A beautiful and dignified space where the cremated remains of the faithful may be kept; where the living may gather to remember their loved ones and offer quiet worship to God.
The Garden is located on 3rd Street, between Spell Chapel and our Youth House. It includes one 8-sided columbarium, with room for 3 additional units, and a lawn. The Garden is fenced with lovely brick and metal fencing.
Frequently Asked Questions
A columbarium is a dedicated setting for the reverent disposition of cremated remains of the dead. The primary component is a structure containing niches, uniform in size, or the capacity to hold the cremated remains of one or two people, covered by a uniform granite plate inscribed in uniform fashion with names and dates of birth and death. The committal of ashes in a columbarium is the theological and liturgical equivalent of the committal of a body to the earth.
The following persons may purchase a Right of Inurnment in a Niche located in Bethany’s Memorial Garden: Bethany members, immediate family members (parents, spouses, children, grandchildren and siblings) of Bethany Members; and current, former, and future ordained clergy who are members of the United Methodist Church. Biological and adopted persons shall be included as immediate family members.
A one-time fee confers the right to exclusive use of a niche for the cremated remains of one or two persons. This fee includes the cost of inscription on the niche plate, one or two urns, opening and closing of the niche at time of inurnment, and maintenance. It does not include costs such as professionally licensed cremation.
The current fee for a single niche is $1700.00. The current fee for a double niche is $2700.00. Each niche carries the same price, regardless of location.
No, there will be no further costs from Bethany. This does not include cremation services from a professionally licensed facility.
Urns are provided as part of the niche purchase, one urn for a single niche and two urns for a double niche. All of the urns provided are exactly the same. If you wish to use your own urn, it must fit in the niche space with no modifications. There is no discount if you chose to use your own urn.
May I get a refund or resell my niche?
If the Purchaser, or the legal representative or heirs or family of the Designated Person, no longer wish to use niche, he or she may inform the Church. If the Church is able to resell the niche, the Church will refund to Purchaser or Purchaser’s Estate the Inurnment price paid by Purchaser less a $200 administration fee.
No plantings or flowers or other items or decorations of any kind other than those planned by Bethany for inclusion shall be placed within the Memorial Garden or in the surrounding landscaped area, including without limitation the front of the niche.
Bethany UMC will keep records in an independent database of each niche reserved, date and location of actual inurnment, and personal information of each person inurned.
Yes. Niches are selected and assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. Upon payment of the niche, the purchaser may specify the building, wall and number of desired niche. This selection is subject to niches that are currently available.
Only the official title, first, middle and last names, and birth and death dates will be inscribed on the niche plate. For uniformity, the Trustees have specified the size and style of these inscriptions and has designated a firm to create them. All arrangements for inscription are made through the church. No other form or inscription, marker or monument will be allowed.
The church is sensitive to the fact that personal circumstances can and do change. If the niche was originally purchased for one inurnment, and now need is for it to accommodate two inurnments, the purchaser would simply pay the difference between the price for a single and double inurnment, at current rates.
Yes. The gates to the Memorial Garden are not locked. Visitors are invited to enter, walk around, find a quiet place to sit down and pray whenever they wish.
Contact Emily Vick at evick@bethany-umc.com or 843-873-1230. She will be happy to make an appointment to meet with you.
Arrangements for cremation are made through a professionally licensed funeral home or cremation service. To plan a funeral or memorial service, contact the senior pastor’s office. We will work with the family to plan a meaningful and appropriate service. Prior to going to the funeral home or cremation service, a visit to the church should be made to discuss the funeral, obtain an urn and confirm the inscription to go on the niche plate. Many times, the cremains are not available for the funeral, but once you know when they will be provided to you the inurnment can be arranged.