Five Goals Of Every Funeral Speech Help You Understand What A Eulogy Is

What is the meaning of "eulogy?"

A "eulogy" is simply a speech that is delivered at a funeral service or memorial service to pay tribute to someone who recently passed away.

If you have been asked to give a eulogy, you may be wondering what is expected of you. Here are the five things that a eulogy can accomplish.

Goal 1: Honor the deceased's virtues and character

Your primary goal with your eulogy is to pay tribute to the person who has passed away. This involves honoring the virtues and character of the person.

Goal 2: Bring comfort to those who are grieving

Eulogies are usually delivered within a few days of a person passing away. The folks in the audience are often still in shock, and are grieving for the person who has died. Emotions are raw. The main emotion in the room is grief. One goal of a eulogy is to bring comfort to those who are grieving. This is especially true when the person who died has left behind young children, or when the person died suddenly or unexpectedly.

Goal 3: Help family and friends say goodbye

The funeral is usually the last day when the deceased person is still physically present. A casket can be touched, cried over and carried to the grave site. But once the casket is lowered into the ground and covered with earth, the deceased person is gone and out of sight. The eulogy is a final chance for the eulogist and everyone else in the room to say goodbye to their loved one.

Goal 4: Help to bring closure

Moving on after the death of a loved one is difficult, and takes time. That process begins when the person grieving realizes that a stage of life has ended and another stage has begun. The eulogy is an opportunity for grieving family and friends to get closure.

Goal 5: Put the person's life into perspective

An optional goal of a eulogy is to put the life of the deceased into perspective for those people who are gathered at the funeral or memorial service. The people in the audience will know the deceased person in many ways. In the audience will be people who knew the departed person as a grandparent, a parent, a spouse, a sibling, perhaps even as a child.

Others will have known the deceased as an aunt or uncle, as a colleague, as a neighbour, and so on. You have the opportunity when giving your eulogy to set the person's life into a larger context, to show the meaning that the person had for everyone present, and beyond.

For example, at my father's funeral, I, my sister and my brother each delivered a eulogy in praise of my father. Each of our eulogies, as you can expect, was intensely personal. The minister who officiated at the funeral, on the other hand, delivered a eulogy that set my father's life into a historical context.



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Flower Arrangements : How to Arrange Funeral Flowers

Funeral flowers are arranged in a very specific way because of the arrangement's intended destination. Arrange funeral flowers with help from a floral design and event producer in this free video clip.

Pre-Arranging And Pre-Planning A Funeral

Pre-arranging for your final arrangements is part of smart financial and estate planning and it saves loved ones from the stress of planning a funeral. Please contact your local funeral professional for more information.

Sending Funeral Flowers And Sympathy Flowers

Sending Funeral and Sympathy Flowers is a widely practiced tradition across many cultures to express condolences and respect following a death. When someone has lost a loved one, it can bring great comfort to receive a flower arrangement with an expression of sympathy. It provides a simple, uplifting and touching way to show the bereaved that you are thinking about them in their time of loss.

What is the difference between Sympathy Flowers and Funeral Flowers?

Sympathy Flowers are typically a personal expression to offer condolences sent direct to the home, or place of work, of the bereaved family. Sympathy arrangements are usually of the design that they will fit onto a table-top, and give a heart-warming distraction to the grief-stricken during the time of recent loss. Conventionally Sympathy Flowers are white, although other colours are quite acceptable. If you chose to send Sympathy Flowers, a number of options are available, selecting designs from simple floral bouquets to a houseplant or an exotic orchid. The important consideration in sending sympathy flowers is that the natural beauty and scent of flowers can have a special effect on the human senses in evoking compassion. Prices for sending Sympathy Flowers do vary, but you can expect to be able to send a simple arrangement from $30.00. Using an online flower retailer is becoming common practice these days, and indeed significant savings can be made this way. Cheap Sympathy Flowers can be ordered online, or by telephone, from US Funerals Online.

Funeral Flowers are traditionally considered the flower arrangement that is sent to the funeral service. A Funeral Flower arrangement is typically a standing arrangement, most are one-sided and fan-shaped, and they are carefully designed for the purpose of creating a very visible floral tribute at a funeral service. This is why most funeral flower arrangements are designed for display purposes on an easel, or to be laid on or around a casket. As with Sympathy Flowers, Funeral Flowers are sent as an explicit expression of condolences, and are often sent to a funeral service when one is unable to personally attend. Funeral Floral displays are an important aspect of adding colour and grace to a funeral service, helping to create a compassionate ambiance to a somber event. Florists will offer a selection of standing funeral flower arrangements, and prices generally start from around $65.00 with large standing sprays or casket sprays ranging to $300.00.

