Funerals

St. Mary Magdalene Episcopal Church provides funeral services for anyone. The deceased and their family do not need to belong to St. Mary Magdalene Episcopal Church, the Episcopal Church, or any Christian tradition. Everyone deserves a dignified burial service.

When a death occurs in your family, please contact the church office. We want to offer support and pastoral care during this time of loss. Please speak with the priest before scheduling a funeral service. The priest will help determine a time that allows the greatest number of family and friends to attend. The priest and the St. Mary Magdalene event planner will work with you and, when applicable, your funeral director to coordinate the service. The priest will help with the spiritual aspects of the service, while the event planner will coordinate the logistical details.

For funerals of baptized Christians, the coffin carries a white pall, a symbol of the baptismal garment. No other decoration adorns the coffin or its surroundings. If viewing of the remains is desired, the viewing takes place before the funeral service.

The purpose of the Episcopal funeral liturgy is to lift our hearts and minds from the earthly to the heavenly, from death to life, and from the material to the spiritual. For this reason, the coffin remains closed following the funeral service. Opening the coffin after the service would bring the anxieties, pain, and grief of death back into the midst of the liturgy and would turn our attention away from the hope and promise of the Resurrection.

The Episcopal Church has no objection to cremation. Families may choose to have the cremation before or after the funeral service. When cremation takes place beforehand, we encourage you to have the ashes present for the service.

St. Mary Magdalene Episcopal Church has a columbarium for those who wish to be interred here. Each person receives a designated niche with a nameplate.

The parish organist and soloists may be available for the service. The St. Mary Magdalene music team must approve any visiting organist in advance. The event planner will need the planned music in advance to ensure that the service has the appropriate sound system equipment.

A funeral is a worship service, so the music should reflect the sacred character of the service and the clergy should approve the music in consultation with those planning the service.

Flowers can be placed at the altar and on the windowsills. Please be sure to provide the planner with the florist’s name so delivery time can be coordinated.

It is appropriate for the family to suggest that in lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to St. Mary Magdalene Episcopal Church or another charity of meaning to the deceased.

Pallbearers can be selected by the family. We can reserve a section for them (as well as the family) in the front rows.

The family working with the priest can appoint people to read a lesson or a Psalm.

Funeral receptions can be held at the Church. The family is welcome to provide the food or to hire a caterer.

These donations should be made directly to the individuals:

  • $150 – Organist
  • $150 – Priest
  • $150 – Soloist

The following recommended donations to the church are applicable to Non-Members only, please contact the event planner for the recommended member donations:

  • $500 – for the use of the Church, cleaning, Altar guild, etc.
  • $500 — for the use of the church for a reception
  • $2,000 – for a Columbarium niche and nameplate, if applicable

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