Funerals and Memorial Services
“I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies, and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” John 11:25-26
Community West Church wants to remind you of this promise, and we want to be a comforting presence to you when death occurs.
Upon death, please contact the church office immediately at 804-726-1414 during regular office hours: Monday 10:00-2:00, and Tuesday-Friday 10:00-4:00. We will help our church members, members of their immediate family, and regular attendees plan a memorial service or funeral for their loved one. There is no charge for the use of our church building; it is a love offering from your church family. Prior to meeting with our Lead Pastor, please click the button below to begin the process of planning your service.
Neighbors and friends outside of Community West, as a new church who depends greatly on our volunteers, we are currently unable to provide memorial services to you. It is our hope, however, as we grow, to provide for your needs in the future.
What we believe about death
We believe that death has been conquered by God through Jesus Christ. Death is a solemn and mysterious human experience, bringing painful separation from loved ones and friends. However, we remember the bold claim of the New Testament that in Christ, God is the victor over death and the grave. We share in that victory, and though we grieve, our grief is tempered by our overriding hope and faith in Jesus Christ.
Support when death occurs
Once notified, our church will help you with spiritual and practical support. Our Lead Pastor will personally meet with you and your family to sit with you, to listen, to pray for you, and to assist you with decisions that need to be made. Our Lead Pastor will counsel you and help you create a funeral or memorial service to honor your loved one. During a funeral, the body is present in a casket, and during a memorial service it is not, though in some cases there may be an urn with ashes.
The worship service
If the service is held at Community West Church, and not a funeral home, it will be conducted in the sanctuary, where other significant experiences of worship have occurred in the life of your loved one, your family, and the congregation. Our Lead Pastor, in consultation with the family, oversees the service.
The funeral service is a witness to God’s love offering to all people, a love that strengthens and supports, even in times of grief and loss. It is a witness to God’s promises in Jesus Christ, affirmed in Christ’s resurrection from the dead, and the sure and certain hope of our own resurrection.
Because the purpose of the service is to worship God and to console the living, the body of your loved one is not necessary to the service. If the casket is to be present during the service, it is to remain closed, so that those present can wholeheartedly worship God. The Service of the Witness to the Resurrection is complete in and of itself, and outside of the realm of the worship service itself, space can be made for military, fraternal, or civic rites.
Emphasis will be placed upon readings from Scripture that declares the Christian hope, and any other readings or music shall be consistent with the Biblical affirmation of God’s power over death. A homily will be shared which bears testimony to the hope and promise set forth in Scripture. Thanks may be offered for the God-given life of the one who has died, and intercessions may be made for the family members and other loved ones who grieve. When the casket is not present at the service and family and friends will not be going to the cemetery, it is appropriate for the family to greet their loved ones at the church after the service for a time of fellowship and refreshment
When planning your service:
Take time to review these special Bible verses you may find helpful.
Consider if you would like 2-3 family members to share memories or read Scripture?
Due to our staff’s availability and church calendar commitments, we suggest services be held on Mondays, Wednesdays, or Thursdays: 11:00-12:00; 12:00-1:00; 2:00-3:00; or Saturdays 2:00-3:00.
When there are children
When children are present in the family where a death occurs, two main concerns usually surface for adults: (1) What shall we tell the children? and (2) Should children be included in the family’s sense of crisis and loss, the funeral, and subsequent related events?
As for what to tell the children, they should be told as simply and clearly as possible what has happened, the Christian meaning of death as part of life in God’s world, and something about what it will be like not to have their loved one in the family circle anymore. After the funeral, adults should be ready and open to the children’s questions, answering them as simply and warmly as possible, not to overwhelm them. We strongly encourage you to invite your children to remain a close, vital part of the total experience. As Jesus told the disciples, “Let the children come, and do not forbid them.”
Living with death
After the death of a loved one, you will need support. Feel free to discuss your feelings with your Lead Pastor and trusted friends. The grief process may take a long time. Many people find help in support groups, such as GriefShare, a Christ-centered support group, or those offered by your local hospice organizations. As Christians, we can also help each other live out our faith in this crucial area of human experience.
Remember that your Lead Pastor, Elders and Deacons, as well as the community of believers at Community West want to be with you and support you as you walk through your grief. Turn to people in your Home Group, a primary setting of rich support, for prayer and counsel, conversation and support, encouragement and assurance, and God will bless, comfort, and sustain you through your time of loss.
Responses
Your community of friends and loved ones may ask you how they can support you in tangible ways. One way is to invite them to consider giving a gift in memory of your loved one, in lieu of flowers, to a charitable organization of your choice. You may want to invite them to include memorial gifts to the Community West Church Building Fund or to the Mercy Fund, which helps members of our faith community bear the burden of financial distress.
You and your family have an opportunity to respond to the generosity of staff and key volunteers who lovingly and sacrificially give their time and talents to create a worshipful, meaningful service for you – all glory to God! Providing an Honorarium to the Lead Pastor, Soloist, Pianist, and Audiovisual Technician is customary and appreciated.
Anticipating the loss of a loved one
If you have a family member who is dying and may be near death, and you want some assistance navigating that journey, please reach out - the Church is here to help you. May God’s peace be a constant presence with you.
