The Columbarium at St. Andrew’s

communion of saints (noun) - the whole family of God, the living and the dead, bound together in Christ by sacrament, prayer, and praise.

What is a columbarium?

A columbarium is a wall, room, or building used to store urns holding the ashes of people who have died and been cremated. Columbaria are commonly available at cemeteries and many churches.

Why is a columbarium right for St. Andrew’s?

As Christians we proclaim our faith in the communion of saints, that mystical body of all God’s faithful people – the living and the dead – who are united in the Church.

From the very first master plan, it has been a dream of St. Andrew’s to have a space where we can lay the dead to rest, where the living can gather in remembrance, and where we make whole our ministry from birth through death.

We recognize that those who have made the transition from being present in the pew to being in the columbarium are just as much a part of the living, breathing, and growing church God has planted here as anyone else.

The Columbarium at St. Andrew’s provides a consecrated, holy final resting place for the earthly remains of St. Andrew’s members and their loved ones.

Location

The columbarium and (future) memorial plaques are placed in the east alcove of the narthex, by the window. This place is set off from the general flow of traffic, and provides a place of quiet reflection and prayer when the building is not otherwise in use. It also keeps the remains of our loved ones close to worship, which recalls the spiritual truth that when we come before God, we do so as members of the whole communion of saints — the living joined with the dead.

The first phase of our columbarium consists of 40 niches, each potentially capable of holding 2 urns) 

columbarium-area.jpg

On the opposite wall we will place a single memorial array (28 plaques). Memorial plaques can be used to remember and honor persons whose remains are not in the columbarium.

The columbarium space after installation, September 2021.

The columbarium space after installation, September 2021.

The Vision: A Columbarium Garden

The full vision is to one day construct a beautiful garden space to contain St. Andrew’s columbarium; an inviting, pleasant outdoor space where people can meditate, visit loved ones in the columbarium, and meet for small gatherings. Building an indoor columbarium now does not replace this long-term vision, and as our campus grows we plan to build an outdoor structure containing three columbarium units and two panels of memorial plaques.

As St. Andrew’s grows and our campus expands, the columbarium unit in the Narthex will be transferred to the columbarium garden once it is built.

Costs

Pricing:

Niche
(includes urn(s) and all engraving)
   Single-Urn $2,500
   Double-Urn $3,500
Memorial Plaque
   Single-Plaque $600
   Double-Plaque $1,200
 

Practical Comparison

The cost of burial is considerably higher than that for columbarium inurnment. Average cost in Texas for an individual in-ground burial (without including associated costs such as flowers, music, church fees):

Funeral Home Services $5,500
Burial Plot (local) $2,100 - $9,500
Headstone / Marker $1,000
Total $8,600 - $18,000

By comparison, the cost for columbarium inurnment at St. Andrew’s:

Cremation $700
Columbarium* $1,750
Total $2,450
* per individual; amount is 1/2 cost of double-urn niche

Purchasing a Niche or Plaque

To purchase a niche or plaque, contact the St. Andrew’s office. There are a number of forms and agreements that need to be completed, in addition to the payment of fees and selection of niche or plaque.

Can’t This Wait?

Part of faithful Christian stewardship in this life is to prepare for our death. There is a spiritual component to this, but it also involves the more concrete work of making a plan for our passing. Planning now will be an invaluable gift for your loved ones in days to come.