at St. Mark's
Funeral Policies
1. The family needs to contact the Pastor and notify him of the death of the family member. The Pastor may want/offer to be a part of meetings with the family and the Funeral Home for services. The Pastor will notify the Secretary to send out a Church Notification of the death.
2. The family of the deceased will meet with the Funeral Home to discuss date(s) and time(s) that are convenient for both parties.
3. The family contacts the Pastor (or Council Chairman, if no Pastor of Record) to provide the dates and times that were discussed with the Funeral Home.
4. Before finalizing the date and time, the Pastor (or Council Chairman) will contact organist to discuss availability for the service. If the organist is not available, the Pastor will contact the Choir Director. If neither are available, the Pastor (or Council Chairman) will need to arrange an outside organist. If there will be special music the family would like to be played, this needs to be given to the organist at least a day in advance. If there will be a soloist, the family needs to make arrangements with the organist to practice before the service. (The Church will provide a payment of $125 for the service to the organist for active members).
5. When the date and time has been finalized, the Pastor will contact the Chair of the Cemetery Committee to discuss the internment at St. Mark’s. The Pastor will also contact the Teller of the Funeral Districts in order to organize the meal for the family and setting up the church if visitation will be held before service. The Pastor will provide to the Secretary of the church, the bulletin information for the Funeral Service and to send notification to the Church of these arrangements.
6. The Church will pay for the Pastor performing the Funeral Service at St. Mark’s for an active member, only if we do not have a Pastor of Record (Full-Time or Interim – performing of this service is part of their contract) in the amount of $150 for their service. If we do have a Pastor of Record, and the family chooses to use another Pastor, it will be the responsibility of the family to pay that Pastor.
If you have any questions, please contact the Pastor of St. Mark’s at 704-633-1576.
Cemetery Policies
1. Lots in the cemetery will hereafter be confined to active members (as defined in the church constitution) of St. Mark’s at no charge with these exceptions :
A. As a public service to the community in times of epidemic, catastrophe, or extreme personal needs with the council approval.
B. All inactive members and non-members will be charged a fee at the rate of $1500 for each grave lot with the Council’s approval. Money from the sale of any lots will go into the cemetery fund.
2. If you move or have moved your membership from St. Mark’s you forfeit any rights to cemetery lots.
3. Some type of permanent marker is required for each grave and should be set within 6 months of the internment. A member of the cemetery committee should be contacted before placing the monuments in order to keep them properly aligned.
4. Hereafter, no more curbstones for lots will be allowed and footstones and cornerstones will be set even with the ground. (Council action in 1960 states all curbing, footstones, and cornerstones shall be even with the ground.)
5. No Permanent shrubbery shall be placed in the cemetery.
6. Grass in the cemetery will not be cut lower than 3 inches so new grass planted by families will have time to get established.
7. Each family is responsible for opening and closing the grave and removal of excess dirt.
8. Families are invited to honor the memory of departed loved ones with flower arrangements; however, they should remove unsightly flowers regulary.
9. An annual workday will be set for both cemeteries. Each family should help with the work day and each member is asked to make a $10.00 contribution to the cemetery fund each year.
10. Members desiring to select lots, or find out the location of lots selected, should contact the cemetery committee.
These rules were originally adopted at a congregational meeting December 1957, revised at a congregational meeting on May, 1963., and amended at the annual congregational meeting on November 17, 1991. Revised by Congregational Council December 1, 1996. Revised by cemetery committee February 19, 2013, for approval with the new constitution and bylaws.