Checklists
Worship Leader’s Checklist (own church)
Before the Service
□Arrive at least an hour before the service begins.
□Make sure you have all necessary notes and other liturgical materials and that they are placed on the lectern, pulpit, or other reading place. Check through to be certain that there are none missing. Do not assume you have brought everything you need.
□Make sure that the bulletins are ready and at the back of the sanctuary/meeting place.
□Make sure that the parking spots for family members are reserved and that ropes are available to block off the pews used by family members. Or delegate this responsibility to others.
□Make sure that the sound system is up and running and that the “techies” are prepared for the service tasks. Do a spoken test, a few lines from a Bible will suffice, and have someone (who is willing to tell it the way it is) check from the back of the sanctuary to make sure you can be heard clearly.
□Liaise with the staff from the funeral home, giving them help and guidance about seating, sound, and the arrangement of photos, objects on the communion table, and family meeting place.
or
□Make sure that the ushers are well briefed. (See “Usher’s/Funeral Helper’s Checklist”.)
or
□Make sure that the designated funeral service helper/s is/are well briefed. (See “Usher’s/Funeral Service Helper’s Checklist.”)
□Make sure that the family members have a place where they are able to go and be with other family members and that the family members know the family room location.
□Liaise with family members and make sure that the family are able to use and put significant pictures on the communion table or other sanctuary furniture. Check that liturgical objects like the cross and candle are still in place and are visible.
□Make sure that family members who have a part in the service have arrived.
□Make sure that family members who have a part in the service know what is expected of them and the place in the service when they give their reading or eulogy. (For example, what do scripture readers say when they have finished reading?)
□Talk to the family of the need to decide who will sit with whom and where in the sanctuary. Talk also about the need to determine the order of family members going into the sanctuary/meeting area.
□Make sure that the Christ candle and other necessary candles are lit before the service begins.
□Make sure that the family has sufficient flower arrangement stands and advise on placement.
□Make sure that the refreshment coordinator has no problems.
□Make sure that the temperature of the sanctuary is between 21 and 23 degrees Celsius, 68–71 Fahrenheit. If it is warm and there is no air conditioning, make sure that the windows are open.
□Make sure that there are registers available to be signed by congregants, and that the ushers direct people to sign them.
□Make sure that baskets or other receptacles are placed beside the registers to accept the cards of sympathy and donations to charities. If specific charities have been named, it is helpful to have envelopes obtained from the local branch available and some appropriate literature. The helpers/ushers who are by the registers should be aware of the charities that the family has chosen.
□Make sure that there is water and that there are tissues for family members in the family room. Also, ensure there are tissues in the family seating area in the sanctuary.
□Make sure that there is water located conveniently in the sanctuary for the worship participants.
□Make sure that the musician is present and has no problems with her location or with the service music.
□Make sure that there are sufficient paper supplies in the washrooms and that the washrooms are clean.
□Make sure that the cheques for the service participants are available and are distributed to them.
□Offer a prayer with the family just before the service after first checking that this will be helpful to them.
Just Before and During the Service
□Advise people of the need to turn off their cellphones and other electronic devices.
□Focus on the liturgy and the needs of presenting the liturgy.
□Be aware of sound needs and how sound quality might be improved.
□Be aware of family personal concerns and how they can be met.
At the End of the Service
□Make sure that the family is led out of the sanctuary first or lead them out yourself.
□Make sure that the family members are situated in the hall or outside the sanctuary so that friends may greet them. Or, reserve a family table where congregational members may greet family members.
□Make sure that the refreshments are readily available and that a grace is offered if this is the custom of the place.
□Make sure that you are visible so that congregants may greet you, offer you their feelings about the service, and express their feelings around the death of their friend or their feelings about the death of one of their family members or loved one.
Clearly it is going to help the worship leader if as many of these tasks as possible are delegated to other church personnel; she will have enough to do in preparing for the worship liturgy. However, the responsibility rests with her and a quick check will not go amiss. On one occasion, my check for the musician revealed his absence; I phoned his home to see if he was there, and was told that he was “at the grocery store.” His wife put his music in the family car, found him at the meat counter, and rushed him to the church where the service was due to start in two minutes. He put a gown over his shorts and played without missing a beat.
