Since ancient times, Christians have buried their families in the Churchyard, symbolizing the continuum of faith from birth to death, baptism to burial. In this tradition, the Memorial Garden of St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church of Fargo is a sacred area, integral to the whole of the Church, for the purpose of remembering our members and friends and their families.
The memorial garden is a testimony to our grief and to our consistent faith in the belief that God raised Jesus from the dead. The use of the garden for quiet meditation or for gatherings and celebrations is encouraged. While providing a quiet sanctuary for all who wish to visit, the garden is also an area for celebrating the joys of life and our relationships to God and to one another. The garden is one of honor and memoriam, promise and testimony for those who walk and meet there.
We have created this Memorial Garden to:
+ Proclaim God’s gracious love for all people;
+ Provide a resting place for the remains of your beloved;
+ Create a contemplative place of solace for those who grieve
Purpose and design of the Memorial Garden
St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church has a Memorial Garden which is intended as a place for contemplative thought and prayer, as well as for memorializing deceased persons. The Garden is a place in which the ashes of persons may be committed. Both the memorial garden and the labyrinth on the west side of the church are open to the public at any time, for quiet prayer and for walking the labyrinth.
Who may be memorialized in the Garden?
Any deceased person may be memorialized in the Garden, through the committal of ashes in the earth and/or the mounting of an identifying plaque on the monument erected in the church for this purpose. A person who has been buried elsewhere may, thus, be memorialized in the Garden.
Under no circumstance will anyone be denied burial in the memorial due to financial reasons.
For more information on the Memorial Garden, please contact Fr. Jamie
