Memorial Services in the First Parish are offered to all members and active participants in the life of the church, and to their families. Services for others may be accommodated at the discretion of the Ministers and as the schedule of the Ministers and the Church permits.

All requests for calendar dates to reserve the Sanctuary, the Stearns Room, and/or the Parish House Auditorium for the service and reception must be made through the Church office at the same time a date is confirmed with the minister.

Please note that the legal occupancy of the Sanctuary is 197 people, including all clergy and staff. Additional chairs cannot be set up in aisles or pew boxes. If you feel attendance will exceed 197, you must also reserve the Stearns Room for overflow seating where the service will be broadcast. Comfortable seated occupancy in the Stearns Room approximately 50. If you anticipate more than a total of 250 attendees, First Parish may not be able to comfortably accommodate your event.

Memorial Services are conducted by a Minister of the First Parish in Lincoln. If you wish to have a Guest Minister lead the service, please contact the First Parish Minister to discuss the possibility. If approval is given for a Guest Minister, the order of service must name the minister, list their denomination, and identify them as a guest in the First Parish pulpit.

Music for Memorial Services can be provided by the church’s organist, if they are available, or by a musician of your choice. If you are using the services of another organist, they must have a consultation with the church’s organist otherwise use of the church’s organ will not be permitted. The church’s organist will be paid a bench fee if on-site instruction on the use of the church’s organ is required.

The services of the Church Sexton are required. The Sexton will be responsible for opening the space before the service, monitoring facility related needs during the service, and clean-up following the service. A minimum payment will be required according to the fee schedule and will cover up to four hours for the service. There will be a fee for any additional hours or part of an hour. If a service is held on Sunday or state observed holiday, the sexton fee will be one and one-half times the normal fee.

If a reception is held at First Parish following the service, the Sexton’s duties will include furniture set-up, monitoring facility needs during the reception, and furniture break-down and clean-up after the reception. Payment for a minimum of two additional hours will be required. For services and reception held on Sunday or state observed holiday, the sexton fee will be one and one-half times the normal fee.

First Parish does not provide any additional staffing for memorial service. Please discuss staffing needs with your Funeral Director and ensure that they will have adequate personnel on site to manage the details of the service. (Please note that the Sexton will not be available to fulfill roles typically handled by funeral home personnel.)

The Parish Administrator’s included services will be limited to overseeing the space reservation(s), communicating necessary information to the sexton, Funeral Director, Organist and if needed, the caterer and the Town of Lincoln Board of Health Agent regarding food service at a reception. All other details will be the responsibility of the family or Funeral Director.

You may work with a local printer, your Funeral Director, or the Parish Administrator to create an order of service. If working with the Parish Administrator, there will be an optional fee and all information must be submitted at least four business days prior to the service. The order of service offered by the church is limited to a single sheet of legal size, ivory colored paper folded in half.

If anticipated attendance at an event using any Church facility is expected to exceed fifty (50) people, the Lincoln Police Department must be notified, and a police officer hired for traffic and safety control as deemed necessary. Please ensure that your funeral director submits a request for an officer to arrive at least one hour before the start of the service.

Please arrange for your funeral director or other designated person to remove all sanctuary decorations or flowers you wish to keep are removed following the service. Anything left after the service will be discarded.

Please consult your Funeral Director as they will provide assistance with some of the items outlined in this packet and may handle the payment of church and personnel fees.

If you would like to hold a reception at the First Parish, please contact the Parish Administrator to check availability and request copies of the church’s reception policies, food service policies, and a list of possible caterers. Aside from offering the use of tables and chairs, the church does not provide any equipment, supplies or services in connection with receptions.

If you wish to leave flowers for our use on Sunday, please consult the Chair of the Flower Committee in advance of the service date. Their information is available from the Church Office. Normal responsibility for the Sunday flowers is by parishioners according to a pre-arranged schedule, so it is possible that your offer may have to be declined. However, we are delighted and indeed grateful for your thoughtfulness.