Church of England (Miscellaneous Provisions) Measure 2020

3 Funerals: conduct by lay person

(1) In section 4 of the Church of England (Miscellaneous Provisions) Measure 2018 (funerals: conduct), after subsection (1) insert—

“(1A) A duly authorised deaconess, reader or lay worker (a “lay office-holder”) may, with the consent of the incumbent or priest-in-charge of the benefice or parish to which the lay office-holder is licensed, perform a funeral service in a crematorium, cemetery or other place which is not a church or churchyard, and in which the lay office-holder would not otherwise be entitled to perform the service, if—

(a) the persons concerned have asked the lay office-holder to perform the service, and

(b) the lay office-holder has, so far as practicable, informed the relevant minister and sought his or her goodwill.

(1B) The reference in subsection (1A) to the incumbent or priest-in-charge of the benefice or parish is, where there is no such person, to be read as a reference to the rural dean of the deanery in which the benefice or parish is situated.”

(2) In subsection (3) of that section, after “subsection (1)” insert “or (1A)”.

(3) In subsection (4) of that section, for “subsection (1)” substitute “subsections (1) and (1A)”.