3Funerals: conduct by lay personE
(1)In section 4 of the Church of England (Miscellaneous Provisions) Measure 2018 (funerals: conduct), after subsection (1) insert—
“(1A)A duly authorised deaconess, reader or lay worker (a “lay office-holder”) may, with the consent of the incumbent or priest-in-charge of the benefice or parish to which the lay office-holder is licensed, perform a funeral service in a crematorium, cemetery or other place which is not a church or churchyard, and in which the lay office-holder would not otherwise be entitled to perform the service, if—
(a)the persons concerned have asked the lay office-holder to perform the service, and
(b)the lay office-holder has, so far as practicable, informed the relevant minister and sought his or her goodwill.
(1B)The reference in subsection (1A) to the incumbent or priest-in-charge of the benefice or parish is, where there is no such person, to be read as a reference to the rural dean of the deanery in which the benefice or parish is situated.”
(2)In subsection (3) of that section, after “subsection (1)” insert “ or (1A) ”.
(3)In subsection (4) of that section, for “subsection (1)” substitute “ subsections (1) and (1A) ”.
Commencement Information
I1S. 3 in force at 1.9.2020 by S.I. 2020/835, art. 2