The Columbarium
All Saints’ Episcopal Church
505 Calvert Avenue
Clinton, South Carolina 29325

Telephone: 864/833-1388
E-Mail: allsaintsclinton@earthlink.net
Web Site: http://www.allsaintsclinton.org

Approved by the All Saints’ Vestry on November 12, 2003

RULES AND REGULATIONS

I. OPERATION AND DUTIES OF THE BOARD

A. The Columbarium at All Saints’ Episcopal Church shall be administered by a Board appointed by the Vestry. The rules and regulations set forth herein, and future amendments thereto, as approved by the Vestry, shall govern the operation of the Columbarium Board
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B. The Board shall consist of four members of the Church, three of whom shall be appointed by the Vestry. The other member shall be the Rector. The Senior Warden shall serve in place of the Rector in the event there is no rector. Each initially appointed Board member shall serve either a 3-year, 2-year, or 1-year term, as determined by lot. They shall serve in rotation, with one member being elected each year thereafter. The Board Members shall elect the Chair of the Board.

C. The Junior Warden is responsible for all grounds of the Church property, and shall serve as an ex-officio member of the Board for advisory purposes.

D. The Board shall meet at any time, at the discretion of the Chair or the Rector, to conduct business. The presence of two members or more shall constitute a quorum.

E. The Board is responsible for the management of all funds directly associated with the Columbarium.

F. Special cases may arise in which literal enforcement of these Rules and Regulations or fees may impose unnecessary hardship. The Rector and the Board, therefore, reserve the right, without notice, to grant exceptions to any of these Rules and Regulations or fees, when in the judgment of the Board such action appears advisable. Such exceptions shall in no way be construed as affecting the general application of these Rules and Regulations and shall not constitute a waiver of any of them. Any actions under this section will be reported in writing to the Vestry at the next Vestry Meeting.

II. RULES OF INTERMENT (“INURNMENT”)

A. Authorization for interment in the Columbarium is subject to the following rules:

1. Only human remains shall be interred in the Columbarium.

2. Those persons eligible to purchase a User Permit include only members or former members of All Saints’ Episcopal Church and their parents, spouses, children (whether natural, adopted, foster, or step), siblings. Under special circumstances, a person who does not fit into these categories but who has had a special relationship with All Saints’ Episcopal Church may be approved by a vote of the Columbarium Committee and the Vestry.

3. Under special circumstances, the next-of-kin or the person holding the proper power-of-attorney of an indigent person (or the person himself or herself prior to death) who is a current member of the Church may apply to the Columbarium Committee and the Vestry for burial with minimal charge (or in dire instances no charge). If moneys can be made available, the Columbarium Committee and the Vestry may approve such an interment.

4. The Permit Holder or the Permit Holder’s family or representative will select the Niche upon payment of the User Permit fee. If no family member or representative is available for this purpose, the Columbarium Board will select the Niche.

5. A person may purchase a User Permit for a single Niche or a double Niche for the interment of one or two urns. The Vestry will set a separate cost for the single Niche and the double Niche.

6. The User Permit is personal and may not be transferred to another person. However, the Permit Holder may relinquish rights to the Use Permit if unused, and return it to the Church. Under special circumstances, the Columbarium Board and the Vestry may approve an exception to this rule.

7. Any Permit Holder for a single Niche may upgrade to a double Niche by paying the difference between the current price of a double Niche and the price initially paid by the Permit Holder for a single Niche.

8. All funds received from the sale of User Permits shall be separately accounted for and shall be administered by a member of the Board with the Rector's co-authority, and shall be used to repay the expense of connection with the Columbarium. Surplus funds, if any, will be held in escrow for the per-death fees and for the maintenance of the Columbarium.

B. Interment (“Inurnment”)

1. All arrangements for interment will be under the direction of the Rector of the Church. The Burial Service will be as prescribed by the Rector of the Church in consultation with the family and in accordance with the Constitution and Canons of the Episcopal Church and the Book of Common Prayer. Neither the Columbarium Board nor the Rector shall be responsible for the identification of the remains which are to be interred.

2. Removal of an Urn for permanent interment in another facility will be permitted only upon presentation of the appropriate legal documents and payment of a fee determined by the Board.

3. Plantings, furnishings or any ornamentation of the Columbarium will be permitted only as directed or approved by the Board in conjunction with the Junior Warden.

4. With the approval of and under the direction of the Altar Guild, memorial flowers may be placed in the Church on any designated Sunday, and memorial flowers may be placed in appropriate containers in the Memorial Garden. The Altar Guild will be responsible for developing guidelines for the use of memorial flowers. With the foregoing exceptions, memorial flowers or any other decoration or adornment may not be placed in the Columbarium area or the Memorial Garden because of the confined space, the extra maintenance involved, and the possible lessening of aesthetic value.

5. After interment, a Niche may be opened only by written request of a proper person, upon a showing of good cause, as authorized by the Vestry, and only upon the payment to the Church of all expenses associated with such opening. All such openings shall be documented upon the records maintained for the Columbarium by the Columbarium Board.

III. RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE CHURCH

A. The Church shall maintain the Columbarium in good condition, care for all Niches, take all reasonable precautions against defacement or defilement of the Niches and the identification facades thereon, and maintain and preserve all records pertaining to the Columbarium. To foregoing obligations, a Perpetual Maintenance Fund will be established. The Fund will be derived from fees received for each space, as well as gifts and memorials designated for this purpose.

B. If sufficient funds and need exist, the Board shall have the right to physically expand the Columbarium and Memorial Garden.

C. In the event that All Saints’ Episcopal Church or the Columbarium shall be relocated or cease to operate, or in the event of destruction of the Columbarium resulting from a natural catastrophe, the Board (or its legal successor) shall re-inter the ashes in a re-built Columbarium, re-inter the ashes with the re-located facility, or return the ashes to the legal heirs of the deceased person for disposal at their discretion, or re-inter the ashes in the precinct of another Christian Church. If none of these is available, the Board (or its legal successor) shall dispose of the ashes in a Christian and legal manner.

IV. AMENDMENTS

Amendments to these Rules and Regulations may be made only upon approval of a majority vote of the Vestry at a regular or special meeting of the Vestry.