Funeral Policy

At Trinity Lutheran Church in Clinton, Iowa, those who are active members (communicant or otherwise) are afforded the right to a Christian burial. The Pastor has the final say in membership matters, as he is the head of spiritual care in the congregation. The Christian funeral takes place in the church, with either the pastor or another rostered pastor of the Synod. The Christian funeral begins at the visitation at the church, and concludes with the committal service. 

As a Christian funeral is a confession of the decedent’s faith, only family members who are active members of a congregation within the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod may participate in the planning of the funeral. Pastor reserves the right to choose the hymns for the funeral, but will take into consideration those hymns which are in Lutheran Service Book and/or The Lutheran Hymnal. Special music selections may be used, as musicianship and time for rehearsal permits. All musical selections must first be approved by the pastor. 

The pastor at Trinity Lutheran is expected to and has the right to perform the funeral and committal (burial) services. Only pastors who are members of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod may participate in funeral services at Trinity. Any personal remembrances (also known as “eulogies”) may be shared at the visitation at the funeral home prior to the funeral services at church. 

Pastor Wille, as one who is called to preach the Gospel “in season and out of season” (2 Tim. 4:2), may be called to conduct funeral services for those who do not have membership at TLCC. Such pastoral acts are subject to his availability and schedule. Nonmember funerals will not be held at TLCC, and Pastor Wille will choose the readings and select the readings for such funerals. Pastor Wille will be the only speaker at such funerals, and any music is subject to his discretion. As the funeral service is not for the dead, but for the living, it is his duty as the pastor to ensure that the conduct of the service, as well as its content (readings and songs) are of the greatest fidelity to the confession of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod. In short, if Pastor Wille does a funeral for a nonmember, he will plan the funeral without any input from nonmember family members, and he will be the only person speaking at the funeral. This is to avoid confusion regarding the Word of God and the beliefs drawn from it.