What is a Funeral? 

The Evangelical Lutheran Book of Worship States:
At a person’s death, the church shares the grief of those who mourn and remembers the brevity of life on earth.  At the funeral we give voice to sorrow, thank God for our loved one, and entrust this companion of ours into the hands of God. Trusting in God’s promise in baptism that we are claimed by Christ forever, we rest in the sure hope of the resurrection.  When the church gathers to mark the end of life, Christ crucified and risen is the witness of worship, the strength of mutual consolation, and the hope of healing. (p. 279)

“Life is pleasant. Death is peaceful. It's the transition that's troublesome.”
​-- Isaac Asimov

Frequently Asked Questions about Funerals

What do I do with the Funeral Planning Worksheet?
  • Fill out as much or little as you would like
  • Keep a copy at home and the church
  • Share your wishes with your loved ones
  • Pastor is available for help
Other notes regarding the worksheet:
  • Not a legal binding document
  • Assist the pastor and family at the time of your death
    • Names your desires
    • Releases family from planning during a time of grieving
What is a pall?
A pall is a cloth that is draped over the casket or urn. Faith Lutheran has casket and urn palls available for use. 
Meaning of a pall: 
  • As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. - Galatians 3:27-28
  • Reminder of being clothed with Christ at baptism
  • Signifies the dignity and equality of baptism by making simple and costly coffins appear alike
How do Lutherans regard organ donation?
  • Donated organs can sustain the precious gift of life in others.
  • Judeo-Christian tradition affirms that God chose to breathe the gift of life into human flesh. The bodily incarnation of God in the person of Jesus is the ultimate witness to God’s love for humankind.
  • Organ donation is personal, yet can be informed by faith. There is no church law or theological reason preventing Lutheran Christians from choosing to be organ donors.
  • Lutherans affirm the resurrection of the body. God’s promise to resurrect the dead is not compromised by organ donation. Almighty God, who created our bodies, has the capacity to resurrect them with or without the presence of specific organs.
How do Lutherans regard cremation?
  • Lutheran teachings do not favor any particular form of burial. God’s ability to give resurrected bodies to those who bear the name of Christ cannot be hindered by any human action, including organ donation or cremation.
  • Cremated remains should be treated in the same manner as a body.
  • An urn receives the same ritual practices as a coffin.
"But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?” Fool! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. And as for what you sow, you do not sow the body that is to be, but a bare seed, perhaps of wheat or of some other grain. But God gives it a body as he has chosen, and to each kind of seed its own body. So it is with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable, what is raised is imperishable. It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power." - 1 Corinthians 15:35-38,42-43