I am pre planning my services and would like to know if I should have my funeral service in a church or at a funeral home?

This is absolutely your preference. If you are a very religious person, a Church Funeral is certainly appropriate, though keep in mind that you may have friends or family who do not practice the same religious beliefs and may be uncomfortable or even unable to attend the Services if they are not members of that particular Church.

You can always opt to hold a religious Service at your Church, followed by a Memorial Service at the Funeral Home for those who cannot attend the Church Service. Or you may choose to have a Service at the end of Visitation hours or even at the graveside.

Another option is to hold a Service at the Funeral Home – you can always ask your religious leader to come and perform the Services for you there. If he or she cannot, your religious leader or Funeral Director should be able to help you find an appropriate minister for the Services – while they may not be affiliated with your particular Church, they should be more than able to provide a comforting Service with the religious overtones you would like to acknowledge your faith and beliefs. As you are pre-planning your Services, it’s a good idea to get to know who will be officiating at your Services, so they can get to know you – it makes the Services that much more meaningful.

Discussing these options with someone else objectively, like your Funeral Director, may help you make your decision. He or she will have plenty of experience, and perhaps point out some other things to consider as you plan your Services. At the very least, they can get the ideas down on paper for you and keep a copy on file for when the time comes.