The following definitions apply:
- Board
- The Board shall be appointed by the Bishop’s Committee of the Church to administer the operation of The Columbarium.
- Church/Permittor
- The Church of the Epiphany, 5450 Churchwood Drive, Oak Park, CA 91377
- Columbarium
- The walls which will containing 234 spaces (niches), each capable of holding two urns for ashes of deceased persons, for a total of 468 urns.
- Use Permit
- The instrument which entitles a member to the rights of interment ("inurnment") of the human remains of one person per urn within a niche in The Columbarium. The Use Permit does not constitute a sale of property, but is merely the provision of a burial space. All ownership of the land, The Columbarium and the Memorial Garden remains with the Church.
- A member may reserve both spaces within a niche and then leave some of the purchased space empty if desired.
- Permittee
- A Member who holds a Use Permit.
- Members
- Registered members of the Church, as defined by Canons of the Episcopal Church.
- Niche Door
- Will be granite, sandstone or marble as selected by the Church for all niches.
- Urn
- An appropriately-sized container, for the human ashes of one person., purchased from a mortuary by the family of the deceased.
- Bishop’s Committee
- The elected governing body of the Church.
- The Board shall be appointed by the Bishop’s Committee of the Church to administer the operation of The Columbarium.
I. OPERATION AND DUTIES OF THE BOARD
A. The Columbarium at The Church of the Epiphany shall be administered by a Board appointed by the Bishop’s Committee. The rules and regulations set forth herein, and future amendments thereto, as approved by the Bishop’ Committee, shall govern the operation of The Columbarium Board.
B. The Board shall consist of six members of the Church, four of whom shall be appointed by the Bishop’s Committee. The other two members shall be the Vicar and the Bishop’s Warden of the Church. Each initially appointed Board member shall serve either a 3-year, 2-year, or 1-year term, as determined by lot. Board members may be appointed to one additional 3-year term. The Chairman of the Board shall be elected by the Board Members.
C. The Building, Grounds Administration member of the Bishop’s Committee 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 Chairman, to conduct business. The presence of three 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 Vicar 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 Bishop’s Committee at the next Bishop’s Committee Meeting.
G. The adoption of new Rules and Regulations or the repeal or amendment of these Rules and Regulations will be accomplished only upon written approval of the Bishop’s Committee.
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. A Member who possesses a Use Permit may then apply at any time for authorization for the interment of a single urn containing the cremated remains of that Member, the Member’s spouse or the Member’s immediate family, e.g., issue, parents, or others, upon the approval of the Vicar. A separate authorization shall be required for each set of human remains (urn) to be interred.
3. A uniform charge for the Use Permit shall be as determined by the Board, and shall include interment in a niche, and the cost of perpetual care of The Columbarium. If it is necessary to re-open the niche at a later date, for interment of the second urn, there will be a $100 charge.
4. The Use Permit is personal and may not be transferred to another person. However, the Permittee may relinquish rights to the Use Permit if unused, and return it to the Permittor.
5. All funds received from the sale of Use Permits shall be separately accounted for and shall be administered by a member of the Board with the Vicar’s co-authority, and shall be used to repay the expense of connection with The Columbarium. Surplus funds, if any, may be used for such other purposes as shall later be approved by the Bishop’s Committee. This rule
B. Interment
1. All arrangements for interment will be under the direction of the Vicar of the Church. The Burial Service will be as prescribed by the Vicar 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 Church nor the Vicar shall be responsible for the interment permit or for the identity 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 Building and Grounds Committee.
4. Memorial flowers may be placed in the Church on any designated Sunday. Memorial flowers may not be placed in The Columbarium area because of the confined space and the extra maintenance involved.
III. RESPONSIBILITIES OF PERMITTOR
A. Permittor 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 in compliance with applicable local ordinances. (Our current permit limits the number of niches to 234.)
C. In the event that The Church of the Epiphany or The Columbarium shall be relocated or ceases to operate, or in the event of destruction of the Columbarium resulting from an act of God, the Licensor shall cause the re-interment of the ashes with the re-located facility or the precinct of another Christian Church. If such is not available, the Board shall cause the ashes to be disposed of in a Christian and legal manner.
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