Non-religious Services
Choosing the right service
Choosing the most appropriate style of funeral ceremony for your loved one is obviously important as it will ensure that your memory of their final farewell is as good as it can be.
Broadly speaking, there are three types of non-religious services to choose from. These are:
- Civil
- Humanist
- Layperson
Selecting the appropriate person to lead the funeral ceremony (the Celebrant) can be a very important decision as they can set the tone of the event.
If you require assistance, we can help find someone you feel comfortable with.
Civil funeral services
Civil funeral ceremonies typically include a mix of non-religious and religious elements, depending on your preferences.
A Civil Celebrant is someone who has completed a recognised training course in order to prepare and conduct a funeral ceremony. They usually centre the ceremony on the life of the person who has died, and they are usually open to including both religious and non-religious content. This content can include things like readings, poetry, and prose, as well as a eulogy that you or they will write.
Some Civil Celebrants will recommend that you hire an appropriate Religious Celebrant if the balance of what you’d like included in the funeral ceremony moves toward a greater element of religious content.
Humanist funeral services
Humanist Celebrants, like Civil Celebrants, pay tribute to the person who has died by honouring their life, the connections they made, and the legacy they leave behind.
The real difference is that Humanist Celebrants will almost never include religious content in any ceremony they conduct. This includes any religious references in readings, music, or eulogies. A Humanist Celebrant is not the right choice for you if you want religious content in your funeral ceremony. Humanist ceremonies tend to appeal to those who do not hold religious views on life or death.
Layperson celebrants
You may believe that having a family member, friend, or co-worker lead the funeral ceremony is the best option for you because they are more likely to share your viewpoints. However, leading a funeral ceremony requires confidence, so make sure the person you choose has the right personality for the job.
On the plus side, using a Layperson Celebrant allows you to create a funeral ceremony that completely encompasses all of your wishes, as long as the building or location where the ceremony is to be held allows you the time and flexibility. We will gladly make recommendations for suitable venues.