Deaths and Funerals
When someone is nearing death or dies it can be a difficult time, but there are lots of people who can to support you. And one place you can get lots of help is through the church.
First of all we can pray for you and with you and visit you when someone is dying or has died. We can help you arrange the funeral, and host the funeral or memorial service in one of our churches, or preside at a cremation. Finally, provided certain criteria are met, we can arrange for the earthly remains of your loved ones to find a place of rest; somewhere that you and your family can maintain a lasting connection.
The following information is intendd to provide some immediate answers to questions you may have, and helpful links to other authoratative websites. But if you need help, don't hesitate to get in touch with the Rector.
What to do when someone dies
The first thing to do when someone dies depends on the circumstances of their death.
If someone dies at home and their death was expected
Call their GP practice and nearest relative (if that's not you).
First, a doctor or nurse will come to verify the death. A doctor then
completes their part of a medical certificate which says the cause of
death. This is then sent to a medical examiner (a senior doctor) who
reviews it. The medical examiner or one of their team will then speak to
the nearest relative to check they understand and agree with the
medical certificate. You can ask the medical examiner questions and
raise any concerns you have about the death at this stage. You’ll also
be given a formal notice stating that the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD)
has been signed. This
notice tells you how to register the death. Then, when you feel ready to
do so, you can contact a funeral director of your choice who will move
the body.
If someone dies at home unexpectedly
Call 999 immediately and explain what's happened. If the cause of death is unclear or unnatural, for example as the result of an accident, or the person hadn't been seen by a doctor during their last illness, the death will need to be reported to a coroner. A coroner is a lawyer with the legal duty to investigate unexpected deaths (some coroners are also doctors). The coroner may call for a post-mortem examination to determine the cause of death. This may take some time, so the funeral may need to be delayed.
When someone dies unexpectedly, the police will also be called to do a routine visit. They'll ask questions about the circumstances of the death which may be used to help the coroner to understand the cause of death. This can be unsettling but it's important to remember that it's normal procedure in these circumstances.
If someone dies in hospital
The hospital will explain the steps you need to take. After the death has been verified by a first doctor or nurse, the cause of death will then usually be checked by the medical examiner, who will then issue an MCCD and formal notice will be issued directly to the registrar.
The body will usually be kept in the hospital mortuary until the relatives arrange for it to be taken to the funeral director's premises or taken home. If an MCCD can’t be issued, the hospital will refer the death to the coroner.
What to do next
The information you need is on the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD) form, but essentially you will arrange a funeral director to collect the body. Sometimes that's done for you, but you dont have to use that funeral director. You can arrange for the body to be moved to the Funeral Director of your choice.
You then need to register the death at the local Registry Office. You'll need to book an apointment and take along the MCCD and identification for yourself. Book your visit online HERE.
You can find a helpful step-bysstep guide on the Government website HERE
Plan the funeral
With the help of the funeral director you can arrange the funeral at your local church. You cannot make any firm dates until the death has been formally registered. The Funeral directors will contact the incumbent of your church, who will do all they can to find a convenient date and time. If the priest is not available they will try to arrange a colleague - another priest or a lay reader - to take the service for you. You should expect a funeral date to be available between two and three weeks after that initial meeting. That service can take place in a church or a crematorium or a combination of the two.
The incumbent will then arrange a meeting to design the service with you.
Other than the case of the death of a child (under 18) there are fees for all funerals which are notified through the funeral director. These include statutory fees and 'Parish Extras' which reimburse the church for the cost to the church for putting on an extra service, including orgainists and heating if used. The churh will do all it can to minimise the costs of a funeral to any family.
It is always helpful if the person who died had made some plans (everyone should do this). This might include a list of favourite music, favourite hymns, prayers, poems or bible readings. These might be written down and kept in a safe place. They might just be a collection of old orders of service have been collected and marked. All of these hints will help you be assured that you are following any expressed wishes. But even if none of that can be found, you can still shape any service to remember sombody well. Funerals are a time for involving family and friends and can even be a time of creativity. This can be exceedingly comforting.
As a minimum you will need to identify one bible reading. But there are a huge number of additional funeral resources available on the Church of England website HERE. Take time to look through them. Also, do keep a notebook to hand as this is a time when ideas and memories pop into and out of ones consciousness; so having a means to record them is helpful for incorporation into the service or kept for later reflection.
Buried or Cremated?
This is very much a personal choice and there is no right or wrong answer. However, it is worth pointing out that the right to a burial in a churchyard extends ONLY to those who are resident in a parish at the time of death, or on the electoral roll and meet all the criteria for being on the roll (ie attending church regularly and being baptised). Beyond that, the decision as to whether a person can be buried in a churchyard rests with the incumbent (the Vicar or Rector).
In this benefice, graves are alloted on a first-come-first-serve basis. We have a moratorium on new grave reservations and no further grave plots can be reserved. Cremated ashes can be interred on their own or in the plot of an existing family grave. All burials and internments of ashes are subject to available space. In the fullness of time grave sites over 100-years old can be reused. Otherwise, full graveyards are permanantly closed to all forms of burial. Therafter, burials can only take place in civic graveyards.
Crematoria are some distance from the villages. The service will also be scheduled at about 45 minute intervals. This should be taken into account when planning. However, it is possible to have a full service (of unlconstrained length) in church before or after a cremation, or have a memorial service over ashes. In some cases the words of commital are said at the hearse prior to the coffin being taken for later cremation, unaccompanied or with the presiding minister. The minister will discuss all the options with you and the funeral director. A 'direct cremation' without anyone present and no memorial is not recommended.
Contact
The Vicarage
Great Hormead
Buntingford
Hertfordshire
SG9 0NT
01763 289258