Programs for graveside services

You can hold both a funeral service and a graveside service; this choice is entirely up to you. It might even be a good idea to hold a funeral service for close friends and family and a graveside service that is open to all, or vice versa.

Holding both also opens up multiple opportunities for loved ones to pay their respects and celebrate or honor the life of a loved one. Graveside services are similar to funeral services; condolences and readings are no exception.

If you have the opportunity to interact directly with the immediate family, graveside services are a place for you to offer your condolences and support towards the family. Here are some things that you might say at a graveside service to comfort the family:. You can use these in combination with one another or some variant of any of these sayings. The attire you wear to a graveside service is, generally, very similar to funeral service attire.

You should first and foremost follow the instructions from the family. If there is no direction from the family or requests, you can then follow some of our suggestions. Funeral service attire is usually tailored, subtle clothing such as dresses or suits that are in darker colors, most often in black. Opening Reading or Scripture An opening reading of either a favorite poem or quotation is used to begin a non-religious service. Psalm 23 Psalm Psalm Revelation Invocation or Moment of Silence The reading is usually followed by a prayer in a religious service, asking for God's blessing on the service and time together, and for His comfort for the family.

Reading of Obituary The obituary is given at this point in the service, acknowledging respects for the deceased and condolences for the family.

Eulogy The eulogy is given at this point of the service either by the funeral celebrant or by a member of the family or a member of the clergy. Benediction A final prayer or moment of silence concludes the ceremony.

Characteristics of a Graveside Service A graveside service features many characteristics of a traditional funeral service, but minimal and cut back. Some things to remember include: A visitation time or viewing is either very brief or not a part of the service. The funeral celebrant can be a member of the clergy, the funeral director, or a family member or friend.

The service is brief and requires less time. Pallbearers are usually not needed. The casket is in place by the time people arrive. One eulogy is delivered, rather than several. There are fewer readings, Scriptures, and prayers than at a funeral service.

Usually there are no flower arrangements, or at most one or two at the head and foot of the casket. Musicians are usually not needed, with the exception of taps played at a military service. Thank you so much for posting this Sample Grave Side Service. I love the prayer and generosity that underlie this offering to the world online. My cousin passed who was in a wheelchair for over 50 years. He had little family and no services. I will use this for a small, informal gathering of family at the cemetery.

Thank you so much for this helpful website. We also are planning a small family service at the cemetery for my Father who was cremated and your outline gives us much needed spiritual direction.

Thank you for your ministry! Your drafts and recommendations are very helpful! I have lost a good woman, in my best friends mother. She, her sister, and husband all agreed — that I would be the perfect friend to help them in Eulogy, and grave side. Their grief is tremendous.

After loosing their father, and their brother — just months prior to their mother. With my own grief and sadness, Mom and I were also close.

She had such a huge welcoming smile and heart. They believed Mom would be so happy to know I would be the one they called to lay her to rest. It is such an honor, and I thank you for the help and selections to compliment the family history and Christian culture. I have taken so much from your guide.

This is a blessing to me, and a relief to do it perfectly right and respectful. Thank you — Donna. Sadly, despite us having 3 adult children, me having siblings, him having a sister and sister in law, I will be alone.

My heart grieves terribly for his loss, and for the hostile and indifference of those who once cared. Thank you for making this available…. I will use a few of the pieces here. And I thought other things were tough.

I wish I could have been there for you that day, even though we are strangers, I am so very sorry for your pain. I hope you have found peace now. Thank you for sharing this resource. I am so happy to have found this information. We are going to have a graveside ceremony for my sister. My family has never done this before. Now we have a plan.

It is going to be very special. Thank you for putting this on your website! They will be at the service we have never met them so I want to be extremely sensitive with my words.

Can you help me to figure out what to say please? I am truly equally burdened but blessed at the opportunity to hopefully bring healing to this difficult situation. The service is in a few days so your prompt response will be greatly appreciated. I found out on New Years eve that, due to confusion with the funeral home, we would need someone to perform the graveside service for my father yesterday. Thanks to this page, I did it myself. I think the service went well and that my father a 28 year Air Force veteran was properly honored.

Honestly, it was very helpful to me personally as well. Thank you so very much. Thank you for this lovely service. I was unable to attend a dear friends funeral due to the corona virus lock down. I was able to follow this on my own at the time of the funeral and it was a great comfort to me. Thanks for this sample service. You must be logged in to post a comment. Skip to content Outline from the Methodist Hymnal,p. Just like there is a healing and recovery process that involves time when our body is wounded or injured, so there is a period of time when we suffer loss.

The reason we have the ability to grieve is because we have the ability to give and receive love. The Word of God is so very clear, that we as believers have received the Holy Spirit; who is our Helper and our comforter in every difficult place of life John Therefore we will not fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea.

Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. There is a river, the streams whereof make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most high. God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.

For the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. Tenderly and reverently, we commit that house to the grave,to God who gave it, waiting for the day when both the spirit and the body shall again be united at the coming of the Lord. Heavenly Father, we thank You this day for Your precious, eternal, and unchanging Word. We anticipate the day when spirit and body shall be united again at the coming of the Lord, and we find great comfort in knowing that we shall forever be together with the Lord.

Open with prayer: Death reminds us: 1. When we know God and the truth of His Scripture, death also brings us… 2. A Precious Realization We realize that God has a solution… something greater than the painful reminder. We have a precious realization today, and that leads us to… 3.

On behalf of the family, I would like to thank all of you for coming out today.