When someone dies

It is usually best to contact an Undertaker who will take care of all the practical arrangements for you. The undertaker will also guide you through the things you need to do at this time. You will find the phone numbers for all the local undertakers (Funeral Directors) in the Phone Book or the Yellow Pages. If you need help to choose an undertaker then we recommend you ask relatives, friends or neighbours about their experience with different firms.

Tell the undertaker if you would like to have a Christian Minister conduct the service for you, they will then discuss a suitable date and time, and contact the office at St Matthew's to make the arrangements.

When we are contacted by the undertakers, the minister who is to take the service will get in touch with you, if you live locally we always try to arrange to visit you. At this meeting the minister will want to talk to you about the person who has died, he or she will also discuss with you what you would like to include in the service

The Funeral Service

This can take place either in St Matthew's church or at the Cemetery or Crematorium (this is often at The Vale in Evesham, Redditch or Oakley Wood). If the service is to be in St Matthew's church then it must be led by a Church of England approved minister, at a council run chapel like a Crematorium you can ask anyone you like to take the service.

A Church of England Funeral Service will usually consist of hymns, plus any live or recorded music you have chosen, and memories of the person who has died (sometimes a friend or family member will say something, sometimes the family prefer to leave this to the minister). There will also be prayers and a Bible Reading, and a short talk about Christian Hope. Finally there are some formal words commending the soul of the deceased to God's care, and committing their remains either to burial or cremation as appropriate.

Burials in St Matthew's Churchyard

Matthew's Churchyard is still an 'open' churchyard and it is possible to be buried there or to have ashes placed in the Garden of Remembrance with the option of having a small square stone memorial tablet (18" x 18") laid flat on the ground level with the turf to mark the plot. It should be noted that ashes are poured into the plot and no caskets are permitted to be buried. No upright headstones are allowed for these ashes plots.

If you would like to arrange any kind of burial in St Matthew's churchyard please contact the Administrator or Rector to discuss the options.

If you have a family grave that is already full, it is usually still possible to have someone's ashes placed there after cremation. Again please contact the Administrator or Rector to discuss this if you are interested.

There are rules about memorials in churchyards which we have to abide by. Please click here to see the guidelines issued by the diocese for this.

St Matthew's Church has its own churchyard regulations and guidelines, which can be viewed here.