My unbeleiving father received a J W funeral (cremation) , come to think of it, we never thought to ask him, when alive, what he wanted ! I have attended a couple of others, one delivered by a c/o who was a friend of the witness daughter of the deceased.
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3/97p.7QuestionBox*** Question
Box ?" When the congregation is called upon to assist in arranging for a funeral,the following questions may arise:
Who
should give the funeral discourse? This is a decision to be made by family members. They may select any baptized brother in good standing. If the body of elders are asked to provide a speaker, they will usually select a capable elder to give a talk based on the Society’s outline. Although not eulogizing the deceased, it may be appropriate to call attention to exemplary qualities he or she displayed.
May
the Kingdom Hall be used? It can if permission has been granted by the body of elders and if it does not interfere with a regularly scheduled meeting. The hall may be used if the deceased had a clean reputation and was a member of the congregation or the minor child of a member. If the individual had caused public notoriety by unchristian conduct, or if other factors exist that might reflect unfavorably on the congregation, the elders may decide not to allow the use of the hall.—See Our Ministry book, pages 62-3.Ordinarily, Kingdom Halls are not used for funerals of unbelievers. An exception might be made if surviving family members are actively associated as baptized publishers, the deceased was known by a fair number in the congregation to have had a favorable attitude toward the truth and a good reputation for upright conduct in the community, and no worldly customs are incorporated into the program.
When granting use of the Kingdom Hall, the elders will consider whether it is customarily expected to see the casket present at the funeral. If it is, they might permit it to be brought into the hall.
What
about funerals forworldly people? If the deceased had a good reputation in the community, a brother might give a comforting Bible talk at the funeral home or graveside. The congregation will decline to handle a funeral for one who was known for immoral, unlawful conduct or whose life-style grossly conflicted with Bible principles. A brother certainly would not share with a clergyman in conducting an interfaith service nor in any funeral conducted in a church of Babylon the Great.
What
if the deceased was disfellowshipped? The congregation would generally not be involved. The Kingdom Hall would not be used. If the person had been giving evidence of repentance and manifesting a desire to be reinstated, a brother’s conscience might allow him to give a Bible talk at the funeral home or graveside, to give a witness to unbelievers and to comfort the relatives. Before making this decision, however, it would be wise for the brother to consult with the body of elders and give consideration to what they may recommend. In situations where it would not be wise for that brother to be involved, it may be appropriate for a brother who is a member of the deceased person’s family to give a talk to console the relatives.Further direction can be found in the Watchtower issues of October 15, 1990, pages 30-1; September 15, 1981, page 31; March 15, 1980, pages 5-7; June 1, 1978, pages 5-8; June 1, 1977, pages 347-8; March 15, 1970, pages 191-2; and Awake! of September 8, 1990, pages 22-3 and March 22, 1977, pages 12-15."
