MEMORIAL GARDEN

Our faith teaches that "In Life and Death We Belong to God". To honor that promise, the Session of Hudson Memorial Presbyterian Church initiated the creation of a memorial garden in 1989 which serves as the final resting place for the cremated remains of loved ones and as a place of remembrance. In 2021, the Memorial Garden Committee and Hudson Foundation committed to renewal and care of this space. The garden has undergone a transformation that glorifies God and honors the saints who have gone before us. The garden is open 24 hours, family can visit any time. All are welcome to commune with God in this beautiful and sacred space.

RITES

The rites for interment will be in keeping with Presbyterian forms of worship and prescribed by the Minister. Ministers will assist the family with any service of commitment.

GUIDELINES & POLICIES

Eligibility

Members, ministers and former ministers of HMPC, Raleigh, NC, spouses, partners and their children are eligible to be interred in the Memorial Garden. Special requests will be reviewed and considered by the Memorial Garden Board of Directors.

Records

A diagram of the columbarium and memorial tablet is kept in the church office. With it are records of vital statistics of all individuals who have been or are to be memorialized and/or interred in the Memorial Garden.

Columbary or Memorial Plaques

Columbary and/or memorial plaques are available upon payment of the fee in effect at the time of payment. The reservation of a columbary or memorial plaque and the payment of a fee allows the person to be memorialized and/or interred but does not convey any right to ownership of any property to an individual. No transfer of reservation of a columbary or memorial plaque shall be made to another person, estate or corporation.

The Columbarium offers both single and double niches. Multiple urns may be interred together in a double niche.

The Memorial Wall is open to anyone to purchase a plaque in memory of a loved one, (member or non-member).

Marker/Plaque

The Board of Directors will have sole responsibility for choosing materials and maintaining uniformity. Inscriptions on the columbary or memorial plaque shall consist of surnames and Christian names and dates of birth and death. The Board of Directors will provide oversight of these arrangements.

CARE & MAINTENANCE

The Board of Directors, in cooperation with the church staff, will arrange for the care and maintenance of the Memorial Garden. In an effort to serve the interests of all who visit the columbarium and the need to maintain a neat and respectful appearance, the Memorial Garden Board offers the following guidelines.

Families who wish to adorn niches should contact the Board or office administrator. Upon request, the Board will provide and install two copper wire hooks attached to the top screws of niche plaque. These hooks are adequate to support a small arrangement of flowers or other small ornament such as a cross, wreath, flag, etc. We ask that families take the responsibility for removing items as needed: dead flowers, weathered or broken ornaments, etc.

No adhesives of any kind: tape, glue, etc., may be used on the plaques.

The Board reserves the right to remove any items deemed unsightly or that are not otherwise in keeping with the stated guidelines. Requests to place items in the Memorial Garden that fall outside this policy should be directed to the Memorial Garden Board and will be considered on an individual basis.

COST

Purchase of a niche or plaque conveys the right to interment of ashes or placement of name on the memorial table, appropriate inscriptions thereon, and perpetual care of the Memorial Garden. A marker for each columbary and memorial plaque will be included in the cost. Payment is due when a contract to purchase is completed. The family is responsible for all other costs such as funeral home charges, cremation costs, etc.

Memorial Plaque for the Tablet: $500

Single Niche in the Columbarium: $1,600

Doubles Niches in the Columbarium: $2,400

In order to maintain and care for this space, we encourage donations to the Memorial Garden Care Fund which can be made online or through the church office.