If you are intending on sending funeral flowers to a church or funeral home for a funeral service, then you may need to consider a few things. Firstly, you may need to establish what the wishes of the family are...do they want floral displays, and would they prefer them to be sent to the funeral home, the cemetery or the church? What time is the service being conducted? The funeral director can normally advise on the families' wishes if you cannot speak directly to the family. However, do be wary of the funeral home offering to arrange flowers for you, as they can often cost more than ordering direct yourself. Florists are extremely understanding of ensuring funeral flowers are delivered in a timely fashion for a funeral service, and many will even offer to call you to confirm their delivery. To view a selection of cheap funeral flowers offered with a 50% discount on full retail price, visit US Funerals Online and view our Funeral Flowers.

What else to consider?

Whether you are selecting sympathy funeral or funeral flowers, you can choose either traditional arrangements, or select flowers and colors that represent special meaning to the bereaved. For example: you may choose colors that help to signify a story about the life of the deceased. It is often considered common for a veteran to be honored with a red, white and blue floral tribute

What message to send with Funeral Flowers?

Not sure how to convey your condolences? A simple card and message lets the bereaved family know that your thoughts are with them. The common messages used to express condolences are "With deepest sympathy", "Thinking of you in these difficult times", and "My thoughts and prayers are with you".



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The Right Poem To Read At A Funeral

The right poem to read at a funeral will be different for you than it is for some others. Every individual is truly unique. Every life has its special story. A poem that resonates with one person may not express the emotions of another. Your choice is your own.

That does not mean that funeral poems others have used will fall flat with you, however. There is a reason why some poems make frequent appearances at memorial services. They address common issues associated with the loss of a loved one and communicate emotions in a clear and honest way.

In fact, those looking for funeral poems should consider at least briefly evaluating classic poems other have found valuable. Doing so exposes one to a wealth of potentially perfect verses.

The funeral process in our culture moves quickly. Many would argue that it moves too quickly. Time is never in surplus and there is often a sense of urgency and pressure surrounding the matter. The resulting intensity and anxiety may amplify the obviously emotionally trying nature of the experience. This is another reason to take a look at funeral poems others have found special and evocative. We would never want efficiency to govern matters of the heart, but finding a potentially quicker route to our goals is always welcome.

Do not become discouraged as you look for the right poem. There is a reason why you are drawn to the idea of using poetry at the services. It is a remarkable way to beautifully communicate emotional realities. Poetry, they say, originates in the soul and speaks directly to the souls of others. It is a wonderful way to express your emotions and to capture the spirit, beauty and love of the departed.

Obviously, planning a memorial can be a very trying process. You should know, however, that you will manage this funeral successfully. As humans, we seem to have an almost instinctive ability to find the right tools and to communicate the right needs in emotionally trying times. You will find the right poem and the perfect words.



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How To Arrange A Funeral - Many People Plan While They Are Alive

It's a challenge that most of us will have to address one day. Even if we never have to arrange a funeral for someone else there's always our own send off to think about - particularly with the sensible trend for planning funerals while we are still alive.

Are funeral arrangements in place?

Assuming you're faced with the challenge of arranging a funeral for someone else, one of the first tasks is discovering whether they've left any funeral plans. The deceased's will is a good starting point. Other possible sources of information include the following:

• A letter of wishes (perhaps stored with the will)
• An online funeral planning resource such as The Well Planned Funeral
• Recalled conversations with the deceased

If the deceased has stored funeral wishes online, you may even be notified of their wishes by the website. The information might be as simple as a choice between burial or cremation. On the other hand, you could find yourself managing an unusual funeral arrangement request such as a burial at sea.

Understand the deceased's wishes

As the person responsible for organising a funeral, you and other loved ones are responsible for fulfilling their wishes as closely as possible. Obviously, financial means and logistical practicalities must be considered when planning a funeral - not everyone will be able to have their ashes made into fireworks and blasted into the sky as writer Hunter S. Thompson's were. At this stage, you might also discover that the deceased had already made their own arrangements by subscribing to a prepaid funeral plan.

How to arrange a funeral - contact an undertaker

Once you understand the deceased's funeral wishes, you'll usually contact an undertaker. A reputable undertaker is an experienced funeral planner who'll guide you through the required procedures. Whether it's a sophisticated funeral or a simple cremation, the undertaker and their team are powerful allies at an emotionally challenging time. They've been through the process many times so draw on their expertise to help with the administrative and practical burdens that you're facing. And of course, friends and family are another valuable source of funeral help.

