WHAT IS A CELEBRANT?

As the name suggests, a Celebrant is one who celebrates a life. A person who is there to both put together, and conduct a service. A Celebrant will oversee and engage the congregation during the ceremony, whilst they speak about a person’s life, discussing their achievements and sharing special moments. 

There are many different types of Celebrants out there to suit your specific needs. A traditional religious Celebrant, which is offered by many religious groups, for instance a Reverend at a local Church. They will conduct a funeral service in keeping with a specific faith, using psalms, bible passages and hymns for example. There is also the Humanist Celebrant, traditionally they steer away from religion and talk of after life, to focus instead on the very natural basis for a person's life. Celebrating the extraordinary avenues of their life, the people within, giving meaning on a much more personal level to the people who are in attendance.

Then there is the Civil Celebrant, which is where I come in. I like to see myself as the middle ground between Humunist and a traditional religious service. I have learnt over the years, that when some people say they are not religious, they still in fact have a deep level of spiritualty or even faith. For that reason, in my services, I am more than open to including religious readings if that is what is wanted. I myself do not subscribe to a particular faith, but I certainly would not call myself an atheist. Spirituality is a uniquely personal thing. Some families do not want any religious connotations, which of course is totally understandable, in which case there is a multitude of other sources to draw on. Not only stories and memories from those that knew the departed, but I also use poetry, extracts from novels and plays, and even speeches drawn from films, all of which will have a link to the person whom the ceremony is for. However, many also feel that they might like the Lords Prayer, or possibly a Psalm. This too is something I am more than comfortable in accommodating. Although the family themselves may not have a faith, there could be some in the congregation who do, whom this might be a comfort for. 

The essence of what I do, at its core, is to build a unique service for every family I meet. Incorporating anything they would like, weather that is music, readings or hymns. I am there to help you build the perfect service, making everyone feel as comfortable as possible.