St Peter’s Church in Bredhurst is conducting a consultation about rules that govern the burial ground.
It is hoped the consultation will bring positive movement to a longstanding discussion over churchyard regulations locally.
All Church of England dioceses - the geographical and administrative area in which a parish sits - have a set of Regulations governing how churchyards are managed, which parishes like St Peter’s Bredhurst are legally obliged to follow.
The Regulations are set so that these shared sacred spaces can remain peaceful and beautiful places, reflecting the Christian context of the churchyard, now and for future generations.
At St. Peter’s, the Regulations are applied by volunteers who regularly maintain and tend the churchyard so that it is a place which is fitting for those who wish to visit.
While many people are happy with the current Regulations, some mourners have requested that changes are made regarding the types of memorials that are allowed. They would like items such as artificial silk flowers and small personal effects to be permitted on graves.
The Parochial Church Council (PCC) of South Gillingham has invited the next of kin for the occupier of each grave, to register to take part in the consultation; this is to ensure their points of view are obtained and that the consultation exercise is as effective, fair and meaningful as possible.
This part of the process has now closed and more than 200 families have been in contact. Now the PCC has updated their database, they are ready for the next stage of the consultation which involves finalising, checking and producing the consultation materials.
Any proposals for change that come out of the consultation will then be presented to the Chancellor – or Judge - of the Church of England Diocese of Rochester, of which St. Peter’s is a part. The Chancellor will make the final decision whether to approve the proposals or not.
A spokesperson for the Diocese of Rochester has said:
“This consultation is being conducted in good faith to find a positive way forward for everyone involved. This is an emotive issue, so as the Diocese, we would ask that everyone who is eligible takes the opportunity to engage with the consultation, and does so in an appropriate manner. Any actions either online or in person that are considered to be hostile, offensive or criminal will only be a risk to this process moving forward."
To keep the consultation as fair as possible, only one submission from one next of kin per grave/internment of ashes, will be accepted.
More information about the consultation and St Peter’s Churchyard, including how and why it is maintained the way it is, can be found at http://parishofsouthgillingham.co.uk/.