Practical funeral actions

A major part of the funeral will be the ceremony itself. How to arrange a funeral will depend on the deceased's beliefs; these may dictate an elaborate religious ceremony or a simple alternative funeral. Whatever its form the funeral ceremony represents the culmination of mourning and the opportunity for everyone to say goodbye to the deceased. Start making a funeral checklist as soon as you can; it's a sensible way to make sure everything is remembered. Important parts of the funeral service usually include the following:

• Decoration of the venue with flowers and/or other meaningful items
• Funeral music
• Poems or readings
• Religious rituals (if appropriate)
• Tributes and appreciations
• Committal of the deceased for burial or cremation

When the funeral's over, the mourners will typically move to a cemetery or a crematorium for the committal of the body. After this, it's usual for mourners to join the friends and family for refreshments - a wonderful opportunity to reminisce and celebrate the life of the deceased in more informally.

How to arrange a funeral - many people plan while they're alive

Increasingly, enlightened people take responsibility for their final send-off while they're still alive. From burial instructions to details of funeral flowers arrangements or a poem to be read at a funeral, it's a great way to make sure your wishes are fulfilled. Whether you do this by leaving instructions in your will, investing in a prepaid funeral plan or learn how to arrange a funeral through an online funeral planning resource will depend on your personal preferences.



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Funeral Etiquette Guide - How To Behave, Dress Code + DO's & DON'Ts

When you learn about the death of a loved one or an acquaintance, it's important to reach out to the intermediate family and express your condolences. The best way to do this is through a letter of condolence. No, this is not a Facebook message, this is a handwritten letter that is dropped in a mailbox. The core point of this is that you have a sincere, honest message that lets them know that you think about them and that you're sorry for them.

Historically, people also sent flowers because it helps to mask the odor of death and the not so perfect embalming process. Today, people send flowers because it's a sign of respect, sometimes though, people find it's a waste of money if they have too many flowers and in that case, what's always appropriate is to have a donation for the deceased favorite charity.

Sometimes, they have little cards at the visitation or at the funeral service where you can donate the money. It's really important to never send flowers if the deceased is Jewish and if you want to learn more about Jewish traditions, Buddhist traditions, Orthodox traditions or Muslim traditions, please check out our in depth guide about funeral etiquette on our website.

The next step is the funeral or memorial service, it's always a funeral service if there's a body and a coffin. If that's not present, it's called memorial service. This can also be the case if the body was cremated, we talk about memorial service, not a funeral service. The traditional funeral service is slowly but surely becoming extinct and it's often substituted with a celebration of the person's life and it always depends on what the deceased would have wanted or what he wished for. This event is not about you, attend the service, converse, talk to the family and leave.

At the service, you want to be respectful at all times. It's a tradition at a funeral to have a eulogy which is a heartfelt tribute to the deceased. If you're asked to give a eulogy, you should think about how to talk about the person in a complimentary and dignified way. This is about showing your last respect to a person, maybe shared memories or things that made him a great person.

Now one of the components of respect, especially at a funeral is dress code. Never wear jeans or a golf shirt, like slacks, shorts or anything of that kind for a funeral. It's simply disrespectful towards the deceased.

If the death occurred in your family, it is important to acknowledge the heartfelt sympathies in the cards you got. You want to tell people that you are thankful that they thought of you and again, it is best to express with a thank you card. A funeral is a very sad event and it is important to support the family, that you are subdued, you understand it's not about you but about the family and the ones who are left behind and so you have to do your best to support them and to show your respect and dignity.

Funeral Homes: What Can They Do for You?

A funeral home is a business that offers a variety of burial and funeral services intended to help families dispose of their loved one's remains in the manner of their choosing. There are a considerable number of goods and services offered by a funeral home, but not all will be selected by individual families. Each family is unique, each death is unique, and therefore each funeral service is unique. The type of goods and services chosen by the family will also be unique, depending on the wishes of the family and/or of the deceased. Families can customize the funeral service according to their needs, choosing from a range of services that best honor their loved one's memory.

The death of a loved one is a difficult time for families, and many people are unsure about the process of planning a funeral. Typically, the family will work closely with a funeral director, who will ensure that their loved one's funeral services are planned in accordance with their wishes. The funeral director can help them choose the best services to honor their loved one in the most solemn, memorable and dignified way possible. Below are just some of the many services available at most funeral homes:

Retrieval and Embalming of the Body: The funeral home is responsible for retrieving the corpse from the place of death (hospital, house, nursing home, etc.) and transporting it to the funeral home. It is in the funeral home where the body will be prepared for proper disposition. The funeral director will explain all of the available options to the family, and help them in making the right choices for their loved one, including whether there will be a viewing of the body or whether the body is to be embalmed before the burial. If the body is to be cremated, the funeral home is responsible for transporting the body to the crematorium, if they do not operate one on-site, and retrieving the remains after the procedure.

