We receive the body of our brother / sister N with confidence in God, the giver of life, who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead.

With this water we call to mind N's baptism
As Christ went through the deep waters of death for us,
so may he bring N and all the redeemed
to the fullness of the resurrection life.

Or Grant, Lord that we who are baptized into the death
of your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ
may continually put to death our evil desires
and be buried with him;
that through the grave and gate of death
we may pass to our joyful resurrection,
through his merits, who died and was buried,
and rose again for us, your Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

"I am the resurrection and the life", says the Lord. "Those who believe in me, even though they die, yet shall they live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die."
John 11.25,26

I am persuaded that neither death, nor life,
nor angels, nor principalities,
nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation,
will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8.38,39

We believe that Jesus died and rose again;
and so it will be for those who died as Christians;
God will bring them to life with Jesus.
Thus we shall always be with the Lord.
Comfort one another with these words.
1 Thess 1.14,17,18

We brought nothing into this world, and we can take nothing out.
The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away,
blessed be the name of the Lord.
1 Tim 6.7 ; Job 1.21

We are already God's children,
but what we shall be has not yet been revealed.
Yet we know that when Christ appears we shall be like him,
for we shall see him as he is.

Or On Mount Zion the Lord will remove the pall of sorrow
hanging over all nations.
He will destroy death for ever.
He will wipe away the tears from every face.

Lord Jesus Christ,
your living and imperishable word brings us to new birth.
This Bible proclaims your promises to us and to N for ever.

Lord Jesus Christ, you bore our sins on the cross.
May this cross be a sign to us of your love for N,
and the forgiveness of his / her sins.

We meet in the name of Christ
who died and was raised
by the glory of God the Father.
Grace and mercy be with you all.
[And also with you.]

We have come here today to remember before God our dear brother / sister N; to thanks for his/her life, to commend him/her to God his/her merciful redeemer and judge, to commit his/her body to be buried/cremated, and to comfort one another in our grief, in the hope that is ours through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Therefore we welcome you into this house of prayer, that here today you may know the peace of Christ in communion with all God's faithful servants.

God of all consolation,
whose Son Jesus Christ was moved to tears
at the grave of Lazarus his friend:
look with compassion on us your children in our loss;
give to our troubled hearts the light of hope,
and strengthen in us the gift of faith,
in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

As children of a loving heavenly Father,
let us seek the forgiveness of God,
for he is full of gentleness and compassion

Call to remembrance, O Lord, your compassion,
and your loving kindness,
for they have been from of old.
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.

Remember not my sins nor my transgressions,
but according to your mercy think on me.
Christ, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.

O keep my life, and deliver me,
put me not to shame, for I have put my trust in you.
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.

May God our Father forgive us our sins
and bring us to the eternal joy of his kingdom
where dust and ashes have no dominion. Amen.

Merciful Father, hear our prayers and comfort us, renew our trust in your Son, whom you raised from the dead, strengthen our faith that N and all who have died in the love of Christ will share in his resurrection; who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Eternal God, our maker and redeemer, grant us, with N and all the faithful departed, the sure benefits of your Son's saving passion and glorious resurrection, that in the last day, when you gather up all things in Christ, we may with them enjoy the fullness of your promises, through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord , who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Merciful Father, Lord of Life,
you have made us in your own image
to reflect your truth and light:
we give you thanks for N,
for the grace and mercy he/she received from you,
for all that was good in his/her life,
for the memories we treasure today.
[Especially we thank you ... ]
Silence
Lord of life,

All in your mercy, hear us.

You promised eternal life to those who believe.
Remember for good, Lord, this your servant
as we remember him/her
and give him/her back to you.
Bring him/her and all who rest in Christ
into the fullness of your kingdom
where sins have been forgiven
and death is no more.
Silence
Lord of life,

All in your mercy, hear us.

Your mighty power brings good our of evil
and life out of death.
Look in mercy on (... and) all who mourn.
Give them patient faith in times of darkness.
Strengthen them with the knowledge of your love.
Silence
Lord of life,

All in your mercy, hear us.

