Death is eternal, but burial is not.
That is what relatives of 46 former worshippers of Christ Church on the Green are learning after a decision by the Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut to remove cremated remains from a memorial garden on the church grounds. The historic chapel was put up for sale last year after half its membership broke away in late 2007 over the national church’s stance on homosexuality and other issues.
“You have a situation here, where, by virtue of a sale, the diocese will no longer be responsible for the land, its use, or any care of anything in it,” said the Rev. Stanley Kemmerer, priest-in-charge. “It’s really an effort to be pastoral.”
This is going to put a monkey wrench into the columbarium business.
How nice of them to get ‘pastoral’ all of a sudden after having ruined the church for both sides.
Brad M
“It’ll all blow over in 6 months. Don’t sweat it.” 2003
Connecticut, 2010, think again, because this yahoo search result is interesting… http://search.yahoo.com/search?fr=ffds1&p=watertown+connecticut+diocese+Episcopal
The only positive thing about this story is the mounting dreadful public relations that comes to 815/TEC/progressive activists.
Ultimately, no weakened institution can bear the weight of so many stories — and now that some years have passed for the failure of the faux churches that various revisionist bishops set up to try to obscure the losses — we’ll be seeing many many more of such stories of massive decline and consequences from 815’s gospel, diocese by diocese, state by state.
Will the diocese repay the relatives for the initial donations or charges for spaces in the memorial?
This is proof once again that the Episcopal Church’s claim that it must protect the property of those who leave TEC for the use of those who are loyal to the Episcopal Church is a flat out lie.
Grace and Peace,
I am grateful that you find the actions being done to my flock so distasteful, but I am finding your comments to leave a very sour taste in my mouth. I have not read one pastoral comment from anyone of you and I fear that your hearts have been hardend and I beg you all to seek the face of Christ and ask to have him soften your hearts for those who persecute you. My parish is deeply broken for those who are digging up our dead and we are praying for them in love. None of you are grieving for the sons, daughters, parents, God-parents and children whose ashes were laid to rest in good faith that they would never be disturbed. Look at where we are people. We are more concerned with calling out other sinners and I fear we have become the Pharisee. Join me in repentance friends, and ask God to break your hearts for the things that break his. Grieve for those who hate you and love them. For if you love only those who love you, what credit shall it be to you? Read that somewhere. We covet your prayers. We we not let these actions be done in the dark, but we must do our task in love.
In the Master,
Rev Bryan Bywater
Rector,
New Hope Anglican Church
Watertown, CT
Our prayers are with you, Fr. Bywater.
My mom had wanted to have her ashes buried in the memorial garden of the church we were at when I was a teenager. She had peace knowing where she was to “rest”. After hearing what happened to you all years ago, she told me she doesn’t for fear of what might happen in the future – this proved her fear is rational. This left her without peace which she had previously. But this is nothing to watching Christ Church’s family members interred being dug up and treated as property. We pray that God will comfort you and give you all His peace that passes all understanding.
Those of us observing this know this can easily happen to any of us. We all need pray for those in TEC making these poor decisions. They are not based in what Jesus taught nor in love. We can comment galore, but it’s our prayers that can change things. Pray that the hearts that allowed this to happen will be softened and changed.
here is the full article released with permission by Sam Cooper, jouranalist for the paper
WATERTOWN [Dash] Death is eternal, but burial is not.
That is what relatives of 46 former worshippers of Christ Church on the Green are learning after a decision by the Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut to remove cremated remains from a memorial garden on the church grounds. The historic chapel was put up for sale last year after half its membership broke away in late 2007 over the national’s church’s stance on homosexuality and other issues.
“You have a situation here, where, by virtue of a sale, the diocese will no longer be responsible for the land, its use, or any care of anything in it,†said the Rev. Stanley Kemmerer, priest-in-charge. “It’s really an effort to be pastoral.â€
With a sale to Taft School in the works, he said, the church is contacting surviving relatives to claim the remains. Once the effort is exhausted, he said, remains will be removed and re-interred elsewhere in consecrated soil and the church grounds will be deconsecrated. Taft officials have said they will allow the church to hold services in the building.
But simply disturbing the remains raises the ire of some with loved ones buried in the gardens.
Carol Herman, of Torrington, said her daughter Kristina and mother-in-law, Madeliene Herman, are both buried in the garden.
“What upsets us is they have to move. It’s a memorial garden; it’s just ashes. Why cant they just leave it there?†she said.
She said the family is planning on taking the remains elsewhere.
“I don’t want them moved to another Episcopal church,†she said. “We’ll find our own place for them.â€
Kemmerer said most of the people were buried in biodegradable containers or placed directly into the earth. At least one has been found in a traditional urn, Kemmerer said, but because the garden is not a cemetery, urns were prohibited. Each grave site is documented, Kemmerer said, with the earliest from 1954, and the majority from the 1980s. Interments stopped in 2007, he said.
Because of how the ashes were buried, Kemmerer said, recovering them will entail extracting a cylinder of dirt from the ground.
“There’s ample reason to believe that if remains had not migrated, some would be captured (in the cylinder),†Kemmerer said. “What we’re really talking about is symbolic earth. Will you get it all? No, probably not. But there will be something you can give to people to re-inter.â€
The Rev. Bryan Bywater, of New Hope Anglican, which was founded by former members of Christ Church, said he and other local religious leaders have been upset by the decision to remove the remains.
“I’m convinced people forget we’re dealing with individuals,†he said. “It’s just sacrilege. It’s sad. Why do we have to disinter? Why does the garden have to go? If it’s still going to be used as a holy space, why does it have to be dug up?â€
He said he plans on holding a prayer vigil at the site.
Kemmerer said those with loved ones buried in the garden can contact him about claiming remains at (860) 371-7372.
The diocese is covering the cost of removing the “core of sacred ground” but the family is bearing the cost of re-interment. As it was a memorial garden and ashes were to be buried directly into the ground there was no up front cost
nb Those who have had ashes disinterred have to pay the cost of reinterring the ashes elsewhere.