General Chat

Dear All

Hello

Hope you are okay.

The General Synod, the Church of England's ruling body, has voted to greatly increase fees for weddings and funerals.

What do you think of the increase, particularly for the charge for a funeral service?

Here is the website link about the changes:


http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/feb/07/church-of-england-marriage-funeral

Take gentle care
Very best wishes
EOS
xx

I think that what with the vast amount of wealth that the various religious, christian, Jewish, Muslim and so on, have at their disposal they should give these services for a nominal fee.
I believe the church of England are very big property and land owners, just smacks of greed.

Foggy

I actually had no idea what the fees for funerals or weddings were, I'm not sure where I stand on this lol

"The General Synod, which is meeting in London this week, agreed to push funeral service fees up from £102 to £160 and wedding ceremony fees from £296 to £415 in an attempt to standardise costs across the country's 16,000 churches. The increase includes lighting and administration, but not heating, and comes into effect next year."

I don't see that the costs need to be standardised? after all there are old churches which are more picturesque for weddings that cost more in maintenance because of their age so increasing the cost seems fair to me

The average spend on weddings is so high these days that perhaps it isn't unreasonable to pay £400 for a service, maybe make a few think about why they are choosing a church wedding, whether it is because of commitment to the idea or just 'a good show' lol.

I think they were worried about the cost to the poorer parishioners who wanted a marriage and couldn't afford it.

They didn't think it was correct to the parishioners to be means tested in order to waive the fees.

Like I said, god is just not good with money. Everything else - no problem, just can't handle money. Always wants money for something - what does he do with it? gambling? drink? women? - what is it about all these gods that the more poverty stricken their followers the more devout they are and the greater rewards they will get in heaven/paradise/valhalla or whatever other non existent place they are told they will be going?

They can charge what they want as far as I'm concerned, I wouldnt set foot in one of their establishments if I was paid. Costs a fortune to be a christian, which is why I'm sooooo pleased I'm an atheist :-) :-)

I think that they'll be an overwhelming clamour for non religious services.

And I can't say as I'd shed any tears about that.x

OH is a C/E treasurer - one of his many roles in the community. I myself have acted as verger at funerals and christenings. The latter are not charged for, as the service is expected to take place during a church service, however if it does not, at present, there is no fee.

I agree up to a point, the Anglican church is hugely wealthy, but the smaller village churches are really, really struggling. Each month money has to sent to the diocese out of the collection. The buildings themselves have to be heated, an organist paid (that is if you are lucky enough to have an organist). I understand that the money the diocese collect is also put into the pot for the clergy pensions. The clergy, let it be said, are sometimes retired and do a full time job in their parishes,

I have no idea of the cost of a cremation only service, perhaps the person to benefit from our demise is the undertaker?

It makes me sick to the core when I hear about how the church profits from things like funerals. And the cost of a plot for a grave, fees for organists, etc. A quick calculation reveals what the church gives back to the community at large. Nothing. Nothing at all, nothing whatsoever in any way shape or form for anyone who doesnt give them money.

Tthey are always whinnying on about wanting money. If the church roof needs repairing, then dip into the coffers and repair it, dont send letters to me begging for money. Every time you go near a church, they want money. Collection plates, donations to this fund, that fund, send a vicar to africa fund, you name it, they want money.

How come everyone, instead of almost everyone, hasn't wised up to the fact the the church is the biggest scam in history?

I beg to differ with your view that the church is the biggest scam in history Eldrick, and I am not going to take part in a huge argument either.

Whos arguing? Not me. Differ away, we still have free speech. Only just when it comes to religion, mind, but it's getting better.

I dont see anything to tell me any different. If its not a scam, why do they always constantly want money and what do you get in return?

Of course its a scam. If any other organisation got tax free status, constantly solicited money and promised something that is totally unprovable with no evidence for it whatsoever, it would get dealt with by the courts. It's appalling that the church - or any religious organisation - is allowed to get away with it.

Fairly up-to-date details of how money is spent etc., can be found here.
(It's far more complex than most people realise.)


http://www.churchofengland.org/about-us/facts-stats/funding.aspx



Quite a few things are standardised in the C of E . All Incumbents receive the same stipend as their fellow Incumbent within a Diocese. The Diocesan stipends may vary slightly. They are paid from central funds.

.

An Incumbent does not get paid any extra for the weddings and funerals they conduct. They get the same stipend if they only have one funeral per annum or one hundred.



Constant funerals can by very draining for the clergy. Visiting heartbroken bereaved families; making arrangements with undertakers; organising organists/vergers; finding the right words to say at the right time.



I wonder if the church is the oldest 'scam' in the world....I mean, 2,000 years is one heck of a time for a scam to be kept going isn't it?



I also wonder which site shows the calculation of the church 'not giving anything back to anyone who doesn't give them money'. Whichever site it is, it needs updating.



It's a shame you can't see anything to tell you different Eldrick. Maybe you just aren't looking in the right place............. :-D



Cx

my daughter is getting married in AUG,i was shocked to learn that the fee for the church is £415. I really hAd no idea that it cost so much,infact i cant remember paying a fee for my own wedding(but that was 30yrs ago).

We moan about the cost of living. Add to that the cost of dying.

Suzanne....if it was a C. of E. wedding it would have cost about £30.


When I think.......I was married in 1968........can't remember the cost of the marriage itself, but I know my dress cost £14 - and that was a lot of money then!!


Dermot........everything has it's price I guess! ;-)

while we are on the subject of marriage could someone answer a question for me?.......could someone tell me if you need a wedding licence to marry in a church? i dont think you do.x :-)

The principal law relating to marriage in Church of England parish churches is contained in the Marriage Act 1949. The Act provides that before a marriage can take place in a church, one of the following legal requirements must be fulfilled:

1.The calling of Banns; OR
2.The issue of a Common Licence by the Bishop of the Diocese; OR
3.The issue of a Special Licence by the Archbishop; OR
4.The issue of a Superintendent Registrar's Certificate.


Hope this helps. Cx

yes it does thank you cynthia.
the marriage banns will be read.so no licence needed.
my youngest daughter is the firsto my children to get married,and she was told a few days ago by a member of her partners family that she needed a licence,i couldnt advise her because its a long time since i was married and things have changed,a member of her partners family told her that she needed a licence,and she couldnt ask the vicar because shes away for a few days.
thank you.x

I am not married because I have never felt that our relationship was such that I would want to make any sort of official statement about it.

Isn;t the important part of a marriage, or,indeed, any relationship, the part that you work on daily without any public show?

With this in mind,My idea of a wedding ceremony would be something inconspicuous that you carried out quietly with those who were important to you. For me this would be a civil ceremony but a religious ceremony would be relevant to those who wanted their God included.

The nearest registry office in this county is something like fifty miles away so anybody wishing to take this very important step is encouraged to hire a private venue at great expense or to spend a great deal of money that is probably better utilized elsewhere in a church.

It really does not surprise me that marriage is in decline.

In the paper today it estinmated the cost of an average church wedding would now be around £1000, this included charges for organist, heating, certificate (not licence if banns called), bells, choir.

i agree totally with you sharon,
Ias really shocked at the prices,but daughter has a little girl and wants to do it for her,(her partners parents never married,and his three sisters have never married,) her partner thinks differently from his siblings,to him marriage is important.x :-P :-D