Memorial Ministry

Leaf		Apple
Cloud		Stone

Tree of Life

Pricing

The Memorial Ministry began in August of 1991 in response to Mrs. Laura Stanley informing Rev. Sam Davis that the family and friends of her sister, Mrs. Bessie Danforth, wanted to give something in her memory.   A memorial program was planned to honor Mrs. Danforth and the monetary contributions were given in her memory.   A plaque bearing her name was mounted at the front of the Education Building.

Rev. Davis appointed members to the Memorial ministry and the means for inviting others to memorialize their loved ones was developed.  Donations made to the Memorial Ministry are used to fund the Bessie Danforth Scholarship.  The scholarship is awarded annually to a college junior or senior who is in need of financial assistance. 

The ministry wanted to display the plaque in and attractive way.  A visit was made to First Presbyterian Church where a similar plaque was displayed in a design called “The Tree of Life”.  A decision was made to have one installed in the “new” church.  The plaque was to be mounted and leaves and fruit would be engraved with the name of the deceased loved one. 

The Second Sunday in April was set-aside for the Memorial Program; however, it was later changed to the Second Sunday in August and became known as the Tree of Life Program.  The ministry continued to grow and develop and began the following:

In 1995:

·        Annual seminars to help our church family and community understand the details of funerals, types of insurances, wills and estate planning and other issues related to having your business in order.

·        Developed a Hospice Manual “Coping with Death” which covers grief, death, recovery methods, etc.  The manual is available upon request.

·        Purchased an engraving machine.

·        Purchased The Tree of Life and had it mounted on the wall in the vestibule of the church, where loved ones are memorialized with a leaf, and apple or a stone.  Future plans were to offer a cloud, bird and a star.

In 1998:

·        Awarded the First Annual Bessie Dansforth Memorial Scholarship in the amount of $1,000.

In 2003:

·        Increased the Bessie Danforth Scholarship award to $2,000.

In 2007:

·        Was again able to increase The Bessie Danforth Memorial Scholarship award to $2,000.

The Ministry started the Easter lily and Christmas Poinsettia Memorials.  On Easter Sunday and The Sunday before Christmas loved ones donate a lily and/or poinsettia in the deceased loved one’s name.  Both the donor and the deceased’s names are printed in the bulletin and the flowers are placed around the altar.  At the end of the worship, they are given to the donor or taken to the sick and shut in. 

All Proceeds generated from donations are used to fund the Bessie Danforth  Scholarship.

Pricing
Leaf Symbol	$65.00	$40.00 for each additional name
Apple Symbol	$140.00	$40.00 for each additional name
Cloud Symbol	$225.00	$40.00 for each additional name
Stone Symbol	$300.00	$40.00 for each additional name