More Recent Activities

The Labyrinth Is Now

The new Community Labyrinth at MPC had been completed and was dedicated on July 18th. Below are some photos of that activity which followed the morning worship.

The Labyrinth has a grassy winding path outlined by creamy pavers. It is situated at the north side of the church, on the left side as you approach the building. There are suggestions for walking it in an enclosed box nearby and a bench for resting and meditating.

It is enclosed by a ring of mature red oak trees. On the arrival of snow the path will rest until the thaw. Maybe one can find analogies to life's journeys in this change of seasons.

Photos by Joe Wright

Text Box: Walking the Sacred Path
There is no one right way to walk the labyrinth, but the following tips will help you get the most from your experience.
Walk with an open mind and an open heart, ready to receive whatever the Spirit has for you.
Do not expect your walk to be like anyone else's. Some people experience powerful emotions and tears; others feel nothing but a sense of peace and well-being.
Walk at your own pace. If the person ahead of you is moving too slowly, feel free to pass.
Since the way in and the way out are the same, you may meet others on the path. Step aside to let them pass, and continue your journey.
If you get lost and forget which way you're going, it's okay. Either you will end up at the entrance or at the center and you can continue on.
Stay in the center as long as you wish; then follow the path outward.
Some people begin and end their walk with a simple ritual--bowing, crossing themselves, touching the ground, etc. Do what feels right for you.
Feel free to walk, run, skip, dance the labyrinth. Some people even crawl it!
Walk the labyrinth as many times as you wish. It's a good idea to come back and walk it at least three times before judging whether it has anything to offer you.
This is sacred space as all space is. but perhaps you will find what you are seeking here.

Reflections on the Labyrinth
In the 13th Century, labyrinths were constructed in cathedrals so that devout Christians, instead of making the costly and perilous pilgrimage to the Holy Land, could travel to one of these sites and walk the labyrinth, which would represent their arrival in Jerusalem. Today, however, the labyrinth walk is commonly used as a metaphor of one's life journey. As the pathway design is complicated, it is not possible to discern the entire pattern at one time. Thus it is similar to our life journey in that we cannot see ahead and know where our journey will lead us.

The body has amazing powers to heal itself. Recent research has indicated that quieting one's mind or relaxing for 20 minutes twice a day can increase our life span and improve the general condition of our health. Prayer or meditation can be a method of quieting the mind. While some of us can sit quietly and meditate for long periods of time, the hyperactive person finds this kind of quiet prayer impossible. The labyrinth permits such individuals to have freedom to move, which addresses the body's physical need. They are then able to pray and experience an inner calmness.

Walking the labyrinth may result in an unusual sense of peace and tranquility, significantly lower, blood pressure, relieve stress and anxiety, arouse a feeling of God's presence, and it even enable one person to have a good night's sleep after months of sleepless nights.

Just as we differ in our preferences for a certain style of worship or music, we differ in preferences in effective ways of praying, The labyrinth has often been described as "prayer in motion," and that is an appropriate title. For some of us, however, it permits the integration of body, mind and spirit. The labyrinth is a valuable instrument to assist the individual on the journey into wholeness, and to allow our entire being to "Be still and know that I am God."