Page 9 - Berg_Mortuary_Bishops_Guide

BERG MORTUARY 9
TYPES OF FUNERAL SERVICES

1. Full Traditional Service: This is a funeral service held at the mortuary or a church. Viewings
are held the night before, and the day of the service.

2. Graveside Service: This is a short service held at the cemetery. No chapel or church is used.
Viewings are usually held the night before, or the day of the service. Lengthy graveside services
can be difficult for the elderly because of weather conditions or lack of seating.

3. Direct Cremations: The deceased is cremated immediately after death. Usually, no viewings
or services are involved. On occasion, Memorial services will follow the cremation. Crema-
tion may also follow a full traditional service. It simply replaces burial as the mode of dispo-
sition.

4. Direct Burial: The decreased is buried immediately after death. Usually, no viewing or ser-
vices are involved. Due to Utah law, this must take place within 24 hours.
5- Memorial Service: This is a service without the body present.

(The ideal time for services is between 10:00 am and 2:00 pm. When a burial is out of town, it is
best to begin a service at 10:00 am or 11:00 am)

ARRANGING THE FUNERAL

1. Mortuary Notification: At the time of death the mortuary should be notified immediately.
This is done either by the facility where the death occurred or by the family if the death took
place at home.
2. Planning Funeral: An appointment should be made with the mortuary to arrange for
the funeral. This is when obituary information is given, time and place of the service is
determined, merchandise is selected, and all other details are finalized.
3. The Role of the Bishop: At the time of death you should make contact with the family and
offer support and assistance. The funeral arrangements should be made by the family, though
they may still desire to consult with you in order to establish a format for the service and for
your approval.

Such details would include speakers, musical numbers, prayers, pallbearers, and the role of oth-

er members in the world. Counsel should be given to the family that the funeral service is not
to exceed the length of a sacrament meeting. You should review in the Bishop’s Handbook of
instructions concerning the appropriate music and instruments allowed in the chapel (included
on the next three pages of this booklet).
Other assistance you may consider is care of the flowers, home-sitting, phone-answering,
baby-sitting, yard care, and financial and insurance counseling.