Church of England Funeral Traditions

When a loved one dies, it is a challenging and dark period. It can be comforting knowing that there are those who will be there to help you through it. An Anglican funeral is available to everyone who is looking for support and for as long as required. These days the church’s beliefs and traditions are facing indifference, and in many churches, the traditions no longer apply. But Church of England funeral traditions hold firm.

Church of England Funeral Traditions – You Needn’t be a Church Goer to Attend

Anyone can ask an Anglican minister to conduct a funeral, and they needn’t have been a regular church goer either. Funerals take place in the local church, in a cemetery, at a green burial site or the crematorium. The minister of the church will be happy to conduct funeral services for anyone living in their parish.

The Anglican church funeral will include music and readings, as well as some memories, shared with family and friends. Also, there might be the releasing of some white doves at the graveside. For cremation, the minister will make provision if you want to have the ashes buried in the churchyard.

The church minister will help you decide which is the best option for you and your family. This might be a burial or a cremation. The funeral service can be in whatever setting you choose, and the clergy is always available to help you plan the service.

Church of England Funeral Traditions – Prayers and Hymns a Tribute to the Deceased

At the service, the minister will likely meet the coffin at the door and lead it and the mourners in. The minister will say some reassuring words from the Bible to provide encouragement for the mourners. The funeral service will last about 30 – 45 minutes and will nearly always include a mix of music, prayers and readings and a tribute to the deceased. There may even be a prayer for forgiveness just in case there were things that the mourners felt that they neglected to do for the deceased.

Both the Bible readings and the prayers will focus on the hope of eternal life and to also ask for God’s presence and comfort for the mourners. The Lord’s Prayer is nearly always part of the service. After the sermon, the minister will say a prayer, asking God to take the person into His care and love. The minister will then commit the body to burial or cremation.

The final part of the service is the committal of the person’s earthly body for burial or cremation. If the church service is to be followed by burial, the prayer of committal will take place at the graveside. With cremation, the prayer of committal can be done at the crematorium or even in the church at the end of the service.

Church of England Funeral Traditions – A Time of Quiet Reflection

Many Anglican church properties also have a Chapel of Remembrance where funeral flowers are placed after the service and where the name of the deceased can be written. The chapel at the church is a sacred place which provides visitors with a tranquil ambiance where they can be quiet and reflect on a life that is no longer there.

To get a quick funeral plan quote, please complete and then submit the form on this page. We will email you a quote

All info was correct at time of publishing