unique and personal funeral services to honour life, love, and loss
Saying goodbye is never easy.
The end-of-life ceremony is an important part of the grief journey. The simple act of gathering creates a community of support and allows healing to begin.
A meaningful funeral or memorial service honours the life of the deceased and creates a sense of connection which continues well past the time of the ceremony itself. As we take the time to stand together we acknowledge our common loss and offer comfort to one another with the simple act of being present.
How is a celebrant-led funeral service different?
A Funeral Celebrant offers assurance that a loved one’s life will be honoured with dignity and compassion in a personalized and meaningful service. Unlike a member of clergy, a Funeral Celebrant does not include any faith-based content in a service, unless it is requested by the family.
Funeral services may incorporate religious elements, family traditions, and special ceremonies which reflect the requests of the family and the personality of the deceased. They can take place in nearly any location, and may include as much or as little faith-based content as the family chooses. Each celebrant-led funeral is as unique as the life being honoured, as there are no pre-written scripts or services.
My role as a Funeral Celebrant is to weave together your family stories and memories into a personalized ceremony which celebrates life and honours loss. My goal is to help you say goodbye in a meaningful way.
A celebrant is a person who seeks to meet the needs of families during their time of loss. They serve by providing a funeral service that reflects the personality and lifestyle of the deceased.
Insight Celebrants
Family Meeting: In order to understand and meet the family’s needs, I will schedule a meeting with the immediate family (typically 1-2 hours long) to discuss elements of the service. We will talk about specific readings, music or special ceremonies, as well as tributes that family members may wish to share during the service. These details help me to create a cohesive structure for a unique and meaningful service.
The Family Meeting is important time that we spend together as we discuss the person who has died and also the service you want. During this meeting, I’ll ask questions to help you tell me stories, memories, ideas and wishes, and I will take notes to use during the writing process. My goal during the Family Meeting is to learn about the personality and character of the deceased: who they were and who has been impacted by their life and their passing. I want to know the things that will let their story live on in memory.
After the Family Meeting, I take time to weave the family choices and stories into a special end-of-life service which honours the unique character of the deceased. During the funeral itself (at the time and place of your choosing) I will be the host of the service, offering comfort and assurance that this will be a special space and time for those who gather to remember.
Every life has a story that deserves to be told
Making it Personal: Family members are encouraged to consider how they want to say goodbye. They can be as involved as they choose during the ceremony, or they may prefer to sit in silence. Some people know what they want to say but do not wish to speak at all, while others may find it important to read a personal eulogy, light candles or share a poem or a song.
A fully religious-based funeral service may not suit the personal beliefs of the family or of the deceased. You may prefer to have a non-denominational service or choose to include specific songs or readings which offer comfort from faith-steeped traditions. During the Family Meeting we will discuss if/how various elements can be incorporated into a cohesive and meaningful service.
Just as there is no ‘right way’ to grieve, there is no single way to say goodbye
Carol Broer 