If you would like to remove the burden of decision-making from your family in the case of your passing or have your funeral services carried out in a specific manner, then you can benefit from funeral pre-planning . Read on to learn what factors you should consider during this process.

Location
As part of the funeral pre-planning process, you will need to select the locations for various aspects of the ceremony. Decide where you would like your funeral or memorial service to be held, along with the cemetery where you would prefer to be buried. Additionally, select a burial plot for your casket or decide what you would like to have done with your cremated remains, if you plan to elect for cremation rather than burial.

Details
While they may seem insignificant right now, many small decisions need to be made during the funeral planning process, so settling these in advance as soon as possible is ideal. Some things for you to consider include the casket or urn type you would like, if you would prefer a sectional crypt or vault, or the type and location of your cremation niche. Also, think about whether you would like a non-denominational, religious, fraternal, or military funeral service. Finally, determine what type of music, flowers, or readings you would like included in the ceremony.

Arrangements
Delegating responsibilities and outlining what should be done following your passing are also important steps in the funeral pre-planning process. Provide your executor with a copy of your will and choose a representative who will have power of attorney and be provided with a list of any important information regarding things like safety deposit boxes, investments, and bank accounts. Finally, make a living will and a durable power of attorney for health care.

If you need to pre-plan a funeral in Oakland, then please give Chapel of the Chimes Oakland a call today at (510) 654-0123. We offer this and other services along with a collection of helpful funeral planning resources.

Are you planning a funeral for a loved one who has passed on? If so, and if they did not leave instructions regarding their choices for the funeral service, then you may be wondering whether cremation is the right option. Continue reading to learn what questions you should ask yourself when making this decision.

Is cremation appropriate for the person’s faith?
If your deceased loved one was religious, then learning about her religion’s opinion on cremation is important. For some denominations and sects, cremation is a preferred method while for others, it is forbidden or frowned upon. Consider reaching out to a religious leader in your community or learn if your chosen funeral home offers information on religions and funeral customs.

Is cost a factor in this decision?
Cremation is a funeral option that steadily increases in popularity. One reason for this growth is that it can be a more affordable option than ground burial. However, the various services that you elect for can cause the expense of a cremation burial to increase, so determining the overall cost of the services and ceremony can be an important part of making this decision.

Does our family have burial traditions and customs?
For some families, following a tradition of either burial or cremation can be an important consideration. If your deceased loved one left no indication regarding her preference, then following family tradition may be a good decision.

What options are available following the cremation process?
Cremation is a versatile funeral option, and it’s common for people to wonder what can be done with cremated remains. You can choose to scatter some or all the cremated remains or store them in one or more urns to be kept at 2 or more households or other locations. The urn containing the cremated remains can also be buried in-ground, stored in a cremation niche, or interred within structures like cremation boulders and benches.

At Chapel of the Chimes Oakland, we offer cremation services in Oakland along with helpful funeral planning resources. Please call (510) 654-0123 if you would like to learn more .

Are you in need of cremation, burial, and funeral planning services? If so, then you and your family may be struggling with the painful loss of a loved one. For families with young children, explaining death and helping kids cope with loss can feel challenging. Watch this video for guidance on speaking with children about death.

When communicating with children about the loss of a loved one, it’s important to be comforting while remaining open about what has occurred. Avoiding euphemisms and speaking in concrete terms can make it easier for children to grasp the permanency of death and cope with the loss.

If you need cremation, funeral planning, or grief counseling in Oakland , then please contact Chapel of the Chimes Oakland. You can reach us by calling (510) 654-0123.

Today, many people opt for cremation when organizing funeral services for a deceased loved one or pre-planning their own funeral. If you’re interested in cremation, then you should know that in-ground burial is still an option following the cremation process. However, if you choose to bury the cremated remains in a cemetery, then you will probably be required to use an urn vault.

