Columbaria are usually a collection of constructed niches in which are placed urns that contain the ashes of the deceased. There are ads for wonderful possiblities in the Episcopal Church Annual, for example or The Living Church.
Memorial Gardens are generally places where ashes are interred on site, either in urns or in quickly bio-degradable containers so as to permit the materials to be absorbed into the earth, and on occasion, one may find that such a garden spot is a place where ashes are scattered on the surface. In the first case, and sometimes the second, specific plots are sold as perpetual leases which may be arranged for in advance by payment in part or full (such reservations can be termed renewable leases). These plots are not reused, but may be deeded back to the owning entity.
If you go the route of "scattering", make sure the crematory pulverizes every bone fragment! You will also want to consider having the entire memorial garden hoed out professionally and a special earth/sand/ etc mixture returned so that plants and grass will grow well and you can dig it out easily for use if you intend to do interments. I would also advise any congregation to do very serious thinking about whether they can honestly say that they will remain there for the next century. If not, perhaps a columbarium is better, so that urns could be relocated if the congregation merges with another or the property is sold, etc.
In all cases I am aware of, memorial gardens of the types I have described have some permanent record of who has been interred there, such as a bronze name plaque on a larger memorial tablet. In the case of columbaria, that can be done on the niches.
My advice about setting such a thing up is to speak to a local funeral home director and to the local government agencies that funeral directors work with to find out what the situation is in your area. Other houses of worship will have some wisdom if they have such facitilites on site. Setting up a columbarium or a memorial garden is usually fairly easy to do, but you will want to know the restrictions that apply and have a way into a conversation with the local crematory.
There are legal questions about this subject that you will want to have good legal advice on from your diocese, no doubt! It would be well to consult the Chancellor as well as the Bishop before going very far with this. In the congregation I serve, we have developed contracts and other documents for these purposes and revised them several times over the last 25 years.
Proposing the idea to the congregation before construction is vital, as there will be many questions and not a few anxieties to deal with. Moreover, reservations can fund the project. Properly and reverently done, either a columbarium or a memorial garden is a great spiritual gift to a congregation.
Peace and Joy,
The Rev'd Dr. Thomas C.H. Scott, rector
St. Mark's Episcopal Church
Evanston, IL
Tchscott@aol.com
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