Columbarium Project
See the following related links:
Report to Church Council, December 31, 2010
Report to Congregation, February 13, 2011 (see below)
Church Project Resolution, February 13, 2011
Letter to Congregation, March 13, 2011
Congregational Interest Survey, March 13, 2011
Photo Simulation of Columbarium
Latest version of the Columbarium Site Plan here and here, June 23, 2011
Notes from August 2011 Meeting, August 11, 2011
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THE MEMORIAL GARDEN COLUMBARIUM MINISTRY PROJECT
This report has been submitted by Dana Squire, Co-Chair of the Peace Memorial Garden and Columbarium Committee. The photos presented are examples of columbariums visited by Committee members and do not necessarily reflect the proposed Columbarium for Peace. Download the Committee’s Columbarium Project Report in PDF format by clicking here.
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A Lutheran Pastor told me there are just three (3) important events in our lives. We are HATCHED, MATCHED, and DISPATCHED.
At Peace we do the HATCHED very well. The new born is baptized at the Gathering Hall font with the Church family gathered around.
We also perform the MATCHED event well. Pastor Steve has married all three (3) of our children; however he had to do one over a second time.
Now, we would like to add the DISPATCHED event to our Ministry.
In the history of Christianity the tradition of burial on Church grounds has been the final event of ministry, but Christian burial has been replaced by burial at secular cemeteries. This has occurred because most churches do not have the land to establish a cemetery and if they have the land it is very expensive. At Peace Lutheran Church we have a Memorial Garden to commemorate those buried elsewhere. For example, Arlene and Ralph Reed have a Rose Bush to honor their Grandson Conner, Michele Lane and Duane Schmidt have a plaque to honor their Son, and the friends of Bonnie Knudson have a stone bench for Bonnie.
In June, the Church Council approved a Feasibility Study Project to enhance the existing Memorial Garden by adding a Columbarium and a Memorial Wall. A Columbarium is a wall of niches, each capable of holding two urns containing cremated remains of the deceased. The Memorial Wall contains plaques which commemorates those buried elsewhere.
A group of Seasoned Souls have been studying this project. The team is composed of Arlene Reed, Libby Flynn (Librarian/Botanist), Rich Collins (Stratford School Liaison) , Ron Carlston, Nancy Carlston (Co-chair), Les Marquoit (Civil Engineer), Dana Squire (Co-chair), and Joan Squire. We have visited Memorial Garden Columbariums in Carefree Arizona, Midland Michigan, Stockton California, and most recently Saint Timothy Church in Danville California. All have outside Columbariums.
Based in our findings we asked Homecoming Inc. to visit Peace Lutheran Church and inform us of their Products and Services. Homecoming Inc. of Scottsdale Arizona is a 25+ year old company that provides Columbarium Systems, Products, and Services. This company made a presentation to our team at Peace in June 2010. At the last Church Council Meeting we presented our 12/31/2010 Progress Report. This report was accepted and the Council approved the Columbarium Project as a new Ministry subject to Congregational approval which is one reason why we are here today.
