Rites of Passage

Rites of passage here are written collaboratively to ensure they are meaningful occasions, true to the beliefs of the participants as well as remaining respectful of this church and its culture. However, there are no prescribed, ‘correct’ forms.

Please contact the Minister, Andrew Brown, at the contact tab above, who will be able to advise you further.

Weddings (including same-sex weddings) and marriage blessings

Our church tradition takes marriage very seriously indeed. Making a commitment to live with one another for life in loving relationship is one of the most important decisions anyone can make, so any service which celebrates this must be one which speaks truthfully about the couple’s own genuine faith and hopes.

Consequently, every marriage conducted here is one that is born out of a respectful dialogue between all the parties involved in which we begin to find out how we can be mutually supportive of each other’s beliefs and values — including a principled atheism that can see the value of liberal religious community. Genuine freedom of thought and belief — central to the life of our community — can only be maintained when this kind of meeting and dialogue happens.

If you are thinking about getting married in this church it is, therefore, important to come along to a couple of services to see whether we really are the kind of community in whose church you would be happy to be married and to be ‘blessed’. This is not to persuade you wholly to adopt our own philosophical/theological position but simply because it is the best opportunity to introduce you to the basic, liberal religious values and the tolerant and welcoming atmosphere of our community.

At present we charge £250 for the church, £150 for the administration and preparation of the service and, lastly, a fee will also be charged if you wish us to provide musicians. Fees (except for those of the musician/s) are waived for church members.

Please contact the Minister, Andrew Brown, at the contact tab above who will be able to advise you further.

Funerals

Our ceremonies aim to reflect the deceased’s beliefs and values, whether or not they thought of themselves as being formally religious. We are also always concerned to ensure that the service is sensitive to the needs, feelings, beliefs and values of the bereaved.

Please contact the Minister, Andrew Brown, at the contact tab above who will be able to advise you further.

Namings, child-dedications, Unitarian Christian baptisms, and re-namings

Namings, child-dedications and Unitarian Christian baptisms are occasions for thanksgiving and commitment on the part of parents, godparents, family members and friends to the nurture of their children within a supportive and loving community. Here we believe that all children come into the world innocent and pure, so there is no element of ‘washing away’ any inherited sin – a belief to which we do not subscribe.

On occasions, we have also conducted services for people who find themselves needing to change their names, perhaps after transitioning or because of other personal reasons. On even rarer occasions, we have conducted services of adult Unitarian Christian baptism.

Please contact the Minister, Andrew Brown, at the contact tab above who will be able to advise you further.