Funeral

Synopsis

This booklet presents the text of the Common Worship Funeral service, as well as supplementary prayers, Bible readings, Prayers of Entrusting and Commending, The Burial of Ashes, Psalms and Canticles.

It includes dual pagination, allowing a funeral to be performed using both Common Worship: Pastoral Services and this booklet simultaneously.

Summary

Chapter 1: Death Comes to the Fair

* Introduction of detective Hildegarde Withers, a flamboyant and eccentric woman with an insatiable curiosity and sharp wit.
* A murder occurs at the county fair, disrupting the festive atmosphere. Emily Bates, a young artist, is found dead in her studio, strangled to death.
* Withers, who happens to be attending the fair, finds herself drawn into the investigation.

Chapter 2: The Murder Motives

* Withers begins to uncover a tangled web of motives among the fairgoers. Emily Bates had a secret lover, a married man named Dr. Charles Trent.
* Other suspects include a rival artist, a jealous ex-boyfriend, and a mysterious fortune teller who claimed to have predicted Bates' death.
* Withers digs into the relationships and backgrounds of each suspect, using her keen observational skills to unravel the truth.

Example: Withers notices that Trent's car has a dent consistent with a possible collision with Bates' easel, which was found near her body.

Chapter 3: Puzzles and Clues

* Withers examines the crime scene thoroughly, discovering a mysterious message carved into the easel and a strange amulet found near Bates' body.
* She interrogates the suspects, using her cunning and wit to extract valuable information.
* Withers connects the amulet to an ancient legend and uncovers a possible connection between the fair and a long-lost treasure.

Example: Withers tracks down the fortune teller and learns that the amulet may have belonged to a lost tribe that once inhabited the area where the fair was held.

Chapter 4: Unmasking the Killer

* Withers analyzes the evidence and suspects' alibis, piecing together a complex puzzle.
* She discovers that the secret lover, Dr. Trent, is actually innocent and that the real killer is a hidden perpetrator with a deadly plan.
* In a dramatic confrontation, Withers confronts the killer and unmasks their identity, revealing the truth behind Emily Bates' murder.

Example: Withers notices a discrepancy between Trent's alibi and the time of the murder. She then discovers that a hidden passageway connected the fairgrounds to Bates' studio, allowing the killer to commit the crime unseen.

Chapter 5: Justice Served

* The killer is apprehended and the motive behind the murder is revealed, bringing closure to the enigmatic case.
* Withers' quick thinking and unwavering determination lead to justice being served and the truth prevailing.
* The fair resumes its festivities, but the memory of Emily Bates and the mystery that unfolded lingers in the hearts of those who witnessed it.