Pastor refuses to do a funeral service bcuz of cremation
Q: What does the Bible say about cremation? We can’t afford a full funeral service for a family member and cremation is the cheapest option but our church doesn’t recognize cremation so they won’t do a small service due to our decision to cremate.
For two hrs of visitation, a casket to rent to show the body, cremation afterwards, bury the urn, is about $14k.
A: This can help. Consider showing this to the pastor and asking him to reconsider. He may never have thought about this.
If your a member at a church, they usually do the service free. They shouldn't charge for that. There are areas you can skip $ on like viewing at mortuary, etc. And at church service, can just focus on the person's life, if saved, you can focus on God in his life.
If the church part is not happening, you can just do (whats done by a pastor at grave site) at the home or hall where food fellowship time happens, with the urn there, as a memorial service. Keep it focused on a God (and share the Gospel), then let others share stories and memories. Have albums, digital screen, etc to show photos (and life stuff; physical objects), to have more informal funeralesqe situation.
If your pastor won't do it, ask a pastor at another nearby church (and discuss what your looking for). He might also just say come do it here free at our church. You can tip him a bit for his kindness, & send a thank you card.
From my last understanding both regular casket and cremation costs are about the same. But also, you don't need to bury the urn at a grave site either. You can just keep it at home, or spread the ashes somewhere in a respectful way. That lowers the burying costs.
Other thoughts for church site service are, check reseller sites for simple caskets, and rentals. It may be cheaper. But only if you end up doing a church service. But tbh does a casket or urn need to be at a service? Everyone knows he has passed on.
Notes:
Some manufacturers sell caskets directly to consumers, often at lower prices than traditional funeral homes. Look for companies that offer online purchasing.
Websites like Funeralocity or Parting.com allow you to compare prices from different funeral homes and casket providers.
Check platforms like Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace for second-hand caskets. Since no one is on it, there's no concerns over casket health and safety standards.
If you're open to it, some people choose to build or customize their own caskets. There are kits available online for this purpose. If there's a handy young person in the famiy or extended family willing to DIY one, at your approval of the kit look, they can resell it online after the service.
You can also call other churches in the area for suggestions, and see if any have a casket they keep on site for services in situations like yours. They may just let you borrow it, with a copy of your lD, or deliver and return it for you in kindness (in serving believers). Pastors usually know this is a hard time for family. Many will be willing to help.
Also, I hope this helos a bit for you & your grief at this time. 🫂✝️
May God work this out, and give you peace
