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Funerals at Grace Church are occasions for celebration of life, as well as expression of grief. We are also encouraged by our faith to understand that this earthly life is only a part of our whole life, for death is but a gateway into eternal life with God.
The Prayer Book puts this well: The liturgy for the dead is an Easter liturgy. It finds all meaning in the resurrection. Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we too, shall be raised. The liturgy, therefore, is characterized by joy, in the certainty that "neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. This joy, however, does not make human grief un-Christian. The very love we have for each other in Christ brings deep sorrow when we are parted by death. Jesus himself wept at the grave of his friend. So, while we rejoice that one we love has entered into the nearer presence of our Lord, we sorrow in sympathy with those who mourn. - Father Matt |
Funeral Arrangements
Arrangements for funerals are made through consultation with Fr Matt. The service is planned together, choosing appropriate scriptural texts, music, readers and eulogists. It is best planned in advance if you would like to take this work off of grieving children or spouse. Contact Fr Matt through the office for more information. The Memorial Garden at Grace Church is a beautiful and accessible final resting place for our mortal remains after cremation. Ashes are buried in the ground in designated spots and the name of the deceased is added to a plaque of remembrance. In the summer of 2019, Al Turino and his crew of masons erected the low stone wall which now encircles the Memorial Garden. |
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