Our Church Columbarium
 

Eligibility

A current or past member of the Church of the Messiah and their family

Any exceptions to this criteria may be made only by the Rector or, when there is no current rector, by the priest in charge and the Senior Warden
 

Arrangements for Interment

  • The Rector or priest in charge shall have complete responsibility for all religious services of committal.  Sufficient and proper notice of intended interments shall be given to him/her, and only such religious services as he/she may conduct or give permission may be performed.  The interment shall be in the manner directed by the Rector or priest in charge.
  • The Church of the Messiah will arrange for the opening and closing of niches at the time of interment.  Such cost will be borne by the church.

The cost of doing this is part of the cost of obtaining the niche.

No interment or engraved inscription will be permitted until payment has been received for the niche.

* Any exception to this will be by the special consent of the Rector of the church.  Both the request for the exception and the consent shall be in writing.
 

Uniformity of engraving

  • The engraving upon each niche plaque shall be of the uniform size and style as determined by the Vestry of the Church of the Messiah.
  • The maximum inscription shall consist of the name of the deceased, date of birth and date of death

 

Floral or other decoration Regulations

  • No flowers, plants, or other decorations shall be placed in the Columbarium area
  • Flowers for the altar are the preferred method for recognizing the deceased

 

Decorum

* The Columbarium is a part of the church and all persons entering the area of the Columbarium are expected to conduct themselves in 

accordance with customary respectful decorum as normally observed in the church

 

Management of columbarium

  • The columbarium is part of the Episcopal Church of the Messiah, Gonzales, Texas, which operates under the direction of its Rector and Vestry and the diocese of West Texas

* Management on a daily basis is assigned to a Columbarium Committee,  headed by the Junior Warden .  This committee is under the direction of  the Vestry of the Church of the Messiah

* All policies and procedures for the columbarium will be approved by    the Vestry.  Subsequent proposed changes will be presented to the Vestry for approval.