Funeral ceremonies

If you are reading this then perhaps you are looking for someone to lead a funeral ceremony for someone close to you.  Every experience of grief is personal, unique, complex and, to some extent, unpredictable.  I know from my own experience that these can be difficult, emotional, and exhausting times, and that the funeral is also  not the point after which life instantly clicks back to normal.   But a funeral is a significant occasion that marks the end of life, gathering family and friends together to pay tribute, share memories, and celebrate.  For someone we care about it feels important to get this right.  Working with experienced funeral directors and celebrants during these difficult times can be a great help.

Humanist ceremonies are unique, personal, non-religious celebrations that are suitable for all. They are often chosen when faith was not an important part of the life of the deceased.  In case you are wondering, ‘non-religious’ does not mean anti-religious: indeed, humanist ceremonies usually include a period for quiet reflection and private prayer, and many poems and songs chosen to feature in the ceremony may use religious vocabulary.

However old or young, whatever the circumstances of their death, every life has a story and, however long they were with us, their life will have affected those who knew them directly, and even indirectly, in some way.  Everyone is different; each person carries their uniqueness throughout their life, their key events likely spread across spectrums of good to bad and funny to sad: there are brilliance, shade, colour and nuance in us all: that’s part of what makes us exactly who we are and, this side of cloning, there will never be another one quite like any of us.

While many funeral ceremonies follow a familiar structure, there is usually time to include a few songs or other music, both recorded and live, a playlist of favourite poems and prose, slideshows and videos, and indeed other meaningful rituals.  Guests may like to read tributes, also.  Every life is unique, so celebrate it uniquely.

I trained with, and am both accredited and insured by, Humanists UK.  Not only is the training excellent, but accredited celebrants must also keep their learning and skills fresh through continuous professional development.  Humanist UK celebrants are also networked by region, which helps ensure coverage for unplanned events.  I find it a privilege and a pleasure to be trusted to prepare and deliver a funeral ceremony. 

As the celebrant, I work with the chief mourner, and others they appoint, to paint a picture of the deceased, (and sometimes even with that person before their death), to design and choreograph a rich tribute and celebration of their life, including their highlights, achievements, and stories to remember.  Some tears may fall for sadness, while others fall for joy.

I will work with you to set the right tone and style, and ensure it fits within the chosen funeral arrangements, whether at a crematorium, a natural burial ground, scattering ashes somewhere meaningful etc.

Although it can be a painful time, I will help make the process of creating a wonderful celebration of a life as painless as possible.  I will ideally meet you face-to-face as far in advance as possible, but, when this is not possible, or when other key contributors are unavailable, we will find other solutions. I will draught the ceremony for your review and finalisation, including choreographing the music, readings, and other celebratory rituals, deliver the ceremony at the chosen location, and provide a presentation copy of the ceremony for you to keep.

I am based in the beautiful county of Northumberland and I am happy to conduct funeral ceremonies further afield.  My fees are usually £220.- for working through a funeral director.  If travel is more than 30 minutes, and for complex ceremonies, a reasonable excess charge will be agreed in advance.

For more details, https://www.stepforwardstudio.co.uk