FUNERAL INFORMATION

Please mail or deliver a signed copy of this section to:

The Rector

St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church

353 Main Street

Ridgefield, CT 06877

Date:          

My Name:                   Address:          Telephone and email:          

Medical directives you would like to make known to the clergy of St. Stephen’s:

Location of advance plans for my funeral and burial:          

The first person to notify of my illness or death:

Name:            Address:           Telephone and email:          

The person responsible for making plans for my funeral and burial:

Name:                   Address:           Telephone and email:                  

Funeral director:

Name:                   Address:           Telephone and email:                  

   I have made the following arrangements with this funeral director on (date):         

I am to be an organ donor: □ Yes □ No, the particulars of which are known to, or recorded at:

Cremation

Do you wish to be cremated? □ Yes □ No. If yes, where do you wish to be interred?

In St. Stephen’s Memorial Crypt? □ Yes

If Yes, have you purchased a crypt at St. Stephen’s  Crypt number: _____

Who will be responsible to pay the fees associated with internment?

If you do not wish your ashes to be buried at St. Stephen’s, where do you wish to be interred?

My ashes are to be buried or disposed of in the following manner (Note: Cremation does not affect the nature of service or the place of burial.):         

Coffin:

If you do not wish to be cremated, where would you like to be buried?

The legal description of my cemetery lot is:           Coffin specifications: □least expensive □mid-range □elaborate

My wishes for the headstone, ground plaque, and epitaph are:          

I □ do □ do not wish to have my coffin open when my friends visit.

I would like to have visitors received at □my home,        □the funeral home

    MY FUNERAL SERVICE

If it pleases my family I would like the following type of funeral service:

□Rite I or □Rite II

□Burial Office only to be read

□Burial Office and Eucharist

□Church service with burial immediately following for family and friends

□Church service for family and friends with private burial later for family only

□Memorial service in church with burial either public or private as my family prefers

□Graveside service only

□ Military Honors

□Other requests:          

Scripture Readings and Hymns (for most, one of each will suffice):

Suggestions From the Old Testament

□  Isaiah 25:6-9 (“He will swallow up death for ever…”)

•   Isaiah 61:1-3 (“To comfort those who mourn…”)

• Lamentations 3:22-26,31-33 (“The Lord is good to those who wait for him…”)
• Wisdom 3:1-5,9 (“The souls of the righteous are in the hands of God…”)
• Job 19:21-27a (“I know that my Redeemer lives…”)

• Other:          

Suggested Psalms to follow the Old Testament: □ 42:1-7 □ 46 □ 90:1-12 □ 121 □130□139:1-11                         □Other:          _____

Suggestions From the New Testament

• Romans 8:14-19,34-35,37-39 (“The glory that shall be revealed…”)

□   1 Corinthians15:20-26,35-38,42-44,53-58 (“The imperishable body…”)

• 2 Corinthians 4:16--5:9 (“Things that are unseen are eternal…”)
• 1 John 3:1-2 (“We shall be like him…”)
• Revelation 7:9-17 (“God will wipe away every tear…”)
• Revelation 21:2-7 (“Behold, I make all things new…”)

• Other:          

Suggested Psalms to follow the New Testament: □ 23 □ 27 □ 106:1-5 □116

• Other:          

Suggestions From The Gospel (A Gospel lesson is necessary if having Holy Communion as part of the service. It is optional, otherwise)

John 5:24-27 (“He who believes has everlasting life…”)

• John 6:37-40 (“All that the Father gives me will come to me…”)
• John 10:11-16 (“I am the good shepherd…”)
• John 11:21-27 (“I am the resurrection and the life…”)
• John 14:1-6 (“In my Father's house are many rooms…”)

• Other:          

Suggestions for Hymns:

179 – “Welcome, happy morning”

208 – “The strife is o’er”

287 – “For all the saints”

293 – “I sing a song of the saints of God” 304 – “I come with joy to meet my Lord” 405 – “All things bright and beautiful”

416 – “For the beauty of the earth”

482 – “Lord of all hopefulness”

518 – “Christ is made the sure foundation” 522 – “Glorious things of Thee are spoken”

555 – “Lead on, O King eternal”

561 – “Stand up, stand up, for Jesus” 562 – “Onward Christian soldiers”

579 – “Almighty Father, strong to save” 608 – “Eternal Father, strong to save”

625 – “Ye holy angels bright”

645 – “The King of love my shepherd is” 657 – “Love divine, all loves excelling”

671 – “Amazing grace”

680 – “O God, our help in ages past”

Other: (see attached listing for other suggestions)           

Service Participants:

I would like the following clergy to officiate and/or assist at my service:          

If it suits my family, I would like the following people (8) to be invited to be pallbearers:

1.          

2.          

3.          

4.          

5.          

6.          

7.          

8.          

You may want to offer suggestions for some of the participants in the church service. If not, the church will gladly have trained parishioners to take care of these for you.

Crucifer (1)          

Acolytes (2)          

Readers (1or 2 )          

Eucharistic Minister            Ushers          

Remembrances

  Remembrances: ________________________________________________________________

Other:

On my casket at the grave, please use the: □ Church’s pall American flag □ fresh flowers □ evergreens  

In lieu of flowers, I would like memorial gifts in my name to: 

Special requests to my church and my clergy:          

My obituary should be in the following newspapers:          

Special words for my survivors:

Signature__________________________________________________ Date_________________

Obituary Notice for Newspapers:

Signature        Date_         

Memorial Crypt

FOR FULL TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR THE

BURIAL OF CREMATED REMAINS IN THE ST. STEPHEN’S

MEMORIAL CRYPT PLEASE CONTACT THE OFFICE

The Memorial Crypt at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church is a means for the burial of cremated remains. The Rector, Vestry, and Wardens of the church have full custody and control of the Crypt and its use. The Crypt is restricted to the burial of cremated human remains.

The cremated remains can only be those of Church members, the immediate families of Church members, former Church members, and others designated by the Rector as may be pastorally appropriate. Arrangements for the interment of ashes and for funeral or memorial services need to be made directly with the Rector.

For the fee schedule, which is set by the Vestry, please contact the office. The fee includes:

the crypt cover (engraving the stone marker is an additional fee) the interment of ashes, and the perpetual care of the Crypt. Gifts as memorials honoring the deceased will always be welcome as an additional means of ensuring the long term care of the Crypt. Except for the stone markers, no memorial, permanent or temporary, is permitted to be placed in the Crypt. All elements of the Memorial Crypt become and remain the exclusive property of St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church.

Those who seek the interment of ashes in the Crypt may make requests at the time of need by the next of kin or by pre-arrangement completing the form available through the office and submitting the same to the Office of the Rector.

If a St. Stephen’s crypt space has been pre- purchased – attach a copy of the form to this packet.

If you are interested in pre-arranging a crypt space, please contact the office.