Funeral Policy

Basic Principles

    1. The Christian funeral is a testimony to the public of the abiding grace of God and of the Christian faith of the deceased.

    2. The Christian burial is the committal of the body of a departed sister/brother “in the hope of the resurrection to eternal life through our Lord Jesus Christ, Who shall change our mortal body, that it may be fashioned like His glorious body …”

    3. Our Pastor – in all his activities – represents both Jesus Christ and Immanuel congregation. This is vitally true in the conduction of funerals and burials.

      1. “A Christian pastor should not officiate at the funeral of a person concerning whom at the time of their death there was no evidence of their being a Christian.” PASTORAL THEOLOGY (1945) p. 302

Specific Practices

    1. Every member of this congregation at the time of death will be accorded the privilege of a Christian funeral and burial.

    2. The pastor may also conduct the funeral and burial of any person who, at the time of death, held membership in another Lutheran congregation.

    3. If the pastor is asked to serve for an individual who at death was not a member of this or any Lutheran congregation, it shall be the family’s responsibility to provide the pastor with some indication of the person’s Christian faith. (See Principles #1 and #2 above.)

      1. Such a funeral, when accepted, is limited to the funeral home.

    4. The use of our sanctuary for funeral is restricted to those who, at the time of death, are members of this or another Lutheran congregation.

    5. On the sad occasion of death by suicide, every charitable consideration shall be weighed in deciding about the funeral service.

    6. At the sad occasion of infant death before baptism, we reach out in compassion and service to those parents who had every desire to use this Sacrament of grace.

    7. In this matter of funerals and burials, we shall follow consistently our Synod’s practice renouncing unionism and syncretism of every description. Synod’s CONSTITUION, Article VI Conditions of Membership.

    8. Love and compassion will be expressed to sorrowing members of our congregation.