Sharing Words 2025

Sharing Words 2025 – Demystifying Death Week

There are many very familiar and traditional poems and readings for Funeral and Memorial Services and often these are the most appropriate choices because of their familiarity. Many people like to include them because they have been used in services for other family members.

However, there are also times when, as celebrants, we would like to suggest words that may be written specifically for the person who has died, or poems/readings which are very fitting, but not always associated with funerals.

As part of our contribution to Demystifying Death Week in 2024, SICA invited members to submit words that they had written themselves, or that have been used for a service for a particular person, and which felt ‘right’ for the occasion.

The aim was to encourage all of us to be more creative, to look beyond the more familiar and conventional words, to quote from unexpected and unusual sources, to be more confident in our own skills in writing, and to support families to find words that are most fitting for the person they have lost.

We decided to revisit this project for Demystifying Death Week, 2025 by asking some of the contributors to record their readings and we share these audio clips here.

SICA are very grateful to all who shared their words here. We will be adding to this list as contributions arrive.

People who climb mountains …., contributed by Gillian Robertson

The Pale Blue Dot, contributed by Michael Hannah

Blessing for the Brokenhearted, contributed by Diane McLeish

Sunshine on Leith, contributed by Chris Lerpinière

Love Came First, contributed by Gordon Smith

The Walker & Our Pete Sez, guest contributions from Andy Jackson

A Letter of Love (for a baby), contributed by Fleur Hoole

One at Rest, contributed by Julie McManus