Memorial & Celebration of Life Resource Center
If someone you love has died, you may be wondering what to do next.
There are decisions to make. There are questions you may never have had to ask before. And there may be family members trying to figure everything out at the same time.
Take a breath. You don't have to figure everything out today.
We've put these resources together to help you take the next step, one step at a time.
You don't have to do everything today.
Take care of what needs to be taken care of today.
Then take the next step.
One step at a time
A Word From Me
Hi there, my name is Rock Pifer. I've spent more than 35 years in pastoral ministry, and over those years I've walked with many families through the death of someone they loved.
I've sat with families when death was expected, and I've been with families when death came suddenly. I've helped people make decisions when they were hurting, confused, and sometimes simply didn't know what to do next.
I don't pretend that I can take away the pain of losing someone you love. But I can offer some practical guidance about the things that often have to be dealt with when someone dies.
That's why we've created this resource center. My hope is that it will feel a little like having someone sit down beside you and say, “Take a breath. Let's figure this out one step at a time.”
Where Would You Like to Begin?
GUIDES & PRINTABLES
→ Guides & Printables
A collection of five practical printables you can download and use.
IF THIS JUST HAPPENED
→ What Do We Do First When Someone Dies?
→ What If the Death Was Sudden?
→ How Do I Choose a Funeral Home or Cremation Provider?
→ What Information Should We Gather?
→ How Soon After a Death Should We Hold the Memorial?
→ What If We Don't Know What Our Loved One Wanted?
→ What If We Can't Afford a Funeral or Memorial?
PLANNING THE MEMORIAL
→ Funeral, Memorial Service, or Celebration of Life: What's the Difference?
→ What Kind of Memorial Should We Have?
→ Who Should Be Involved in Planning a Memorial?
→ How Do We Plan the Memorial Service?
→ How to Plan a Memorial Service Without a Funeral Home
→ What Happens if the Family Can't Agree?
→ What Scripture Can We Read at a Memorial Service?
→ What Should I Bring to a Memorial Service?
AFTER THE MEMORIAL
→ What Do We Do With the Guest Book After the Memorial?
→ What Do We Do After the Memorial Service?
ABOUT CREMATION
→ What Happens When We Choose Cremation?
→ What Should We Know About Cremated Remains?
→ Can We Have a Memorial Service After Cremation?