Funeral and Memorial Services
When a loved one dies, it's important to have a ceremony that respects the spiritual values of the deceased as well as the survivors. In mixed faith families, or for families with no religious affiliation, a "Celebration of Life" or "Life Tribute" with a secular (non-religious) memorial service is an excellent choice.
The Importance of Ceremony
Ceremonies and rituals are important in our society. By publicly declaring important milestones in our lives, we give the moment a place of honor. Shared with family and friends, we gain their support as we go through expected changes.
Secular ceremonies are becoming so popular because they cross faith and cultural boundaries and therefore are non-offensive to participants and guests of different faiths. By bringing together the common values of humanity from all belief systems, secular ceremonies allow each of the participants to experience positive feelings special or unique to them.
Ceremonies acknowledge and honor important transitions in our lives. By creating a time and space to publicly proclaim an event, we declare our readiness to honor what has gone before and to embrace a new path. By inviting our friends and loved ones to mark the occasion with us, we allow them to offer us their love and support, which strengthens our bonds with them.
The function of ceremony is to bring people together for love and support during transitions into new beginnings. Ceremony allows us to join and bond when we experience loss. The social acceptance and understanding of our grief reminds us that we are going through expected feelings and allows a healthy approach to living life without the loved one lost. Ceremony can aid communities in handling tough times.
As a Humanist Minister and Celebrant*, I help people address the human needs and goals required for healthy transitions. My clients include humanists, agnotics, freethinkers, atheists, rationalists, as well as mixed faith families as well as some devoutly religious families who don't want to impose a religious service on their guests or simply want a more meaningful and personal ceremony than what their church can provide.
* Humanism is a philosophy of life inspired by humanity and guided by reason. It provides the basis for a fulfilling and ethical life without dependance on theistic religion.
Funerals and Memorial Ceremonies
Memorial and Funeral Celebrant Service for Funerals and Memorials in Hawaii
Secular Funeral & Memorial Services,
whether a Celebration of Life or Humanist Ceremony,
honor the life of the deceased and address the grief of survivors, without imposing a religious worship service onto the mourners who may be of various spiritual backgrounds.
A Celebrant seeks to meet the needs of survivors, by creating and conducting funeral and memorial services that are personalized to reflect the lifestyle of the deceased.
Secular or Humanist Memorial and Funeral Celebrant Services are often more personal and more satisfying in aiding the grief process than a worship service can be, because celebrant services address human needs and values.
If you are in need of a funeral or memorial service after the death of a loved one, I can help you create a ceremony that reflects the personality of the deceased, as well as the survivors, in a way that embraces the grief necessary for healthy passage to life without the loved one.
In order to create a personal and meaningful funeral or memorial service and eulogy, I will need to interview the family members or those friends who were close to the deceased. I would like to set that meeting up as soon as possible after the arrangements are made with the funeral home. This is best combined with a "story telling" session of memories of the deceased to gain material for the eulogy and for the option of expressing feelings and sharing memories at the service. Photos and music selections can also be chosen at this time, for a moving video tribute, if desired.
Having experienced several deaths of my loved ones in a short amount of time, I understand the pain a family goes through and also the value of having a meaningful and helpful memorial service.
There is an unfortunate trend where spiritual yet non-religious folks are opting for no services at all, assuming that funeral services are reserved only for those actively involved with a church. However, a memorial service of some kind is important for the survivors. Every life should be honored and the grief attached to that loss addressed.
Sometimes just a casual and intimate service is the perfect solution, if a large formal affair is uncomfortable. A service allows the survivors to create a place for the loved one's memory in their hearts and minds. By honoring the deceased, their spirit lives on as a constant companion as we continue living a life made richer simply by knowing them. See Article on Dealing with Death in a Changing Culture.
If you're interested in reading a little more about what I do, there was an article written about me recently, in the Hawaii Reporter: Celebrant Sprinkles Spirituality on Weddings and Funerals in Hawaii.
If you need help creating a secular (non-religious) or humanist funeral, memorial service or help in writing a eulogy, or cremation ash (cremains) scattering ceremony, please contact me. I would want to know which funeral home you are using, date of service, location of service, how many guests you expect, and whether you are wishing a formal or informal service. Mahalo.
E-mail: Julie@KauaiOfficiant.com
Telephone: 808-652-9443
Other Services
Kauai Wedding Minister, Officiant for Weddings on Kauai
As a Humanist Minister, I am licensed to perform marriages in the state of Hawaii. I conduct weddings for visitors wishing a destination wedding on Kauai, and also for residents who wish a simple civil style wedding on the beach, in a park, on a mountain hike or some other adventurous or unconventional location. I also officiate vow renewals and commitment ceremonies. Click here for Kauai Wedding Officiant Services.
Family Ceremonies, Adoption, Baby Naming, Rites of Passage
The special event of bringing a child into your family can be enhanced and punctuated with a ceremony with friends and family. In the case of adoption, an Adoption Ceremony is especially important to introduce the child to your relatives and friends, ceremoniously giving the child a family and safe reliance network.
If a family doesn't wish to christen their child in a traditional religion or church setting, an Appellation Ceremony, Baby Naming Ceremony or Child Dedication or Blessing can be a meaningful alternative for the family and friends and later for the child with the keepsake copy of the ceremony. Not only is the family announcing the arrival of the child into the world, but also assigning a name, defining or outlining the family's values, and appointing a support network for your child. Those invited to share in the ceremony become part of the child's network of mentors and guardians. Chosen adults can be named to take a special interest in the child's future, sometimes called guide-parents or god-parents. Adding a new family member is a good time to begin enshrining a family's values as a guideline as to how they will be raising the child.
The transition from childhood to young adulthood is an important milestone to mark commonly called Coming of Age and celebrated with a Rite of Passage. Guiding the control of the child's life from parental control/responsibility toward self-control/responsibility, we can create a generation of positive contributors to society.
Civic and Corporate Events, Invocations, Benedictions
Communities often go through changes, whether tragic or joyous, which brings the citizens together. There may be times when leaders need to call on the strength of the community's spirit to see a tragedy through, or to spread goodwill to their neighbors.
Similarly, businesses and organizations have milestones to mark such as the launching of a new project. When a large project is planned, the change can sometimes create mixed feelings in the community. A public ceremony can go a long way toward building better public relations.
Civil, Secular, Spiritual, Non-religious -vs- Non-denominational
As a Humanist Minister, the ceremonies I officiate are similar to a civil ceremony, but with more emphasis on human values and the family's sense of morality and fulfillment. A secular Ceremony, like a civil ceremony, is not tied to religious worship, but is usually very uplifting to the human spirit, focussing on the values important to the family.
The ceremonies I officiate are secular (non-religious) in content, and therefore can be enjoyed by all people, regardless of religious background. They are human celebrations!
