Mark has over ten years experience of creating and performing special ceremonies for people. Even when working as a priest he never saw them as opportunities to push religion or evangelise. Rather he met people where they were and, whether it be a celebration of birth, a relationship or a life lived, enabled them to truly express what they needed to through these important rites of passage.

Mark is now a member of the Association Of Independent Celebrants and is available to perform rites of passage. He sees what he does as bridging the gap between strictly religious ceremonies and those offered by Secular Humanism, and sees them as spiritual yet not overtly religious. He draws upon his own Christian heritage but is also happy to use readings, music, prayers and blessings from outside the boundaries of the Church.

Over time Mark has realised that many people see themselves as spiritual / believers in God yet cannot aquait their natural inner faith with official religion. When such people are faced with (for example) the trauma of having to plan a funeral for a member of their family, and are wondering who to invite to perform the ceremony, they often think there are only two alternatives: a formal Minister of Religion or a Humanist. Some opt for the latter but, during the planning of the funeral, realise that they do in fact want some prayers or even a hymn. It is for these folk particularly that he offers his services.






Midsummer's Day - 24 June 2008 - photo by Matthew Holbrook