Ceremonies
We all want to mark important events in our lives – new arrivals in the family, weddings and partnerships – and, of course, to commemorate those we have loved when they die. For people who have no religious beliefs, it’s important to mark these occasions in ways that are consistent with their principles.
What is a humanist ceremony?
They mark special occasions with honesty, warmth and shared love and affection. They are not generic. They are unique and personal, appropriate to the lives of the people involved. They are created especially for each occasion by an individual or a family, along with a humanist celebrant, who helps guide the process of creating the ceremony. Beyond the appropriate legal requirements, there are no special rules or particular things that need to be observed.
They celebrate all that is encompassed in the definition of humanism used by Humanists UK: ‘Humanism is the view that we can make sense of the world using reason, experience and shared human values and that we can live good lives without religious or superstitious beliefs. Humanists seek to make the best of the one life we have by creating meaning and purpose for ourselves. We choose to take responsibility for our actions and work with others for the common good.’
Families and groups of people with mixed religious beliefs often choose humanist ceremonies because they can all agree on the non-religious and personalised content.
Celebrants accredited by Humanists UK will be happy to conduct non-religious ceremonies for funerals and memorials; for births and adoptions; for weddings and civil partnerships; and for general civic occasions.
Local celebrants
Are you looking for a humanist celebrant for an important family occasion? Here are the details of several local celebrants, who are accredited by Humanists UK.
Bursary for celebrant training
We want to encourage more people from the West Midlands to train as non-religious celebrants, especially people from under-represented groups, so we are offering an annual bursary to help cover the costs of training. You can find out more about this on the webpage about The Jane Wynne Willson Celebrant Training Bursary.
Resources for ceremonies
To find a local celebrant not on our list above visit the Humanists UK website www.humanism.org.uk.
You can also contact Humanists UK on 020 7324 3060 or email them at ceremonies@humanism.org.uk.
Humanists UK publishes practical guidelines about the three main ceremonies, to help families and inexperienced practitioners: New arrivals, Sharing the future and Funerals without God. These can be ordered from the Humanists UK office – email info@humanism.org.uk or ring 020 7324 3060.