Prayer Garden
Christ United Methodist Church Prayer Garden
On the south side of Christ United Methodist Church is an unexpected spot of peace and beauty. The rosy concrete is etched with a geometrical pattern that is the same as the patterns on the floors of the twelfth century cathedral in Chartres, France, and in courtyard and nave of Grace Episcopal Cathedral in San Francisco. The pattern is, as explained by Dr. Lauren Artress, a spiritual tool that can enrich our relationship with the Divine Spirit that embraces us all. The people at Christ Church created this garden in 1995 as a gift to the church, the community, and the college community across the street and to honor the twenty-fifth anniversary of this unique congregation. You are invited to enjoy this place for reflection, celebration, and prayer.
When planning the twenty-fifth anniversary of the merger of Wesley UMC and St. Luke's UMC, the congregation wanted a project that would serve the church and the community. The garden includes memorials of former members as well as loved ones of today’s members. These memorials were included as a response to a comment by Lee Weldon Stephenson, a member of the church and a United Methodist cleric, who pointed out that the early church practice of burying people in the churchyard had better prepared previous generations for death by keeping death a part of the story of life. Memorial bricks rose bushes, trees, the fountain, figures of St Francis, and angels are among these gifts.
We respect the prayer garden as sacred ground.