Revd John Gray, M.Div. - Independent Funeral Celebrant

I am Rev John Gray, an independent funeral celebrant as an inter-denominational minister. I conduct funeral services to celebrate the life of the deceased, pay honour to them, to support their loved ones and the bereaved emotionally and, equally important, to convey the Christian message of resurrection and eternal life. Jesus says, “I am the Resurrection and the Life.” (Jn 11:25) In Him we have eternal life. I wish to bring Words of comfort to those who mourn and have come from all faith-walks of life, who may not be affiliated to any church, or not have encountered the Christian message before. I also facilitate, in a sensitive and personal manner, a time of remembering someone special, who has touched our hearts in many ways. My experience stems from decades of local church ministry worldwide, and latterly from 2002- 2022 as an ordained minister of the United Reformed Church. An important part of this was in conducting funeral services that I always viewed as celebration of the life of the deceased, whether it was short or long - in human terms. A time when we are confronted with our mortality in the light of God’s promise of eternal life to those who believe in Him. It is important to know that there are many Christian denominations and interpretations of the Bible vary, but underlying all of these, when it comes to death, there is a common belief that comes directly from the resurrection of Jesus.