{"id":21821,"date":"2018-09-26T09:16:37","date_gmt":"2018-09-26T15:16:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/austinuu.org\/wp2013\/?page_id=21821"},"modified":"2026-09-28T17:29:28","modified_gmt":"2026-09-28T23:29:28","slug":"personal-wishes","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/austinuu.org\/wp2013\/community\/personal-wishes\/","title":{"rendered":"Memorial &amp; Reception Information"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"has-text-color wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#000000\"><em>This information is provided to assist families as they make decisions about a memorial service and a reception. First UU Church of Austin offers memorial services and receptions for deceased church members, with no charges except as noted below. Memorial services and receptions are also available for non-church members, with fees for these services included at the end of this document.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\">Rev. Chris Jimmerson, Lead Minister, and Rev. Carrie Holley-Hurt, Assistant Minister<br><a href=\"mailto:Ministers@austinuu.org\">Ministers@austinuu.org<\/a><br>Executive Director<br><a href=\"mailto:info@austinu.org\">info@austinu.org<\/a><br>512-452-6268<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><u>Contents<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Message from the Lead Minister<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Getting Started<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Planning the Service<ul><li>Designing the Service<\/li><\/ul><ul><li>Music<\/li><\/ul><ul><li>Audiovisual: Slide show, live streaming, recording<\/li><\/ul>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Other Considerations<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Planning the Reception<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Memorial Service and Reception Costs<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Memorial Butterfly Wall Sculpture<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Message From the Lead Minister<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It is a sacred honor to accompany a family as they plan a service to remember and celebrate someone they love. Every person\u2019s life is unique. Every person leaves something of themselves in the lives of others. A memorial service provides an opportunity to share the stories a loved one played in many different people\u2019s lives and thereby commemorate the wholeness of their individuality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When someone we love dies, we may experience many different things, including sorrow and grief, even confusion, anger, or despair. Yet, we may, at the same time, also feel immense gratitude and joy for our love for them that still dwells within us. Grief does not follow a single path, and there is no one way that we are supposed to feel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">What we know is that we need one another.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A memorial service brings us together, as we feel these emotions that can seem so contradictory at times. We sit beside one another. We tell stories. We remember. We sometimes laugh, even in the midst of our tears. We feel one another\u2019s presence and know that we do not have to carry our grief alone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A memorial service can offer this and more. Our presence with one another becomes a form of care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We give thanks for having known this person. We remember the days and years we shared with them. We do not need to pretend that death has not happened. We can be honest about the loss and about the pain that comes with it. At the same time, death does not erase the life that came before it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The people we love remain part of us. They live on in our memories and in the stories we tell. They live on in the ways they changed us, in the relationships they helped create, in the values they shared, and in the love that continues to bind us together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So, we gather in grief, but we also gather in gratitude. We gather to remind one another that even in the midst of loss, love lives on within us. Love holds us, connects us and carries their spirit forward with us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rev. Chris Jimmerson<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Getting Started<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Once you are ready to schedule a memorial service, please contact the Executive Director (<a href=\"mailto:info@austinuu.org\">info@austinuu.org<\/a>) who will work with you to find a date and time for the service based on your availability, the church calendar, and the schedule of available officiating ministers.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>&nbsp;Once the date and minister are scheduled, you\u2019ll be contacted by a member of the Memorial Services Team, who will reach out to walk you through different roles and options that are available to customize the memorial service and reception.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The minister will reach out to the family directly, usually 2-4 weeks before the memorial service, to work with you to design the memorial service and develop the memorial service program.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Memorial Services Team member will be the primary contact for the family for everything beyond the Order of Service and will coordinate and communicate with the rest of the church staff.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If you have any questions or specific things you would like to discuss before getting started, please feel free to reach out to Rev. Chris Jimmerson or Rev. Carrie Holley-Hurt (<a href=\"mailto:ministers@austinuu.org\">ministers@austinuu.org<\/a>) or to the Executive Director (<a href=\"mailto:info@austinuu.org\">info@austinuu.org<\/a>) or call 512-452-6168.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Planning the Service<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Memorial services are usually held in the sanctuary and are designed to honor and celebrate the loved one in a way that feels right for the family. With that in mind, the elements of the service, including the music, readings, and speakers, are customizable. The maximum capacity of the sanctuary is 385.