Columbarium Information

Columbarium

The Holden Beach Chapel offers an alternative to burial through our columbarium. Our memorial garden serves as a resting place for the cremated remains of our loved ones. It is both comforting and strengthening to  have a place of remembrance here. There is an understandable measure of peace drawn from the time-honored practice of burial within the churchyard.

The Holden Beach Chapel constructed a columbarium on the west side of the sanctuary.  It will be developed in four stages over a number of years.  The first stage, which has been completed, includes sixty niches, each large enough to hold two urns.

The garden created around the columbarium contains benches and a bell donated in memory of those lost at sea.  Memorial plaques are available for those who have been or will be buried elsewhere but who wish to memorialize the importance of the Chapel in their lives.

Why A Columbarium?

The funeral service in the Book of Common Prayer says, "In sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life through our Lord Jesus Christ, we commend to Almighty God our brother—; and we commit his body to the ground; earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust. The Lord bless and keep him, the Lord make his face to shine upon him and be gracious unto him and give him peace. Amen." Although the words do not appear in the bible, they are inspired by verses such as Ecclesiastes 3:20.

"All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return"; and in Genesis 3:19, "for dust you are and to dust you will return." Paul says in 11 Corinthians 5:8, "We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord." These verses are but a few that remind believers that our bodies were created from clay and will return to the earth. It is our souls that will dwell with the Lord for all eternity.

Burial on church grounds or within a church is nothing new. Driving roads of Brunswick County we pass many cemeteries. however, living on an island between the Intracoastal Waterway and the Atlantic Ocean makes traditional burial in a cemetery impractical, if not impossible.

Inurnment in a columbarium is an alternative to the traditional cemetery. A columbarium is a wall containing niches or compartments in which urns containing the cremains of a loved one are placed. If the church is central to life through sacraments such as baptism, Holy Communion and marriage, then death and burial should be an integral part of the church life and ministry.

Niches

Phase I niches are $3500 each. Phase II are $4250 each. This may be paid by check, or if you wish to use a credit card you may contact the office @ 910-842-5700.

Memorial Plaques

A memorial plaque may be purchased for $1200. This may be paid by check or if you wish to use a credit card, contact the office @ 910-842-5700.