Two Reasons to Host a Funeral Service at a Funeral Home Instead of a Church
by Antonio Robertson
Whilst funeral services often take place in churches, it is often better to host this event at a funeral home. Here are two reasons why.
It's more comfortable
Religious funeral services don't necessarily have to be held in places of worship and oftentimes, it's more comfortable to use a funeral home instead of a church for a funeral service. Whilst many churches are extraordinarily beautiful, most of them are not comfortable places to spend long periods in. Many are often cold, with hard benches, and echo when people are speaking. This can make it difficult to hear what is being said (especially for people with hearing issues). The discomfort funeral guests feel whilst attending services in churches can affect their concentration and result in them not fully focusing on the eulogy or the other meaningful and poignant parts of this experience.
Conversely, funeral homes are very comfortable. They are pleasantly warm and don't usually have the echoing issue that is commonplace in large, stonewalled churches. Generally, the employees can provide comfortable seats that the guests can sit on for long periods with ease. Because of this, guests usually find it easier to concentrate on the many important parts of the funeral service. Furthermore, if those arranging the funeral still want it to be religious, the funeral home staff can help. They may put family members in touch with a priest who can lead the service. This may help them to source any religious iconography that they would like to have in the funeral service room.
It's more appropriate if the deceased wasn't religious
Whilst plenty of families end up hosting the funeral services of their deceased relatives in churches, even if their relatives weren't very religious, it is generally more appropriate to have the funeral service in the funeral home. For example, if a person knows that the deceased individual they're arranging a funeral for rarely attended church when they were alive and would have felt uncomfortable having their funeral service in this type of building, then it is likely going to be more appropriate for their surviving relatives to host it in a funeral home.
As explained above, religious funeral services can and regularly are held in funeral homes. That's because the rooms in this facility are blank canvases, which means they are also perfect for non-religious services, too. If you recently had a loved one pass away, it's time to consider where the event will be. Contact a funeral home for more information.
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About Me
Funerals can bring forth such a range of emotions: melancholy, grief, regret, relief and nostalgia. As an assistant at a funeral parlour, I am privileged to help people with organising their loved one’s final journey. I have learnt that a good funeral parlour can make the occasion truly commemorative. When I attend funerals for friends, I am saddened to see that so many ceremonies are traditional and joyless. I later find out that the family members simply weren’t aware of options such as a graveside memorial service. I love the fact that one of my tasks involves showing family members various venues and demonstrating what can be done. In this humble little blog, I hope to make it my mission to share some of the ideas – big and small – from the best funerals I have seen. Perhaps it will give you some inspiration at a difficult time. Bless.