Funeral Service

Definition and Meaning

A funeral service is a worship service held when a church member dies, in which the deceased is committed to God, the bereaved family is comforted, and hope in the resurrection of the dead is confessed. The term does not refer to a single service; rather, it is used collectively for the several services held at each stage of the funeral process. These are commonly divided as follows:

• Deathbed service: held immediately after the person has died.
• Service of consolation: held in the mourning room at the funeral hall.
• Encoffining service: held when the body is placed in the coffin.
• Departure service: held before the procession leaves for the burial site.
• Committal service: held when the body is interred at the grave.

Some churches also use the name "Heavenly Send-off Service."

Biblical and Historical Background

The Old Testament records Abraham burying Sarah in the cave of Machpelah (Genesis 23). The New Testament recounts the burial of Jesus (John 19:38–42) and His resurrection. Passages frequently read at funeral services include John 11:25–26, 1 Corinthians 15, and 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18.

In the medieval Western church, Masses and prayers for the dead were central to funerals. After the Reformation, Protestants generally rejected prayer for the dead along with the doctrine of purgatory and reshaped funerals to center on the proclamation of the Word and the comfort of the bereaved.

Practice in the Korean Church

From its early days, Korean Protestantism conducted funerals with hymns, prayer, a moment of silence, and the laying of flowers in place of the ancestral rites and ritual bows of Confucian mourning customs. This difference carries over into the present-day issue of ancestral rites and memorial services.

When a church member dies, the senior pastor or another member of the pastoral staff leads the services, and members of the deceased's parish district and cell group join the bereaved family in receiving mourners at the funeral hall. A service typically proceeds in the following order: a hymn, prayer, Scripture reading, a brief sermon, a summary of the deceased's life, and the benediction. The funeral is often followed by pastoral visits to the bereaved family and by memorial services held on each anniversary of the death.

Practices vary by denomination:

• Presbyterian, Methodist, Holiness, and similar churches: The order of the funeral rite is included in the denominational book of worship (a book compiling orders of worship and prayers).
• Baptist and other denominations that emphasize the autonomy of the local church: Pastors generally have broader discretion in determining the order of service.
• The Anglican Church of Korea: Services follow the prayer book and may include prayers for the deceased.

In recent years, as cremation has become widespread, it has become increasingly common to hold a cremation service, or an enshrinement service when the remains are placed in a columbarium, in place of a committal service. Even when the deceased was not a church member, a service of consolation may be held if the bereaved family members are.