Weddings, baptisms & funerals
The parish church is here for the whole town at the moments that matter most — whether or not you come on a Sunday.
Weddings
Getting married in one of our churches
To be married in the churches of the Caistor Group you need either to live in one of the parishes, or to worship regularly in one of the churches, or to be able to demonstrate a family connection with the church in which you wish to be married.
It is also possible to be married in church if you have been married before and your previous partner is still living.
We normally need at least one month’s notice to conduct a wedding, so get in touch as soon as you are able. We also have forms of service for weddings which include a baptism at the same time.
Renewal of vows and blessings
Celebrating a special wedding anniversary? You can renew your vows in church, and the vicar will help construct a service just for you.
If you were married abroad, you are very welcome to have a service of blessing here when you get home, so that friends and family can join in the celebration.
Baptism
Christenings for children and adults
Baptism — another name for christening — is the ceremony by which a person becomes a member of the worldwide Christian Church. Becoming a Christian means a new start in life, as if a person dies to their old way of life and is reborn to a new one. Baptism is also a symbolic washing away of the power of sin, through faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Other symbols used in the service are the sign of the cross and the giving of a candle.
Why baptise children?
Christian parents naturally want their children to be brought up as fellow members of the Church. Because children are too young to make this commitment themselves, parents and godparents make the promises on the child’s behalf as well as their own. Then, when the child is old enough, they can make those promises for themselves at confirmation.
If you are thinking about baptism, get in touch with the vicar as soon as possible so that we can accommodate your needs.
Funerals
When someone dies
All of our clergy are greatly respected for the caring and sensitive way in which they conduct funerals.
Usually the first contact comes through the family’s chosen funeral director, but families are very welcome to contact the clergy directly themselves, at any hour and at any stage.
We are happy to conduct funerals in any of our churches, followed by either burial or cremation, and equally happy to take services at the crematorium or at the graveside. Clergy are willing to incorporate material and music provided by the family, and to help design a service that suits your needs and beliefs.
Burials and ashes
Burials can take place in the churchyards at Searby, Grasby, Rothwell, Swallow, Cabourne and Cuxwold, and — for Caistor residents — in the town’s civic cemetery. The churchyard at Caistor is closed to new burials, but there is an area set aside within it for the burial of cremated remains.
Planning ahead
The clergy can provide a planning leaflet on which you can set down your wishes for when the time comes, saving your family a great deal of soul-searching and anxiety later.
Not sure where to begin?
Please contact the vicar. There is no form to complete first and no obligation, and no question is too small to ask.