Funerals

The liturgy for the dead is an Easter liturgy. It finds all its meaning in the resurrection. Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we, too, shall be raised. Our funerals at St. Luke’s, therefore, are characterized by joy, in the certainty that ‘neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.’

This page is designed to offer you a basic view of funeral practices at St. Luke’s. For a fuller understanding of our policies and practices, please download St. Luke’s Funeral Customary below.

Who May Have Their Funeral at St. Luke’s?

While our funeral liturgy is offered primarily for members of St. Luke’s, one need not be a member of our church to receive the benefits of Christian burial as we understand and offer them. We are not a funeral chapel, per se, but anyone in search of dignified Christian burial for a loved one is welcome to call upon our clergy and inquire about the possibilities. All funerals at St. Luke’s are conducted by our own clergy in accordance with the Episcopal Book of Common Prayer.

Planning

Funerals are public worship services, and as such they should be planned in close consultation with a parish priest. Please consult with the priest prior to establishing a day and time with the funeral home, and prior to the publication of obituaries. St. Luke’s clergy maintain strong working relationships with several funeral homes in Austin and are happy to assist you in choosing one if needed.

Because funerals are worship, not all customs or funerary wishes are appropriate within the context of our liturgy. For more details on what to expect and how to plan, please download our Funeral Customary.

One of the greatest gifts you can give your family is to plan ahead. Feel free to use St. Luke’s Funeral Customary to make your choices known in advance. These are not legally binding, but may be helpful to your survivors. A printed copy should be kept on file where your survivors can easily access them. A copy may also be kept at the church office.

Contact our church office at 512-266-2455 for more information.