The St. Francis Pet Memorial Garden has been completed and is open for use. It is open to the use of all parishioners for the remembrance of their pets. The garden is located on the west side of the nave and can be accessed by driveway or the doorways from the nave and Dogwood Room. The Garden Angels for the St. Francis Garden are Sue and Bob LeKites, if you would like to help maintain this area, please give them a call.
Guidelines for St. Frances Pet Memorial Garden
PURPOSE: The St. Francis Garden is a garden for the remembrance of our beloved pets. It provides a permanent resting place for the ashes of those pets who live on in our memories and in our hearts. Benches are provided for the parishioners to use if they would like to sit and pray in the Garden.
WHO MAY USE THE GARDEN: Members of the Good Shepherd Episcopal Church may place the ashes of their beloved pets in the St. Francis Pet Memorial Garden.
METHOD OF USE: Only ashes will be scattered in the garden. The ashes may be either scattered on top of the mulched area or the mulch may be lifted aside and the ashes placed on the earth and the mulch replaced over the ashes in a manner so that the mulch appears not to have been disturbed. The family may come at any time and place their pet’s ashes in the garden. There is a “Liturgy for the Burial of a Pet” which the rector will do if requested by the family. The placement is a private family time of remembrance and scattering of ashes. Please take the container home with you after the ashes have been placed in the St. Francis Garden.
MARKERS: Those wishing to have the name of their pet, whose ashes have been placed in the Garden, recorded are encouraged to place their pet’s name tag in the Remembrance Box placed on a bench in the garden. If no tag is available, the pet’s name may be written on a small wooden stick and placed in the Remembrance Box. The wooden sticks and a permanent marker pen are in a manila envelope in the antique secretary desk in the narthex.
RESTRICTIONS: Any exception to these Guidelines is at the discretion of the rector. The Garden is for ashes of pets only, there will be no burials. Ashes are not to be placed in other areas of the church grounds. No artificial flowers, plants, cremains containers or other items may be placed in the Garden at any time without permission of the rector or the Memorial Garden Committee. The Memorial Garden Committee will be responsible for the approval, purchase, placing and planting of any flowers, plants, furniture, statuary or other artifacts. Unauthorized items will be removed and disposed of without notice.
FEES: There is no fee to place the ashes of a pet in the St. Francis Garden. Your help with the maintenance of the Garden is appreciated. If you would like to contribute monetarily to the upkeep of the Garden, you may do so, but it is not required.