GUIDELINES AND PROCEDURES
PURPOSE
The Columbarium of Second Presbyterian Church provides a holy place for the interment of ashes following cremation. The Columbarium is a place of worship and celebration; a place to meditate and remember those who have gone before us.
CREMATION AND THE COLUMBARIUM
Cremation and interment in a Columbarium is both theologically and biblically sound. The church is the center of life – baptism, confirmation, marriage, and worship – so it is appropriate that death and burial should be centered here as well. A hallowed place of interment adjacent to the church revives the ancient Christian tradition of having the remains of members of the Christian community located as near as possible to the place of community worship. Contemporary Bible study finds no Scriptural prohibition of this practice.
Eligibility for Interment
The Columbarium niches and Memorials shall be reserved for and used by the following:
- Members or former members and their spouses, children, and parents;
- Current or former ministers and staff and their spouses, children, and parents.
Requests for exceptions to this policy will be reviewed by the Columbarium Committee.
INTERMENT SPACE
Niches will be used for the interment of cremated human remains (cremains) only. The cremains of no more than one person are to be interred in a single niche or urn. There will be no ownership interest or right of tenancy vested by signing the “Interment Rights Agreement”.
RESERVATION AND PURCHASE OF NICHES
Reservation for niches shall be available upon submission of an “Application for Columbarium Interment Rights” and payment of the reservation fee in effect at the time of reservation. Reservations cannot be transferred to another party. In the event a reserving party wishes to cancel a reservation a written request must be submitted to the Columbarium Committee. If the Committee agrees to the cancellation, the reservation fee shall be returned to the reserving party without interest.
Upon approval of the Application by the Columbarium Committee a niche will be assigned on the basis of availability. The location and number of the niches will be shown on a master plat maintained by the Committee. Once the full purchase price is paid and a niche is assigned an “Interment Rights Agreement” will be executed.
Once a person’s ashes have been interred, the cremains may only be removed upon approval of a written request by the Columbarium Committee. No refunds will be issued.
RITES AND SERVICES
All rites and services relating to the interment in the Columbarium shall be subject to the discretion of and conducted by the Pastors of Second Presbyterian Church or their designee. A single arrangement of natural flowers and/or a flag may be used on the day of interment only. Any other modification and decoration of niches is specifically prohibited.
PLAQUES AND INSCRIPTIONS
All niches will be covered with identical granite covers. The inscriptions for niche covers and memorial markers will include name and dates of birth and death only. The inscription will be of a standard type style. The size of the lettering may depend on name length.
FEES AND CHARGES
Niche Reservation Fee $500
Full Interment Fee
Prior to Initial Construction $1,600
After initiation of Construction $1,800
Memorial Fees
Memorial inscriptions for persons interred elsewhere $300
CARE OF COLUMBARIUM
A Columbarium Fund will be established and maintained for the ongoing maintenance and preservation of the Columbarium. All fees received will be designated for the Columbarium Fund. It is the intent of the Columbarium Committee to maintain the Columbarium in a tasteful, reverent and dignified state. However the Committee does not assume liability for destruction from vandalism, terrorism or natural disasters.
The Second Presbyterian Church reserves the right to move the Columbarium to another location within the church property or to another location if the Church is moved from its present location. If such a move becomes necessary all cremains will be moved by Second Presbyterian Church at its cost and placed in another columbarium.
RECORDS
All records necessary for the administration of the Columbarium will be maintained by the Columbarium Committee or the Business Administrator, including the following:
Master plat of location and number of niches
Application for Columbarium Interment Rights
Interment Rights Agreement
COLUMBARIUM COMMITTEE
All operations of the Columbarium shall be governed by a six-person Committee, nominated by the Nominating Committee and elected by the Session. Ex officio members of the committee without vote include Pastor/Head of Staff and the Church Business Administrator.
Elected board members are divided into three classes each serving three years, except for the initial board where two members each will be elected for one year, two year and three year terms.
MEMORIAL PRAYER GARDEN
The Memorial Prayer Garden is an area of the church property available for the spreading of cremains. The Policy regarding use of the Prayer Garden is available in the Church office.
Approved 4-15-08
