Christ Church Cemetery
Millarville, Alberta
Thank you for thinking about Christ Church Cemetery at this difficult time. Choosing the resting place for a loved one is often done during a time of emotional stress, rendering the decision arduous. Recognizing the emotional aspects of such a decision, we are pleased to provide this package of information for you. Please find included: a brief history of the cemetery, some policies regarding burial at Christ Church Cemetery, and an application form.
We hope the information contained herein is useful. If you have any questions, or for additional information, please contact the clergy of the parish, or alternately the Wardens of Christ Church.
History
Christ Church Cemetery in Millarville is a small private Christian cemetery operated by Christ Church of the Anglican Church of Canada. It was established for the benefit of parish members in 1920. Eventually this benefit was also extended to the members of St. George’s Anglican Church in Turner Valley and St. James’ Anglican Church in Priddis.
The cemetery is under the control of the Corporation of Christ Church which consists of the Rector and the two Wardens, with input from the Property Manager. Although all three churches belong to the Meota Parish, Christ Church pays for the maintenance and improvements of the cemetery.
Christ Church has established a private trust fund to ensure the care of the cemetery in perpetuity as no public money is received. If you choose to have a loved one buried here, we recognize you will be concerned with the ongoing upkeep of the cemetery. Therefore, we invite you to make a donation to the trust fund which is invested with the Anglican Diocese of Calgary to assure the continued maintenance of the grounds in an appropriate manner. An alternate consideration could be leaving the trust fund a legacy in your will.
Because it is a Christian cemetery, and because of its small size, guidelines have been established to decide who may receive permission for burial. Since the “old” part of the cemetery is already full, and parts of the “new” section are filling up, and to ensure plots are available in the future for our church members and their immediate families, it is necessary to regulate who is eligible for interment.
Policy Guidelines
Requirements for Acceptance for Burial or Interment :
1. The individual to be interred in Christ Church Cemetery must have been baptized Christian.
2. The individual at the time of death, or in the past, has been active with a church in the Meota Parish.
3. The individual has a first degree relative (parent, offspring, or spouse) buried in Christ Church Cemetery.
4. The individual is an Anglican who resides outside the Meota Parish, who has had a significant and identifiable connection with Christ Church, Millarville.
5. The individual is not an Anglican, but resides within the Meota Parish and at some point in their life had a significant and identifiable connection with Christ Church, Millarville.
6. The individual has extremely compelling evidence of a significant relationship with Christ Church, Millarville, as determined by the Corporation on a case by case basis.
The minimum requirements for evidence of a significant relationship with the church would include the following information:
1. Any services attended at Christ Church, including Advent and Holy Week Services, starting with the most recent and the clergy officiating.
2. Any special functions worked at, or contributed to (Ladies Guild, Flower Festivals, Race Days, etc.), starting with the most recent, and the clergy attending.
3. Any significant events celebrated at Christ Church, including: Baptisms, Confirmations, Weddings, etc.
4. A letter of recommendation from the Rector or Wardens of the Anglican Church the family is currently attending.
5. A statement of the family's intentions regarding future worship, commitment and involvement with Christ Church.
Please provide any supporting documentation available. (e.g. Baptismal certificate from the Meota Parish, Marriage certificate from the Meota Parish, Thank you letters from the Meota Parish.)
If you believe that your loved one meets the above requirements, please fill out the attached application form. The Corporation will then meet to discuss your application
Please be advised any burial or interment will require the presence of clergy approved by the Rector of the Meota Parish.
If your loved one does not meet the requirements above, an alternate remembrance may be made on the Memorial Tree located on the perimeter of Christ Church Cemetery. The purpose of the memorial tree is to provide a space where a small plaque can be permanently affixed to the tree by the family or friends of the deceased. It was specifically erected as a way to remember an individual whose ashes are spread elsewhere. It is not required that the deceased was baptized, nor to have been a member of the Anglican community in the Meota Parish. Please consider this as an alternative memorial in the community.
Applications for a plaque on the Memorial Tree are provided by the Property Manager and are given final approval by the Christ Church Corporation.