PLANNING A CELEBRATION OF LIFE SERVICE AT KNOX UNITED CHURCH
On behalf of Knox United Church, we would like to extend our deepest sympathies for your loss. We are aware that creating a service in a very brief time span that honours the legacy of your loved one can be very stressful. To ease this stress, we have provided a guide and a checklist as you prepare.
You will need a funeral home to be involved for the cremation, interment or burial. Please, make those arrangements through a funeral home of your choice. Our minister would like to meet with you as soon as possible to plan a meaningful commemorative service with you.
Knox United Church can provide the following needs:
A Celebration of Life service can be held in our sanctuary which holds 320 people.
Music: Our Music Leader can be hired to play hymns, musical selections and accompany soloists during the service. Please let us know if you wish the choir to be present. If you wish, our Music Leader can select the pieces to be played before and after the service. You will need to choose 2 or 3 pieces of music or hymns for the service. Music can also be used from CDs or you can burn your own CD to be played.
Slideshow Tributes: We have the technical capacity to project a slideshow presentation in the sanctuary during or after the service. If you can create this slideshow we suggest that you put this together yourself as part of the healing process. We recommend that you select 35-40 pictures and choose a piece of music of about 5 minutes in length. If you do not know how to do this, you can provide pictures to our tech team who can create this for you. Because our technical system might be incompatible with your system we ask that you confer with a member of our tech team as early as possible before the date of the service to ensure everything flows smoothly during the service.
Family Tributes: Members of your family are encouraged to offer words of remembrance and share memories and stories about your loved one during the service. Please keep in mind that these should be brief and no more than one page. We recommend that no more than two to three people speak on behalf of family and friends.
Memorial Orders of Worship: Our office administrator can create a beautiful bulletin for you. You will need to provide a picture for the front cover and maybe a brief biography (obituary), and a poem/picture for the back cover at least a week before the service.
Communion Table: You are welcome to create a sacred space on our communion table to memorialize your loved one. You are welcome to clear the space and place an urn, picture, candle, flowers, and items symbolic of their life, i.e. woodworking, crafts etc.
Reception: Members of Knox United Church Women can host a reception which includes preparation of our lounge, provide tea/coffee/juice/water and set out any food you are providing. The person in charge will be in touch with you.
Flowers: Flowers can be dropped off at the church Monday to Friday during office hours (9-12, 1-3). If the service is on a Saturday flowers can be delivered two hours before the service.
Healing Rooms: The chapel is available as well as a nursery for small children where your family can meet prior to the service.
Childcare: If there are young children who need to be cared for during the service, please decide with our office (48 hours notice) for a nursery worker to be in attendance.
Hosts: One of our hosts will be there to attend to your needs the day of the service, greet your guests and to oversee the signing of the guestbook (if you choose to have one).
Charitable Donations: There is an opportunity for donations to be given to Knox U.C. in memory of your loved one. If names and addresses are included, tax receipts can be issued at the end of the year.
Final Resting Place: Knox has a Cemetery, Columbarium, and Scattering Garden. See download link below.
May you feel the peace that passes all understanding as you plan and remember your loved one.