Reformed Presbyterian Minutes of Synod 1997 - Rparchives.org

REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF NORTH AMERICA 237
"By virtue of the authority vesting in me as a minister of the Gospel,
and in accordance with the laws of God and this commonwealth, I now
pronounce you husband and wife.
The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine upon
you, and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up His countenance upon you,
and give you peace."
6.9 Biblical standards of decorum and deportment should be observed
preceeding and following the marriage ceremony.
The Burial of the Dead
7. Christian burial should be simple and without any unnecessary ceremony or
display. The funeral may be held in the home, in a funeral establishment or in the
church building, and be private or more or less public, as the family may desire.
The officiating minister should seek to make the funeral an occasion of praise to
God, of comfort to the bereaved, and of challenge to the unbelieving. It is the
responsibility of the minister to determine the form and content of the service,
according to the Word of God and the order of the church. The funeral should
not be held on the Lord's Day, except in cases of extreme necessity.
8. Christian burial must be kept distinctly separate from all non-Christian rites.
Accordingly, there should be no compromise with secret orders, such as the
Freemasons, or other non-Christian organizations.
9. The funeral of a Christian is both the occasion of mourning the loss of a
loved one and the affirmation of the hope of eternal life through Jesus Christ for
all who believe in Him. The Scriptures are to have a prominent place. The singing
of suitable Psalms is most appropriate. Prayers should be weighty and winsome,
commending the bereaved to the consolation of the Gospel and the God of all
comfort. The address should be timely and exalt Christ and His salvation as the
basis of comfort to the bereaved and counsel to the living, and be without undue
praise of the dead.
10. The minister will consult the family of the deceased regarding appropriate
Scripture readings, Psalms and the involvement of other ministers. The final
decision shall be at the discretion of the officiating minister(s). We suggest the
following general pattern.
10.1 Introduction. The minister shall say:
"We are gathered together in the presence of God to remember His
sovereignty in death as in life and to seek His Word for our hearts. Jesus
said, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though
he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never
die." (Jn 11:25-26).
The minister shall then lead the people in prayer. A Psalm (or Psalms) may be
sung (Psalm 121 is very appropriate.).
10.2 The Reading of Scripture. Appropriate Scripture passages should be
read. The following may be found most suitable: