Memorial Garden

St. John’s Memorial Garden is located at the north (behind) the church building and provides a beautiful, secluded and quiet place for the interment of ashes and quiet prayer, reflection and remembrance.

Who may be interred in the Memorial Garden?
It is reserved for members of St. John’s Episcopal Church and their immediate family members.  The Rector may make exceptions with special cause.

What are the restrictions on the interments?
Only cremated ashes may be buried in the Memorial Garden, and the ashes (known as ‘cremains’) will be poured directly into the soil.  No urns or containers are permitted.  When a person is interred in the Memorial Garden, it is a vivid enactment of “earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust.”  Therefore, no spots are reserved and no marking of individual locations is permitted.

Is there a plaque?
Yes. On the north side of the Memorial Garden, is a Memorial Wall where individual name plaques are placed. Each person interred in the Memorial Garden may have a plaque with the name, year of birth and year of death.  The plaque will be ordered by the church through our regular supplier to ensure consistency.

Can I have plaque and be interred elsewhere?
Under certain circumstances.  Basically, a plaque is only permitted when it is the only marker.  If cremains are interred elsewhere with a marker of any kind, then there will be no plaque in the Garden.  If, however, ashes are scattered elsewhere, or retained by the family, and there is no other marker, then a plaque may be placed in the Memorial Garden.  The full cost for interment in the Memorial Garden will apply (see below).

Can I reserve a spot?
Generally, no.  However when someone is interred in the Memorial Garden, a one time opportunity will be made available to immediate family members to reserve a plaque location adjacent to their loved one.  The full cost of any such future interments must be paid at the time the location is reserved.  A blank marker will be placed on the wall indicating the reserved spot.  Other than this situation, specific locations cannot be reserved for plaques.  Plaques will be installed in the order in which they are ordered.

What is the cost?
There is a one time fee of $300 for interment in the Memorial Garden. This covers the cost of the plaque and the remainder goes into a permanent fund for the maintenance and upkeep of the Garden.  This fee is payable to St. John’s Church within one month of the interment.  Note that this fee applies whether ashes are placed in the Garden or not.  In cases of exceptional need, this fee may be reduced or waived at the discretion of the Rector.

How will the Memorial Garden be maintained?
The vestry has established a specific Memorial Garden Restricted account within the church accounting system. All interment fees and other contributions are deposited into this account.  The vestry has the responsibility to ensure the garden is maintained in its current condition and landscaping be maintained as required. The vestry will also review the fulfillment of the Memorial Wall and ensure the availability of funds required for future expansion.

Is the Memorial Garden permanent?
It is our intention that this Memorial Garden be maintained in it’s present location in perpetuity.  However, in the unforeseen event that the area now designated as the Memorial Garden must be put to some other use it is understood that the church is free to do so.  In this case, the ashes are considered to have returned to the soil and are no longer identifiable, so there would be no attempt to identify or move cremains.  The plaques would be moved to an appropriate location as near as practical to the original location.  The church will make reasonable effort to contact family members in this event, but this cannot be assured.