You are tender towards your children
and your mercy is over all your works.
Heal the memories of hurt and failure.
Give us the wisdom and grace to use aright
the time that is left to us on earth,
to turn to Christ and follow in his steps
in the way that leads to everlasting life.
Silence
Lord of life,

All in your mercy, hear us.

Merciful Father,
entrusting into your hands all that you have made
and rejoicing in our communion
with all your faithful people,
we make our prayers
through Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen.

Heavenly Father,
in your Son Jesus Christ
you have given us a true faith and a sure hope.
Strengthen this faith and hope in us all our days,
that we may live as those who believe
in the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sin,
and the resurrection to eternal life;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Let us commend N to the mercy of God
our Maker and Redeemer.

God our creator and redeemer,
by your power Christ conquered death
and entered into glory.
Confident of his victory
and claiming his promises,
we entrust N to your merciful keeping
in the name of Jesus our Lord,
who died and is alive
and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Or: Go forth from this world
in the love of God the Father
who created you,
in the mercy of Jesus Christ
who redeemed you,
in the power of the Holy Spirit
who strengthens you.
May the heavenly host sustain you,
and the company of heaven enfold you.
In the communion of the faithful
may you dwell this day in peace. Amen.

Or: Into your hands, O merciful Saviour,
we commend your servant N.
Acknowledge, we pray, a sheep of your own fold,
a lamb of your own flock
a sinner of your own redeeming.
Enfold him/her in the arms of your mercy,
in the blessed rest of everlasting peace,
and in the company of the saints in light. Amen.

Either Man born of woman has but a short time to live.
Like a flower we blossom and then wither,
like a shadow we flee and never stay.
In the midst of life we are in death;
to whom can we turn for help,
but to you Lord, who are justly angered by our sins?

Lord God, holy and mighty,
holy and immortal,
holy and most merciful Saviour,
deliver us from the bitter pains of eternal death.
You know the secrets of our hearts;
in your mercy hear our prayer,
forgive us our sins,
and at our last hour let us not fall away from you.

Or: The Lord is full of compassion and mercy,
slow to anger and of great kindness.
As a father cares for his children,
so does the Lord care for those who fear him.
For he himself knows of what we are made;
he remembers that we are but dust.
Our days are like the grass;
we flourish like a flower of the field.
When the wind goes over it, it is gone,
and its place shall know it no more.
But the merciful goodness of the Lord endures for ever
on those who fear him,
and his righteousness on children's children.

We have entrusted our brother/sister to God's merciful keeping, and we now commit his/her body to the ground:
earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust:
in sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life
through our Lord Jesus Christ
who died, was buried, and rose again for us.
To him be glory for ever. Amen.

In a Crematorium, if the Committal is to follow at the Burial of the Ashes
We have committed our brother/sister to God's merciful keeping,
and we now give his/her body to the flames,
in preparation for his/her burial,
and looking for the fulness of the resurrection
when Christ shall gather all his saints
to reign with him in glory for ever. Amen.

In a Crematorium, if the Committal is to take place then
We have entrusted our brother/sister to God's merciful keeping,
and we now commit his/her body to be creamted:
ashes to ashes, dust to dust:
in sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life
through our Lord Jesus Christ
who died, was buried, and rose again for us.
To him be glory for ever. Amen.

THE LORD'S PRAYER

We gather all our prayers
in the words our Saviour has taught us:
Our Father ...

God be in my head,
and in my understanding.
God be in mine eyes,
and in my looking;
God be in my mouth,
and in my speaking;
God be in my heart,
and in my thinking.
God be at mine end,
and at my departing. Amen.

The Minister gives the Blessing.

May God give to you
and to all those whom you love
his comfort and his peace,
his light and his joy,
in this world and the next;
and the blessing of God almighty,
the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit,
be upon you and remain with you always. Amen.