A funeral is never a joyous occasion, but at St Dunstan’s we will work with you to make it a real and unique celebration of your loved one’s life. Services can include a reading or a tribute by a family member and our clergy will talk about your loved one and all they did in their lives.
We are happy to conduct funerals in St Dunstan’s church, at the Crematorium, or at the graveside in our churchyard or in a public cemetery. A service can also be held in St Dunstan’s church followed by a cremation or burial elsewhere – we will work with you to facilitate the service you want, in the style you wish for. You, or your recently departed loved one, do not need to have come to church for us to officiate at their funeral.
The initial contact and booking is usually made by the Funeral Director acting on your behalf. Once a date and time have been agreed, the minister conducting the funeral will be in contact with you to arrange a meeting so we can talk about the service you would like. We will learn more about your loved one so as to be able to speak about them. We will discuss the choice of readings, hymns and any contributions to the service that family members may wish to make.
If the person who has died lives within the Parish of Mayfield and Five Ashes, or worships at St Dunstan’s, then we are able to arrange for their burial in our churchyard if that is their wish. Requests for people to be buried here who do not live within the parish are considered by our Church Council.
We have an area set aside in the churchyard for the burial of cremated remains and are able to offer this facility to anybody who wishes their loved one’s remains to be buried in the churchyard. We are unable (legally) just to scatter ashes within the churchyard.
If you would like more information, please do not hesitate to contact our Parish Office on 01435 873484.
Fr Michael Asquith