This wide-ranging collection of prayers, readings and alternative service outlines provides a complete liturgical and pastoral resource for a time when intensive personal support is needed. Here are forms of words for every stage in the process that follows a death, from the immediate aftermath to conducting a memorial service. Simple prayers and a choice of readings from scripture, poetry, literature and popular culture provide words when our own vocabularies fail. Aimed at clergy of all denominations, readers and others who are authorised to conduct funerals, pastoral and care professionals and theological students, this is a resource for the funerals of children, parents, death after an accident or in hospital, the death of someone with Alzheimer's and many more. The prayers and blessings include those for when someone has just died, for before a funeral and returning home afterwards whilst the book also contains complete funeral and memorial service outlines.
Dr Paul Sheppy is a member of the Churches' Funeral Group which produced the Funeral Services Book; and also of the Joint Liturgical Group of Great Britain. A Baptist Minister, he is based in Reading. He is the author of Each Day, Each Night and the editor of An Order of Marriage.