Wrightsville United Methodist Church Memorial Garden: Now Open

In response to requests from the congregation, the Board of Trustees established a Memorial Garden Committee in 2024 to explore options for creating a Memorial Garden and Columbarium for Wrightsville United Methodist Church. After careful study, the Committee determined that the church’s Live Oak Drive campus offered a beautiful and appropriate setting for this sacred space.

Following approval by the Town of Wrightsville Beach, the church was granted a Special Use Permit on March 13, 2025, and construction moved forward. We are pleased to share that the Memorial Garden is now complete, open, and accepting reservations.

The Memorial Garden includes a Columbarium with niches for the interment of cremated remains, as well as a dedicated burial area for those who prefer ashes to be buried in the ground. Each niche is identified with an engraved plaque that includes the name and dates of birth and death of the deceased. The Garden has been designed as a place of reverence, reflection, and prayer for generations to come.

Along the south side property line of the campus stands a brick wall with the capacity to house twelve columbarium units, each containing thirty niches, for a total of 360 niches. Each niche is designed to hold the cremains of up to two individuals. In addition, the burial area within the Memorial Garden allows for the interment of cremains without limitation.

Eligibility for interment or burial in the Memorial Garden is extended to members of Wrightsville United Methodist Church at the time of reservation, their spouses, and minor children. Current and past ministers of the church are also eligible. Members who reserve niches while active members may retain their reservation even if their membership later ends. Requests for exceptions may be submitted in writing to the Memorial Garden Committee, which will make a recommendation to the Senior Pastor. Final approval rests with the Senior Pastor.

Church members may also honor loved ones who are buried or entombed elsewhere by purchasing a memorial plate for placement on the Memorial Plaque within the Garden.

Reservations may be made for niches, burial of ashes, or memorial plaques by eligible individuals. A niche reservation includes exclusive use of the niche, placement of up to two urns, engraved niche cover(s), opening and closing services, and perpetual care and maintenance of the Memorial Garden. Specific niches may be selected upon execution of the required documents and payment of designated fees.

The Memorial Garden is fully self-sustaining, with all funds managed through a restricted account known as The Memorial Garden Fund.

The church is committed to maintaining the Memorial Garden in perpetuity as a sacred place of peace and meditation. To preserve its simplicity and reverence, flowers and decorations are permitted only on the day of a burial service.

For more information or to begin the reservation process, please contact Wrightsville UMC Executive Director Donna Pinckney at 910-256-4471 or donna@wrightsvilleumc.com

 

Memorial Garden Fee Schedule

Approved by the Administrative Council on 8/24/2024

Right to exclusive use of one niche for the cremains of one person,                 $3,000

including: one opening and one closing of the niche, one engraved

niche cover, one urn, perpetual care and maintenance of the

Memorial Garden

 

Right to exclusive use of the same one niche for the cremains of                        $1,500

a second person, including: one opening and one closing of the

niche, one engraved niche cover, one urn, perpetual care and

maintenance of the Memorial Garden

 

Burial of ashes in Memorial Garden with name engraved on Memorial            $1,000

Plaque

 

Name on Memorial Plate only                                                                                        $1,000

 

To obtain a copy of the Memorial Garden Agreement, click here.

Payment to the church for reservation for interment in niches, or by burial of ashes, or for memorial plaques, is not considered a charitable expense.  Donations can be made to the church and designated for the Memorial Garden, but no goods or services will be tied to that donation.