Peoples Ministers - A Choice Of Ceremony For The Gay Community

By Author: Louis Paulson
Total Articles: 3
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In today's society many people, gay and straight, identify with some kind of spiritual beliefs but don't relate to traditional religion or attend a house of worship. Interfaith Ministers work towards filling some of the gap that exists for people seeking ceremony and support outside what traditional orthodox religion and Registrars can offer.

Interfaith Ministers are interested in your beliefs

Interfaith Ministers are interested in your beliefs, and so your ceremony responds to your individual beliefs however you might define them - you might use terms such as spiritual, religious or part religious, or mixed faith, or even non religious or secular - we're all potentially different in how we define our personal beliefs.

Interfaith Ministers aspire to give an authentic expression of what's important to you, and can hold alternatively religious ceremonies as well as those which could be termed non-religious or the equivalent of a secular or Humanist ceremony.

A vision of Brotherhood and Sisterhood

Because Interfaith Ministers don't represent one religion or belief system, or have churches or parishes, ...
... they minister when and where they're asked to go and redefine Interfaith as a vision of the brotherhood/sisterhood of humanity.

A ceremony customised just for you

All ceremonies are customised (not 'one size fits all'), unique and according to the wishes of the individual, couple or group to honour and mark life's transitions in a personal and meaningful way, your way.

Ceremonies can be held indoors or outdoors, in ways which are elaborate or simple, traditional or alternative.

There's still some way to go to recognise same sex marriage legally in the UK, in the meantime, Interfaith Ministers will offer you everything you ever dreamed of for your ceremony.

Gordon and Stan live in Australia in a state where their union still won't be legally recognised even if they have a Civil Partnership in the UK. Still they chose to acknowledge their relationship in the UK, because Gordon is from the UK, and they had a commitment ceremony because it was meaningful for them. It was the smallest ceremony with the Minister, Gordon and Stan, and one friend.

Caroline and Kirsty chose a big ceremony of a 150 family and friends. They dream of having a family together, and the first step in potentially adopting a child was to have a Civil Partnership Signing to become legally recognised as a couple. Because they felt their families were coming together both through their union, and actually from Scandinavia and America to celebrate with them in Scotland, they chose to have a beautiful and quite traditional ceremony of marriage in a beautiful garden as well.

A ceremony that's personal and meaningful to you

Your wedding (or commitment ceremony or vow renewal) can include whatever ritual is meaningful to you - a simple handfasting, a candle lighting, sharing bread and wine - ministers offer ideas or you can create your own ritual.

Gino Meriano, Founder of Pink Weddings enthused One of the most amazing things I experienced was the way Interfaith Ministers interact with couples. I loved the style, approach and genuine passion in always wanting to make a couple's ceremony special.

Their unique touches and personal approaches blew me away, left me tingling with excitement and almost brought a tear to my eye.
A wonderful way to unite and celebrate two people in love, I have always and will continue to support the great work Interfaith Ministers do around the UK.

Involving children in a ceremony

If joining in marriage needs to include children from previous relationships children can be involved - you could have a family blessing. When Nuala and Deidra got married, they had six children between them, so chose a candle lighting ritual to involve them all.

Blessing and naming children of all ages is also possible, in gardens, front rooms, halls and hotels. Baby Liam had a blessing ceremony and party with all the family and friends of his gay daddy and his lesbian mummy present. His parents had both consciously chosen to be parents, and though they live separately they are a family together as they co-parent and raise him sharing every aspect of his life together.

A Celebration of Life that fits for all concerned

And as life begins, so life ends - funerals are always personal and always in response to your and your loved one's wishes. Whether in a Crematorium overseen by a Funeral Director with just your Minister speaking, or at home or in a hall including a memorial slideshow and many family and friends reminiscing and telling stories, your Minister will support your vision.

It's also possible to plan your funeral ceremony in advance or have a living funeral as pioneered by Morrie Schwartz in the book and film Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom.

Freedom of speech and freedom of celebration

We live in the twenty first century in a country that gives us the freedom to celebrate life's rites of passage in whatever way we wish, yet many people don't, or settle for less than what their dream is, because they don't realise there are people like Interfaith Ministers out there, supporting that freedom of celebration.

Becoming aware of what's on offer

Would you know where to find appropriate ceremony and support if you or someone you know wanted to celebrate the arrival of a child? Or a loved one died suddenly? It's time to find out!

Freedom and choice for all without discrimination of any kind

With all ceremonies, you have complete freedom and choice! You can have whatever, wherever and however you want. You're invited to make contact for an informal chat so you'd know where to find your closest minister if you ever needed their support in the future.

Some of the names in this article have been changed to protect people's identity and privacy.

Written by Reverend Angie Alexandra, Interfaith Minister
Tel 01309 692523 / 07940 735555
Website gayceremony.org

For a memorable and unique Civil Partnership Ceremony by an Interfaith Minister visit the Gay Ceremony website which gives helpful information about gay and lesbian weddings in Scotland, Wales and England as well as other ceremonies.