Blacksburg Presbyterian Church
Columbarium and All Saints Garden
What is a columbarium?
A columbarium is a structure provided for the placement of the ashes of the dead and can be either an interior or exterior structure. Ashes are placed in niches or compartments within the columbarium and are marked with a memorial plaque. Sometimes a church chooses to have a memorial garden in addition to or instead of a columbarium. Here ashes are either buried in urns (in marked places) or scattered in the garden (with a memorial plaque). Sometimes these projects include plaques to memorialize members of the family buried elsewhere. A columbarium is a place where the ashes of the departed may rest in peace and dignity within the shadow of the church
Is cremation appropriate and allowable?
The concept of internment or burial in consecrated ground is both theologically and practically sound. If the church is the center of life—baptism, confirmation, marriage, and worship—then death and burial should be centered here as well. Planning a hallowed place of interment or inurnment within or adjacent to the church revives the ancient Christian tradition of having the mortal remains of members of the Christian community located as near as possible to the place of community worship. Cremation is also economical (far less expensive than burial) and an example of sensible land stewardship.
The Columbarium Committee at Blacksburg Presbyterian Church considered a variety of indoor and outdoor locations on the church grounds. The area chosen for and approved by the Session for both the columbarium and memorial garden is the courtyard bordered by the sanctuary, prayer room, hallway, and library. Access is available from the hallway and from the prayer room. The connection to the prayer room is very appealing as is the site-line into the baptismal font in the sanctuary, thus connecting the beginning and ending of our mortal life. The location also provides a protected outdoor space which has, in fact, begged for a fitting purpose since our building was constructed in 1956.
For more information, please contact:
Blacksburg Presbyterian Church Office at 540-552-2504 or bpc@bburg.bev.net. Link to the Everest Columbarium website
Blacksburg Presbyterian Church Office at 540-552-2504 or bpc@bburg.bev.net.
Link to the Everest Columbarium website
What is the price of a niche or memorial plaque?
The price of a niche in the Columbarium at Blacksburg Presbyterian Church is $1,000. The price of a memorial plaque is $300. To scatter ashes in the Memorial Garden requires purchase of a plaque.
The price of a niche in the Columbarium at Blacksburg Presbyterian Church is $1,000.
The price of a memorial plaque is $300.
To scatter ashes in the Memorial Garden requires purchase of a plaque.