Funerals
It is an honor for us to walk alongside your family during this time. We are heartbroken for you and are lifting you and your family up in prayer. Please know, we are here to help and assist you.
Preparing for the Service
SETTING A DAY AND TIME FOR THE SERVICE
There are several factors in deciding the date and time for the service. If you are working with a funeral home, please contact the church office before finalizing the service date and time. Weekday services are preferred based on building and staff schedules. Saturday morning services will be considered based on staff and building availability.
LOCATION OF THE SERVICE
The sanctuary is the location for the majority of our services. It has an approximate capacity of 500 adults. We can also livestream the service into the Summit and the Gym for overflow. For smaller services (less than 90) the Summit is a better space and can be set up for a memorial service.
MEMORIAL PROGRAMS
Funeral homes should provide a program as a part of their service. If you are not working with a funeral home, the church will print programs for the service. The family will need to provide: 1) An electronic picture of your loved one 2) An obituary 3) A final order of the service 4) A poem, lyrics to a song, thank you note, or scripture to go on the back page of the program.
PHOTO SLIDESHOW
A photo slideshow can be displayed prior to or during the service. In addition, it can also be shown in the Commons following the service if there is a reception. Slideshows should be completed by the funeral home or family and submitted as an MP4. We ask that you submit the video at least one full business day before the service to ensure it works properly with our system. You may drop it off by the building on a flash drive or submit it via a shared cloud drive.
FEES AND HONORARIA
At Preston Road, we truly consider it an honor to walk beside our members during the death of a loved one. It is part of the ministry to which we are called. As such, there are no fees for funerals or memorial services for our members or their immediate family. If you are planning a service for an extended family member or friend, please contact a minister for more information.
An honorarium for the minister that officiates the service and the worship leader is at the discretion of the family and is not required. Any honorarium should be given directly to the person either with cash or a check made out to them. Suggested honorariums for the minister are $250-$500 and for the worship leader $200-$300.
LIVESTREAM AND RECORDING
Services can be live-streamed and recorded. The livestream will begin 10 minutes prior to the service and can be viewed at www.prestonroad.org/funerals. Within 3 business days of the service, the family will receive a private link that can be shared to view the memorial service.
FLOWERS
The family is responsible for purchasing any flowers they wish to be used on the stage during the service. If the service is taking place on the weekend, please coordinate a floral delivery schedule with Julie Clark.
FAMILY MEAL/RECEPTION
The church will offer a family meal on the day of the service at the building. Details and menu will be coordinated with Julie Clark. A reception will be provided by the church following the service to allow the family an opportunity to greet and visit with the service attendees. Cookies and punch will be provided by the church. Other refreshments can be ordered with the family incurring the cost. Details for the reception will be coordinated with Julie Clark.
RESERVED PEWS/DISPLAY TABLES
Pews will be reserved for family and close family friends. We estimate 8 adults per pew. Please let us know how many pews to reserve for your family group. If you would like to display pictures or special memorabilia, we can set up tables either in the Commons or in the back of the sanctuary. Contact Julie Clark for more information or to discuss the number of tables you will need.
COLUMBARIUM
More people today are choosing cremation over traditional burial. Preston Road has a Columbarium on the north end of our campus. A Columbarium is a final resting place for the remains of your loved one. If you would like additional information about purchasing a niche, please contact Julie Clark.
PARKING
We encourage family members to use the guest parking spaces, reserved spaces, and any other spaces, in our parking lot.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
If your loved one is a veteran of the United States military, you may wish to contact the VA at 1.800.827.1000 concerning burial benefits.
Planning the Service
MEETING WITH THE MINISTER
The minister officiating the service will want to meet with the family to discuss the service and to hear personal stories and reflections that can be shared as part of the eulogy.
MUSIC
Music may be live or pre-recorded. Live music must be coordinated with whoever is leading at the service. Pre-recorded music should be submitted with both the title and the performer. We can download music for the service, but we ask for the specific version to be used. Due to copyright restrictions, some music will be muted from the livestream. This is done from our service provider and is beyond our control. All music should be suitable for an audience of all ages. The church has the final decision if a question arises concerning the use of a song.
PARTICIPANTS IN THE SERVICE
We find that when family members and close friends read scriptures or other selected readings and lead prayers, it makes the service more meaningful for the family.
SPEAKERS FOR THE SERVICE
Often times there are family members or close friends who desire to speak at a service for a loved one. We counsel people to write out their comments with a goal of keeping their thoughts to a length of 3-5 minutes. It is also helpful if they will share what they plan to say with the minister or whoever is performing the eulogy to avoid repetition of thoughts being shared.
SLIDESHOW FOR THE SERVICE
If the prepared slideshow is going to be shown as a part of the service, we encourage the family to limit the length of the slideshow to approximately 5-7 minutes.
Our Columbarium
