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For many of us, the most difficult time in our lives will be saying goodbye to someone we’ve loved, be it friend or family member. It’s a time where we come face to face with our own mortality, and we become a crucible of mixed emotions all boiling beneath the surface. It is during this time of grieving the loss of a loved one that the church, its ministers and people can help in coming to terms with such a change in our lives. Upon request, our priests can administer holy unction, also known as last rites, to a dying person. Prayers and psalms of comfort and peace are said at the bedside of the dying, and the person is anointed and blessed with holy oil, symbolising final release from worldly burden and sin, in preparation to join the Lord in heaven, refreshed and safe in their new eternal life with him.
For friends and family who remain, the priests, in cooperation with the funeral director of your choice, will aid in fashioning a service of thanksgiving for the life of the deceased.
The purpose of the funeral, in a theological sense, is to commit the person’s earthly remains to the world that formed them and send their soul on its journey to eternal life, into the arms of the God that creates and loves us. It is an opportunity for friends and family to say their final goodbyes, and to reflect on the life of their loved one, and how the person has inspired their own life and faith. Our parish community is also here to provide ongoing pastoral support during the grieving process; any who are touched by loss and are in need of support are encouraged to attend worship services, approach our clergy, and generally integrate with our people, in aid of coming to terms with this difficult stage of our relationship with God.
If you would like to discuss, inquire or partake of any of these sacraments of the Anglican Church, please don’t hesitate to contact us, either through our parish office, or our clergy directly. We are here to support your Christian journey, whatever stage you may be at.
To make arrangements please email the parish secretary on the form below or call this number 0402820412
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