Preparation and Handling of the Body: Funeral home staff are responsible for handling the body with the utmost dignity and respect at all times while your loved one is being prepared for the funeral. This includes not only washing and embalming of the body, but also preparing the body for viewing. Funeral home staff will perform such services as dressing the body, hairdressing, putting on makeup for a life-like look, and placing the body inside the casket for viewing and burial. The family needs to be assured that the deceased person will be handled with the utmost care and respect during this process.

Processing of Paperwork: Documentation upon the death of a loved one can be overwhelming to grieving family members. Death certificates, special permits, and authorizations are just some of the paperwork that needs to be completed and filed for the deceased. The funeral director will gather information from the family to prepare the necessary paperwork, and ensure that all the paperwork is filled out and duly filed with the appropriate authorities. As many members of the family may want a copy of a death certificate, the funeral home must secure the correct number of certified copies of the death certificate to be given to the requesting parties. It is also the responsibility of the funeral home to transmit obituaries to newspapers and other news media so that relatives, colleagues, and friends of the deceased will be aware of the planned funeral service.

Funeral Planning and Concierge Services: The funeral director will help the family decide upon the details of the funeral service, and ensure that all funeral details are carried out according to the family's wishes. This includes arrangements for the where the funeral will be held, where the memorial service will be held, and whether the body or cremated remains will be buried, scattered, or disposed of by some other method. The funeral home will also assist the family in ordering the flowers needed during the service, the casket or urn to house their loved one, and other arrangements for the funeral service. Most funeral homes also offer a car service to pick up relatives at the airport and a concierge service to make hotel and restaurant reservations for the incoming family members.

Funeral homes provide a range of services that can help a grieving family make the right choices when planning their loved one's funeral. It is important for funeral directors and staff to offer compassionate care and understanding to the grieving family.

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Pre-Planning Checklist

For many, it feels like there’s an overwhelming amount of things to think about! But in all honesty, taking control of the important things in life just feels good; you know it's the right thing to do for you, and your family.

Prepare

Laying the foundation for a well thought out plan for you or a loved one takes a bit of time, but, it's worth every moment spent. After all, you’re setting the stage for a more relaxed and enjoyable life, because you’ll have the peace-of-mind preparedness brings. Here’s what to do to get started:

• Prepare a contact list of individuals who should be notified in a medical emergency or death.
• Write an obituary or simply jot down information you would like included in an obituary.
• Decide where obituary and memorial information should appear.

Choose the type of service you would like including the burial you prefer and make those arrangements. You will need to decide:

• Cemetery lot location
• Casket type; cremation urn type
• Vault or sectional crypt
• Type of service: religious, military, non-denominational, or fraternal
• The contact details for the funeral home you designate to care for you
• Pallbearers, music, flowers, scripture or other readings
• Charity to receive donations in lieu of flowers, if donations are preferred
• Select the speakers and the eulogies that you would want to represent you.
• Decide what organizations or church will benefit from memorial donations in your name.

Arrange and Delegate

The people who know and care about you will be there when you need them. You only need to provide them with instructions, important financial details, and then relax. You’re in good hands.

• Give your Executor a copy of your Will. Safety deposit boxes are often opened up during the estate settlement process, long after the funeral. Any funeral planning documents therein can be of no help to your executor.
• Make sure your representative has a list of important account information or telephone numbers for retirement plans, insurance policies, investments, bank accounts, safe-deposit boxes, properties, preferred law and accountant firms and mortuaries. Remind your personal representative that the Social Security Administration will need to be called and, if you're receiving benefits such as those from the Veteran's Administration, they should be contacted as well.
• Designate a power of attorney to ensure that proper information can be accessed in the event of your illness or death. Make sure the power of attorney over health care or the health care directive and a living will are in place so that your wishes are carried out if you are unable to do so.
• Make arrangements for telephone and utilities services, and newspaper and magazine deliveries, to be cancelled.

Pay for:

• Cemetery and memorialization services
• Funeral arrangements, including clergy, florist and transportation
• Make arrangements for pets to find a new home.

You can also contact us for additional information. We're pleased to answer any questions you may have, without obligation.

The Chapel Of Light

  

The Chapel of Light offers indoor niches in a beautiful setting. The niches are all glass front so that you may decorate with pictures and/or mementos. Generous use of stained glass and natural skylight within the design of the Chapel of Light, evokes a feeling of peacefulness while visiting. The indoor chapel is equipped with security locks that require an entry code. Each purchaser is given this code.