Life Event Services

Our churches welcome everyone who lives in, or has a close connection with the parishes to plan a baptism, marriage or funeral with us.

Weddings

Your wedding day is one of the most important days in your life, and we feel very honoured and excited when a couple chooses to be married in one of our churches. So we aim to do whatever we can to help make the day extra-special. Weddings have been celebrated at our churches for hundreds of years and we wish that to continue. We would love to talk to you about your plans and eligibility to be married here. If you live in one of our parishes your first step is to contact the relevant parish office for availability and to begin the discussions about your plans. You have a right to be married in our parish churches provided one of you either:

lives in the Parishes of Elstead, Thursley, Shackleford or Peper Harow, or
is on our Church Electoral Roll or
has a “Qualifying Connection” with the parishes, and
provided neither of you has a divorced spouse still living If that is the case, please arrange your meeting with the Rector in the normal way, and your particular situation can be discussed further.

Click here find out what a “Qualifying Connection” is. To arrange an initial discussion and book in your preferred date and time, and contact Rev Hannah.

Enquiry Form

Funerals

The passing of a loved one is never an easy time. We will do all we can to support you through this difficult time. Everyone is entitled to either a burial service (funeral) or to have their ashes buried in their local parish churchyard so please feel able to contact us regardless of whether you attend church or not. We are able to help with a service at one of our churches or at the crematorium.

The ministry team are very happy to talk with you about the possibilities. The service can include a Eulogy or talk about the person’s life, time for reflection, music on CD & ipod via the church sound system or played live on our pipe organ, readings (of which one would be from Holy Scripture), poems and the things that mean something to you and those gathered.

Your first step is to appoint a funeral director and then contact the relevant Parish Office. You can also enquire about a funeral service via the Funeral Enquiry Form:

Enquiry Form

Baptism

Holy Baptism is a really important moment in life, whatever age we are and we will do everything we can to make it a very special day. Baptism is the service at which a person – adult or child – is welcomed into the family of God’s Church and makes a commitment to lead a Christian way of life. What it involves depends on whether it is a child who is being baptised, or an adult. We ask you, as preparation for baptism to come to church as often as you can. It is important to know the family of faith to which you are asking to belong, and to experience for yourself how we can help you fulfil the promises that you will make.

Enquiry Form

Confirmation

Confirmation is the service at which a person confirms their commitment to lead a Christian life, and is in turn “confirmed” – that is, strengthened and encouraged – by a special blessing from God, administered by the Bishop. If you were baptised as a child, this is your chance to “own” the promises made on your behalf by your parents and godparents. If you weren’t, then at the Confirmation you will make these promises for yourself, and you will be baptised as a part of the Confirmation service.

Special Confirmation services are held throughout the year at Guildford Cathedral, and at selected churches in each Deanery; we are in the Deanery of Godalming. Candidates for Confirmation are prepared by their parish priests, either one-to-one, or in a group, depending on numbers.

If you are interested in discussing further the possibility of being confirmed, please contact Rev Hannah.