Christenings & Baptisms · Weddings · Bereavement Support

A note from Julia and Bob:

Whether you're welcoming a new baby, planning your wedding day, or facing the loss of someone you love, we'd be honoured to walk alongside you. As Rectors across all six of our churches — Merriott, Hinton St George, Dinnington, Lopen, Haselbury Plucknett and North Perrott — we offer exactly the same warm welcome and support wherever in the benefice you'd like to mark your moment. You don't need to be a regular churchgoer, or have a particular faith background, to ask us about any of the below. Just get in touch, and we'll take it from there together.

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Christenings & Baptisms

We'd love to welcome you or your child into our church family. We are open to baptising adults and children in our churches.  A christening (also called a child baptism) marks the start of a lifelong journey — for your child, for you as parents, and for godparents and family too. You don't need to have been christened yourself, or attend church regularly, to ask about this for your child.

To get started, simply get in touch with us — the Rectors can help you find a date that works across whichever of our six churches you'd like to use.

Before the day, we'll ask you to come along to a short, informal preparation session — usually under an hour — where we talk through what christening means, what happens on the day, and answer any questions you or your godparents might have. 

For more general information about christenings, the Church of England's website is a helpful place to start: churchofengland.org/life-events/christenings

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Weddings

Congratulations — and thank you for thinking of one of our churches for your wedding day. Whichever of our six churches catches your heart, we'd be delighted to help make your day special.

Your first step is simply to get in touch and let us know:

• Your names

• Your possible wedding dates

• Your address and a contact number or email

• Your marital status (e.g. never married, divorced, widowed)

• Your connection to the parish, if you don't live locally

We'll come back to you quickly to confirm whether your date is available. Before it can be locked in, there's some legal paperwork to complete in person — you'll need to bring original ID (passport or driving licence), a recent utility bill, and any documents relating to a change of name or marital status.

We would like to meet with you in person to go through these details, but also to help you plan a service that is special for you.

Wedding fees are set annually by the Church of England and published each January. Fees are due a month before the wedding.

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Bereavement Support

Losing someone you love is one of life's hardest moments, and we're here to support you through it, whatever your connection to church.

Arranging a funeral: Please get in touch with us directly or via your funeral directors — and we will be able to help you plan a service for your loved ones.  We can also talk with you about possible burials or interments of ashes.

Ongoing support: Grief doesn't end after the funeral, and neither does our care. If you're finding things hard — whether from bereavement, separation, redundancy, ill health, or any other loss — do get in touch and we will do or best to support you.

Remembering loved ones: Once a year (All Souls, in early November) we hold a special service across the benefice to remember loved ones who have died. We invite everyone we know who has had a family funeral during the past year.  You are also welcome to come and remembered loved ones who died a along time ago.  You can come along and add their names to be brought up to the altar. 

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Getting in Touch

For any of the above — christenings, baptisms, weddings, or bereavement support — please contact the Benefice Office or Rectors:

Email: [email protected]

Tel: 01460 76406 

Email Julia: [email protected] 

Email Bob: [email protected]