Above, Virginia Calvin, who chaired the committee to build the columbarium in the prayer garden of First Presbyterian Church, sits near the wall where ashes will be eventually housed. It is the first facility of its kind in Limestone County. (News Courier/Kim Rynders)

The First Presbyterian Church of Athens recently unveiled a new columbarium memorial built in the church’s prayer garden. The facility is the first of its kind in Limestone County.

The columbarium, dedicated to the church members who have chosen the practice of cremation, was officially made public in a ceremony May 24 at the church, columbarium committee chair Virginia Calvin said.

The ceremony included trumpet by Dan Havely, bagpipes by Dr. David Williams, and white doves released by George Mobley.

The columbarium filled a need in the community, Calvin said.

Committee members, including Carol Copeland, Shari Duke, Tom Hand, Elizabeth Price, and The Rev. Jaina Anderson, felt there was a need, especially among younger church members who are so ecologically minded.

The project, a collaboration of Eickhof Columbaria, Inc., and Martin and Cobey Construction, took approximately one year to complete. The memorial has 48 niches with the capability of inurning 96. Each niche will have a nameplate with the dates of birth and death. The columbaria are available for only members of The First Presbyterian Church.

According to Eickhof’s Web site, “The Cremation Association of North America predicts that by 2010 40 percent of all Americans will choose cremation as the preferred choice of burial options.”

Though the practice of cremation and placing urns in columbarium became popular in the 1980s, the practice dates as far back as the columbaria of Principessa Margherita in 6 A.D. in Italy.

To find out more about columbaria, visit the Eickhof Web site at www.eickhofcolumbaria.com.