We give them back to you, O God, those whom you gave to us. You did not lose them when you gave them to us – and we do not lose them by their return to you.
Your dear Son has taught us that life is eternal and that love cannot die, so death is only an horizon – and an horizon is only the limit of our sight. Open our eyes to see more clearly and draw us close to you – that we may know that we are nearer to our loved ones – who are with you.
You have told us that you are preparing a place for us. Prepare us, that where you are we may be – always.         AMEN

Heavenly Father, of all the changes we have to face as we journey through life, the hardest of all is the loss through death of someone we love. LORD, you know everything about each one of us and you see and feel our pain, our tears, our loneliness, our regrets and our despair. Comfort us in our sorrow and help us to move on. Change the, at times, overwhelming grief and sadness to peaceful acceptance and our weakness to strength. Help us to cope and to adjust to a different pattern of life, never for a moment forgetting those who have gone, but trusting You to keep them safe for us. Help us to remember that Spring always follows Winter.

Through dying for us on the cross, Jesus has conquered death and opened the gates of glory. May we know, through your grace, the sure and certain hope of the Resurrection and new life. We ask these prayers in the Name of our LORD and Saviour, Jesus Christ.                  AMEN