An urn vault is a container designed to hold a funeral urn. The urn is placed securely inside the vault, and the vault is then buried in the ground. Urn vaults come in a broad range of styles and levels of quality, much like traditional caskets. Also, many urn vaults can be personalized, if desired.

If you need to organize a cremation funeral ceremony or pre-plan a funeral in Oakland, then come and see us at Chapel of the Chimes Oakland. We offer many helpful resources and are available to answer any questions that you may have. To find out more, please call us at (510) 654-0123.

Whether you’re planning ahead for your own funeral or making arrangements for a deceased loved one, you should know that you have several ceremony options to choose from when it comes to cremation. Continue reading to learn about different cremation ceremonies that are available.

Traditional Cremation with Ceremony
When choosing cremation, many people have questions about the funeral ceremony. Cremation does not prevent you from holding a traditional ceremony. In the case of a traditional cremation with ceremony, a full body visitation using a ceremonial casket is held. Then, any religious rites or ceremonies are performed. Once these are completed, the body is then cremated, and the cremated remains are later returned to the family for burial, memorialization, or scattering.

Ceremonial Cremation
Many people choose the route of cremation with the intent not to hold a traditional full body visitation. In this case, a ceremony can still be held. If you choose ceremonial cremation, the body is first cremated, and later a funeral service is held at which the cremated remains are often present.

Non-Ceremonial Cremation
For some individuals, no ceremony is desired. If you simply want the cremation process to be performed, then you would choose non-ceremonial cremation. Following the cremation process, the cremated remains are returned to you or sent to a location of your choosing.

Post-Ceremonial Memorialization
No matter which type of cremation ceremony you select, there are a number of ways in which you can choose to have the cremated remains memorialized afterward. Some people opt to have the cremated remains scattered, while others go ahead with a traditional in-ground burial. You can also choose to store the cremated remains within a cremation niche or select to memorialize the cremated remains in a cremation bench, mausoleum, or cremation memorial garden.

Chapel of the Chimes Oakland offers onsite cremation and a range of unique funeral ceremony options. To find out more about our cremation services near Oakland, please give us a call today at (510) 654-0123.

When it comes to working with a funeral home following the death of a loved one, many people have questions about the funeral planning process and what to anticipate. Read on for information about what you can expect from the funeral director.

Helpful Information
Funeral directors have a great deal of experience planning and organizing funerals. For this reason, you can count on yours to have the answer to just about any question that you may think of regarding the funeral service. Do not hesitate to speak with your funeral director about any questions or concerns that you have regarding the funeral process.

Administrative Services
The funeral director plays a critical role in handling the administrative tasks associated with a funeral, and you can expect yours to complete all necessary paperwork involved. Also, the funeral director will ensure that the choices regarding the ceremony and the handling of the deceased’s body are properly implemented. Because your funeral director is experienced in handling and organizing funeral services, you can count on this individual to help ensure that the entire process goes as smoothly as possible. In this way, your funeral director will prove to be an invaluable resource during this difficult time.

Caregiving Services
You can benefit from knowing that your funeral director has experience working with bereaved families. This means that he can offer a listening ear and assist you, your family, and your friends in coping with the loss. Funeral directors can often recognize when an individual is struggling to cope with a loss and can offer recommendations for sources of professional help. Finally, you can expect your funeral director to suggest support groups that you or other surviving family members may benefit from attending during this challenging period.

The experienced and compassionate staff at Chapel of the Chimes Oakland are prepared to help you through the emotional process of arranging funeral services. For more information about our funeral home and cemetery in Oakland, you can reach us at (510) 654-0123.

As anyone who has lost someone close to them knows, pain and grief do not disappear after you leave the funeral home. Coping with death and moving on after a loss can be incredibly challenging. Watch this video for tips on finding closure after losing someone.

First, it’s important to acknowledge your feelings, rather than run from them. Second, release your emotions by writing in a journal or venting to a friend. Third, be patient with yourself and realize that emotional healing is a process that can take time. Finally, avoid focusing on what you have lost, and embrace activities, people, and things that you love.

