Services

The Church falls within the Benefice of Eton with Eton Wick, Boveney and Dorney. Services at the Church are therefore organised and arranged by or with the Vicar (the Incumbent).

The following services do take place at the Church:

• St Mary Magdalene Patronal Festival Service - 1600hrs on Thursday, 22nd July 2021    
• Christmas Advent Service by Candlelight - 1500hrs on Sunday, 12th December 2021

Baptisms, Weddings & Funerals
Renewal of Vows and Blessings following a Civil Ceremony

Below are the guidleines for various services being held at the Church, provided by The Friends of Friendless Churches, who are the long term tenants of the Church.

Please use the Online Contact Form if you require further information or to contact the Incumbent.

Baptisms

Undertaken with the consent of the incumbent, the baptism must be recorded in the register of the parish church. The Friends of Friendless Churches charge a small fee for use of the church to help support its upkeep.

Weddings

In England and Wales, the law requires that weddings can only take place in buildings licensed for such purpose. The reason is that a wedding is a public service to which there must be free entry for all. The Friends of Friendless’ churches are not now parish churches, and they are not now licensed for weddings.

A wedding in one of our churches requires a Special Licence from the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Registrar. The issue of a Special Licence is subject to rules laid down by the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Application for an Archbishop’s Special Licence should be made only after receiving the agreement of the Incumbent, who should have agreed the specific case or a general policy as to weddings in the particular church with the Diocesan Bishop. The Incumbent must also check with the Friends of Friendless Churches’ office that the church is available at the time requested.

Applications should then be addressed to:

The Archbishop’s Registry, The Faculty Office of the Archbishop of Canterbury, 1 The Sanctuary, London, SW1P 3JT

020 7222 5381

A fee will be payable to the Friends of Friendless Churches, in addition to the usual fees payable to the officiating minister and the fee for the Archbishop’s Special Licence.

When a wedding takes place in one of the Friends of Friendless’ churches it must be recorded in the register of the local parish church.

Weddings in any of our Anglican churches can only take place according to the Rites and Ceremonies of the Church of England or Church in Wales respectively. A consecrated building, and all our churches remain consecrated, cannot in law be licensed for a civil wedding. Neither for that matter are religious ceremonies permitted in buildings licensed for civil marriages.

Blessings

A service of blessing following a civil marriage does not require an Archbishop’s Special Licence, but does require the Incumbent’s permission, agreed with the Diocesan Bishop, and the availability of the church. There are no legal fees for this form of service, but the Friends of Friendless Churches will normally charge a fee.

The Church of England is willing to consider marrying divorcees in church and this too, both as a general policy and in relation to individual cases, is a matter for the individual Incumbent in agreement with the Diocesan Bishop.

Funerals

Funerals may take place in one of the Friends of Friendless’ churches if the Incumbent agrees to this within a policy approved by the Diocesan Bishop or to a specific case.

Funeral services may also be held before the interment of a parishioner in a churchyard which is not vested in the Friends of Friendless Churches, on the same basis.

Burials

Some of the churchyards in which the Friends of Friendless’ churches stand have been legally closed for burials; others remain open. Of those that remain open, a few are vested in the Friends, while most are not. St Mary Magdalene, Boveney is not open for burials. The scattering of ashes, in accordance with the requirements of the Church of England, is not permitted.

Memorials in Churches and Churchyards

The Friends of Friendless Churches have a responsibility to ensure that their churches and the churchyards surrounding their churches are conserved as befits their listed status. No memorial may be placed without the Friends of Friendless Churches’ prior permission.

Collections

The Friends of Friendless Churches bear the full cost of repairing and maintaining our churches. Our funds are limited and the calls upon them great. Therefore, whenever our churches are used for any service, whilst we charge no fee except as set out above, we do require that a collection be taken to assist with maintenance and be sent on to the Friends of Friendless Churches’ office in the form of a cheque.

If the service is intended to support a local charity or the local Parish Church, the Friends of Friendless Churches may agree to half the collection going to such a purpose after expenses for the service have been deducted. Agreement must in such cases be obtained from the Friends of Friendless Churches’ office in advance.