Funeral Pre-Planning for Christians

Death is one of the most difficult subjects to deal with. Most people avoid the topic of death, especially when it comes to talking or planning for their own. The decision of preplanning for one’s funeral is something most people put off despite the fact that the inevitable day will come. And as Christians, we should learn never to fear death. 

As Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:6-8:

"So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord."

Most families who have experienced the death of a loved one will always advise that funeral preplanning arrangements be made well in advance of death when decisions are made with a clearer mind. And that is what funeral preplanning is about. It is for you to provide instructions on your final wishes and ease the burden of your family, minimizing their stress during this difficult time. Whilst it may be easy to say, “Let’s not make a fuss out of my death. Just bury me or scatter my remains in the sea.” It is also important to understand that the ritual of a funeral and the memorial service is not for the dead but for the living. It is not for you; it is for your loved ones. It is a time when family and friends come together to grieve openly and provide support for each other, drawing strength and comfort from the Lord. 
 

The Benefits of Preplanning

With funeral preplanning, you can:
 

1. Make all the arrangements at your own time to alleviate the stress from your family during their time of grief. Taking care of your own funeral arrangements is one of the most thoughtful things you can do for your family. You will feel comforted knowing that you have done all you can do ease their burden and pain.


2. Clearly communicate your final wishes – preventing any ambiguity and disagreements amongst relatives of what you may have wanted. Whether it is your preference for cremation or burial, the epitaph on your plaque, or the music and readings at your memorial service; ensure you have all these wishes set forth in your funeral preplanning so as to avoid any possible confusion.


3. Provide your family and loved ones with the benefit of a meaningful funeral. A funeral is an important event for your grieving family. It is very difficult to plan for a meaningful funeral when the planning is done under emotional duress. Proper preplanning helps provide your loved ones a sense of closure and enables them to begin the healing process.


4. Manage the cost of your funeral and protect your family from future inflation. Planning ahead also allows you to assume the financial responsibility for your funeral, relieving your family of any financial challenge during in trying times.

What should you plan for?

The first and most important step to funeral preplanning is to have an open and honest conversation with your family members. Share your thoughts, preferences, and wishes with those closest to you. Your choice of final arrangements will affect those you leave behind and it is vital that you also consider what they may want from the funeral and memorial service to make it meaningful. Some of the areas of discussions for funeral preplanning:
 

• Burial or cremation
• Casket type
• Urns / keepsakes
• Location of funeral and/or memorial service
• Type of memorial service
• Readings: Favourite scriptures, poems, etc.
• Choice of music, video, photographs
• Eulogy
• Reception and catering arrangements

With funeral preplanning, you have control over all of these details and the luxury of planning ahead of time. Planning your final arrangements in advance ensures that you remove all the stress from your loved ones and your celebration of life will be exactly how you want it.