Last weekend I went to a funeral that made me so glad to be an Episcopalian. The Episcopal funeral service is gorgeous. We have beautiful prayers and hymns, lots of scripture, invitations for the congregation to join in. And best of all, even while the funeral service mourns an end, it is also an Easter service that celebrates a new beginning. My very favorite part of the service is the opening anthems. These are basically scripture passages about death and resurrection that are put together in a beautiful way. They are incredibly powerful and reassuring and they really set the tone for the service. At my previous church, the clergy would walk in from the back of the church saying the opening anthems. We’d follow behind an acolyte with a cross, if we could get one, and the casket or urn, if there was one, and sometimes the family, if they wanted to process. Last came the clergy, saying the anthems. I’ll never forget my first time officiati...