Arising out of many years’ experience of helping to lead local church worship and counselling work in a children’s hospice, this is the first of three new volumes by this creative team of writers that focuses on the occasions when many non-churchgoers visit a church: for christenings, weddings, funerals and memorials.  

These rites of passage present key opportunities for occasional visitors to encounter the Christian faith. If they are imaginatively handled a lifelong interest can be aroused. If they are insensitively done, people can be put off for life.      

This very practical resource offers prayers, forms of words and many tried and tested ideas for creating rituals that give support at a time of great need following a death. It will enable the creation of rites (based on the authorised liturgical texts) that are beautiful, memorable and meaningful. Particular help is given for that most difficult of pastoral challenges, the death of a child and the care of the bereaved family.