Well-maintained cemeteries show churches’ respect for deceased

Upkeep of church cemeteries is vitally important to how visitors and passersby view the church as a whole, building experts say. For the best curb appeal, churches take great care to regularly and adequately maintain their cemeteries.
Curb appeal is the visual impression in the mind of a stranger as he passes by or visits a church facility. 
   
Though many church leaders may not always realize the significance of this image, nonmembers’ opinions of the church are usually formed by it, he said.
   
“From the viewpoint of non-Christians, respect of the dead is a clear indicator of the degree to which Christians apply their faith,” Swafford added.
  
Although Gary Nicholson, an architect in the church architecture department of LifeWay Christian Resources, generally advises church leaders against adding cemeteries to their properties, he also believes that appearance is important to the overall curb appeal of the church.
   
“The main thing is to avoid a messy cemetery,” he said. “It should be well-maintained, neatly groomed with some sort of ornamental fence.”
   
Curtis Faulk, a partner with J.K. Terry and Company, agrees with Swafford and Nicholson, and encourages church leaders to incorporate trees on the peripheral of the cemetery to add a special touch.
   
In addition to regular maintenance, cemeteries should be well defined and marked off to improve curb appeal, according to Swafford.
   
“Churches need to decide the limits of the lot and define it using a low brick wall or a more decorative low picket fence,” he said.
   
David Payne, president of Payne and Associates Architects, also encourages the use of a barrier between the cemetery and other church property, but discourages the use of chain link fences.
   
“A low stone wall would separate the cemetery from the rest to set it off as a revered place,” he said. “Don’t put anything up if you’re going to put up a chain link fence.”
   
Swafford offered the following suggestions to churches with cemeteries:
   
–Have specific guidelines or a written plan for how the cemetery should be maintained, not just a verbal understanding.
   
“Today’s society wants its families to be buried in a place that has perpetual care, which means that there is a plan in place to provide regular and ongoing maintenance and upkeep for the cemetery,” Swafford said. “Churches who have oversight of cemeteries should take seriously the fact that this needs to be done.”
   
According to him, these guidelines should include the name and contact information of the person responsible for designating plots, communicating with funeral services and digging graves.
   
–Create a layout of potential gravesites to ensure clear understanding for sale or allocation of plots.
   
–Develop a schedule for maintenance and upkeep. “This includes cutting grass, trimming shrubbery, and maintaining fences,” Swafford said.
   
–Maintain and repair grave markers as needed.
   
–Clearly label cemeteries that are not adjacent to church buildings.
  
–Be sure to communicate guidelines for decorations to families using the cemetery.
   
–Set appropriate bookkeeping practices for receiving and expending all cemetery funds.
   
To find more church construction information and resources visit www.thealabamabaptist.org.