kinds of services
A Memorial Service
This is an event to remember the deceased loved one when family and friends come along to celebrate their life but when no actual body is present.
Some people find the presence of the body upsetting, some find that they want to remember the person as they had been when they were alive rather than in a ‘box’.
A Funeral Service
The body of the loved on is actually present and the coffin or casket may be open or closed. A service takes place in the presence of the body.
This is a very traditional way to send off a loved one. Funerals are frequently religious in context. More and more people are opting for a combination of religious and secular. It is a very personal choice. Many at the end of their lives find that they do not have any religious belief and prefer their families to provide for a civil funeral when they have died.
A Committal Service
This kind of event happens usually at the graveside before the body of the loved one is buried or when their ashes are being buried or scattered.
Many times this service is for close family and friends only who travel to the graveside or location where the ashes will be scattered. It is seen as a very final good-bye and it can be a highly emotional and intense moment.
A Tribute
Sometimes tributes can take place long after the person has died. It is an event to focus on the life of the deceased loved one and what feelings people would like to share about that life.
Tributes are opportunities for large groups of people to join together when the immediate rawness of a death is over. It is a great chance to reflect on all of the happy experiences spent with the person who is now gone.
