Funerals

Music for funerals at St Mary’s

Funeral services are taking place again taking place in our churches without limits on numbers or the need to book places. We are still be happy to live stream services so that more people can be reached – we can do that publicly or more privately so that you send the link to the people you’d like to be involved.

Music is possible and an organist can be available to play and the congregation can join in with the singing of hymns. There is potential for reflective live organ music during the service. Another possibility, as well as or instead of organ music, is prerecorded music (hymns are a possibility here too and we have many already recorded by our choir that can be used) and we’ll be happy to do that for you. It is possible to include commercially recorded music as part of the service but these cannot be live streamed.

Any or all of this is currently covered by the normal organist’s fee.

Sometimes a funeral can be anticipated, at other times we find ourselves having to make arrangements for a funeral unexpectedly. We hope the information here will be helpful if you find yourself having to arrange a funeral of a loved one.

Anyone is entitled to a funeral service in any of our parishes provided they lived there, have died in one of the parishes or are on the Church Electoral Roll of one of the parishes in the Benefice.

Burial and Interment of Cremated Remains

For families wishing burial or interment in one of our churchyards, the deceased must have been resident in the parish, or have died there or have been or the Church Electoral Roll there or be in possession of a faculty.
The deceased may be buried or have their cremated remains interred in an existing family grave where there is space if the family concerned agrees.
Ross Churchyard is now closed for burials except where there is unused space in a double grave, but cremated remains may be buried in the Garden of Remembrance.

Arranging a funeral

Choose a funeral director who will explain the choices open to you and their cost.
The funeral director negotiates with you and the Benefice Administrator when and where the funeral is to take place. The priest taking the service will have been given early details of the funeral supplied by the funeral director to the Team Office.
The priest taking the service will visit you to take things further.

Churchyards and Monuments

If you wish to mark the grave or interment plot with a memorial stone, you arrange this either through a funeral director or directly with a stonemason of your choosing.
All stonemasons are governed by the Diocesan Regulations for headstones and memorial tablets in churchyards.

Further Information

Church Fees are payable and will form part of the bill you receive from the funeral director or stonemason.
Click here for fees.
More information on Funerals and the Church of England can be found here.

Memorial Services

• These can be arranged in any of our churches by contacting the Benefice Administrator
• The same fees apply as for funerals.

Ross Remembers is a site we’ve recently setup where people can remember lot loved ones. Although partly a response to the Covid-19 outbreak this site is open to all, of any faith or none, as a place to remember those who have died, fora ny reason and at any time. There is no cost and you can include photographs, remembrances, poems and prayers and nominate a charity to receive donations. All details are on the site.

Link to the National Association of Funeral Directors

See also the Bereavement Support Group page