The responsibility for the service and service personnel, their presence, and their capability rests with the worship leader. Pilots have a checklist to go through as their aircraft readies for take-off. Worship leaders will do well to prepare a checklist that may include the above items plus some local needs.
Usher’s/Funeral Service Helper’s Checklist
□Report to the worship leader at least 45 minutes before the service. Introduce yourselves. See if he has any special instructions. Be available to help the worship leader at any time before, during, or after the service
□Check that there is parking for the family members and that it has been designated or blocked off.
□Make contact with the family member who has responsibility for preparing the sanctuary for the service. Does he/she need help with the flowers or to organize the placement of pictures or other items at the front of the sanctuary?
□Find out the location of the washrooms. You will be asked.
□Check for the location of the place where the family members will gather.
□Make sure that the family area in the sanctuary is reserved.
□If the service will be projected on a screen, check with the worship leader to determine if there are places in the sanctuary where the view will be obscured and point these out to the congregants.
□Find out if there will be bulletins for the service and arrange for them to be given out to family members and friends as they arrive. Take a suitable number to the family meeting place.
□Make sure that the registers for those who are attending the service are in place and that you direct incoming family and friends to sign them.
□Make sure that the baskets or other receptacles for cards and donations to specified charities are available. If possible, have literature relating to the charities close by. Some people will want to make a contribution on the spot, so know to whom or to what charity the cheque should be made out.
□Make sure that there is someone with a cellphone present or that you know where the nearest land line is located. You may need this if there is a medical emergency.
□Be aware of seats for those who have physical or developmental challenges. Know where wheelchairs should be located and whether there are special seats or amplifiers for those who are hearing impaired.
□Be available to direct congregants to their seats. This is especially important if there is a limited number of seats. Offer an arm to those who need a steadying presence and help them park their walkers.
□Be available to help latecomers. Your work is not finished when the service begins.
□Be alert and available to help any congregant during the service.
□Tidy up the sanctuary after the service. Collect up bulletins and tissues and tidy hymn books.
□Make sure that cards, donations, and the registers are given to the appropriate family member.
□Be available for any other duties as delegated by the worship leader or family members.
Worship Leader’s Checklist (other location)
Before the Service
□Arrive at least 40 minutes before the service begins.
□Make sure you have all necessary notes and other liturgical materials and that they are placed on the lectern, pulpit, or other reading place. Check through to be certain that none are missing. Do not assume you have brought everything you need.
□Make sure that the bulletins are ready at the back of the sanctuary/meeting place.
□Make sure that the sound system is up and running and that the “techies” are prepared for the service tasks. Do a spoken test, a few lines from a Bible will suffice, and have someone check from the back of the sanctuary to make sure you can be heard clearly.
□Liaise with the staff from the funeral home. Make sure that you agree about when the service will start and what signals will be given to you to begin. Make sure you agree about what will happen at the end of the service.
□Greet and assist the family members, giving them help and guidance about seating, the arrangement of photos and objects on the communion table, and the family meeting place.
□Make sure that family members who have a part in the service have arrived.
□Make sure that family members who have a part in the service know what is expected of them: at what stage they go to the front to give their reading or eulogy, and what they say at the end of the scripture passage.
□Talk to the family of the need to decide who will sit with whom and where. Talk also about the need to determine the order of family members going into the sanctuary/meeting area.
□Make sure that the Christ candle and other necessary candles are lit before the service begins.
□Make sure that there is water located conveniently in the sanctuary for the worship participants.
□Make sure that the musician is present and has no problems with his location or with the service music.
□Offer a prayer with the family after first checking that this will be helpful to them.
Just Before and During the Service
□Advise people of the need to turn off their cellphones and other electronic devices.
□Focus on the liturgy and the needs of presenting the liturgy.
□Be aware of sound needs and how sound quality might be improved.
□Be aware of family personal concerns and how they can be met.
At the End of the Service
□Make sure that the family is led out of the sanctuary first or lead them out yourself.
□Make sure that the family are conveniently situated in the hall or outside the sanctuary so that friends may greet them.