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Photos, sound recordings, slides and transcripts are given here to offer an insight into the 2019 funerals conference, which explored how death and bereavement impacts on communities. 
Death touches communities – family groups, friendship groups, colleagues, neighbours and strangers. The impact is not just for a week or two, but may continue over months, 
years, generations. This “fascinating and moving” conference drew on the expertise and experience of a wide-range of practitioners to help us think about how churches are there for those who are affected by a death, from the funeral, long into the future.
Here we offer some insights into the two days we spent together.
The Revd Canon Sandra Millar, Head of Life Events, opened the conference. Read her welcome here (downloads a Word file): Introduction text.
Life Events Resources Manager, Cathy Myers, gives a conference overview just here.
Use the links below to access conference talks, presentations slides, transcripts and more to download.
Reflections on grief and bereavement in the Bible, by Paula Gooder (provided in the conference folder).
Friday 7th June
Talk 3 “Death and Schools” Ben Green – this talk will be published soon.
Talk 4 “Changing a town” Thomas Woodhouse (transcript only)
Talk 5 “Famous deaths, personal grief” Patrick Taylor
Listen to the audio of this talk:-
See transcript of this talk:-
Patrick Taylor Famous Deaths Personal Grief
Saturday 8th June
Talk 2 “Death in the community” Josie Goodwin
See Josie’s PowerPoint slides by following this link (the slides will download to your device): Circles of Impact
Download Josie’s speaking notes by following this link: Talk Circles of Impact
Talk 3 “Graveyards and the rural church” Mark Betson
See Powerpoint slides (in PDF format)
Listen to the audio of this talk:-
See transcript of this talk:-
Mark Betson Graveyards and the rural church
Talk 4 “What if they can’t pay? Pauper’s funerals” Juliet Stephenson
Download Juliet’s PowerPoint slides by following this link: Public health funerals NFE
Talk 5 “Bereavement and church” Jeremy Brooks
See Powerpoint slides (in PDF format)
Listen to the audio of this talk:-
See transcript of this talk:-
Jeremy Brookes Bereavement and church
Here’s a gallery of images we took over the two days:-
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‘Remembering’ and Remembrance
All Saints’, All Souls’ and Remembrance Sunday are all services which are often well attended, and many people may only come to church for these occasions. This page offers suggestions for reaching more people at this moving time of year.
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In case you missed it
If you were at our 2018 baptism conference, you will know what a great time we had, and if you missed it, or some of it, here’s an overview with some downloads to help you follow up with families after baptism.
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Christmas for those who grieve
Bereaved families are some of those who need supportive contact around this time of year. By simply acknowledging that Christmas can be a difficult time, the family can be reminded of the care of their church. These ideas, offered from busy clergy, are simple, but focused.
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‘Remembering’ Services
These are the services held around All Souls’ day which offer people an opportunity to remember those they love but see no longer, whether the loss is recent or long ago, and to support and maintain contact with bereaved families whether or not they have had a Church of England-led funeral.