The Janice and Mahan Siler Garden: Fee Increases

Many of you might have taken a stroll through Siler Garden. Did you know that it was created in 1999 to provide a calming, reflective space for the interment of ashes (Pullen members and immediate family) in a columbarium niche or buried in a “scatter” area? Also, the name of a deceased loved one who has been buried elsewhere can be engraved on a commemorative plaque. You may have noticed these plaques on the building wall.

Of course, there are fees for these arrangements, fees to cover the cost of maintaining the Garden “in perpetuity.” Any income received goes directly into a dedicated account for the Garden and cannot be used for anything else. Inflation and cost increases have affected churches in the area with similar dedicated space. Our fees, set 26 years ago, have never been increased. The time has come to bring these fees into the 21st Century.

Effective January 1, 2026, fees will increase as follows:

Columbarium Niche for one person: $2,000 (currently $1,000)

Ashes Scattering with Commemorative Plaque: $1,000 (currently $650)

Commemorative Plaque Only: $750 (currently $500)

The good news is that there are 19 niches currently available at the current fee ($1,000), if purchased by December 31, 2025.

We wanted to provide Pullen members some time to both consider the columbarium for ash interment and act on it at the current fee. A simple contract is all that is required to establish a purchase. Contact Sandra Hunt for more information.

-Noelle Schofield, Siler Garden Committee Chair