Weddings

Your wedding

A church is so much more than simply a venue for your wedding. Unique and special things become part of your marriage, on the day itself and beyond:

• A church wedding will add a spiritual dimension to your marriage. The ceremony includes God and looks to him for help and guidance. God’s blessing is the main attraction for many couples, whatever their beliefs.
• You can make amazing vows, or promises, in a church. You can only make vows this big in a church. These vows, made in public, will help you to stay together and grow together. God and your church are there for you to help you keep your vows.
• The Vicar has a very particular role to play in your wedding. They can blend ancient tradition and modern experience to reflect your story. Because of the relationship with the Vicar, your wedding can be made personal, memorable, meaningful and beautiful.
• Church buildings offer outstanding beauty. Old or new, intimate or grand, our 16,000 churches are some of the nation’s most stunning wedding venues, with two-thirds being listed buildings.
• Church buildings offer centuries of history. Imagine all the couples who have married in your local church, some of whom may well be your family. You can feel you’re becoming part of history itself, the bigger plan, by marrying in the same place as your relatives. We know these sorts of connections can make your day even more special.
• You can be involved in making choices about your ceremony. You can even use our online ceremony planner to get you started.
• For some people, a church simply seems like the proper place to get married. Churches can be described as ‘peaceful’, ‘serene’, or having an atmosphere that makes marrying there a particularly special experience.
• And after your wedding, we hope that you’ll realise that a church is more than simply a wedding venue. We’ll always be here for you.

Baptisms

Celebrating your child’s birth

The birth of a child is a cause for celebration.

Many people are overcome by a sense of awe at the creation of new life and want to express their thanks to God. These services provide an opportunity for parents and families to give thanks for the birth of a child and to pray for family life.

In a Thanksgiving service, you and your family and friends thank God for the addition of your new child into your family.

In a Baptism service, you and your family and friends ask for your child to be adopted into God’s family – the Christian Church. You make promises to do all you can to see the child grow up into the Christian faith.

Bromyard & Stoke Lacy churches offer both services but you decide what is right for your family.

The Thanksgiving Service

A special church service, different from a Baptism, can be used as a way to say thank you to God for your child.

It is called a Thanksgiving for the Gift of a Child. This is a special, but simple, service of thanksgiving, which is a lovely time when you can be with friends and family, ask for God’s blessing and pray for your baby.

It’s possible to have this service if you decide that now isn’t the right time to have your child baptized. You might also choose this service when your baby is just born, or if you have adopted a child into your family and you simply want to celebrate this with special words said in church.

Baptism

A Baptism marks the start of a lifetime of discovery about the Christian faith and how life-changing that can be. It’s a journey of surprises, challenges and adventure. And through it all, God is always with us.

Your child is precious to you and precious to God. You want the very best for them, and so does God. You want them to make right choices in life, for themselves and for others.

Baptism is just the beginning of this and so much more. Over the years to come, it’s a journey you’ll share together with your child.

• Helping them to learn more about the Christian faith, through their church and in other ways.
• Being there for your child to talk to about the bigger questions of life – questions about hope, faith and love.
• Praying for your child through the ups and downs of their faith journey.
• Showing them practically how to make those good choices in life.

So it’s a commitment to start as you mean to go on.

Funerals

Funerals

The message at all Church of England funerals, wherever they happen, is one of hope. Although there is sadness because someone you know and love has died, in every Church of England funeral there will also be a message of hope in life after death.

Christians believe that when we die, God promises that we can be with Him in a wonderful place where death and pain are gone forever. In John’s gospel, Jesus says:

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.  In my Father’s house are many rooms. I am going there to prepare a place for you. John 14:1-2

Whatever the circumstances of death, these words of hope are a great comfort to those who attend a funeral.

From the moment you are in touch with us, throughout the funeral service, working in partnership with local funeral directors, and for as long as you need us afterwards, we’re here for you. The Church of England is in every community, and has been helping people mark the end of life for generations.