Church’s Natural Burial Cemetery Idea Causes Controversy

BARNUM, Minn.– There is controversy tonight involving a church in Barnum and its plan to open a natural burial site.

The site’s planner says natural burials are better for the environment without embalming chemical used in traditional burials.

Matt Connell, cemetarian at Loving Earth Memorial Gardens, and a member of the Steelmantown Church has a passion for the outdoors and preserving the environment.

But now, he’s determined to create a natural burial cemetery on this land in Barnum purchased 2 years ago by the church, which was all approved at the time by Carlton County.

“Natural burial is where there is no embalming chemicals used at all. We also do not use any artificial materials for caskets at all. We bury the dead at about four feet deep, which allows for better nutrient availability at the surface, and it allows people to return back to nature,” said Connell.

However, some nearby neighbors don’t want the cemetery in their backyard.

And they’ve made it known with these skeleton decorations and signs.

On top of that, the church’s attorney, Erick Kaardal, told FOX 21 the county failed to record the cemetery map itself.

“The laws require you to record Steelmantown church’s surveyed and plotted map for the private cemetery, and so you should follow the law. And this is like common is that when you are in this position and you’re entitled to something, the government won’t give it to you. It seems like you keep writing to the government, look, ‘we’re entitled this, we’re entitled to this’,” said Kaardal.

Connell said, he wants the community to understand that this burial plot would be a serene place for gathering and celebration.

He said the 20-acres of land would be full of native wildflowers, Making it welcoming and friendly, and without headstones.

“I’m putting in a community gathering space that will be beautiful. It will be full of flowers; it will be full of trees. It’ll be a place where people can walk their dogs and enjoy this is not my cemetery. This is our cemetery, and we are all part of it,” explained Connell

Right now, the church has filed a lawsuit against the County.

Kaardal said the process could take a while, possibly years because of cost, and sorting through different claims, such as religious discrimination.

“This is a big legal mistake by the county board, because really, the decision was made out of a motivation to stop this church from having a cemetery. And you know that it isn’t allowed. You’ve got to, like, do it right. And here the church had purchased the property in a zone district that has a permit use private cemetery. So, they came up with all sorts of excuses. I would love to see the cemetery go in. I think it’d be good thing for the county, and we could just put this in our rear-view mirror. But my experience is the chance of that happening is like 1% that’s so we’ll see,” explained Kaardal.

In response to this, FOX 21 reached out to Carlton County for a statement.

“The County is aware that Steelmantown Church has filed a lawsuit, and we will respond to the claims as required by law. The County will not otherwise be commenting on the matter.” -Dennis Genearu Jr, Carlton County Administrator