Fees
As a general rule, we exist to share unconditional love with all, without exception. Love costs nothing and every aspect of our Ministry is freely given, because we care about YOU.
However, in order to offer our Ministry we have to meet certain costs (travel, telephone charges etc) and we also have to meet our own day to day living expenses so that we are free to offer ourselves to others.
There are two main areas of our work where, traditionally, Ministers and Celebrants have received a fee. One of these is when conducting a Funeral service and the other is when conducting a Marriage.
Up until 2014, we accepted the same fee for funerals as is paid to Church of England Ministers, whether we conducted a religious service or not. In 2015 the C of E raised their fees well above the rate of inflation and we felt that , in time of rising costs, that we could not justify matching their statutory fees. As a result we accept a fee of £164 for every funeral that we conduct, with a small additional amount to cover travel costs. It is important to say that we "accept a fee" - we see this as a donation that enables us to conduct the funeral service but also enables us to carry all the other work that we do. Where a family is in genuine hardship we have reduced the fee and on occasion even waived it altogther.
As far as Marriages are concerned we simply ask for a donation (plus travel costs) according to the means and generosity of the couple concerned.
For everything else that we do there is no fee, neither is there an expectation that we will receive a donation. However, there are times when people feel they wish to donate as a thank you or to ensure that we are able to offer Ministry to others and we are always very grateful to receive donations in this way.