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.