Garden of Remembrance
MISSION HILL CHURCH
Garden of Remembrance: A peaceful and sacred space, our Garden of Remembrance offers a place for reflection, prayer, and honoring loved ones. This serene garden provides a quiet retreat for remembrance and comfort.
Through the centuries a burial place has often been provided next to the church where remains of the deceased rest beside their spiritual home on earth.
The 2.5 acre Garden of Remembrance, established in 1985 by the First Congregational Church, provides a place for the cremains of those who have been members of this church and their families, for those who have had a caring interest in the church, and other community members wanting to be interred in the garden.
The Garden is available to all who feel a closeness to the church and its ministry and is a place for quiet meditation and renewal.
Interments
Arrangements for interment may be made through the church office. The interment fee includes a brass name plate and the interment site.
Interment is performed by one of Mission Hill Church’s clergy. The family is invited to help plan the service. An optional “reserve” plaque is available for the surviving spouse/family members.
Garden Care & Upkeep
All the work to maintain our Garden of Remembrance is done by volunteers, and there are weekly work bees to accomplish our mission.
We welcome volunteers! Please let us know if you are interested in serving on the Garden and Landscape Board, or if you would like to join us for any of our weekly Work Bees, each Tuesday from 9am to noon.
Christian Prayer Labyrinth
A labyrinth is an ancient type of path that is more than a thousand years old. Millions of people of many cultures have walked Labyrinth patterns for many reasons. Different from a maze, which has dead ends and false passages, a labyrinth has a single path that leads to the center.
Our labyrinth is a sacred place set aside for you to reflect, look within, and pray. It represents a journey, a pilgrimage, a conscious taking of time to seek God. The rhythm of walking, placing one foot in from of the other, empties the mind, relaxes the body and refreshes the spirit.
How to Walk the Labyrinth:
Enter this sacred place through the arch and follow the grass path between the pavers, focusing on quieting your mind and letting go of distractions or worries that keep you from God. When you reach the tree and bench at the center, spend time with God there. When you are ready, follow the same grass path back out to the arch to exit. As you leave, walk with Jesus back into the places of ordinary life.
Want to volunteer or get more information about our Garden of Remembrance?
We'd love to hear from you!