Funeral prayers
Appropriate prayers can greatly add to the atmosphere of your celebration. When we meet I can talk you through a variety of options.
However, I will, if you would prefer, write bespoke prayers just for your celebration. Prayers don’t have to be sombre or laden with long words. The occasional flash of humour rarely goes amiss! Many people find this more meaningful than simply picking up a prayer from a book (or web site). The choice will be yours and we will discuss this when we meet.
Here are some ideas to get you started …
The Lord’s prayer
In contemporary english
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours
now and for ever.
Amen.
Or with the traditional working:
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done;
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation;
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power and the glory,
for ever and ever.
Amen.
Strengthen us ...
Heavenly Father, in your son Jesus you have given us a true faith and a sure hope. Strengthen this faith and hope as we meet together now to thank you for John, to commit him finally to you and to discover renewed power to live life, trusting in you.
We ask this in the name of our savour Jesus Christ
Amen
the God of all comfort
At this time of sadness the Lord is with us
and he consoles us with his word:
‘Blessed are those who mourn for they will be comforted.’Dear God, we are grateful that you are the Father of mercy and the God of all comfort
You comfort us in all our afflictions and through it all, you even help to comfort others who grieve
with the same consolation we have received from you.Give us your comfort today we pray.
Nothing can separate us from your love
Lord, we come into your presence to remember Bill and to seek your comfort,
We know that nothing can separate us from your love
We know that you support us in our sorrow.We rest in the assurance that the souls of the righteous are with you and that nothing can harm them.
Although Bill has passed from our presence into yours, he is now at peace.
So please give us your strength to rejoice that you have taken Bill to be with yourself
where
- he will no longer be in need.
- he will no longer be in pain
- he will no longer be burdened with the trials of this life.
May we, one day, find life and peace and perfect joy with him in your presence;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.