The Memorial Garden

In 2013, planning was started for a Memorial Garden.  A site was chosen on the west side of the church.  A design was worked out, using guidelines for an area designated for interments.  Plants were chosen, and the search began for a center feature, perhaps a statue.

In June 2014, Fr David Glaser was at Arnet’s Monuments in Ann Arbor, and mentioned to the owner that St Barnabas was planning a Memorial Garden and would need some kind of appropriate statue to include in it.  The owner, Caryl Arnet, had the answer to the need.  A statue of the Virgin Mary was available in the shop.  It had originally been designed for and placed at Mercywood Sanitarium, just west of Ann Arbor.  Serving the mentally ill from 1924-1986, the sanitarium was eventually demolished and the Arnets came into possession of the statue.  When they learned of St Barnabas’ plan, they generously donated the statue to the church in honor of Larry and Marge Arnet.  The full story of the Mary statue can be found here.

The finished Garden was dedicated on May 15, 2015.  It has a peaceful setting, and has been the site of a number of interments of ashes.