On Sunday 10th March a service was held at the Invercargill Crematorium where a site has been commissioned to hold the remains of loved ones previously interred at the St John's Columbarium.

This represented the end of a process that has taken place when the sale of St John's buildings and land was made to Southland Institute of Technology. The Wardens and Vestry at St Johns supported by Rev'd Liz Cheyne from Holy Trinity Parish have worked on contacting any remaining relatives of people who were interred at St Johns to check on their preferences. For some, this meant reinternment elsewhere, for others, staying connected with St Johns was important. This meant that the purchase of an area at Invercargill Crematorium took place where these internments could take place.

A service was held at St Johns on the 25th November to begin the process of moving loved ones, and the final part of this (blessing the area where people are now at rest) took place last weekend.

Around 60 parishioners and family members attended the service on Sunday, which was a moving and appropriate way to lay loved ones at rest again.

The Parish are very grateful to Rev'd Liz Cheyne for the work she has done on this, especially with dealing with this process in such a sensitive and pastoral way. They presented Liz with flowers and a gift to let her know how they appreciated her nurturing love to them all through the process of moving on.  We also acknowledge the help given by the funeral home, J Fraser & Sons Ltd:  we appreciate their sensitivity, compassion and professionalism.

Rest eternal grant to then O Lord, and let light perpetual shine upon them. May they rest in peace and rise in glory - Amen.