Breath to Bones





Ceremonies & services that honour life's transitions from first to last breath.



Honouring Beginninsgs





Ceremonies for Life's
In Between





Nurturing endings




Honouring Beginnings



Ceremonies for the transition(s) to parenting





"I just wanted to quickly say thank you again, you did a fabulous job today! I'm so happy you were able to do our daughter's blessing! Everyone was saying how beautiful it was after you left and commented you did a great job!"


Across cultures, the birth of a baby is an occasion marked by rituals steeped in tradition. Birth traditions weave us into the fabric of our community, and the process of gathering serves as a form of rallying – a means of encircling the next generation with wisdom, guidance, support and blessings. You may be aware of Baby Naming (Judaism), Baptism (Christian), and the First Laugh (Navajo) ceremonies, or a myriad of other ceremonies rooted in various religious and spiritual practice. However, what about families who are secular, spiritual but less dogmatic in matters of belief, come from varied faith backgrounds or diverse family composition, or just wish to cultivate their own unique way of welcoming a child into their lives?


Introducing, the Baby Blessing


Don’t let the name fool you. While typically performed within the first year of a child’s life, these ceremonies are appropriate to celebrate any child, regardless of age and how they came to be part of a family (birth, adoption, blending, chosen family etc.). Often they are arranged between a family and an officiant, and personalized to take on a celebratory tone reflective of the values, hopes, and intentions of the family. Baby Blessings can be held in any venue, including a family’s home. Previous clients have rented chapels or churches, or utilized community spaces in their neighborhoods.


Guests usually include any person who the family would identify as important to their child’s life, someone they trust to draw on as a source of support throughout their child’s life, and as they navigate their unfolding role of parent. Guests cross generational lines, and homage is often paid to ancestors who are unable to physically gather, but no less play an important role in their child’s life. As a nod to tradition, some clients designate Godparents for their child. Others will invite siblings or other important people to formally accept an alternate role as a knowledgeable and trustworthy guide/guardian, omitting the religious terminology that does not resonate or align with their beliefs.


The content of a baby blessing ceremony usually includes a welcoming and expression of gratitude for those who have gathered, a reminder of the collective responsibility to care for children in our communities, a “blessing”, and specific stories or reflections that represent the unique gifts, talents and personality of the child being celebrated. Friends and family, siblings too may participate in the ceremony by making statements of commitment, doing readings, lighting candles, and telling stories. Your officiant can offer suggestions on how to include people should this be of interest to you.


In terms of length, I have found the sweet spot to be between 20-30 minutes, often because there are other children in attendance, and guests and parents alike get anxious about their child’s threshold to sit or stand for too long. This length gives us enough time to make a memory, without leaving anyone to fidget through a long sermon. A Baby Blessing certificate can be provided by your officiant as a keepsake of this special occasion.


As a threshold moment, marking new beginnings, officiating Baby Blessings offers me an opportunity to be reminded of the power of a community, and how necessary we each are in the lives of children. As a bonus, Baby Blessings also give me the privilege of being involved in some of my clients’ lives for more than their wedding day!


Costs for a personalized ceremony tend to range from $300.00-450.00.



Ceremonies for life's in between



Our lives are filled with transitions across ages and stages. Each of these transitions are worthy of honouring and ceremony. Western cultures tend to narrowly focus on births, birthdays, holidays and deaths; however, a whole lot of living happens in the in between moments that bookend our lives.


These are the ceremonies for life's in between

Some examples include:

- moving

- job change or retiring

- entering a different life phase, such as new partnership or uncoupling/divorce

- planning a family, adopting a child, choosing a surrogate and/or donors

- transitioning gender(s) or a significant other aspect of your identity is shifting

- cutting ties


We offer affirming and inclusive ceremonies customized around your unique situation.

These ceremonies can be held at a location of your choosing, and can be as intimate as between yourself and your officiant, or any number of witnesses/participants.



Funerals, Celebrations of Life & Tributes



“Thank you for everything you did for our Celebration of Life day. Many people came up to me after and during the event, and were simply moved by how wonderful you were - they could not believe that you personally were not a friend. I can not thank you enough for your time, and wonderful words of peace and comfort.”


Greetings. I am Rev Dr. Jodi Hall. Whatever the circumstances that have lead you to explore my services, I want to say, I got you. I have been supporting individuals and families through significant life transitions since 1996, and worked in the counselling field for two decades. Each and every person I encounter in my work experiences death, grief and loss in their own unique ways, and I am here to support you through a significant component of that journey – the Celebration of Life of your loved one.


What matters to you, is what matters to me


After you contact me, I will send a short questionnaire to begin getting a sense of how I can be of assistance. We’ll schedule a time to talk in person or virtually, and you may bring with you anyone that may lend you comfort during our meeting, or would like contribute their ideas to the ceremony. During our time together, we will move at your pace to plan a ceremony that suits the tone and temperament of your loved one. I invite families to share at the level they feel comfortable, and I prioritize your well-being every step of the way. I place the needs of the bereaved person(s) above any personal agenda I may have for our meeting. What matters to you, is what matters to me. Sorting out your ideas can take some time and gentle guidance to sort through while mourning. None of this you need to figure out on your own. I follow your lead, and I don’t make assumptions or judgements about your loved one or your relationship with them. All feelings are valid, and no feeling is final.


Memories bring back memories, bring back memories...


During our first meeting, you’re invited to simply start where you’d like. To break the ice, I usually ask for you to bring to mind your most vivid memory of your loved one you’d want to share with me. Sometimes, it’s a song that best describes a loved one, or a favourite movie or quote. With your permission I will take notes to help me capture important details. In situations where recalling memories is not appropriate to the death, I will simply ask you to begin with your intention for the celebration – what’s most important for you to share with me is what I most need to hear. I want you to know that I can hold any memories that may surface during our planning process, whatever those memories may be. I hold them as sacred recollections of your particular relationship with the decedent. The information you share with me is confidential, unless you give me permission to share as appropriate in the celebration.


Together, we will share their story.


After we meet, I will write a draft of the ceremony according to your wishes, and offer some readings or reflections I think suit the person you are honouring. Any important religious or cultural beliefs and practices can be weaved into the celebration. I will assist any loved ones, including children, who'd like to participate, such as accompanying them through writing and delivering a Eulogy, or assist them to write a personal reflection to be included in the celebration. The people closest to the deceased will have the final say over the content of the ceremony. Where there may be disagreements between family members, to the best of my ability, I will facilitate a process that leads to a positive resolution. Where times permits, we will meet one more time to review the ceremony and other final details you may have about the day.


Long gone are one-size-fits-all celebrations of life. Just as your loved one was one of a kind, so too can be their celebration. With deep caring, compassion and creativity, I will you tell their stories to pay homage to their legacy and brings comfort to the bereaved.


"How very fortunate my family was that Jodi agreed to do our recent Celebration of Life for a loved one we lost last month, Compassion, caring, professionalism, warmth, understanding and totally grateful are just a few words that quickly come to mind to describe the experience"


Fees for the celebration of life planning and officiating begin at $300.00. No person will be turned away based on finances alone.



Please contact Something New to discuss ways we can support you & your Loved oneS through A celebration of Life.





Saying hello, saying good-bye: Supporting children & youth to develop rituals of remembering