Memorial Garden

Peaceful garden | Eternal life

The St. Paul Memorial Garden is a lush outdoor space of rest, relaxation, and spiritual peace. It graces the northeast corner of the church campus, at Brady and Lombard Streets.

Life and memory unite here. The garden hosts plantings that change with the seasons – along with the buried ashes from members of the St. Paul community who have died. Rooted in this beautiful place is our centering confidence in the resurrection power of Jesus Christ. Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life.”

Statement of faith

Burial in this garden is a biblically-faithful option for St. Paul members.

Scripture teaches us: Eternal life is a gift of God. Gods acts in Christ to overcome the power of sin and death. The sacred soil of this garden reminds us: We come from dust, and we return to God through the dust of the soil. Whether we live or whether we die, we belong to the Lord.

Community of saints

As Christians, we understand that human life and death are communal in nature. The garden is a living testimony to the continuity of the community of saints. Ashes are buried in a common plot – among the hostas and serviceberry trees.

Our living community surrounds the garden. We continue to worship and work, gather and play, through the daily life of the church. We pay grateful attention to the resting place of saints who have gone before us.

Returned to the soil

Human ashes are often called cremains. In the St. Paul Memorial Garden, cremains are deposited directly into the topsoil in a special committal service. The actual location of an individual burial site is not marked. That underscores our commonality as baptized people, united in Christ. Later, the name of the deceased will be engraved on the granite wall.

Burial in the garden is designed to authentically reflect the St. Paul community of faith. Members on the roster of St. Paul Lutheran Church, at the time of death, may be buried here, and have their names engraved on the memorial wall. Their spouses/partners and dependent children may also be buried in the garden.

Memorial Garden stroll

Take a moment to stroll the curving pathways of the Memorial Garden. People visit the garden daily, stopping for quiet reflection.

The memorial wall is the garden’s centerpiece. The seven granite tablets represent the seven days of creation – when God demonstrated what beauty, order, goodness, and rest truly look like. Names are inscribed on the wall.

The tablets overlook the intimate cross-shaped plaza where people gather for a burial service. Pergolas grace each entrance to the garden. Benches provide seating for meditation, reading, or conversation. Butterflies play among coneflowers and lilies.

Download: Memorial Garden brochure

Memorial Garden: Mackenzie Griffin