Garden of the Saints
Garden of the Saints .
Dear Friends,
God truly must love gardens. Our first parents were granted the splendor of Eden, and Israel’s Lord led them to many a verdant oasis.
God uses the images of vineyard and orchard to describe His tender care for the human family, and promises a day when the healing Tree of Life will stand at the center of the holy city, watered by salvation’s River. And early on Easter morning, Mary Magdalene meets the Risen Christ in the garden of his resurrection glory.
This is the vision of the Garden of the Saints at First Lutheran Church – a garden of honor and remembrance for those who have died, tempering human grief with the eternal promises of Christ Jesus. In this lovely and welcoming place, we provide a resting place for friends and their loved ones, and remember those with whom we have walked earth’s journey in the hope of eternity with all God’s saints.
In that spirit we invite you to consider becoming a part of the Garden of the Saints. We are committed to providing an affordable and dignified place of repose, gathered under the promises of Holy Baptism and the deathless hope of the Communion of Saints. Here we rest in the arms of the Shepherd Christ, who leads us to green pastures and still waters, who in death and life restores our soul and prepares a place for us in his everlasting embrace.
To participate in the Garden of the Saints, whether in our Columbarium or wall of remembrance, all you need to do is contact us to learn more. Our pastors and associates will be glad to meet with you to discuss your needs, and help with all necessary arrangements. Our End of Life ministry is committed to extending Christian care to all who experience the pain and loss of death and bereavement, and we are here to walk that path with you, in the sure and certain hope of eternal life.
May the God of Gardens and Grace grant us hope and peace, and may the loving arms of the One who came to ”wipe all tears from our eyes’’ be with you and all the saints!
In Christ our Gardener,
The Rev. Dr. William L. Hurst
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A Place of Faith
From the earliest days of the Christian Church, burial of the dead was considered one of its most important responsibilities… and so it has remained over the centuries. Now, with the rising popularity of cremation as a faithful option for Christian families, churches are reclaiming this ancient and important ministry.
A Place of Rest
The Garden of the Saints and Columbarium at First Lutheran Church provides for the respectful and dignified placement of a person’s cremated remains, as well as a beautiful garden of remembrance and reflection. Columbaria have been used since ancient times, but in the last 50 years have become the fastest growing option for families who wish to provide an honored and lovely alternative place of repose for loved ones.
A Place of Beauty
The Garden provides niches for up to 580 urns in a beautiful, dignified, affordable, well-maintained, and readily accessible park-like setting. It was designed to affirm the beauty of God’s creation, while honoring those resting there. Its walkthrough garden, featuring plants and flowers native to the Holy Land, is adorned by a continuously circulating waterfall and a wall of remembrance with space for at least 80 memorial plaques.
A Place of Permanence
The columbarium itself is a double-sided wall with blocks of niches marked by individual polished granite faceplates, interspersed with decorative lighted panels. Materials for the garden were selected to withstand the test of time with grace and dignity: limestone, granite, stone paving, and lovely olive trees, fig trees and shrubs such as hyssop, rue, coriander and Judean sage.
A Place of Comfort
Each niche provides space for two urns and is priced to provide a final resting place at an amount well below market prices. An ample memorial fund has been created to ensure consistent and high-quality maintenance, repair and upkeep of the Garden of the Saints in perpetuity. The site is easily accessible from Carson Street, between Maple and Flower Avenues. The garden offers multiple walkways and benches for those who wish to come and reflect or remember.
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I lift my eyes to the hills —
from where does my help come?
My help comes from the LORD,
who made heaven and earth.
The LORD is your shade at your right hand.
The sun shall not strike you by day,
nor the moon by night.
The LORD will keep your going out
and your coming in from this time forth,
and forevermore. (from Psalm 121)
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They will hunger no more,
and thirst no more;
the sun will not strike them,
nor any scorching heat;
for the Lamb at the throne’s center
will be their Shepherd,
he will guide them to springs
of the water of life,
and God will wipe every tear
from their eyes. (from Revelation 7)
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“For the mountains may depart
and the hills be removed,
but my steadfast love
shall not depart from you,
and my promise of peace
shall not be removed ,”says the LORD,
who has compassion on you. (Isaiah54:10)
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“My sheep hear my voice. I know them,
and they follow me.
I give them eternal life,
and they will never perish.
No one will snatch them
out of my hand.” (John 10:27-28)
A Place of Caring
The Garden of the Saints is a part of the End of Life Ministry of First Lutheran Church. Additional ministry services include pastoral counseling and visitation, memorial services and bereavement support programs. For further information regarding the Garden of the Saints, contact the First Lutheran Church office at: (310) 320-9920.
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