Finances

The overriding directive from the Session was that the columbarium must use no undesignated church funds. The two main sources of money will be from niche reservation fees and donations to the project.

The main infra-structure cost will be the landscaping of the memorial garden. Good, well designed landscaping is not cheap. The Heske garden which the city recently installed near the Munson Center cost on the order of $250,000. Just the landscaping of a small median on Lohman Avenue cost $84,000. It is estimated that a fine memorial garden which will add distinction to our church would cost about eight to ten thousand dollars. The niches and their housing will cost about ten thousand dollars depending on how many are initially reserved. Furthermore a sum also must be set aside for maintenance.

The Session has set the reservation fee at $950 per niche, each of which can hold up to two urns. There would be no additional cost except for a nominal fee for face plate engraving.

It is deemed unreasonable to expect the initial reservation fee to include the entire cost of the infra-structure, so donations toward the landscaping and initial installation are being solicited.

Two forms, one for niche reservation and another for donations have been approved by the Session to insure that, in the event that the congregation does not show enough interest in the project, the money can be returned to the donors.

These forms can be printed from this web site or obtained from any committee member. One form is used for a niche reservation and the other for a project donation.