The Columbarium Project
Recently, there has been some interest in providing Countryside UU members and their families the opportunity to establish a place to respectfully house and display human cremated remains. One of the options that many individuals and families have considered is a Columbarium. A columbarium is a structure made up of individual compartments, known as niches, where urns containing cremated remains are placed. These niches are often found in cemeteries, memorial parks, churches, or other places of worship.
The terms “mausoleum” and “columbarium” are frequently used interchangeably. Although they are both stately structures that serve as final resting places, they each have a very distinct purpose. Mausoleums are designed to hold caskets. Columbarium, on the other hand, are much smaller and solely intended to store and protect ashes. Columbarium provide a centralized and accessible location for family visitation and reflection in a space that has meaning for you. Unlike scattered ashes, a niche provides a specific, permanent, and accessible location for family members to reflect, pray, or meditate in a peaceful landscape surrounding. Another significant benefit of a Columbarium is the lower cost compared to a full-casket burial. Choosing a Columbarium niche is more economical, avoiding expenses like burial plots, headstones, and expensive caskets.
One proposed site for the Countryside UU Columbarium is a quiet and ‘out-of-public view’ area in the back of the church. A landscaped Memorial Garden would be established to house the Columbarium and could also include a seating area (bench) and ambient lighting.
The cost of the purchase and installation of the Columbarium would not impact the church budget. Member subscriptions would fund this project. The one-time purchase of a niche would represent the total cost to the individual member or family. The cost of a niche would depend on which size the purchaser requests. There will be some niches that can accommodate more than one urn if couples wish to be interned together. We anticipate that the single individual niche would be in the range of $800 to $1,000 dollars. We will have specific cost figures once we have orders for the first ten niches.
If you would like to move forward with reserving a niche in the Countryside UU Memorial Columbarium, please fill out this form or contact Peggy Simonsen with questions.