A recognition that bereaved families had many questions and an awareness of the, often crippling, cost of burials, led the churches in Bearwood, Warley Woods and a significant portion of Smethwick (Oversight Area FO3) to respond together.
Revd Sara Moore said,
"These are areas that sit in the borderlands between Birmingham and the Black Country, and as we began to learn more about each other’s ministry, we identified that funerals and bereavement ministry were a significant area of work across the parishes. In reflecting together we discovered a pattern of bereaved families asking questions – about long-held traditions around funerals, dying, grief, wills, power of attorney and much more. We identified this as a key area of focus, and began to wonder what could be possible if people had a safe space to ask questions, to plan for their death and to speak out loud some of the beliefs and worries that are so often seen as taboo."
Each parish initially hosted conversations during Dying Matters week in May 2025, working towards a larger event called "Dying Matters" in the autumn. This simply invited our communities to drop in, meet local funeral directors, organisations offering bereavement support, legal professionals and those from within the church – with plenty of tea, coffee and cake on hand.
Rev Sara said,
"The afternoon included a panel discussion, with questions on everything from who can have a church funeral, whether children can be present, if hymns are compulsory and even covering the options available when a pet dies. Everyone valued the opportunity to ask questions and begin a conversation. In many cases, those conversations are ongoing as both those attending and members of the local churches reflect on their own wishes. We have seen a quiet but clear growth in confidence and willingness to speak about death and the hope offered by the Christian faith; that just as we trust God’s presence and love in all of life, in the joys and the challenges, we trust in God’s continuing presence with those we love who have died, and with us as we continue to journey through life.
"Working collaboratively also meant we were able to signpost people to those parishes within our Oversight Area offering services to mark All Souls, Baby Loss Awareness Week and Blue Christmas. We have seen new and familiar faces in these spaces, and from that, there has been engagement with other services and events; a growing sense of places of sadness becoming places where hope is restored through community and faith."
The churches of the oversight area are planning to repeat the event, contributing to a more open culture of asking questions around dying and funerals, and opening up conversation around the hope that we have in Christ.