A jehova Witness Funeral was the only different funeral that I attended. If I wasn't depressed when I went in , I was when I walked out. It had no meaning, Mandella

I've experienced different churches.  I alos remember a bit of an oops moment after taking communion and to this day I'm not sure if I was really invited to or not, but now, looking back I think it was ok.  Despite having friends of different faiths over the years, I've never gone to any funerals, weddings or anything like that.  It just wasn't something that ever really came up.  I've celebrated different holidays with people, but that was at school or someone's home and tended to revolve around food more than anything :)

I attended a funeral run by the group of Christians who are commonly called 2 by 2's.  They meet in each others' homes and services are run by 'ministers' who get driven from place to place and provided with accomodation and food.  The only ministers I met were women - unmarried or widowed, but that may have been happenstance.

The funeral was held in a small town funeral home.  A pianist was provided.  The ministers didn't speak to anyone there who wasn't a member of their religious group, but people had come from far and wide.  Only one of the immediate family were members.   The only people who knew the hymns were the members of the group so the singing was very spotty.  There were several Bible readings with a Judgement bias.  A prepared obituary was read with the deceased referred to as Mrs A...... throughout - and her name was mispronounced every time it was used.  The details of the grandchildren were incorrect and there was no mention of the great grandchild.

The ashes were then taken by the family to the country cemetary where another hymn was sung by just the ministers.  The ashes were thrown and it was time to leave.

Very upsetting for the family (except the one who arganised it).  The ministers left with the family member who belonged to the 2 by 2's. The rest of the family gathered in a private area of a local eating establishment and complained, commiserated and shared family stories before going home. 

I haven't been to any funeral rites of other faiths, but I have been to Sikh wedding which was wonderful!   A colleague was being married, and invited any of us who wanted to participate to come to the gurdwara for the ceremony.   Many of us were from outside the faith and were very warmly welcomed by all present.

We began with a reception of punch and sweets in the lower level of the building, having deposited our shoes in racks upon arrival. When summoned to the main hall, men & women sat on separate sides of the room, on the floor, leaving a centre aisle for the procession.   Men for sure had their heads covered, and I can't really recall if we women did or not, but I think we did wear pashminas, so likely we did cover up when in the worship area. There was an elaborately decorated, large, covered, elevated dias at the front of the room where the holy book was laid open, and it was tended to and fanned reverently by an elder throughout the service.   The groom had kindly prepared an outline of the service in English, explaining the various components to those of us who were not Sikh.  There was a trio of musicians who played & sang, and the words were actually projected in English so that we also might understand and appreciate their meaning.  The bride wore a brilliant red saree decorated with gold, lots of gold jewellery, henna decoration, and way more make-up than we were used to seeing on her - she was stunningly beautiful!!  It was a most memorable event and I considered it a great honour to have been invited and treated to such hospitality.  

I'm godmother to a Greek Orthodox man - yes, he's a man now!  So it was many years ago that I participated in his baptism rites - all conducted in Greek! His mother was a very close friend of mine.

 I was not welcomed by the clergy, and this was made quite clear - since I was of the Protestant faith, but I was tolerated - the godfather was brother to the child's mother and was Greek Orthodox (although none of the family was particularly pious!) , so I suppose that made it okay.  The service was very unfamiliar to me - full immersion, presentation of gifts & candle (very specific & my responsibility!) walking around the various alters etc.  I was told to just follow along, which I did as best I could, and it seemed to have gone okay.   The church itself was very beautiful - small, extremely ornate, lots of icons, gold vessels etc. - rather different from the comparatively austere United churches I knew! 

Thinking about it, I do remember some different rites:

At a funeral for someone who was part of the Masons.  I remember the widow commenting about the silly pomp and all the heel clicking, but she enjoyed it.  She displayed the pin for years after.

I went to a secular wedding that had very little meaning to me.  The B&G joked throughout the whole thing, while the officiant was speaking.  The officiant did a poor job IMO, and used the stereotypical wording that I've only ever seen on tv.  They 'wrote' their own vows (it was how they were announced) which were really song lyrics.  It wouldn't have bothered me if it was said they were inspired by the song or felt like it fit them or something like that, but don't take credit for someone else's words.

I also went to a Celtic 'wedding'.  The couple had actually already been married but it wasn't mentioned until people from out of town arrived.  They did a handfasting ceremony and the vows were very different, but very honest.  I haven't seen anything like that before, I just wish it had been the real ceremony!

On the wedding front, I've heard interesting stories from our UU chaplains over the years. When you are pretty much open to marrying anyone to anyone (we do a lot of mixed marriages where the faiths of the couple won't do it as well as weddings for unchurched folks), you open yourself up to some interesting options. Author and storyteller Robert Fulghum, who was a UU minister among other things in his life, has a great story in one of his books about officiating for a mixed Orthodox Jewish-Roman Catholic wedding.

Oddly, we don't seem to talk as much about the details of the funerals and memorials they do, though I'm sure there have been some interesting stories there as well. It's something I may consider doing when I'm a retired empty-nester and have more time on my hands.

Mendalla

kay - I'd never heard of "two by twos" - so a little Wikipedia reading tonight for me - interesting sect. 

I was maid of honour in a Catholic wedding and the priest gave me a communion wafer. I think I mentioned that before. I was at a military style funeral for my grandfather who served in the Canadian military much of his working life. There were bagpipes. They didn't wake him up (bad joke but knowing him he would laugh heartily at it!). Actually it was a memorial/ funeral service not the burial/ interment (he had 2 funerals technically. Which I hadn't realized was done, but I think it is when the person passes away in the winter). I was at the first one and there was no casket. It was a (slightly) religious service done by a military chaplain/ minister- and sentimental family service, with military tribute and bagpipes. I have only attended 3 in my life that I can remember, and his was different. Very grand, for my grandpa. :)

A good friend of mine passed away a few years ago. It was before skype was invented. We were living in different cities. I hadn't spoken to her in what seemed a month or so too long, so I called and her number was out of service. So, I called her mom and found out the bad news. They had already had a private funeral with immediate family only (and I was upset- but her mom had been too distraught to call anyone. It was very unexpected and she wasn't handling it well). So, not knowing what else to do, I reached out to some of our old highschool friends, shared fond stories on the phone, and a friend and I lit a candle for her and said goodbye. That was an interesting sort of 'funeral'. But I had to do something for closure. Couldn't just 'move on'.