FUNERAL CELEBRANCY
Their story. Their life. Their goodbye.
A funeral celebrant brings a number of important skills to a service, whatever type of send-off is being planned. For me, there are three things that really matter.
YOUR SERVICE, YOUR WAY
A service that feels like them
The format
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A traditional funeral service
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A cremation service
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A burial service
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Moments of reflection
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Religious or spiritual elements, where appropriate
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A final farewell
The personal touches
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Music
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Readings
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Poetry
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Family tributes
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Contributions from friends
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Humour and personal stories
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Photographs or videos
A funeral should never feel like a generic script. It should feel like their story, their life and their goodbye.
TURNING A LIFE STORY INTO A LIVING MEMORY
Remembering who they really were
If someone didn't know them well before the service, they should leave feeling that they understand a little more about who they were.
Their life
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Their personality
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Family life
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Career
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Friendships
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Interests and hobbies
What made them, them
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Achievements
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Favourite stories
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Humour
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Habits and sayings
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The things that made them unique
1
Structure
Bringing together the welcome, music, readings, tributes, family contributions, reflection and farewell - so the service flows, feels complete, and works within the time available.
2
A living memory
Helping the people attending remember the person as they really were, not just a list of dates and events.
3
Saying goodbye
My role isn't to tell anyone how to grieve - it's to help the family remember, reflect and begin to say goodbye in a way that feels right for them.