SBC Graveside Template

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Graveside Order of Service

Numerous brief denominational liturgies are available. Most of the various Protestant services are variations of the classic 1662 Book of Common Prayer service. The following suggested service is such a variation.

Welcome and opening prayer

Thank you for being here today as we lay our sister, Shirley Spilman Rawls to rest.
This is her final resting place on this earth, but it is not her final resting place.
For the ground of this cemetery will be split open and the dead in Christ will rise first because of the power of the Lord.
Let’s pray to Him now.
Father God, Your Son Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life. If anyone believes in Him, though they die, they shall live. Though they perish, they do not perish. Though they waste away, they were be renewed day and day and now, in glory, have shed the body that wastes. Will you give us hope today? Hope that our friend will rise again? Hope from the sure Word? Hope to make our hearts soar, even as they walk through the valley of the shadow of death? Surely we will find it in Your Gospel and in Your Word. Amen.

Scripture readings: Old Testament and New Testament

Daniel 12:2–3 ESV
And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.
John 5:25–29 ESV
“Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man. Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.
1 Thessalonians 4:13–17 ESV
But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.
The dead in Christ will rise first, when the Lord returns.
This is good news as we lay our sister to rest. Join me now as I commit her to the ground.

Words of committal

The Christian Minister’s Manual, 1945
“Forasmuch as it hath pleased Almighty God, in His wise providence, to take out of this world the soul of our deceased brother, we therefore commit his body to the ground, earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust, looking for the resurrection on the last day, and the life of the world to come through our Lord Jesus Christ; at whose coming in glorious majesty to judge the world, the earth and the sea shall give up their dead; and the corruptible bodies of those who sleep in Him shall be changed, and made like unto His glorious body; according to the mighty working whereby He is able to subdue all things unto Himself.”

Benediction

Revelation 14:13 ESV
And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Blessed indeed,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!”

Lord’s Prayer

Our Father in heaven
Hallowed be Your name
Your Kingdom come and Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
Forgive us of our sins.
Also, forgive those who have sinned against us.
Deliver us from temptation and the evil one.
For Yours is the power, the Kingdom and the glory, Amen.

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