A church funeral service marks the end of life here on earth, and commends the deceased into God’s loving care. It is also an opportunity to give thanks for the life that has now ended, and to pray for comfort for bereaved family and friends. The vicar arranges and conducts the funeral service, either in church, at a crematorium or at the graveside, according to the next of kin’s wishes. The service is a way of celebrating a special person’s life and give thanks for them. Everyone, whether or not they were a churchgoer in life, is entitled to a Church of England funeral service in their local parish church should their family so wish. Alternatively, a minister will be pleased to take a shorter version of the funeral service in a crematorium, or at the graveside. The minister will also be able to conduct a service of burial of ashes at a later date, if you so wish.
If you would like a fuller service, with hymns, readings and tributes from more than one person, we reccomend you have a Church funeral. We also recommend a church funeral if you are expecting large numbers at the funeral, as the crematorium chapel is fairly small in size. Funerals are usually arranged through a local funeral director in the first instance. The minister who will take your loved one’s service will arrange to meet with you and will help you to choose how you would like to best remember, celebrate and say goodbye to your loved one and to make the service personal and meaningful for all who attend.
Further information can be found on the Church of England website.
There is a statutory fee for funerals, and additional local charges for an organist etc, but the church fees are a relatively small proportion of the overall cost of a funeral. The funeral director will be able to supply you with full details.
| Service in Church + burial or cremation | Service at Crematorium or Cemetery | Burial of Ashes on separate occasion | |
|---|---|---|---|
| April - Sept | £366 | £216 | £172 |
| Oct - March | £386 | £216 | £172 |