The Columbarium on the east side of the campus features multiple crosses. “Columbarium” comes from the Latin word “columba,” meaning dove. Columbaria were originally dovecotes, special structures with niches for doves to live in.

Now a columbarium is a place for the respectful storage of funerary urns. This has been a Christian custom for thousands of years. For FUPC, a PCUSA Earth Care congregation, the environmental responsibility of the columbarium is an important element.

FUPC’s columbarium is a beautiful and restful space. It was dedicated and placed into service in August 1992. In 2015, Barbara Verdery and the Properties Ministry added a flagstone path.

The crosses in the columbarium remind us that a funeral service is a witness to the resurrection of Jesus Christ, which we celebrate on Easter Sunday and throughout the year. During this season of Lent, we lift high the cross as a symbol of victory over death in Jesus Christ.