Closing words bring the service to an end and prepare people to return home. If the service has been thematically tied together, the words can be a summation, a parting thought, a final nugget for people to reflect on throughout the week.

Benediction comes from the Latin, to speak well or the good words, and are a final blessing on the community. Benedictions are a blessing: words of comfort, strength, and encouragement for the week to come.