Grave Matters

About the Book

What better way to learn about life than working in a cemetery? This is exactly what happens to the main character, Martin Stevenson, in Grave Matters. Martin alludes to the “lost year” he has left behind when he stumbles into employment as a grounds-keeper in a cemetery in the middle of Kansas. There, he secretly takes up permanent residence camping in an obscure corner of the cemetery. The reader sees life through Martin’s eyes as he “digs out” from his past and interacts with the quirky characters he works with.

Martin serves as a muse as the reader learns lessons of life from the stories and experiences told by his co-workers. Through these lessons, Martin comes to find some of the answers about life he has been searching for through the experiences framed by death. Each chapter is an episode that takes place in the cemetery, spotlighting each employee and their unique experiences. In the end, both Martin and the reader come to realize that a person’s identity and life are not shaped by what we appear to be nor by the compartments that constrain us, but by how we live our lives.

About the Author

Marshall and Julie Welch combine their experience and expertise in spiritual formation and gardening as an invitation to explore one’s spirituality in this book. Whether an experienced or novice gardener, the reader will gain insight not only into the art of gardening, but Christian spirituality as well. Marshall is a Commissioned Lay Pastor in the Presbyterian Church USA and a spiritual director conducting individual and small group spiritual direction. Marshall is an administrator and professor at Saint Mary’s College of California. Julie taught special education for 14 years and is now a nature and garden education specialist. She splits her time as the steward of the Legacy Garden at Saint Mary’s College of California and working with local schools and community gardens in the Bay Area. She is a certified Master Gardener in the State of California and teaches a course on “low-impact” living. They conduct workshops on spiritual formation and community gardening.