We always try to reflect and respect the wishes of the deceased, if known, and their families in this important rite of passage. More and more families wish the funerals of their loved ones to be simple thanksgivings and celebrations of life and we like to design these with the next of kin in arranging the ceremony.

Sadness cannot be avoided, but unnecessary gloom just adds to distress. Often it is wished that a funeral service should not be overly religious or something like a simple humanist type of ceremony and with some spiritual content.. Also a member of the family or a friend might like to speak about the deceased at the service.

Music and suitable readings of prose or poetry or biblical or non biblical readings can play an important part in a funeral service and, again, we like to give people choice about this. We advise against the singing of hymns if the number of those attending the funeral is to be very small. CDs or tapes of recorded favourite music, possibly hymns or other songs are often much more appropriate. These do not have to be of a religious nature. What is most helpful to the bereaved and others is of prime importance.

Most local funeral directors are aware of what we can offer whether the service is held here at John Pounds Church and/or in the crematorium or cemetery chapels only, or at the nearby woodland South Downs Burial Ground near Clanfield. Almost all requests for funerals will initially be made to us through the funeral directors of your choice, but there is no reason why enquiries should not be made to us directly in the first instance especially when it is a member or close relative of a member of John Pounds church who has died or if it just a general enquiry.

Burial of ashes in the garden beside the church is possible for those who have some association with the church, but the design and size of a plaque must be discussed with us before such a plaque is ordered. We prefer to "funnel" the ashes loose into the ground - not in an urn or a casket - as space is now very, very, very limited.

He is our patron and one, severely crippled in his mid-teens, who grew out of obscurity in a rough area of Portsmouth during the 18th and 19th. centuries - because he saw a great need to help young children reared in what was, effectively in those days, a slum. Find out more

Unless you have friends or relatives that have been members of a Unitarian community, you probably don't know what a Unitarian church actually is and what we stand for. Find out more

Click more (below) to find out out what time the services take place, who is preaching etc.. Times might vary so please check back regularly. more