While many dioceses across the UK have seen a decline in funeral ministry, the Diocese of Gloucester is seeing a rise. Not only is it resisting the trend, but it’s also preparing to offer a pilot in Hereford, to encourage Christian funeral ministry in the city.
At the centre of this is a growing network of Licensed Funeral Ministers – people across the region who share a calling to walk alongside those navigating loss. Among them is Anne Price, whose own journey into ministry was born out of personal crisis and a deep desire to serve.
“I got very ill a few years ago,” Anne said. “I was in hospital for two weeks, and one night God gave me a nudge into the possibility of doing celebrant work. I spent many hours discerning the calling, to which I decided I would train as a celebrant. I completed the training, but I always felt it wasn’t enough. I tried to introduce God into it whenever I could.
“I wanted to walk with people in their darkest moments. I always felt Jesus walking with me, and I wanted to do the same for others.”
After some initial hesitation about whether she would pursue ordained ministry, Anne connected with Nick Partridge, the Diocese of Gloucester’s Funeral Lead. She began her training with bereavement visiting in 2023 and then training as a Funeral Minister in 2024.
“I had missed the first session of the Funeral Ministry course in 2023, so Nick suggested that I start with the Bereavement Visitors course, doing it back to front.
“I knew the logistics from my training as a celebrant, but bringing God into it was the icing on the cake. It’s brought peace to me, and I feel like I’m sharing the peace that God has given me with families and people who really are going through dark times,” she said.
Anne now leads funerals across Parkend, Viney Hill, Gloucester, and Churchdown, liaising closely with families and funeral directors to offer personalised, compassionate care. She listens, helps shape services, and crucially, continues the relationship beyond the funeral itself.
“In February, I started a bereavement café at St Paul’s, Parkend called ‘Promise and Hope’. One lady came and just sobbed for an hour and a half. At the end, she said she felt better. That’s why I do this. Faith is essential. It’s what brings light and hope into people’s grief.
“Sandra Millar, Director of Mission and Ministry, said ‘there’s no such thing as being un-bereaved. Once you’re bereaved, you’re bereaved’. This stuck with me. There are people who became bereaved 30 years ago, that still need help, that still need some support. I just feel that this is making a difference.
“I sometimes invite people and families from the funerals I lead to join me at the café for a coffee and a chat. I also follow up with phone calls. That’s where bereavement visiting really comes in. It goes beyond the funeral itself.”
Anne is also the funeral lead for her parish, which means she’s the first point of contact when a local funeral comes through Gloucester Funerals.
She said: “They’ll get in touch to ask if I’m available to support. Then I find out who the funeral director will be, and I ask for permission to contact the family directly.
“Listening is key. I visit the family and find out what they want included in the service. Sometimes, it might be a grandparent who has written out everything already. Other times, families just need space to talk through their grief.
“Sometimes you walk into a room and feel the tension. You have to listen, let people talk, and offer peace where you can.”
Anne assesses how best to support them, whether it’s choosing hymns and Bible readings or offering guidance through difficult emotional terrain.
“If the funeral is in a church or crematorium, I manage all the logistics to make things easier for the family. I work closely with the funeral directors, I’ve built very strong relationships with them. It’s about being a team.”
This wider vision of ministry is what the Funeral and Bereavement Ministry Training Course aims to cultivate. Open to lay members, Readers, and clergy, the programme combines practical skills – like leading services and understanding the impact of grief – with deep pastoral care, including active listening and self-care.
The next course begins in Gloucester on 17 May, offering both Saturday sessions and weekday evening options to accommodate a wide range of participants. It’s part of a broader movement, with networking evenings and specialised workshops (like one on child bereavement).
Nick Partridge said: “Licensed Funeral Ministers are people from a variety of backgrounds and occupations, who have heard and responded to God’s call of offering funeral ministry to the bereaved in their own parish, and sometimes beyond. They are fully trained to lead funeral services in churches and in crematoriums, with support and direction from their incumbent. They also offer bereavement ministry to members of their church and people in the wider community.
“This wonderful ministry offers the opportunity to help people at their very lowest point, and also to hold up the candle of the hope of Christ in the darkness of grief and bereavement.”
As Gloucester Funerals prepares to roll out a pilot in the Diocese of Hereford, hopes are high that this model will be expanded and strengthened.
“Gloucester Funerals work,” Anne said. “It would be foolish not to merge and strengthen together. This ministry makes a difference.
“You don’t always realise you’re being called. But if you feel the nudge, take the step. It might just change your life, and someone else’s too.”
To find out more or to register for upcoming training, visit:
- Funeral Ministry and Bereavement training course
- Bereavement Visitor training course
- Funeral Ministry networking evening
- Child bereavement training
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