Church Cemetery
The Zion Lutheran cemetery is located in Bensenville on the church grounds. It is owned and operated by the church and has been in use for nearly 200 years.
Zion made effective that as of August 1, 1909, the practice of disinterring church members would no longer be allowed. This pertained to members of the daughter congregations requesting that their loved ones be removed from the Zion cemetery to bury them at the cemeteries of their new church.
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For More Information:
For more information on the graves in the cemetery, you can use this link or contact the church office.
Rules and Regulations governing Zion Cemetery
ARTICLE I
Only members of Zion Evangelical Lutheran congregation and such congregations which are affiliated with us in faith may be buried in this cemetery. Only members using the means of grace in Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church of Bensenville shall be entitled to purchase a burial plot.
Former members of Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church who have relocated outside of the immediate vicinity (20+ miles) of Zion may retain their plots and/or be eligible to purchase plots if they are currently members in good standing of another Lutheran Church Missouri Synod congregation, confirmed by calling the Pastor. Former members who transfer to a congregation not in fellowship with the L.C.M.S. forfeit their right to be buried there. Special circumstances require review and approval by the Board of Deacons and the Pastor.
The cemetery is and shall remain the property of our congregation. Any member purchasing a cemetery lot does not receive a title, but only the right to bury there. Those that have purchased a plot and wish to have someone else buried there will require approval of both the Pastor and the Board of Deacons.
ARTICLE II
Where the burial plot is unused for a minimum of 50 years, and the owner is no longer a member of Zion congregation, the plot may revert to the church.
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ARTICLE III
Any pastor serving our congregation at the time of his death will receive for himself and his immediate family (wife and children) graves in Zion cemetery at no charge.
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ARTICLE IV
Since our cemetery is a Lutheran cemetery, only such pastors may officiate there as are recognized by Zion congregation. Under no circumstances shall a pastor of a non-Lutheran Church Missouri Synod officiate a burial on our cemetery. Examples of non-Lutheran Church Missouri Synod would include any anti-Christian religion or the chaplain of a secret society or lodge, or prayer-leader of a society. Likewise, it is not permitted that lodge members march on our grounds with their regalia or other insignia or badges.
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ARTICLE V
It is forbidden to remove or rebury corpses from the cemetery without the knowledge and written consent of the Board of Trustees and Board of Deacons. Should this permission be obtained, the owner shall be required to pay the fee then fixed by the Board of Trustees for the leveling of the lot or any other damages done to the property.
ARTICLE VI
Only flush headstones or markers may be set on single graves or lots. After setting of headstones, all remnants of material shall at once be removed from the cemetery. Headstones with un-Christian inscriptions will not be tolerated. Mausoleums, or similar structures, will likewise not be permitted.
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ARTICLE VII
The caretaker will not be required to trim grass around headstones or plants on lots or graves. Trees, shrubs or perennials that spread are not permitted. The members of the board of Trustees, or their delegate may remove any such plantings from our cemetery.
ARTICLE VIII
The church office shall keep an exact plan of the cemetery lots and single graves, and keep records of all plots sold, in order to know where the individual corpses lie, and which lots are still for sale. They shall always keep the cemetery in good condition. Upkeep of the cemetery shall be considered a regular and mandatory expense of the cemetery perpetual find. Permission must be obtained from Zion congregation to bury human ashes on our cemetery and recorded in the cemetery record book as such.
ARTICLE IX
The cemetery fees, including but not limited to plot cost, burial fees, and burial site fees, shall be set by the Board of Trustees with approval from the congregation. The fees will be used by the office when discussing the burial process. Any known monies already given to the church for the plot will be deducted off of the fees. In the event of multiple plots were purchased, the plot cost is divided between all plots to arrive at the discount. Matters of the physical site shall be handled by the Board of Trustees. All other matters relating to the burial will be handled by the Board of Deacons.
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