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Members have the option to provide confidential information about their personal wishes for memorial service arrangements by filling out a form <a href=\"https:\/\/austinuu.org\/wp2013\/personal-confidential-wishes-form\/\">here<\/a>. The form will be placed in a Personal Wishes file in the Lead Minister\u2019s office. This information will assist those who will be making arrangements at the time of your death, including carrying out any wishes you may have. It is a wise and loving effort to make arrangements before a crisis occurs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Designing the Service<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Most services include all or some of the following parts, with options to include adding or removing parts or making changes to the order. The minister can suggest options for the various parts of the service (e.g., provide readings for you to choose from), or the family can identify their own selections. The final Memorial Service Program is a collaboration between the minister and the family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Gathering Music<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Opening Words<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Chalice Lighting<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Address\/Eulogy<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Reading<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Personal Reflections (one or more speakers)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Song or hymn<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Summation<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Benediction<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After the initial meeting with the minister, a template will be provided for the Memorial Service Program. In addition to the schedule for the service itself, the final Memorial Service Program (also referred to as the Order of Service) typically includes a photo of the deceased and a biography\/obituary, and may include readings, quotes, or lyrics to songs. The office staff will finalize the Memorial Service Program and make copies for the service for members.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Music<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Music can be live, recorded or a combination. Music can be played from any genre. For live music, church staff can help identify musicians. The family is responsible for payments to musicians. Friends or family may also be invited to play an instrument or sing. Music may include hymns. When recorded music is used, the family is asked to identify the titles and artists of songs, which will be downloaded and prepared by the A\/V team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Audiovisual: Slide show, live streaming, recording<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The family has the option to include a slide show prior to, during, or after the service (or any combination). It may additionally be shown during the reception. A Google drive link will be provided by the church for the slide show, and the family can drag any pictures they\u2019d like to include into the drive. Slides can be shown randomly or numbered to be played in order. Songs can be specified to play during the slide show. Services are typically recorded for the family and can be downloaded to be saved a few days after the service. Live streaming can be made available, with a charge for non-members.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Other Considerations<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Flowers: The family may choose to provide flowers or plants for the service and reception. The family may take these home or choose to donate them to the church after the service.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Photo: The family may choose to provide one or more large photos of the loved one to be displayed on the chancel during the service. First UU can supply up to two easels.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Mementos: The family may wish to bring personal photos and memorabilia to display before the service and during the reception. First UU can supply up to two tables.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Guest Book: Many families choose to have a guest book or other type of sign-in to keep a record of attendees and have a place for guests to leave notes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Announcement: First UU sends out a special email announcement notifying church membership of the death of a member. The family is asked to provide an obituary and photo. The timing depends on how close the memorial service is to the death. In some cases, the announcement may be sent twice.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Planning the Reception<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Families usually hold a one-hour reception in Howson Hall following a memorial service, although this decision is at the discretion of the family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">First UU Austin provides coffee, tea and water. For members, memorial service punch is provided along with a variety of savory and sweet finger foods that are generally provided by other members. Families of nonmembers provide their own food. Families may also choose to bring in catering at their own expense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tablecloths are used for memorial service receptions, with a choice of colors (blue, green, purple, tan) offered to the family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A memento table is often located or relocated in Howson Hall, along with the guest book for those who didn\u2019t have a chance to sign earlier. Some people have displayed art work or books or give-aways from a collection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The slide show is often run on a continuous loop during the reception, usually without music.