. We understand that this is a common challenge when planning a funeral, therefore we have outlined a brief funeral service planning guide for your benefit.

The Arrangement Conference

Following your initial call to the funeral home, your funeral director will schedule a time for you to drop by the funeral home and complete your arrangements. The arrangement conference is a time for you to ask questions, share stories about your loved one, and explore the many options available to you.

During this meeting, the funeral director will begin discussing how you want the deceased to be cared for. Regardless of the method of disposition (burial or cremation) you select, your family can still plan any type of memorialization service. A common misconception is that if a loved one is cremated you cannot hold a funeral service after cremation. This could not be further from the truth. Although many funeral services will have the deceased’s body present, your family can still hold a funeral service with or without the cremated remains there.

The arrangement conference is also when you can add your personal touches to the service. From musical selections to flowers, funeral merchandise and much more, the choice is all yours. Your funeral director will answer any questions you may have during the meeting and help you make educated and informed decisions.

The Ceremony

The first decision involves selecting the perfect location for your loved one’s funeral service. You can choose to hold your ceremony in our beautiful chapel or you can choose to hold it elsewhere. Just let us know what you think would be best for all concerned.

Next, you may wish to inform your wider circle of family and friends of the event location, date, and time. We will help you spread the word, through our print and online channels to bring your community together to commemorate your loved one’s life.
funeral service after cremation sunset

When Choosing Burial

If you’ve chosen to have your loved one buried, you may wish to have the casket present at the service. In addition, many people choose to hold a viewing prior to the service. Whatever you decide, we will work with you to ensure that you have every opportunity to bring family and friends together to say a final goodbye before the burial. For more information on our burial services, click here.

About Cremation and Ceremony

Many families think that when they choose cremation, there is no way they can hold or plan a funeral service, funeral, or remembrance service.

This is simply not true. In fact, we strongly recommend that you hold a funeral service to help you and your loved ones in the healing process.

There are new options available to you which make it easier to bring cremation and ceremony together. We can provide you with a rental casket for your loved one, so that family members and friends can benefit from attending a visitation and a funeral prior to the cremation.

Today many families wish to have a funeral reception following the service, and this is something we would be pleased to arrange for you. It can be a small, intimate gathering, or a larger, community-wide event. Please contact us to learn about all of the ceremonial and reception options available to you

What Comes Next in Planning a Funeral Service?

In short, what comes next involves coming together with family and friends to discuss their needs and desires and to actually plan the funeral service. Before you begin planning a funeral service, you should first confirm whether or not your loved one had completed funeral prearrangements. Regardless of whether or not they had planned a funeral service with us or another funeral home, you should first locate those plans. 

When you come to our funeral home for the arrangement meeting, please bring any documents the deceased had completed outlining their wishes for their funeral service. This will help make the arrangement process easier and ensure their final wishes are fulfilled. If no such documents were completed, we ask that you speak with family and friends of the deceased to begin brainstorming what you would like to include in the service. Doing so will help you have a better idea of what you need to make the service meaningful as we honor the deceased’s life.

The Details of Funeral Service Planning

The funeral or memorial service is an important step toward healing hearts and beginning the process of mending the rip in the social fabric that exists after someone dies. During the funeral arrangement conference, your Funeral Director will guide you throughout the funeral planning process, provide you with clear answers to all your questions, and share his or her insights and experience with you.

We understand that it is not common to fully know how to plan a funeral, therefore we are here to offer our expertise with the highest level of compassion. Below, we have provided an overview of the many details of funeral planning you will discuss during the arrangement conference. 
funeral planning

Where Should it be Held?

Now that you have made the decision regarding burial versus cremation for your loved one, it is time to think about how you would like the service to look, and feel. It is an overall experience for everyone there; a testament to the life of someone you loved, and should illustrate the depth of your caring relationship.

Traditionally, a service is held in the family’s church, or in the chapel of the funeral home. But, in today’s world, you can choose to hold the service almost anywhere that is meaningful to you.

Perhaps there is a special place that your loved one would like to have their final goodbye? It could be at the beach, or in a favorite park; we’ve even seen services staged on the 18th hole of a golf course! Really, the choices are limited only by your imagination.

Of course, this is where you can rely heavily on your Funeral Director to help you in selecting the perfect location, and creating a memorable service.

What Day of the Week and Time of the Day are Best?

Naturally, the answers to this question depend on the location you’ve selected, and the schedules of those you wish to attend. We have made arrangement for evening services, often followed by a dinner gathering at a local restaurant. We’ve also seen early afternoon services, held out-of-doors, in the sunshine and open air. If you have concerns about the weather, an indoor service is probably a good choice, and the day/time issue resolves itself when we look at the facility schedule.

Who Will Officiate the Service?

You can choose to have a minister of your faith officiate the service, or a certified celebrant. For that matter, you can choose almost anyone who is comfortable with speaking in public, but we believe it should be someone who cares deeply about guiding those in attendance through the ceremony. The choice is always yours, but we suggest you select someone you know well, and trust.

There are Other Decisions, Too

Actually, these are the decisions which really shape and personalize the service. For example, you will need to decide:
  • Will the service be open-ended, or will guests be told the service ends at a specific time?
  • Which flowers, and in what colors, would you like to see surrounding the casket or urn?
  • What type of music you would like to be played – and specifically, what selections?
  • Will there be transportation provided, to and from the service for friends and family?
  • Will you have a time in the service where people can share memories of your loved one?
  • What will you do if no one wishes to share? What can you fill that time with?
  • Will there be a traditional eulogy? And if so, who will present it?
  • If there is to be a burial, will it be private, or open to all who choose to come?
  • Are there close personal friends or business partners you'd wish to have service responsibilities?

Letting Everyone Know

Preparing a list of who should be notified of the passing of your loved one will be really helpful to your Funeral Director. We have a number of ways to notify them of the death, and the details of the service arrangements; and we’d be delighted to assist you in this important (and often emotionally-draining) task. When you meet with your Funeral Director, he or she will be pleased to discuss these options.

If you’d like to learn more about any of the details involved in planning a funeral, memorial service or funeral pre-planning for a loved one, call or email us.

Let Us Help with Your Preparations

As always, if you need further assistance or want to begin planning a funeral service in Chambersburg, please do not hesitate to contact us. A member of our staff will gladly speak with you and provide guidance, going through each detail of our funeral service planning guide.
Sources:
  1. Shakespeare, William, "Henry V" 
  2. Petch , Alison, "Funeral and Mourning Clothing", England, the Other Within, accessed March, 2015
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