Faq
Frequently Asked Questions
Family members and church staff have questions
CFA has answers
“Is Church Funeral Associates a real funeral home?”
Yes, it is. (”Funeral Establishment” is the legal term.) We can make all arrangements from the “first call” (body pick-up), embalming, cremation, getting death certificates, to ensuring there’s a bagpiper at the graveside, and providing merchandise (caskets, vaults, markers, urns, register books, flowers, etc.).
We do everything that a typical funeral home does with the exception of hosting gatherings. Therefore, our place of business does not look like what you probably expect a funeral home to look like. And the reason for that is simple: churches (synagogues, temples, shrines) already do a great job of hosting gatherings. We don’t see any sense in raising our prices enough to build a huge facility for gatherings when churches already have these facilities, churches welcome funeral and memorial gatherings, and almost everyone prefers to gather at a church rather than at a funeral home.
“How does your process work … do you have a funeral director that plans everything?”
Yes. Like every other funeral “home”. On our staff are several Funeral Directors and Assistant Funeral Directors. Each of these people work directly with families to make all arrangements.
“Do you pick up the body from the hospital (or wherever) and handle everything?”
Yes, we do. To be more precise, we arrange for pick up of the body. We contract with fully licensed, independent professionals who specialize in “pick up”. (Even the largest funeral homes in town subcontract this job.)
“Do you sell caskets?”
Yes, we do. A wide variety of quality metal and wood caskets from top manufacturers in the U.S.A.
“Do you sell burial vaults?”
Yes, we do. The best-known brand.
“Do you sell grave markers?”
No, because we’ve found a select few marker makers whom we trust to work directly with our customers. Fantastic service, excellent prices, and great, great quality. They will help you with the simplest marker or a creative and ornate monument.
“Do you sell cemetery plots?”
No, we don’t. Nor do we sell grave plots or mausoleum spaces. We have considerable experience dealing with the cemetery industry and will be glad to give you objective assistance. Even funeral homes which appear to own a cemetery — and we do not — generally run them as two distinct business operations when it comes to sales.
“Do you make arrangements with cemeteries?”
Yes, we help ensure that everything is prepared on time for burial and graveside services (e.g, digging of the grave, chairs and awning set up, etc.). Also, we will help ensure that any marker (aka “monument” or “tombstone”) the family desires to erect will meet with the particular specifications of the cemetery.
“Do you handle limo [limousine] transportation?”
Yes, we do. We offer hearses, limousines and “family cars” (roomy, comfortable sedans when a limousine is either too large, too formal, or just not needed). Also, we arrange for motorcycle escorts.
“Can you handle Jewish services or just church (Christian) services.”
We welcome people of any faith and look forward to learning and fulfilling any need for distinctive services or merchandise. Synagogue Funeral, Temple Funeral, Shrine Funeral might all have been appropriate names for our company but we had to choose just one name and Church Funeral best captures the general spirit of our business.
“What if I don’t belong to a church?”
No problem. We know several area churches that will welcome non-members who want their gatherings in a “house of God”.
“What if I don’t want to involve a church?”
No problem. We can also help make arrangements at a public park, a fraternal organization or almost any other facility. Even restaurants and bars have been known to host memorial gatherings. Discuss your particular interests with us. If we feel we cannot help you, we’ll certainly try to find a funeral establishment that can.
“Do you do cremations?”
Yes, we do. Our staff is very experienced in this choice as well as in traditional burial.
“And probably the biggest question … how much money will it save me over using a traditional funeral home.”
About 40%. The word on the street is that the “average” price of a funeral here in the Kansas City area is $6,500 (typical burial funeral not including plot and marker). With the same quality of merchandise and services, you’d write a check to Church Funeral Associates for about $3,500 and, if your church (synagogue, temple, shrine, or whatever) hosts your gatherings, we recommend you make a generous, tax-deductible donation to it. We will gladly provide our General Price List to you upon request.
More questions? Contact us and ask!
Church Funerals Associates
5845 Horton, Suite 212,
Mission KS, 66202
(913) 789-9600