Chapel of the Chimes Oakland offers funeral pre-planning, cremation services, and grief counseling in Oakland . For more information about what we do, you can reach us at (510) 654-0123.

Funeral homes provide many spaces and services to help grieving families plan memorials for their lost loved ones. Here at Chapel of the Chimes Oakland, we know that the burial isn’t the only part of the funeral with which families will be concerned. We also offer reception services to help you plan a meal and other special activities with guests after the funeral service.

We can help you plan a reception following the funeral by setting you up with a caterer that will work for your budget. This will make it easy to plan a meal that your friends and family members will be able to enjoy while sharing memories about the deceased. Our reception services can help you avoid the stress of working with a variety of different people in order to put the funeral together.

If you are looking for a funeral home in Oakland, Chapel of the Chimes Oakland can provide the services you want to honor your loved one. You can learn about our funeral home, mausoleums, and grief support services by calling us at (510) 654-0123.

If you have recently lost a loved one who was a U.S. Veteran , you may have some questions about how to plan the memorial service. When choosing cremation for this type of deceased individual, it is important to know how Veteran status should impact the memorial. Keep reading to learn how to make cremation arrangements for a U.S. Veteran:

Learning About Cremation
Cremation is typically seen as an alternative to traditional burial that has become more popular among more people. While some people choose cremation due to religious or cultural beliefs, others choose it because it costs less than traditional burial and also has a lesser impact on the environment. If your loved one didn’t specify any plans for what they wanted to happen after they passed on, it’s important to talk to your family members about the possibility of cremation.

Choosing a Spot for Cremated Remains
While cremation is an alternative to burial, the cremated remains can still be buried in a cemetery as a way to honor your deceased loved one. These remains can be buried in a specific spot of the cemetery that is designated to honor U.S. Veterans only. You can also place the cremated remains into separate groups. This will allow you to bury some of the cremated remains in the cemetery but also have some to keep in an urn or other container for cremated remains that you can keep in your home or another special location.

Planning a Memorial Service
Whether you want to bury some of the cremated remains or keep them, you can still plan a memorial service for your recently lost loved one. A memorial park can host a service for your lost loved one whether you are choosing cremation services or traditional burial.

Are you preparing cremation arrangements for a U.S. Veteran? Chapel of the Chimes Oakland can help you throughout the planning process. You can learn more about cremation options in Oakland by visiting our website or giving us a call at (510) 654-0123.

Funeral homes provide a space where family and friends can come together to celebrate the life of a lost loved one. It is also customary for guests to bring flowers, gifts, and condolence cards to those closest to the deceased. If you’re wondering what you should write in the condolence card you’re preparing for a funeral, this guide can help:

Express Condolences
It is always a good idea to start off a condolence card by sharing a message of sympathy. Talk about how you will miss the deceased and how you are sorry for the family’s loss. Avoid common expressions about the deceased being in a better place or a higher power having some sort of plan, as these can seem insensitive to some during a time of grief.

Show Appreciation
Following a death, it is nice for the family of the deceased to hear positive things about their lost loved one. In your condolence card, you can describe qualities about the deceased that you appreciated or that you felt made your life better. These messages will help the family focus on what they loved about the deceased.

Share Memories
Another great way to fill out a condolence card is with cherished memories you have of the deceased. Write up a short memory that represents a quality you loved about the deceased. These memories can comfort the family, especially if they are stories that the family has never heard.

Offer Support
You might not be able to make the family’s pain or grief go away, but you can offer other forms of support. In your condolence card, express that you are available to help the family in any way possible. This can mean being there to talk or just listen or even helping with household chores that the family might neglect during their time of grief.

Chapel of the Chimes Oakland offers funeral services near Oakland. We also have a store where funeral home guests can purchase flowers and other gifts that are appropriate and comforting during funeral planning. Call us at (510) 654-0123 for more information.