Funerals

 

The loss of a loved one brings a great sense of sadness and as a church we hope to offer support and comfort at this difficult time. While the funeral director will make most of the arrangements for you, you are also welcome to contact the Vicar at St. Paul's straight away (See Contact Us / Vicar on the menus above). This means we can answer questions you may have, start to pray for you and help you with some of the decisions involved. When you speak to your funeral director let them know that you are thinking of involving us at St. Paul's church and they will then contact the Vicar to make arrangements.

 

There are several different options you may select:

 

1. A service in the church, followed by burial in our churchyard

2. A service in the church, followed by cremation (ashes may be buried in our Garden of Remembrance at a later date)

3. A service at a crematorium (ashes may be buried in our Garden of Remembrance at a later date)

4. A service held elsewhere may be followed by burial or burial of ashes at St. Paul's in some circumstances

 

The usual reason for selecting St. Paul's for the service or burial is because the person lived in the parish of Tongham or for people who attended the church, but it may also be due to long-term family connections with the church.

 

Memorials

 

Following a burial there needs to be approximately a year before erecting a headstone and there are Diocese regulations for these. See the link at the top of the page. When you are ready to arrange this, please contact the Vicar who will provide the necessary form and will help with any questions you may have. We are also able to place a plaque on the Bell Tower for anyone in the Garden of Remembrance, which usually takes approximately a month to organise.

 

There are standard fees for all these, which may be found on the Church of England website. We charge £20 for getting the plaque engraved.

 

Sometimes people want to buy something in memory of their loved one. If you would like to do this, please contact the Vicar and we can discuss options with you.

 

Hire of the Old School

 

It is possible to hire the Old School hall for refreshments after the service on some occasions, depending on other regular bookings. Please contact the office (See Contact Us / Office) to find out more details.

 

Time to Remember

 

Each year we hold a service where families and friends can come and remember loved ones. It is held on Remembrance Sunday at 4pm, with tea and cakes afterwards in the Old School. It is helpful to know in advance if you are coming so we can read out the names of those being remembered whilst you have the opportunity to light a candle.

 

Christmas

 

There is an opportunity for names to be placed on small Christmas trees through the Christmas season, to remember loved ones (usually people make a small donation towards the cost of the Christmas trees).   You may also light candles after Christmas services.