Tailor made rites of passage to celebrate births, loving relationships and the lives of loved ones departed
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. As someone with a generously eccletic spiritual experience Mark draws upon his own Christian heritage as well the wealth of traditions from outside the boundaries of the Church.
Over time Mark has realised that many people see themselves as spiritual (and believers in God / Goddess / Spirit) yet cannot equate 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.
Endorsements:
Funerals.
We at R.W.MANN&SON, a long established funeral directors in Leominster, are pleased to endorse Mark Townsend. His services are spiritual but not religious and fully encompass today's move away from the standard church service. Mark himself is a compassionate and caring person who takes great care with families and respects their views and wishes. We highly recommend him.
Graham Bradley Funeral Director - R W Mann & Son
At a time of great sorrow, when my husband and soul mate, Peter, suddenly died, Mark Townsend was a huge help and I consider him to be a real gem. Most importantly, Mark empathised with my son, Anthony, and considered our joint needs. From my notes and quotes, Mark compiled a sincere and fitting tribute to Peter, consulting us every step of the way. On a very wild and windy day at Humber, Mark conducted the fondest farewell. We will always be grateful to Mark and have no hesitation in recommending his services to others. Cherry Brooks
This (below) is by a widow who's husband's funeral Mark conducted while still serving as a parish priest. In fact it was the last one he performed from within that context. The letter demonstrates how Mark has always had an ecceltic and broad spiritual vision, and how his feels these ceremonies shoudl be authentic and true - celebrating the REAL person.
Maria’s Story.
When my husband Cliff, died in May 2007 I very much wanted a church service for him, as the Church of England had always been held in high regard by us both. Throughout my life the Church has always been a place of sanctity, peace and healing for me.
I didn’t know what to do or who to turn to, so I rang the Priory vicarage and asked if I could speak to the Vicar. Mark returned my call and came out to visit me. It was a pure delight and relief to meet him. He showed such compassion and understanding, giving me totally unwavering support amidst my grief. He had many of the attributes that I had come to expect from a member of the clergy but there were other special qualities that he showed, qualities that can’t be taught or learnt....and one of those was the quality of wanting me to feel that the church had given their love and blessing to whichever way I felt was best to honour my late husband.
During our conversation, Mark suggested that I might like to include some pieces within the service that would “bring to life” the man that Cliff had been and to enable all who attended the funeral service to feel close to him. I didn’t know if I could include special items within the traditional funeral service that I felt would have honoured the man that Cliff had been throughout his life, or to symbolise the love and togetherness that we had shared. Mark assured me that whatever I wanted could be included.
The funeral service that Mark conducted for my late husband offered immense comfort and support to me, allowing me to do certain things - like blow bubbles to the heavens during the prayers (something that Cliff and I used to do, having had them blown at our marriage ceremony too). Mark also took a basket full of artistic and sacred items from our home that included crystals, spiritual symbols, candles, angels and Native American images. He decorated the entire altar area with them and played Native American drumming music as the coffin was brought into the church. This brought Cliff's and my world directly into the heart of the sacred space within the church which was so very important. Without these touches and gestures I feel that it would have left quite a void within the service. I was also allowed to read a prayer and poem that I had written for Cliff. His stepson and friends also had the opportunity to read poems and prayers that had been collected from around the world. It softened the grief somehow and enabled me to feel God's all encompassing love and to feel that I had honoured Cliff in one of God's most Holy places.
There could have been no greater comfort to myself, a grieving widow, than to be allowed to have had the extra touches added to the funeral service for my beloved husband, within the parameters of the Church of England, especially when I was supported, comforted and understood by a vicar such as Mark.
When I look back at the service and the wonderful way with which Mark conducted it for Cliff, I know that it was the start of my healing from the severe pain and loss of my husband. For me, I am utterly sure that Jesus would have been very proud to have had Mark alongside Him. For Jesus showed only love, compassion and understanding, just as Mark did to me and there can be no greater mark of respect that I could give Mark.
Baby Naming / Blessing Ceremonies.
The following two letters are by a couple who's three children Mark welcomed into the world with magic and ritual.
As a couple with mixed religious and non-religious views, we wanted to organise our own ceremony for each of our three children to mark their arrivals into the world. We were aiming for the equivalent sense of celebration of a christening, coupled with the significance and symbolism of a rite of passage. We feel that we achieved this aim for all of our children, not thanks to our own abilities, but in much greater part to Mark’s sensitivity to and enthusiasm for our plans, his personal charisma and his creativity. For each child, he tailor made a ceremony that was a uniquely memorable combination of spirituality, magic symbolism and a celebration of the gift of a chid. I only wish we had known him before we got married.
Mr. Adrian Allen
Mark performed ceremonies for us to celebrate the birth of all our children. We wanted something spiritual but non-religious. They were immensely moving. He involved the children in beautiful magical tricks into which he wove wonderful stories about their future and their place in the world. We are enormously grateful to him.
Mrs. Emily Allen
And this letter is from Jenny Lewis. Jenny and Gareth invited Mark to Name and Bless their lovely little son Eli, using symbols and rituals from a variety of spiritual paths – especially the Druidic tradition. Thus the ceremony was earth-centred, enchanting and full of the rich creativity one associates with Celtic spirituality. This is a letter from Jenny, and below that are some photographs of the special day, donated by Eli’s ‘Goddess-Mother,’ Debbie.
Mark,
Thank you for being on this journey with us, for inspiring us and bringing together our thoughts, spirits, natural beliefs and, more importantly, our family.
You have been an important part making this day so special for Gareth, Eli and I. It has been wonderful to have you support and guide us – and to instil a little awe of magic in us all. Our family, friends and children have been in awe of your magic and presence here today. We are very blessed to have found you.
