Families find themselves at a point where they are facing an important funeral service for a loved one, often with little or no experience of how to put all the component parts together.

It is the role of a good celebrant like myself to help guide you through that process and make sure you give your loved one the send off they deserve.

During a funeral service there is a part called The Committal or The Farewell. Usually the hardest part emotionally as we say our final goodbye to the deceased, but also carries an important element of helping us grieve.

The words we choose at this time therefore are crucial: they must honour the deceased and reflect their wishes whilst also resonate with the family members and mourners to help them move on.

With that in mind I thought I would share with you three very different examples of committal words for funerals. These are usually spoken to the coffin itself and sometimes whilst the curtains are closing. It can be silent or have music playing if you prefer. The congregation also usually stand for this part of the service (if they are able to).

Example One: [name], as we bid you farewell, we are thankful to have shared joy in the sun, shelter in the storms, and to have laughed in the same moment.

We will treasure the memory of your words and works, your character and quality, and will be forever enriched for having known your face.

And so your kind and generous nature we commit to our memories.
Your love, humour and friendship we commit to our hearts.

Your body we commit to its end with nature.
Thank you for all that you were and all that you gave.
Love and light to you on this your final journey.

Example Two: [Deceased] your life we honour, your departure we have to accept, your memory we cherish.

In grief at your death
But in gratitude for your life
And for the privilege of sharing it with you.

In the rising of the sun and in its going down,
In the blowing of the wind and in the chill of winter,
In the opening of the buds and in the promise of spring,
In the blueness of the skies and in the warmth of summer,
In the rustling of the leaves and the beauty of autumn,
In the beginning of the year and at its end
We will remember you always Barbara –
With much love, pride and affection.

Into the freedom of the wind and the sunshine–
We let you go.
Into the dance of the stars and the planets –
We let you go.
Into the wind’s breath and into the stardust –
We let you go.

{name}, your body we now tenderly and
reverently commit to its natural end.

With love we leave you in peace.
With respect we bid you farewell

Example Three: And so now as we prepare to say goodbye to {deceased} – it is a good time to remember that every life is unique, every person is individual and special.

Each life is created and lived by each person in the best way they know how. And that is how {deceased} lived – in the best way he knew how. So we thank him, for the gift he has been to each of us, for the richness of his personality, for the pleasure and love, laughter and tears that were shared together – and as we now hold him gently in our hearts let us prepare quietly to let him go onto the next part of his journey

If you are able to please stand:
{Deceased}, Your life we honour, your departure we have to accept, your memory we cherish
In grief at your death. But in gratitude for your life and for the privilege of sharing it with you, we release your body to its natural end.

I hope that’s given you some ideas for your loved one. Please do get in touch if I can help you with any further suggestions.

Until next time,
Jennie