An unusual funeral

In over 40 years of ministry I had never conducted an open air funeral service before but it was to prove an inspiring event.  Christopher was 49 when he died in a tragic accident in the village where he had lived since his marriage as a young man.  He was, by all accounts, a bright but unambitious child.  He seemed able to excel at almost anything he turned his hand to.  At the age of eleven he had been recognised as ideal for the British Olympic Gymnastics Team.  He declined the invitation, declaring that he only did gymnastics for fun.

In his teens his younger brother had joined a local brass band, playing French horn.  Chris thought he would give it a try but opted to learn the cornet.  In just two weeks he showed exceptional competence, going on to play in various brass and silver bands.

As a man who loved the outdoors (he had worked for much of his shortened life as a fisheries officer in a superb rural setting) conducting his funeral service in a natural amphitheatre in the village pocket park seemed an excellent idea of his mother’s.  For years he had delighted local people with both his musical and dramatic talents adding to the poignancy of conducting a final performance in a theatre setting.

Village funerals tend to draw good numbers and this was no exception.  A crowd of friends joined his family, sitting on the grass terraces that wrapped around one half of the grass stage, and looking beyond to the lake that Chris had helped design, build and stock.  The sun shone.  It was idyllic.

Chris had helped establish a local Morris Dance Side so, as the coffin was brought from the village hall car park down the grassy pathway into the pocket park, the procession was led by Andy, one of the local Morris Men, his smart dark suit and white shirt offset by a bright neckerchief and wearing a top hat decorated with pheasant feathers.  Together we walked and assembled to the tunes, The Cuckoo’s Nest and Princess Royal[1] played on Andy’s diatonic accordion (also known as an English Melodeon).  Waiting for us was an eight piece silver band whose role was to accompany the two hymns, ‘Abide with Me’ and ‘The Day Thou Gavest’ to the tunes, sung to Eventide and St Clement respectively. 

The service opened with a welcome, some verses of scripture and a short prayer.  We then sang Abide with Me.  This was followed by my reading a reflection celebrating Chris’ life, after which I encouraged the congregation to silently hold their own recollections while listening to Chris’ favourite accordion piece, Planxty Irwin.  We then sang the second hymn, and I invited the band to play an extra verse while we stood and listened.  The service drew to a close with a prayer.

As I thanked the members of the band and our accordionist, the congregation burst into spontaneous applause.  We processed back to the village hall car park once again led by Andy, this time playing Bambury Bill and Country Gardens.  Here I declared the words of the committal and pronounced the benediction as his wicker coffin was gently eased into the rear of the hearse.

The funeral director, who had grown up with Chris and who had been the one who introduced them to brass band music, led the way from the car park on Chris’ final journey leaving us listening once more to Andy, this time playing Bonny Green Garters and Headington.  It had been an occasion, in every sense, in tune with the personality of Chris, and reflecting that creativity that has its origins in God.

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[1] The morris dance tunes played at this service have links with various Oxfordshire villages with strong ties to the tradition of morris dancing.