With deepest thanks,
Jenny, Gareth and Eli
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. As someone with a generously eccletic spiritual experience Mark draws upon his own Christian heritage as well the wealth of traditions from outside the boundaries of the Church.
Over time Mark has realised that many people see themselves as spiritual (and believers in God / Goddess / Spirit) yet cannot equate 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.
Endorsements:
Funerals.
We at R.W.MANN&SON, a long established funeral directors in Leominster, are pleased to endorse Mark Townsend. His services are spiritual but not religious and fully encompass today's move away from the standard church service. Mark himself is a compassionate and caring person who takes great care with families and respects their views and wishes. We highly recommend him.
Graham Bradley Funeral Director - R W Mann & Son
At a time of great sorrow, when my husband and soul mate, Peter, suddenly died, Mark Townsend was a huge help and I consider him to be a real gem. Most importantly, Mark empathised with my son, Anthony, and considered our joint needs. From my notes and quotes, Mark compiled a sincere and fitting tribute to Peter, consulting us every step of the way. On a very wild and windy day at Humber, Mark conducted the fondest farewell. We will always be grateful to Mark and have no hesitation in recommending his services to others. Cherry Brooks
This (below) is by a widow who's husband's funeral Mark conducted while still serving as a parish priest. In fact it was the last one he performed from within that context. The letter demonstrates how Mark has always had an ecceltic and broad spiritual vision, and how his feels these ceremonies shoudl be authentic and true - celebrating the REAL person.
Maria’s Story.
When my husband Cliff, died in May 2007 I very much wanted a church service for him, as the Church of England had always been held in high regard by us both. Throughout my life the Church has always been a place of sanctity, peace and healing for me.
I didn’t know what to do or who to turn to, so I rang the Priory vicarage and asked if I could speak to the Vicar. Mark returned my call and came out to visit me. It was a pure delight and relief to meet him. He showed such compassion and understanding, giving me totally unwavering support amidst my grief. He had many of the attributes that I had come to expect from a member of the clergy but there were other special qualities that he showed, qualities that can’t be taught or learnt....and one of those was the quality of wanting me to feel that the church had given their love and blessing to whichever way I felt was best to honour my late husband.
During our conversation, Mark suggested that I might like to include some pieces within the service that would “bring to life” the man that Cliff had been and to enable all who attended the funeral service to feel close to him. I didn’t know if I could include special items within the traditional funeral service that I felt would have honoured the man that Cliff had been throughout his life, or to symbolise the love and togetherness that we had shared. Mark assured me that whatever I wanted could be included.
The funeral service that Mark conducted for my late husband offered immense comfort and support to me, allowing me to do certain things - like blow bubbles to the heavens during the prayers (something that Cliff and I used to do, having had them blown at our marriage ceremony too). Mark also took a basket full of artistic and sacred items from our home that included crystals, spiritual symbols, candles, angels and Native American images. He decorated the entire altar area with them and played Native American drumming music as the coffin was brought into the church. This brought Cliff's and my world directly into the heart of the sacred space within the church which was so very important. Without these touches and gestures I feel that it would have left quite a void within the service. I was also allowed to read a prayer and poem that I had written for Cliff. His stepson and friends also had the opportunity to read poems and prayers that had been collected from around the world. It softened the grief somehow and enabled me to feel God's all encompassing love and to feel that I had honoured Cliff in one of God's most Holy places.
There could have been no greater comfort to myself, a grieving widow, than to be allowed to have had the extra touches added to the funeral service for my beloved husband, within the parameters of the Church of England, especially when I was supported, comforted and understood by a vicar such as Mark.
When I look back at the service and the wonderful way with which Mark conducted it for Cliff, I know that it was the start of my healing from the severe pain and loss of my husband. For me, I am utterly sure that Jesus would have been very proud to have had Mark alongside Him. For Jesus showed only love, compassion and understanding, just as Mark did to me and there can be no greater mark of respect that I could give Mark.
Baby Naming / Blessing Ceremonies.
The following two letters are by a couple who's three children Mark welcomed into the world with magic and ritual.
As a couple with mixed religious and non-religious views, we wanted to organise our own ceremony for each of our three children to mark their arrivals into the world. We were aiming for the equivalent sense of celebration of a christening, coupled with the significance and symbolism of a rite of passage. We feel that we achieved this aim for all of our children, not thanks to our own abilities, but in much greater part to Mark’s sensitivity to and enthusiasm for our plans, his personal charisma and his creativity. For each child, he tailor made a ceremony that was a uniquely memorable combination of spirituality, magic symbolism and a celebration of the gift of a chid. I only wish we had known him before we got married.
Mr. Adrian Allen
Mark performed ceremonies for us to celebrate the birth of all our children. We wanted something spiritual but non-religious. They were immensely moving. He involved the children in beautiful magical tricks into which he wove wonderful stories about their future and their place in the world. We are enormously grateful to him.
Mrs. Emily Allen
And this letter is from Jenny Lewis. Jenny and Gareth invited Mark to Name and Bless their lovely little son Eli, using symbols and rituals from a variety of spiritual paths – especially the Druidic tradition. Thus the ceremony was earth-centred, enchanting and full of the rich creativity one associates with Celtic spirituality. This is a letter from Jenny, and below that are some photographs of the special day, donated by Eli’s ‘Goddess-Mother,’ Debbie.
Mark,
Thank you for being on this journey with us, for inspiring us and bringing together our thoughts, spirits, natural beliefs and, more importantly, our family.
You have been an important part making this day so special for Gareth, Eli and I. It has been wonderful to have you support and guide us – and to instil a little awe of magic in us all. Our family, friends and children have been in awe of your magic and presence here today. We are very blessed to have found you.
With deepest thanks,
Jenny, Gareth and Eli