The Cross is a reminder of Jesus Christ's death: a picture of grief even in heaven. A large candle is also used as a symbol in the funeral service - this is a reminder that Christ's light continues to shine bright beyond the grave. A pointer to the hope of Christian faith.
The Cross is a reminder of Jesus Christ's death: a picture of grief even in heaven. A large candle is also used as a symbol in the funeral service - this is a reminder that Christ's light continues to shine bright beyond the grave. A pointer to the hope of Christian faith.
At a time of loss
If you would like to know more about our Bereavement Support Team please click here.
God’s love and power extend over all creation. Every life, including our own, is precious to God. Christians have always believed that there is hope in death as in life, and that there is new life in Christ over death.
In the funeral service we give time to celebrate the good things we’ve been able to share with someone who has died; to pray for ourselves and the people around us who must live with loss; and we hold our own hopes and fears for the future before God.
Making Arrangements
If you need to make arrangements for a funeral it is most helpful to speak to a funeral director at the earliest possible stage. If you want to talk to a member of the clergy they will normally make arrangements, even at very short notice, to see you quickly. The funeral director will arrange all the times and dates of services with the church on your behalf. The clergy will want to talk to you face to face before the funeral.
Whether you choose to come into church for a funeral service or go directly to a cemetry or crematorium chapel it will normally be a local minister who will take the service unless you specifically request otherwise. When the service is to be taken by a Church of England minister for somebody who has lived in Kirkby this will be one of the staff members from the Kirkby Team Ministry.
Services in a chapel or in church are very similar in shape. There is normally more scope for flexibility, music and contributions by friends at a service in the church.
Burial or Cremation
This choice is a very personal one. We know of no reason why you should be persuaded one way or the other except for your own preferences. However, in our experience, it is important to have a place where you know a loved one’s remains have been returned to the ground. If you choose cremation you may also want to plan for a burial of ashes.
St Chad’s Churchyard is now closed. It is not possible for us to open new plots here but we can re-open exisiting plots.
Tim Stratford is the Team Rector of Kirkby, and the Team Vicar of St. Chad's Church.
A very well presented block of information however I feel you should include how expensive it is to have a Funeral at St Chads. As I know from personal experience that you are actually more expensive than any other Church in Kirkby. The Roman Catholic Cathedral in Liverpool only has set their fee at £125.00.
Do you offer something so unique that you feel the need to charge so much?
Thank you for your observation Ignatius. We do publish the fees on the website. You can get them here, http://www.cofekirkby.co.uk/wiki/pages/w9Q933h/Parish.html. Sorry if is is not very obvious. We will endeavour to rectify that.
The full set of fees for the Church of England churches in Kirkby include the cost of bringing in staff such as an organist. If an organist isn’t required then this doesn’t need paying for. It also includes printing costs, but if orders of service aren’t required, they don’t need paying for either. None of our churches have full-time vergers so we need to pay somebody to come along and open/lock up the churches also – this isn’t a problem for Cathedrals. Clearly the clergy can’t lock a church up and join the cortege for a burial or cremation at the same time.
The £125 fee you mention is the same in the Roman Catholic Church or Church of England and is nationally agreed primarily as a contribution towards the pay of the clergy.
The Parochial Church Council discusses the fee list every year and always challenges the costs to keep them as low as possible. National guidelines change at the end of this year and there will be a more significant review for 2013.
Without any of the removable extras such as an organist the fees are £215 for a funeral service in church in 2012.
Some of our other fees, however, are very low compared to others. Check, for instance, the burial fees compared to those of a public cemetery (although we are now limited in what burials we are permitted to accept).