Ceremonies of Significance

If you want a dignified service for a wedding, a memorial or funeral, a child naming or other rite of passage, we will work with you to create significant, personalized services that reflect your beliefs, traditions and personal choices. Our lay chaplains are trained by the Canadian Unitarian Council to serve the community as officiants, and will be pleased to meet with you.

Lay Chaplains

Emily Cummins-Woods phone: 613-344-0297 e-mail: Emily Cummins-Woods brings a wealth of interesting life experience and training to her role as lay chaplain. She has travelled a lot, living and working in several countries. Emily hails from Montreal, where she earned a degree in comparative religion, and one in social work. She has really enjoyed working with couples and families, and especially so now by helping them create meaningful rituals to take them through life's milestones. She has already performed many weddings of all varieties, and is able to perform them in English, French or both.

Gordon Darrall phone: 613-353-9989 e-mail: I have been a member of KUF for over twenty years and during that time I have held many positions in the congregation. Now I am enjoying the privilege of being a Lay Chaplain. Each time I meet with a couple or family to plan a ceremony, I recognize the uniqueness of these individuals. I work with them to create a highlighted moment in their lives, reflecting who they are as individuals. After 30 years as a teacher, I now enjoy cutting firewood, growing a large garden, making things, hiking, and sharing moments with family and friends. Every ceremony at which I officiate, brings me into the lives of many interesting and committed people; for that I am thankful.

Weddings

For a wedding, our role includes up to two meetings to become acquainted and plan a personalized service. We provide many resources to help plan a ceremony that recognizes and honours your traditions and values.

On your wedding day:

• Officiate at your service;
• Sign the register and licence along with the wedding couple and two witnesses;
• Keep a record of the marriage;
• Send your marriage licence to the Registry Office.

We respect diversity and believe that legal marriage should be available for all. Unitarians have celebrated same sex unions for more than 30 years, and have been on the leading edge to make legal marriage available to everyone.

Funerals or Memorial Services

For a funeral or memorial service, many people find themselves without a Minister or Officiant at the time of a death. KUF Lay Chaplains are available to meet with the bereaved to plan and conduct a meaningful service, at a location of your choice.

Our fees

• Marriage: $275. (travel outside the city & rehearsals are extra.)
• Memorial or Funeral:$275.
• Child Naming: $200.
• Other rites of passage: On request.

($75 of these fees go to the Unitarian Fellowship.)

Locations for Services

The services may be held in a location of your choice:

• in your home, a park, backyard garden
• at a restaurant, a hotel, B & B, or a hall
• at the Kingston Unitarian Fellowship. (See Facilities for more information on room rental at KUF.)

We welcome your enquiries. In addition to the phone numbers and e-mail addresses listed above, lay chaplains may be contacted through the KUF office at 613-544-8777, or at .

Resources and Links

Lay Chaplains will provide you with choices of wording and readings for services, and also recommend the following web sites for ideas:

• First Unitarian Congregation Weddings
• Wedding Ceremony Booklet (from the First Unitarian Congregation of Ottawa).