The death of someone close, even if has been expected, still comes as shock. If you experience a sudden death through a tragedy, the shock is numbing. At such times families look for a way of dealing with their grief and honouring the person who has just died.
Waipu Presbyterian Church offers to walk with you in preparing a service that will honour and celebrate the life of your loved one as part of the journey you are now on. Saying goodbye is important to do well.
Planning a Funeral
The first thing you need to do is contact a funeral director, if someone hasn't already done that for you. The funeral director will assist you work through the arrangements. The funeral directors we are most familiar with are based in Whangarei. They are Morris & Morris Ltd,
phone (09) 437 5799 or Toll Free 0800 667 747;
Newberrys, phone (09) 438 2644.
They answer the phone 24/7.
You can organise and plan your own funeral without a funeral director. It is a big job, but quite possible.
Christian Funeral
What do we mean by a Christian Funeral?
It is a service that honours God, celebrates life, shares the Christian perspective on life and death, and proclaims eternal life through Jesus Christ.
If you want a funeral in a church or somewhere else taken by a Christian minister or celebrant, and you want it done by Waipu Presbyterian Parish, the funeral director of your choice will contact the minister to book the day, time and venue with him.
It is normal that the minister is asked first and it is expected by the parish that he conducts funeral services that use the church. However, if he is unavailable, the parish has other funeral celebrants
Funerals
to take a service, or if a family member is willing and able to conduct a Christian service, simply ask and it should be fine.
We are also very open to ministers and pastors from other Christian churches conducting a funeral service using our facilities.
The Venue
Our minister, Peter, has taken funerals at the following venues and so is flexible: Waipu and Ruakaka Presbyterian churches, other churches, funeral director's chapels, crematorium chapels, private homes, home gardens, gravesides, and two at sea.
Seating
Our Waipu church seats 250 comfortably, but we can arrange seating for 300. We have an outside sound system to cater for folk outside. We are able to link up our adjacent Sunday School hall for sound if the weather is inclement. The hall can seat another 80 people.
Our Ruakaka church on Camellia Avenue can seat 60 comfortably and we can arrange seating for 80.
The Funeral Service
The style of our services are very flexible while remaining true to our Christian faith. You need to think about what you would like in the service. The minister will pray and share a very short message, but the rest is over to you.
The style of music (we can offer some advice on this), the eulogy (someone speaking about the person on behalf of the family), whether you want to open the service for other folk to speak, are all your decisions.
Our minister, Peter, will meet with you as a family and go through everything with you beforehand.
Multimedia
In the Waipu church we have the technology to show multimedia presentations. For example, it is becoming more common for families to put together a slide show of pictures onto a PowerPoint presentation that shows the life and times of your loved one. We can handle running a presentation off your laptop or our computer using CD, DVD, or USB Flash storage device.
Burial or Cremation
We have no opinion as a church on this. It is your option.
Commital and Memorial Services
Sometimes funeral services are held in a different city or town, but the burial is at Waipu Cemetery. Our minister with a little notice, can conduct the graveside committal service.
Sometimes people die and are buried far away. We are able to organise and conduct a memorial service for local folk as the need arises.
Unveilings & Committal of Ashes
Our minister is available for these services too. Contact him directly.
Waipu Cemetery
If you are making your own arrangements or coming to the cemetery from another area contact the Sexton, Angus McCulloch (09) 432 0541, 0274-931-774. He is a friendly guy to work with and will be able to help you.
Cost
Waipu Presbyterian Church does not charge for the use of its buildings. Nor does the minister charge. Consider our services as a gift. If you want to make a donation talk to your funeral director.
