Lutheran Graveside Committal Service

A Lutheran committal is the brief service at the grave that closes a funeral. The pastor leads it, it takes ten to twenty minutes, and it rests on one idea: that the person was claimed by God in baptism and is now entrusted to God in death. Families meet it in one of two ways, either as the last part of a funeral that began in the church, or as the whole funeral, held at the cemetery when the family is small or scattered.

Which Lutheran church?

"Lutheran" covers several church bodies, and they use different books. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) uses Evangelical Lutheran Worship. The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod (LCMS) uses Lutheran Service Book. Other Lutheran bodies have books of their own. The committal in each is close in shape and different in wording, so ask the pastor which book will be used, and ask which readings and hymns are planned. The program should match what is actually said at the grave.

Where the committal sits in a Lutheran funeral

A Lutheran funeral usually has two parts. The first is the service in the church, where the casket or the urn is present, the Word is read and preached, and the congregation sings. The second is the procession to the cemetery and the committal.

When a family chooses a graveside-only service, the committal carries the whole funeral. The pastor may then add a longer reading, a short message and more prayers. Some families hold the committal alone and have a memorial service at the church weeks later, once relatives have been able to travel.

The order of a committal

The pastor's book sets the order. In outline it runs like this:

Greeting  ·  the pastor gathers the family and names the person
Reading  ·  a short passage of Scripture
Prayer
The committal  ·  the body or the ashes are committed to their resting place, often with the sign of the cross
The Lord's Prayer  ·  said by everyone
Blessing  ·  commonly the Aaronic blessing from Numbers 6:24–26
Sending  ·  a closing word, and where people go next

Some congregations add a hymn at the grave. The words themselves are in the pastor's book. Do not try to print them from memory. Ask the pastor, or print only the headings and the readings, which is what most programs do.

Readings Lutherans often choose

• Psalm 23. Short, and most people can follow it without hearing every word.
• John 11:25–26. "I am the resurrection and the life."
• Romans 8:38–39. Nothing in all creation can separate us from the love of God.
• Isaiah 43:1. "I have called you by name; you are mine."
• Revelation 21:1–4. God will wipe every tear from their eyes.

One reading is enough at a graveside, and two is the most a standing group will carry. The poems and readings guide has more if the family wants something beyond Scripture for the luncheon or the printed program.

Hymns

Families often choose hymns the congregation knows by heart. "Abide with Me", "Children of the Heavenly Father" and "Beautiful Savior" are common requests. A hymn at the cemetery is usually sung without an organ, so a hymn the group knows well is better than one that is lovely but unfamiliar. If someone will lead the singing, say so on the program, and print the first verse, because nobody at a graveside is holding a hymnal.

Baptism, and why it keeps coming up

Lutheran funerals return to baptism again and again. The pastor may speak of the person's baptism, and in many congregations a white cloth called a pall is laid over the casket at the church as a reminder of the baptismal garment. At the graveside the pall is usually taken off before the committal. None of this needs to be printed, but if the family wants the thought on the page, a line such as "Child of God" under the name says it.

If the person was cremated

Lutheran churches accept cremation, and the committal takes the same form. The urn is often present at the church service and then placed in the ground or in a columbarium. Many congregations keep a columbarium or a memorial garden on church grounds, so ask whether yours does, because it changes where the committal is held. Scattering is a separate question and congregations differ on it, so if the family is considering it, tell the pastor early.

Who takes part

• The pastor leads the service and speaks the committal.
• A reader. One family member may read the Scripture if the pastor agrees.
• Pallbearers, usually six, if the casket is carried from the hearse to the grave.
• Everyone says the Lord's Prayer. Print it, because many guests will not be Lutheran.

A eulogy usually belongs at the church service or at the luncheon, not in the committal. If someone wants to speak at the grave, ask the pastor whether a few words may follow the blessing.

What happens afterwards

Many Lutheran congregations offer a funeral luncheon in the fellowship hall after the committal, often prepared by volunteers from the congregation. Ask the church office what is available, whether there is a fee or an offering, and when they need a head count. Put the address and the time on the program. At a funeral the luncheon is often where the real remembering happens.

What to print

A single page is enough. The front carries a photograph, the name and dates, the words "Committal Service", the date and time, and the cemetery's name and address. Add the section or directions to the grave, because cemeteries are large and guests arrive unsure.

The back carries the order above, the reading references, the first verse of the hymn, the Lord's Prayer, and the address of the luncheon. The wording of the Lord's Prayer varies between congregations, so ask the pastor which version to print.

The committal service guide covers the practical side for any denomination, and the traditional Christian order of service covers the full funeral when there is a service at the church first.