Ritual and remembrance
These ritual and remembrance resources are designed for those responsible for funerals, memorials, and remembrance services.
We hope these resources encourage you to revive old rituals as well as trying new, authentic, and meaningful ones to help families and communities process grief.
Coping with death
People living in Scotland's poorest communities disproportionately bear many of society's problems. There are higher numbers of deaths from murder, suicide, alcohol, and drugs, and often people die at a younger age from preventable diseases.
While people often show remarkable resilience in overcoming suffering, the death of a close family member, particularly a young person, can put additional stress on an already volatile situation. When tragedy strikes, finding ways to help the family and community heal can be demanding, emotional, and stressful work.
It is often the church to which the family and community turn for a unique blessing and comfort, and those responsible for funerals are trusted to manifest the faith of the church and to incorporate the blessing and concern of the whole community in what they say and do.
It can be an awesome and taxing responsibility, and it is with this in mind that these resources have been developed.
Healing communities
- After a Suicide - written by Scottish Association for Mental Health
- Crematorium service for a baby
- Snowflake - an idea for a service where young children are present
- Easter Journey of Remembrance - a sample remembrance service by Rev David Locke from his time at Barlanark Greyfriars Church in Glasgow
- Kaddish - a look into the Jewish faith's response to ritual and remembrance
- Why we have a problem with death
- A discussion on the matter of prayers for the dead
Real life examples from ministers
- Funeral of a young man - killed in a road traffic accident
- Funeral of a young woman - a drug user and sex worker
- Service for a women with special needs who died suddenly aged 34
- Dedication of a Memorial Bench - a memorial service for a young man aged 17 who was stabbed and killed
- Dedication of a memorial table - a dedication of a memorial table for a young man who took his own life in prison, the table was next to a bench previously dedicated to the man's younger brother