A helpful guide to Churchyard regulations

Churchyard New

For centuries the parishioners of Newport have been laid to rest in the churchyard of St. Mary’s church and it is hoped that this will continue for many years to come, with your help.

When a burial or interment of cremated remains takes place in our consecrated churchyard, it is carried out in the Christian context. The intention is that the last resting place of the person concerned shall be in this holy ground. In the words used in the Church of England service the committal into the ground of a body or cremated remains is "in sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life through our lord Jesus Christ, who died, was buried, and rose again for us".

The churchyard is not owned by our church but by the Church of England and the Chancellor of the Diocese has legal responsibility to enforce rules which have been enacted and this is why you will see the big green signage in the new churchyard. Within these rules the PCC has very limited discretion. There is no legal right to place a memorial or any other items in the churchyard, permission must be obtained first.

Personal items, ornaments and decorations are not permitted to be placed on graves under Church of England regulations, however we do understand that immediately after the burial is a difficult time, so we allow items placed on the grave after burial to remain up to 6 months and then ask for them to be removed. If this is difficult, we can offer help by perhaps saying a prayer with you at the graveside. We cannot take any responsibility for items left on a grave as the churchyard is a public space.

The only plastic or artificial flowers allowed are poppies for Remembrance Sunday, wreaths at Christmas and on the anniversary of the death of the person who has died -for a time of two weeks. Kerbs have been allowed in the past but are no longer permitted. Fencing, edging or enclosure of the grave is not allowed nor the use of chippings or stones or glass. This is for the practical reason that it makes maintenance of the churchyard very difficult and for the safety of people working in the churchyard.

So what can you add to make your loved ones plot personal

Everything needs to be biodegradable. Fresh flowers can be placed in the vases incorporated in the headstones (please remove once they have faded and place in the dustbin outside Church House) or placed by the wall in the Garden of Remembrance.
You can plant seasonal plants and bulbs on the grave but not trees or shrubs.

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It is always hoped the churchyard of St. Mary’s will always provide comfort to the bereaved and a haven of peace and tranquillity. You can find a copy of the Churchyard Handbook inside the church. Hopefully this article will help ease any misgivings about the rules of the churchyard.
Yes and No

Hello and welcome to our church. If you are a new visitor, we have a page for you to get to know us and learn more about planning a visit.
Click here to see more.

Visitors click here.

Planning your Visit

A Warm Hello

The following information is specifically for those planning a visit, so that you know, beforehand, what to expect on a Sunday morning.

Where and When

We meet in the Church (details here) for our Sunday Service starting at 9:30am. For your first visit, we recommend arriving 10-15 minutes early to ensure you get a parking space and find somewhere to sit before the service begins. When you arrive, you should be greeted by someone on our Welcome Team.

We serve tea, coffee, biscuits and cake after the service. It is a great way to meet people, or simply take time to find your bearings. All refreshments are free.

Accessibility: There is a portable ramp for wheelchair access as we have one step down from the porch into the church, and a sound loop for anyone who needs it. Please let one of the Welcome Team know on your arrival and they will help you to get set up. There are toilets in the Church House building next to the Church.

Our Service

The main service begins at 9.30am with a warm welcome. Then follows a time of sung worship. We typically have 2 or 3 songs lasting approximately 20 minutes. Sometimes a person might pray out loud or read a small passage from the bible. Sometimes people share things that they believe God is saying to the whole church family. This might seem strange the first time you hear it but it’s all part of our connecting with God. If it's a communion service everyone is welcome to come forward to receive the bread and wine in memory of Jesus or to receive a blessing. We then share news and notices, usually about what’s going on in the life of the church. One of our leaders will then give a sermon that is bible based and that we can apply to our everyday life. We then finish with a final worship song. Sometimes there is an opportunity to receive prayer at the end of the service.

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What about my kids?

We have a great programme lined up for kids of all ages:

Childrens play area in church for families and young children to use during the service. This allows parents to remain part of the service and keep young children occupied.
Sunday Club is for ages 3 to 8. The group meets in Church House during school terms. Parents are asked to drop their children off at Sunday Club and to pick them up from Church at the end of the service.
SURE is a club aimed for children aged 9 to 13. Sure meetings take place in Church House during school terms in place of the church service. At SURE we socialise, have snacks and explore stories in the bible in a fun and interesting way. On the first Sunday of the month the children remain in church for the Family Communion.
Messy Church. Messy Church is a place to have fun with crafts, paints, glue, etc. It’s a place where we learn about Jesus in a fun way.
Each Messy Church will have time for activities, where it is possible to move around and try lots of different things. We'll sing a song and have a short talk on the theme. Afterwards we'll join together for a meal.
Messy Church is not just for children, families are encouraged to take part in activities together and sit down and eat together. We also offer coffee and cake for the parents after our small service, giving you a chance to stop and chat with others. It's all very friendly.
Young people (15+ years) Stay in service.

We really value worshipping God all together as a family. At the end of the notices someone will announce that it’s time for the younger members to go to their various groups. You will need to go with your children to their groups and register them as part of our child safety policy. Whilst you are dropping your kids off at their groups, we pause to take time to chat to someone sitting near or next to us, giving folk a chance to come back before the sermon begins.

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Getting Connected

Serving and Volunteering

If you want to get involved in the life of the church and help us make Sundays run smoothly, you can sign up to serve on a team.

Get in touch with us to plan your visit

If you would like to come and visit the church beforehand you are more than welcome or if you have any questions please fill out the form below.

Name:

Telephone:

Email Address:
Comments / Questions or anything you would like to say?

Next, we will contact you by email to say hello and help arrange anything necessary for your visit.

Leadership

We hope that whoever you are, you will feel at home at our church.

Best Wishes

Reverend Peter Allen

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