Meaningful funeral ceremonies in a time of crisis

If you have found this page because you are in need of someone to create and officiate a funeral ceremony for you, first let me say how sorry I am that you are going through this at such a difficult and uncertain time.

As of 31 March 2020 funerals may still go ahead in some areas, depending on the discretion of the crematorium or cemetery in most cases. If you would like to know more about the possibility of attending a funeral please see the National Association of Funeral Directors advice here.

What can we do if we can’t gather together for a funeral ceremony?

This is your guide to having a meaningful online ceremony.

Bereavement and grief are brutally hard at the best of times, and you are here searching for support as we begin to cope with the restrictions that coronavirus is placing upon gatherings and especially funeral services. When someone dies we need to gather together, to talk, to console, to weep and even maybe laugh a little. What do we do now?

My name is Emma Curtis. I am the founder of Ceremony Matters and I have set up Funeral Celebrants’ Support Network in response to Coronavirus.

In the light of the corona virus pandemic, many crematoria are no longer allowing more than minimal attendance at a funeral service and some crematoria are now no longer allowing funeral services at all. As we go forward it is very possible that all funerals will be direct cremation only and no ‘real life’ gatherings will be permitted.

Celebrants are here to help you.

Independent or Civil Funeral Celebrants are officiants who create ceremonies based upon your belief system, whatever that is including semi-religious and humanistic ceremonies. Humanist Celebrants offer specifically non-religious ceremonies and are members of Humanists UK. A celebrant will meet with you to prepare a ceremony which they will then officiate on the day of the funeral or memorial.

Should we even have a funeral?

Being able to have a meaningful celebration of life ceremony in the days or weeks following a death is very important, it is a rite of passage and can be a big help as we struggle with our grief. We sometimes hear people say that a funeral is for closure, but it maybe just the start of a healthy grieving process. A good funeral gives us the chance to collect ourselves and our memories, so that we can remember the person who has died in the way that we chose, and we can send them on their way, to wherever we believe they go, in a way that is honouring and respectful, consoling and supportive.

What are the options for an online funeral or memorial?

As we grow used to not being able to be physically in the same space, technology is filling the gap. Celebrants can meet with you online or over the phone, and create a beautiful ceremony which can then be shared together online, by Zoom, Google Meet or other platforms. The funeral can be held at a specific time, just as it would be in ‘real life’ and it can be lead by your celebrant with family and friends also offering tributes. This can be recorded and then shared amongst friends who missed the live webservice. Or, the ceremony can be pre-recorded, shared with your family and friends and watched when you feel ready to watch it.

Celebrants can also offer blessings over the phone, they can say a few words at the time of a direct cremation, or create a ceremony for any other moment of transition at this very difficult time.

If you are not sure what you can expect of a Celebrant please click here for a copy of the Funeral Celebrant Accord as a guideline. All celebrants listed below have adopted The Accord and can offer ceremonies online.

Each celebrant gives their area but, of course, because everything will be online they can work with you anywhere in the country. We just thought that you might like to know where they are based.

All celebrants listed on this site are, to the best of my knowledge, active professional celebrants with good reputation and able to work online (globally). However, this directory has been set up very quickly in response to Covid-19, I cannot guarantee the quality of service offered by anyone here and they are not necessarily Ceremony Matters certified in any way, so please use this list as a resource but be discerning. It will be your individual choice as to whom you appoint so, please talk to the celebrant and decide if you are confident that they are a good fit for you; that they understand what you want, have experience with the platform and technology you need, and will be able to provide the quality of service you are seeking.

Please be aware that although some celebrants are trained counsellors most are not. A celebrant’s specialism is the offering of ceremonies to mark the transitions of life. If you feel that you need emotional or mental health support, please use a specialist support service like Cruse, the Samaritans, Shout (text 85258) or call your GP.

Funeral Celebrants working online who would like to be listed , please go here

If you are a Funeral Director looking for information about the online services you can suggest to your clients/families, please click here for a useful guide.

Directory of Celebrants Offering Online Funeral and Memorial Services.

Debbie Jones

Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Cheshire –
warm, compassionate, person-centred

Online ceremonies can still be meaningful and personal. I will create such a ceremony with you ~ to honour your loved one, celebrating their life with all the appreciation they deserve.
djonescelebrant@gmail.com
07714010125
https://djonescelebrant.com
£250 for a 20-30 min funeral ceremony, please enquire for other services

Justine Wykerd

Warwickshire, Worcestershire, Solihull –
professional, personable, flexible

Not able to attend a funeral? Justine is a Warwickshire based award winning celebrant now offering an online/real-time visual Celebration of Life in response to challenges of Covid-19 and beyond.
justine@just-celebrations.co.uk
07971169573
just-celebrations.co.uk
£240 for a 30 min funeral ceremony, please enquire for other services

We Have Adopted The Accord. Emma is proud to have been a part of the development of the Funeral Celebrant Accord as a representative on the Funeral Celebrancy Council. She is the council’s representative of Independent Celebrants.