Funerals / Memorials
There are an increasing number of people not practicing religious ceremonies on a regular basis which creates a need for funerals that are not bound by the doctrines of any specific religious creed. I will prepare an individual ceremony with appropriate wording based on the life of the person who has died, with emphasis on celebrating their life rather than focusing on death. A life-centered or personal funeral is one that primarily recognises and pays tribute to the departed, and records and remembers the life that has been lived. It allows mourners to let go of their emotions, to experience them and to face the reality of death.
May I again sincerely thank you on behalf of the family for all the care and support you showed during my fathers funeral. It is often said on such occasions that it is a celebration of the deceased’s life rather than a mourning of his death. My experience has been that it rarely succeeds in being so. On this occasion everyone was comforted that it was indeed one of those rare events. Many Thanks, GF.
In my experience, most mourners do not attend a funeral to hear a sermon about sin or to philosophise about death. They come to grieve, to share with others, and to reflect on the life of their lost one and what is meaningful in life. They come to be comforted and uplifted in their time of need.
My family and I want to thank you very much for performing my late husband’s funeral. The ceremony was a true and meaningful celebration of Jack’s life; you managed to capture the very essence of him and his sense of humour and we all felt that he would have approved of it whole heartedly. Your support and compassion have been amazing, you truly are a star and made such a difficult time for us so much easier to deal with.PD and family
The advantage that my service has over a traditional religious service is that it is not restricted by the old rituals of the church, which are not always in harmony with the beliefs of the bereaved and most importantly, the deceased.
It is my aim for you, together with your family and friends, to say a dignified and respectful ‘goodbye’ to your loved one so that you will leave feeling comforted and uplifted having celebrated their life.
How do I begin to thank you for you care and compassion in what was an extremely difficult time for us. We really appreciated all of your careful preparation which led to a very moving celebration of Dennis’ life. Your eulogy was greatly appreciated by us all and so many people came to us afterwards and said how much they had “enjoyed” the humanist ceremony – our sincere thanks to you, PC, SL and RC.
What’s Involved?
All Humanist Funerals differ in content and structure to match the personality of the deceased and can include (but are not limited to) some or all of the following:
- Introduction & welcome
- Thoughts on Life and Death
- Readings (poem/verse)
- Eulogy
- Period of peace and reflection
- Music/Song
- Lighting of candles
- Placing of special flowers or other items on coffin
- Commital
- Closing words
What Does The Fee Include?
- Initial and on-going consultation
- Examples/suggestions of readings & poems (if required)
- Help with music selection (if required)
- Presentation folder for the family including wording of the service
- Liaison with venue and undertaker
- Conduct of the Ceremony
How Much Does It Cost?
The total fee for a Funeral Service (as outlined above) is £175. Mileage is charged at 45p per mile after the first 10 miles.
Additional Services
I also offer the following at an extra cost:
- ‘Order Of Service’ Booklets/Sheet