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A microphone can be made available during the reception for additional personal reflections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Memorial Services Team member will discuss and work through options with you. As with the service, the reception can be customized to honor and celebrate the loved one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Memorial Service and Reception Costs<sup>1<\/sup><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><td>&nbsp;<\/td><td>Active Members<sup>2<\/sup><\/td><td>Non-members<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Building Use \u2013 1 \u2013 1 \u00bd hour Memorial Service<\/td><td>No charge<\/td><td rowspan=\"3\">&nbsp; $600 total for building use for service and reception, which includes the cost of church\/kitchen staff<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Building Use \u2013 1 hour Reception + setup and cleanup<\/td><td>No charge<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Church\/Kitchen Staff<\/td><td>No charge<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Officiating Minister<\/td><td>No charge<\/td><td>Honorarium paid directly to the minister (UUA recommended rate is $385, but rate is at minister\u2019s discretion)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Pianist<\/td><td>$300<sup>3<\/sup><\/td><td>$300<sup>3<\/sup><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Other Musicians<\/td><td>Family responsible; payment arranged with musician<\/td><td>Family responsible; payment arranged with musician<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Audiovisual (recorded music \/ recording of service \/ slide show, if applicable)<\/td><td>No charge<\/td><td>$250<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Live Streaming<\/td><td>No charge<\/td><td>$100<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Memorial Service Program (Order of Service)<\/td><td>No charge<\/td><td>Family responsible<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Flowers<\/td><td>Family responsible<\/td><td>Family responsible<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Guest Book<\/td><td>Usually provided by the family, but the church has some to provide<\/td><td>Family responsible<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Food and Beverages<\/td><td>No charge for coffee, tea, water, punch and light refreshments (finger foods) provided by church volunteers; family responsible for catered food, if desired<\/td><td>No charge for coffee, tea, water; family responsible for catered or other food<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><sup>1<\/sup>For modifications or services in other locations, including graveside services, contact the Executive Director (<a href=\"mailto:info@austinuu.org\">info@austinuu.org<\/a>)<br><sup>2<\/sup>Inactive and former members are exempted from building use fees but pay other charges<br><sup>3<\/sup>May vary if outside pianists are used<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Memorial Butterfly Wall Sculpture<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"624\" height=\"423\" src=\"https:\/\/austinuu.org\/wp2013\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/image-2.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-141837\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.475177304964539;width:624px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/austinuu.org\/wp2013\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/image-2.jpeg 624w, https:\/\/austinuu.org\/wp2013\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/image-2-300x203.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/austinuu.org\/wp2013\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/image-2-1x1.jpeg 1w, https:\/\/austinuu.org\/wp2013\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/image-2-50x34.jpeg 50w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 624px) 100vw, 624px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">First UU offers an opportunity to remember church members and family with lovely butterflies placed on an etched glass sculpture outside of the sanctuary. The sculpture was designed by artist Sterling Heraty. The name of the deceased is engraved onto a butterfly and placed on the memorial sculpture to be a visible reminder of those who have gone before us. The minimum donation for an engraved butterfly is $300, and the money is used to fund costs for memorial services. Contact the Executive Director for more information. The Executive Director also has a list and the location of those who appear on the butterfly wall.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This information is provided to assist families as they make decisions about a memorial service and a reception. First UU Church of Austin offers memorial services and receptions for deceased church members, with no charges except as noted below. Memorial services and receptions are also available for non-church members, with fees for these services included&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":66,"featured_media":0,"parent":3558,"menu_order":5,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"class_list":["post-21821","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/austinuu.org\/wp2013\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/21821","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/austinuu.org\/wp2013\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/austinuu.org\/wp2013\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/austinuu.org\/wp2013\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/66"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/austinuu.org\/wp2013\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21821"}],"version-history":[{"count":15,"href":"https:\/\/austinuu.org\/wp2013\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/21821\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":141846,"href":"https:\/\/austinuu.org\/wp2013\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/21821\/revisions\/141846"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/austinuu.org\/wp2013\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3558"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/austinuu.org\/wp2013\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21821"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}