Planning Ahead
Friday, September 14, 2007 at 9:08PM You can thank Jane and Judy for the subject of this post. Jane started it by saying that she wanted The Church’s One Foundation and I Know That My Redeemer Liveth played at her funeral. Judy commented that her father, too, had loved The Church’s One Foundation.
We often teased Dad, when he was living, that we’d play this hymn at his funeral. He’d just smile. We did so on June 18, 1992. He was a man who focused on the big picture of what God is doing in the world.
At my husband’s memorial service, we sang I Know Whom I Have Believed because he really loved that hymn. He sang it all the time around the house, managing to consistantly mangle the words, which was what he did with the words to almost every song he ever sang. We also sang The Old Rugged Cross because it was a song sung at his mother’s funeral and a song that is familiar to people from a variety of backgrounds. And truly, he had been clinging to the cross.
So what about you? Have you given any thought to what hymns you’d want included in your funeral or memorial service? What reasons do you have for choosing those hymns? What about funerals for your loved ones? What songs have been played or sung?
And what about scripture? What scripture passages would you like to have read? What scripture passages have been read at the funerals of those close to you?
Can I let you in on a secret? Just composing this post and thinking about this subject made me more joyful than when I started. The center of our hope can be seen in our funeral service choices, don’t you think?
rebecca
Reader Comments (11)
Scripture for my husband's memorial service: Psalm 139, which says, among other things,
"Your eyes saw my unformed substance;
in your book were written, every one of them,
the days that were formed for me,
when as yet there was none of them."
And the conversion of Saul from Acts 9. I don't know all the reasons why he loved having that passage read to him while he was ill, but he did. Over and over and over.
Me? I want to have Hebrews 11:1-12:2 and Romans 8, maybe the whole chapter or maybe just verses 18ff.
Songs? O Sacred Head Now Wounded.
I was at a funeral on Thursday and we sang How Great Thou Art and In the Garden. My husband wants "Heaven is my Home" a song a friend of ours wrote and DC talks "Spirit in the Sky" We're a little unorthodox...
I think I'd like John 14:1-7 read at my funeral. I'd like my brother to do the services if he survives us because he preaches powerful funeral messages...
We've never shied away from funeral talk in our community and home...blessings
I have to think about what hymn I would want at my funeral.I love so many. My mother, not being a Christian, had an eclectic group of songs. They were songs we had listened to many times as children. We played some Bach, Ravel's Bolero, and the song she always talked about having at her funeral. St. Jame's Infirmary Blues.
We left out the opera she loved so much.
Thanks for participating candy and ellen. Interesting choices, all.
The entire memorial service for my Mom was centered around hymns because Laverne loved to sing. The only hymn she had requested to be sung was "Complete in Thee" It's a wonderful hymn with affirming assurance in the refrain.
"Yea, justified! O blessed thought!
And sanctified! Salvation wrought!
Thy blood hath pardon bought for me,
And glorified, I too shall be!
( I just love all the exclamation marks )
At my funeral I'd like Ephesians 1 read followed by Matthew 25:34. I'm still working on the musical selections. It's kind of like having to choose which of your children is your favorite !!
I think I would have 1 Cor:26-31. That is my favourite and has been for years.
Music - hmmm... Well somewhere in there Delibes' Lakme - it is just beautiful. And Power in the Blood.
Many funerals I've been to have How Great Thou Art.
1Cor 1:26-31 I meant.
Hmm..this is very thought-provoking and I'm guessing that no one will hold me to my selections - unless God takes me home tomorrow, then someone email them to my husband :) Anyway, right now, where I am with the Lord and where I perceive my loved ones to be, I would select...
Romans 5 in it's entirety for scripture and Hallelujah, What a Savior and It is Well for my hymn selections.
My father-in-law told Al that he wants Victory in Jesus at his funeral and so whenever we sing it, I always tell my kiddos that it's PapPap's favorite. It is good for them to associate specially-loved songs with specially-loved people! I think my husband would choose Holy, Holy, Holy as one of his selections.
Thanks for posting about this. My sister just recently passed away. I need to think about this and write it down. Blessings.
hmmm, I think about this alot! It is comforting to know I am not the only one. The only song I have totally agreed on is "Offering" by Third Day & maybe "How Great is our God" with the How Great Thou Art ending from the "passion" album by the same name.
I figure my funeral may be the only time some of my family will get to hear the full testemony of how great our God really is, so I would like to preach it to the end!
Ha! I thought no one would comment on this post. Shows you how much I know!
I love 1 Corinthians 1:26-31. I may reconsider my own choice of scripture. :)
And I'd love to hear Victory in Jesus at a funeral or memorial service!
I love reading everyone's selections.