Weddings Baptisms Funerals

Weddings and Baptisms

Weddings

Marriage is God’s gift, set forth in creation, in which one man and one woman join together for life. It is given as the foundation for a family, and it is the right context for children to be born and nurtured. It is the great privilege of every parish priest to conduct a wedding, and we are delighted that you are enquiring about getting married here at All Saints’.

There are a number of legal requirements, including banns and fees, that we will need to discuss. In the first instance, please contact our Church Warden, Corwin Schol (07957 307213 corwin.schol@gmail.com) he will put you in touch with a local Priest, who will want to arrange a meeting with you before any official arrangements can be made. Weddings must be arranged at least a year in advance, so please be in touch as soon as possible.

Please note, our parish priest is not prepared to marry any couple in which one or both people are divorced. It is the right of every Church of England priest to hold this position. The Church of England offers advice for enquiring couples where one or both people are divorced, and you can find further information by following this link:

https://www.churchofengland.org/media/1162432/leafletforenquirers.pdf

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Baptisms

Baptism marks the beginning of the Christian journey. It signifies entry into the Church, the body of Christ. Water is used to symbolise the washing away of our sin which separates us from God; being cleansed and renewed in order to live a new life walking with him.

Some people are old enough to make a decision to follow Jesus. Others are so small that they will not even remember their baptism; the decision has been made on their behalf by their parents and godparents. In both cases the Church has received them as her children and has made a commitment to pray that they will grow in the knowledge and love of God, learning more of him day by day, with the support and encouragement of the rest of their church family.

Our Priest-in-Charge will be pleased to talk with you about baptism; for yourself or for your children. Depending on your own Christian commitment, it might be that a service of thanksgiving is more appropriate where babies and small children are concerned. 

Funerals

If you have visited this page because someone you love has recently died, can we please start by offering you our deepest sympathy.

A Christian funeral has three essential elements:-

• Remembering and giving thanks for the life of the person who has died
• Commending and Committing that person into Gods care
• Comforting one another in our grief

There are a number of options available to you.

• A funeral sevice at All Saints'  followed by a much shorter service of burial at Kirby Cross Cemetary  (the church yard at All Saints is officially closed)
• A funeral service at All Saints' followed by a much shorter service of cremation at Weeley Crematorium.
• A short service of cremation at Weeley Crematorium followed by a longer service of Thanksgiving at All Saints' church
• A simple 30 minute cremation service at Weeley Crematorium (no service at the church)

If seeking to organise a funeral, your first point of contact should be one of the local funeral directors.  They will then contact one of local clergy to find out who is available to take the service.  If the service is held at All Saints' it will be one of the clergy from All Saints' who will take the service.  If the service is purely at the Crematorium it could be any one of the local clergy from any of the local churches.

The person taking the service will then contact the family to plan the service, including the tribute, choice of hymns and readings etc.