Burial
The death of a loved one is a tender time, and we are here to support you. To report someone’s death or to talk to a member of our clergy about funeral plans, call the parish office at 804.288.2867. If death occurs at a time when the office is closed, an answering service will contact the priest on call to let him or her know that you have called.
Funerals and Memorial Services
Funerals or memorial services are opportunities to grieve and mourn, and at the same time they are celebrations of life – the life of a loved one and the life that endures through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. We will be glad to help you plan a meaningful service using the liturgies in the Book of Common Prayer and other authorized rites.
We recommend that funerals be scheduled at 11 a.m. or 2 p.m. on a weekday (Monday-Friday), and no later than 3 p.m. Funerals may also be scheduled at 2 p.m. on Saturdays if no wedding is scheduled that day. If you wish to hold a reception at St. Stephen’s following the service, please know that we are unable to hold receptions here on Saturdays or Wednesdays. We are not able to conduct funerals on Sundays.
Planning
Some people like to make decisions about hymns, readings, and other selections in advance for their own funerals and keep them on file at the church. It can be a great comfort to family members and other loved ones to know your wishes for your service.
Planning for a funeral–whether making decisions in advance for your own service, or planning a service for a loved one who has died–begins with a member of St. Stephen’s clergy. Our clergy and staff will guide you through the process, providing suggestions for lessons and music and other concerns. It is important to begin the process with the priest.
The Funeral Information Form will help you gather the information you, the clergy, and other staff will need for the service and reception (if a reception will take place at St. Stephen’s).
The Advance Planning Form will help you consider and write down your wishes for your own service. Keep copies for yourself and family members, and share one with the parish office.
If you wish to reserving space in the Memorial Garden for your own and/or a loved one’s ashes, sure about the Memorial Garden here, and fill out the form below.
The Burial Office from the Book of Common Prayer is used, and may include Communion as you wish. There is a Rite One service (page 469) which uses more traditional language, and a Rite Two service (page 491) using more contemporary language. Clergy can help you select music from our Hymnal and the repertoire of our music staff.
An additional option is a “Celtic-style” service using a template we have developed that draws from the resources of our Sunday evening Celtic service, and uses music from the repertoire for that service.
We will produce printed programs for the service for you according to a format we have developed. The clergy can show you samples of these bulletins.
Flowers for the funeral are arranged and placed by St. Stephen’s Flower Guild.
The Garden of the Holy Spirit
If you wish to have your ashes, or those of a loved one, interred in the Garden of the Holy Spirit, please visit the memorial garden page.
Memorial Gifts
Memorial gifts to St. Stephen’s are placed in the church’s Endowment Fund, income from which supports the ministries of this parish. You may wish to suggest St. Stephen’s Church as a recipient for those who choose to make a gift in your or a loved one’s memory. This suggestion is traditionally included in the obituary. If it is your wish that St. Stephen’s be named as a recipient of gifts in your memory, please make that wish known to St. Stephen’s and your close family as part of your advance planning.
Livestreaming
If you wish for a memorial service to be livestreamed so that family and friends who are unable to travel for the service may watch wherever they are, please let the priest who will officiate know as soon as possible. Including the URL (web address) in the obituary will ensure that people are able to find the livestream in time to watch the service.
Contact Us
Please call the parish office at 804.288.2867 for additional guidelines and details, or contact a member of the clergy.