Hi Esther By naturalist does this essentially mean the same as humanist in your understanding? In the various MHs I've been associated with I've had requests for both humanist/naturalist funerals and weddings i.e. non-affiliated to any religious group but wanting spiritual/ritualistic elements throughout that may not be acceptable at registry offices. Funerals: there haven't been any issues, they've just been treated as any other booking. Weddings have proved more problematic for some Meetings and not for others, and over time the reticence seems to have lessened. There was (is) an understandable worry that QMHs would be viewed as secular and that we, Quakers, would potentially lose our 'privilege' of being allowed to marry without a civil registrar present or in a registered building, this seemed to be of particularly more concern before same sex marriages became lawful. Any marriage/wedding that takes place in a Meeting House, other than a Quaker marriage, is not legal (unless the Meeting House is specifically registered for weddings, but I don't know of any that are), so the couple would still need to do the legal bit elsewhere. Some Meetings have wanted to consider the request and meet with the couple before making a decision. Some Meetings have just treated the wedding as any other booking, within the guidance set out in the usual Terms & Conditions. Hope that jumble of thoughts is helpful? Good luck Tasha Natasha Heny Warden Lancaster Quaker Meeting House lancasterquakers@gmail.com 01524 62971 <https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&q=Lancaster+Quaker+Meeting+...> (My days off are Friday and Saturdays, and I work flexible hours between 08:45-19:30 Sunday to Thursday.) On Mon, 19 Feb 2024 at 11:05, Quaker House via wardenship < wardenship@lists.quaker.eu.org> wrote:
---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Quaker House <house.quaker@googlemail.com> To: Quaker Wardenship Support <wardenship@lists.quaker.eu.org> Cc: Bcc: Date: Mon, 19 Feb 2024 11:02:31 +0000 Subject: [wardenship] Naturalist wedding enquiry Dear Wardens/Managers,
Have any of you had any requests and or experience of hiring your Meeting House for a naturalist wedding or event?
If so, can you share any suggestions for any additional questions that might need to be raised prior to the hire that would be much appreciated.
Our enquiry is for a naturalist wedding in August, date TBC.
Kind regards,
*Esther White* *Quaker House Manager*
01752 600760 house.quaker@googlemail.com www.quakerhouseplymouth.org.uk Quaker House, 74 Mutley Plain, Plymouth, Devon, PL4 6LF
---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Quaker House via wardenship <wardenship@lists.quaker.eu.org> To: Quaker Wardenship Support <wardenship@lists.quaker.eu.org> Cc: Quaker House <house.quaker@googlemail.com> Bcc: Date: Mon, 19 Feb 2024 11:02:31 +0000 Subject: [wardenship] Naturalist wedding enquiry _______________________________________________ wardenship mailing list -- wardenship@lists.quaker.eu.org To unsubscribe send an email to wardenship-leave@lists.quaker.eu.org