Toledo Mennonite Church
Facing Death Planning Form
This record, once completed and signed, will be kept at the church office in your
personal file. You may change or discard it at any time by contacting the church office
directly and stating your wishes. We recommend you also keep a current copy of this
form with your important papers. You may also want to share it with another member of
your family. Completing and filing it with the church now will be extremely helpful to
family members and pastors in order to carry out your plans and wishes at time of
death. Attach additional sheets if necessary.
Biographical Information (to be used in obituary or funeral folder)
Name
Address
Telephone
Social Security Number
Birth Date
Birthplace
(Complete where applicable)
Date of Baptism
Church Membership
Spouse's name
Address
Spouse's telephone
City
Date and place of marriage
_____ Widowed
____ Divorced
Date__________
Schools attended
Main occupations or employers (include approximate dates)
Date retired
State
Membership/participation in organizations or service commitments:
Highlights of one's life
Family contact (other than spouse or children) and phone
Children
Name
Address
Telephone
Father's name and birthplace
Mother's name and birthplace
Location of important documents (such as will)
Arrangements or commitments for body/organ donation
Other persons/organizations to be notified at death (former employers, special friends
or relatives)
Newspapers to be notified
Funeral arrangements
Our Christian faith should be reflected in our practices in connection with death. Some
traditional patterns of burial do not reflect this. Popular customs and attitudes have
played a large part in molding our practices. Extravagance in expenditures and display
are not in keeping with Christian simplicity. Care should be taken to emphasize our trust
in God’s providence and grace and the promise of eternal life through Jesus Christ.
Plans should reflect opportunities for friends and family to celebrate life as well as to
grieve loss.
1.
I (circle one) have / have not made pre-arrangements with a funeral home.
Funeral home preference
2.
I prefer to be:
___ Embalmed and buried in ____________________________cemetery
City
State
I (circle one) have / have not made pre-arrangements with the cemetery
___ Cremated
___ ashes scattered ___ ashes buried ___ashes returned to family
Other notes regarding ashes:
3.
I prefer to have visitation at ____the church ____the funeral home
with an ___open casket ____closed casket ____ no casket.
_____ I have a pre-made casket. It is being stored at ______________
Other casket preferences/notes:
4.
The location I prefer for my funeral/memorial service is: ______________
5.
I prefer to have a
____ funeral (body is present at the service. A short graveside service and burial
follow.)
____ memorial service (this public service is preceded by a short family prayer
service, grave side service and burial.)
6.
____I want a funeral at minimal cost
____I leave the financial arrangements to my survivors’ discretion.
7.
These scriptures and writings have been meaningful to me:
8.
These hymns and songs are some of my favorites:
9.
I would like, if possible, for the following person(s) to assist in the service
I would like the following pallbearers (6-8)
10.
I prefer a service, which (check all that apply)
____ Deals openly with the feelings of loss and hurt
____ Encourages and comforts loved ones left behind
____ Affirms our faith in God, who raises the dead
____ Celebrates my life as God’s good gift, with praise and thanks to God.
____ Other
11.
I suggest memorial gifts be designated for
12.
Other preferences or requests at the time of my funeral/memorial service.
(Ideas or expressions to be included in the service [eulogy, obituary read, invite
specific people to share, open sharing, altar call, etc.], hobbies/interests to be
represented, flowers for service, clothing/jewelry/mementos for burial, etc.)
Date completed _______ Signed _______________________________
Toledo Mennonite Church
Checklist of steps to take following a death
(Distribute to family members you want to be responsible at time of death)
_____ Call the pastor or church office (the pastor will be a support and resource for you
in completing the next steps)
_____ Call the funeral home to set up an appointment to make arrangements for care
of the body and its burial
_____ Do you want an autopsy? (Autopsies may be done when there is a sudden or
unexplained death OR when the family wants specific disease information for the
family medical history. You can tell the doctor or the funeral home. If the death
occurs at the hospital, the decision should be made before the body is taken
from the hospital. There is no cost to the family if a doctor or the coroner feels an
autopsy is necessary and orders it to be done.)
_____ Call all significant people to inform them of the death
_____ In consultation with the pastor and funeral home, set day, time and location for
funeral/memorial service. (The service usually takes place three days after the
death. This allows one day for the announcement in the newspaper and another
day for visitation. The service can be later for a number of reasons such as
accommodating persons traveling from a distance, Sundays, holidays, etc.)
_____ Set visitation day, time and location. Visitation usually happens the day before
the service. It can be held at the church, the funeral home, or in a private home
(usually without the body present).
_____ Confirm the type of service(s) which will be held and the schedule.
_____ Funeral -- The body is usually present at the location of the service. A
short graveside service and burial follow.
_____ Memorial -- This service is preceded by a short prayer service for
family, a graveside service and burial.
the
_____ Preparation for the funeral home appointment
______Biographical information (If deceased has completed the Toledo
Mennonite Facing Death Planning Form, this will be on file at the church.
It is also helpful to have a file at home that contains notes or newspaper
clippings to assist in writing an obituary).
______Bring a set of clothes
______Social Security number
______Picture for newspaper if you desire
______Note number of death certificates needed (copies are needed for each
occasion where there will be a transfer of property such as land, home,
vehicles, stocks, bonds, each bank, each company holding a life
insurance policy and any other assets.)
_____ Make decisions at the funeral home
______Choose casket (if necessary). If using a casket stored elsewhere, make
arrangements for its use.
______Choose memorial cards
______Choose flowers
______Give instructions for burial service, if you have preferences
______Do you want to be present as casket is lowered?
______Do you want to place flowers on the casket?
______Do you want to shovel dirt on the casket?
______Do you need a meal between visitation hours for your family?
______Number of immediate family members
_____Plan service(s) with pastor
______Will the church provide a meal following the service(s)
______Number for meal following service: Include family, close friends
and persons traveling from a distance.
_____Visitation
______Decide on arrangement of family members (family in line or scattered)
______Display of pictures or other items (who will gather and display)