Sartell Church Creating Unique Garden

SARTELL -- A Sartell church has announced plans to create a unique garden. The First United Methodist Church is developing a master plan for the western portion of their campus that includes a multi-faceted garden sanctuary with a memorial garden, a large patio with wood-fired bread oven, outdoor worship and concert space, and a labyrinth.

The outdoor worship area could host concerts, meals from the bread oven, receptions, and weddings.

The memorial garden will allow ashes to be interred either by burying them or by offering a prairie scattering. Church officials believe this is the first scattering garden in central Minnesota. You will not need to be a member of the church to have cremains interred in the garden. The fee will be $1,000, which is significantly less than traditional practices that involve paying for a cemetery plot, vault, casket, headstones, etc.

The goal for the garden campaign is $250,000, with an anonymous donor already offering to match up to $80,000. The capital campaign is set to wrap up by July 29th, and the committee hopes to announce a construction schedule then.

The First United Methodist Church moved from downtown St. Cloud to Sartell in 2013.  It will be divided up into three construction phases; groundwork & hardscape, landscape, and furnishings and completion of the labyrinth.