Weddings & Banns
A wedding is one of life’s great moments. Marriage is intended by God to be a creative relationship, as husband and wife learn to love and support one another in good times and in bad, throughout their lives, and to share in the care and upbringing of children. For Christians, marriage marks a public witness to the love that two people have for each other: it is both solemn and joyful. Bride and bridegroom face each other, make their promises and receive God’s blessing. A Church wedding, therefore, is particularly special. It provides a wonderful place for families and friends, and indeed for the local community itself, to gather in celebration and support of a couple.
“Love is patient; love is kind and envies no one. Love is not boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful. It does not rejoice over wrong-doing, but delights in the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”
If you would like to get married at St Mary’s, we would be delighted to help you sort through the practicalities and prepare for the great event. If you wish, we can arrange for the choir to sing and for someone to arrange flowers in church to make sure that it is a lovely occasion for you. We call marriage a ‘sacrament’ – a holy event, because it reflects the wonder of God’s love which will never desert us. But a wedding is also a legal ceremony, and for all prospective couples there are legal requirements which have to be satisfied. Again, we would be delighted to help you with these.
As with every Parish Church in England, in order to be married at St Mary’s, one of you will need to live within our parish boundaries (please see our map). Alternatively, one of you needs to demonstrate a prior connection with St Mary’s or be on our current Electoral Roll. This has nothing to do with the civil electoral roll which entitles you to vote in parliamentary elections, but is simply a way of recording church membership. To be on the roll, you have to be baptised and to have worshipped at St Mary’s on a regular basis for not less than six months.
Please do not hesitate to get in touch with the Parish Office or one of the clergy if you would like to explore options or just talk things through. We would be glad to offer you our help and support not only now, but in the years ahead.
Baptisms & Confirmations
The baptism of a child (sometimes called christening) is always a wonderful occasion in the life of a family. It is a time of joy and thanksgiving for a safe delivery and for the gift of new life, and an opportunity to pray for God’s blessing on the child in the years ahead. Baptism marks the beginning of a child’s journey of faith within the Christian community, leading in later years, we hope, to confirmation and active adult membership in the Body of Christ. The journey of faith is one of growth, discovery, and transformation, as we mature into the people God created us to be.
One of the most important things in our lives is water. Without water to drink, we would die; without water to irrigate plant life, there would be no food in the world; without water to wash ourselves, life would be miserable. We are born from the waters of our mother’s womb. Water is thus not only a symbol of life: it is a source of life, an essential and precious gift.
Baptism is a ritual and symbolic washing by which we are cleansed and reborn. Sharing in the death and resurrection of Christ, we are born into his world-wide family the Church. Promises are made, the child is signed with the cross in token of our discipleship of Christ, and at the end of the service, a special baptism candle is lit for the child to remind us that we are called “to shine as a light in the world to the glory of God the Father”. Baptism is an occasion rich in meaning and symbolism.
If you live in St Mary’s parish, or worship with us on a regular basis, we will be delighted to discuss with you the possibility of your child being baptised. The ceremony can take place either in the context of the Parish Eucharist when the whole congregation is present, or on a Sunday afternoon with just friends and family present. Whatever option you choose, we want it to be a special occasion for you as you celebrate the gift of your child. For more information regarding 1st time baptisms please visit Church of England Christenings.
Funerals & Memorials
If you would like to hold a funeral in St Mary’s, or you would like a minister to officiate at a funeral in a crematorium, we will gladly help you make the necessary arrangements. We are here to help you.
Please do not hesitate to get in touch with the Parish Office or one of the clergy if you would like to talk things through. We would be happy to offer you our help and support not only now, but in the years ahead.
“If God is for us, who is against us? ... I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rules, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Death is a reality that faces us all. Church of England clergy are available for everyone, not just churchgoers, at times of bereavement. We can provide a funeral service in St Mary's Church or officiate at a crematorium chapel. Wherever the service is held, it will be personally designed to meet the needs of your family.
Christians believe that each of us is made in the image of God and we are all sustained by the love of God in this life and beyond. A Church of England funeral will always focus on a message of hope.
You can choose readings and music that best reflect the life of the person who has died. We can provide an organist, a choir (if desired), or the facility to play recorded music. You can take up a collection for a favourite charity. We offer space and help with refreshments after a service in church. If you are planning a leaflet for the service, we can help with that as well.
Clergy will visit a family before and after a funeral, to tailor the service in a personal way and to offer pastoral care to those who have been bereaved. We celebrate a Requiem Eucharist on the Sunday nearest All Souls' Day (2nd November) when we pray for those whose funerals we have conducted in the past year.
You can also arrange to hold a memorial service after a funeral or on the anniversary of a death. We can offer a plot in our memorial garden for the interment of ashes of church members.