Baptisms, Weddings and Funerals

Baptisms

This is the Sacrament by which people are made members of the Church.  Whether they be young or old, all are invited to come to Jesus Christ and share in the life of his Church.  By the outward sign of the pouring of water, those who are baptised become members of the Church, which is Christ’s visible Body on earth.  If you would like to talk about having your child baptised, or being baptised yourself, please get in touch.

This is the Sacrament by which a baptised Christian makes their own profession of faith in God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – and commits to following Jesus Christ throughout their lives.  By the outward signs of the laying on of hands and anointing with holy oil, the Bishop prays that the Holy Spirit will strengthen those who are being Confirmed, so that they may be faithful to their promise to follow Christ all the days of their lives.  If you are thinking of being Confirmed, please get in touch.

Weddings

The celebration of love is one of the greatest joys of family life. Marriage is the Sacrament by which a man and a woman are joined together, in the presence of God, in faithfulness and love. By the outward signs of joining hands and giving and receiving rings, the couple are joined together in lifelong commitment to one another. If you would like to explore the possibility of getting married at St Pancras Old Church please get in touch or visit yourchurchwedding.org to find out more.

Funerals

One of the hardest moments in all of our lives is when someone we love dies.  Whatever the circumstances of their death, we all need the opportunity to express our grief, sorrow and love for the person who has died.  In a Christian funeral, we give thanks for that person’s life, we pray for one another in our grief, and we pray for the soul of the person who has died, that God will keep them in his loving care and bring them into eternal life.  If you would like the funeral of one of your loved ones or friends to take place at St Pancras Old Church, you need to tell the Funeral Director that this is your wish at your first meeting.  They will then contact Fr James to make the initial arrangements, and then he will contact you to plan the details of the funeral.

Many people think that if they don’t attend a church regularly or at all, they have to have a funeral service conducted by a civil celebrant. This is not true: anyone and everyone in England is entitled to have their funeral service conducted by a Church of England priest, regardless of whether or not they have any connection with the Church. This is one of the services the Church of England, as the Established Church, offers to everybody. Funeral services can be held in your parish church, at the crematorium or the graveside.

In planning the funeral service, the priest will always listen to your wishes, and those of your family. Yes, prayers and ‘religious content’ will be part of the service: this is because a Christian funeral expresses what we believe about God and our hope of the life he offers us after we have died. We also offer appropriate pastoral support for those who are bereaved. Good Funeral Directors have an excellent relationship with churches and clergy, and work with them to give you the best support and service possible. Don’t be afraid to ask them to arrange for your Parish Priest/Vicar to take your own funeral and those of your loved ones.

If you would like to find out more about the types of funeral services that are available, please get in touch.