Funeral Ministry

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion
and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort
those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God."
(2 Corinthians 1:3-4)

When we lose a loved one, we start a journey. It's not a trip we planned, but it is a trip we must take. Yet, no one should have to make the journey alone. On this journey, there is a possibility that we may be faced with many deep emotions and have extreme difficulty untangling them all. Healing often does not begin until we allow ourselves to lean into our grief and try to acknowledge and understand the grief; allow the grief to be recognized by others; and feel free to grieve in our own unique way. 

The Bereavement/Funeral Ministry assists the bereaved family in arranging the details of a Funeral or Memorial Liturgy. Our mission is to provide hope for those grieving the loss of a loved one.

We endeavor to be a source of love, comfort, encouragement, and support for the bereaved.

Support services we provide include:

• Send sympathy and encouragement cards
• Offer a listening ear and a caring presence
• Disseminate grief-related materials to educate families on grief recovery
• Pray for and with bereaved families
• Call and/or visit families before funerals
• Attend the funeral services held at church and in community
• Set up for Mass, help those participating in the Liturgy, usher and greet people
• Coordinate Reception (when there is a Reception in the Parish Hall following the Funeral Mass)
• Provide follow-up care following the funeral
• Conduct an annual memorial service

If you feel called to serve as part of the Funeral Ministry, please contact Elizabeth Nguyen at funeral@gsbh.org