A few members of the United Church of Auburn gave up part of a warm sunny Thursday afternoon to clear a trail for prayer. The prayer trail is the newest project of the church, and they have been working throughout the summer to complete it.
Sam Tenney / The Citizen
Tina Berry and John Wiggins clear thick brush behind the United Church of Auburn on Metcalf Drive, to make way for a prayer trail.
Tina Berry and John Wiggins clear thick brush behind the United Church of Auburn on Metcalf Drive, to make way for a prayer trail.
“We had talked about the idea of using the property behind the church for some time,” said Tina Barry, one of the volunteers. “When Larry (church pastor Larry Bell) heard about it, there was a new impetus behind the project.”
Barry is no stranger to community works projects. She was a volunteer with Habitat for Humanity for 10 years.
“When we first got here,” Bell began, “this land was all overgrown. There are a lot of nice trees here - maples, ash, box elder, black walnut. And a lot of buckthorn. Once we started clearing it, we found the foundation of an old barn made from cut stone. I'm grateful we have people who are willing to do the work.”
Buckthorn is an invasive, thorny plant that can choke out other plants, and it can attract fungus and aphids, as well as creating a tough, layer of vegetation that can be difficult to cut out. The prayer volunteers found that out, but they have persisted in their work.
The grand opening of the trail is scheduled for Sunday, even though the work will probably not be completed. The 10 a.m. morning service will be held outside this day, followed by a dedication of the trail and a church picnic. The church newsletter announces the event as “a time to walk the trail. Come and experience the peace and serenity in our own backyard. Enjoy the sounds of nature and the meditative experience.”
Special music will be performed by Ruth Brown and Mary Ann Finn, including a song
that was written by Brown, the choir director, just for this occasion.
Turning an overgrown acre of land behind the church into a place of prayer and meditation reflects the congregation's commitment to caring for the environment. They believe that stewardship of the earth and its resources is expected of them by God. The church newsletter also includes a quote from the Old Testament book of Leviticus: “Throughout the country that you hold as possession, you must provide for the redemption of the land.”
The quote is on a page which also encourages the use of plants that require little water and explains how to catch rain water in a barrel or other container to use for watering plants. A note from the editor reads, “One inch of rain falling on 1,000 square feet of roof adds up to 623 gallons. That's enough to keep a lot of petunias happy!”
Church members also promote the recycling of clean, used clothing by their support of
the St. Pauly Mission, a local company whose purpose is to match “usable clothing to people who can use it here in the United States and in Third World Countries.” The group accepts clothing, shoes, belts, purses, blankets and other bedding and stuffed toys. A special shelter is set up in the back of the church's parking lot to collect items.
When the prayer trail is finished, the church has plans to erect mailbox-like structures along the way where walkers may find prayer prompts or they may find or leave prayer requests.
“We want this to be a nice environment,” Bell said. “This is a prayer trail. It's not just for our
church members, it's for the whole community. It's a place to come and be alone with the Lord.“ The grand opening of the trail is scheduled for Sunday, even though the work will probably not be completed. The 10 a.m. morning service will be held outside, followed by a dedication of the trail and a church picnic. The church newsletter announces the event as “a time to walk the trail. Come and experience the peace and serenity in our own backyard. Enjoy the sounds of nature and the meditative experience.”
Special music will be performed by Ruth Brown and Mary Ann Finn, including a song that was written by Brown, the choir director, just for this occasion.
Turning an overgrown acre of land behind the church into a place of prayer and meditation reflects the congregation's commitment to caring for the environment.
They believe that stewardship of the earth and its resources is expected of them by God. The church newsletter also includes a quote from the Old Testament book of Leviticus: “Throughout the country that you hold as possession, you must provide for the redemption of the land.”
The quote is on a page which also encourages the use of plants that require little water and explains how to catch rain water in a barrel or other container to use for watering plants.
A note from the editor reads, “One inch of rain falling on 1,000 square feet of roof adds up to 623 gallons. That's enough to keep a lot of petunias happy!”
Church members also promote the recycling of clean, used clothing by their support of the St. Pauly Mission, a local company whose purpose is to match “usable clothing to people who can use it here in the United States and in Third World Countries.”
The group accepts clothing, shoes, belts, purses, blankets and other bedding and stuffed toys. A special shelter is set up in the back of the church's parking lot to collect items.
When the prayer trail is finished, the church has plans to erect mailbox-like structures along the way where walkers may find prayer prompts or they may find or leave prayer requests.
“We want this to be a nice environment,” Bell said. “This is a prayer trail. It's not just for our church members, it's for the whole community. It's a place to come and be alone with the Lord.”
Barry is no stranger to community works projects. She was a volunteer with Habitat for Humanity for 10 years.
“When we first got here,” Bell began, “this land was all overgrown. There are a lot of nice trees here - maples, ash, box elder, black walnut. And a lot of buckthorn. Once we started clearing it, we found the foundation of an old barn made from cut stone. I'm grateful we have people who are willing to do the work.”
Buckthorn is an invasive, thorny plant that can choke out other plants, and it can attract fungus and aphids, as well as creating a tough, layer of vegetation that can be difficult to cut out. The prayer volunteers found that out, but they have persisted in their work.
The grand opening of the trail is scheduled for Sunday, even though the work will probably not be completed. The 10 a.m. morning service will be held outside this day, followed by a dedication of the trail and a church picnic. The church newsletter announces the event as “a time to walk the trail. Come and experience the peace and serenity in our own backyard. Enjoy the sounds of nature and the meditative experience.”
Special music will be performed by Ruth Brown and Mary Ann Finn, including a song
that was written by Brown, the choir director, just for this occasion.
Turning an overgrown acre of land behind the church into a place of prayer and meditation reflects the congregation's commitment to caring for the environment. They believe that stewardship of the earth and its resources is expected of them by God. The church newsletter also includes a quote from the Old Testament book of Leviticus: “Throughout the country that you hold as possession, you must provide for the redemption of the land.”
The quote is on a page which also encourages the use of plants that require little water and explains how to catch rain water in a barrel or other container to use for watering plants. A note from the editor reads, “One inch of rain falling on 1,000 square feet of roof adds up to 623 gallons. That's enough to keep a lot of petunias happy!”
Church members also promote the recycling of clean, used clothing by their support of
the St. Pauly Mission, a local company whose purpose is to match “usable clothing to people who can use it here in the United States and in Third World Countries.” The group accepts clothing, shoes, belts, purses, blankets and other bedding and stuffed toys. A special shelter is set up in the back of the church's parking lot to collect items.
When the prayer trail is finished, the church has plans to erect mailbox-like structures along the way where walkers may find prayer prompts or they may find or leave prayer requests.
“We want this to be a nice environment,” Bell said. “This is a prayer trail. It's not just for our
church members, it's for the whole community. It's a place to come and be alone with the Lord.“ The grand opening of the trail is scheduled for Sunday, even though the work will probably not be completed. The 10 a.m. morning service will be held outside, followed by a dedication of the trail and a church picnic. The church newsletter announces the event as “a time to walk the trail. Come and experience the peace and serenity in our own backyard. Enjoy the sounds of nature and the meditative experience.”
Special music will be performed by Ruth Brown and Mary Ann Finn, including a song that was written by Brown, the choir director, just for this occasion.
Turning an overgrown acre of land behind the church into a place of prayer and meditation reflects the congregation's commitment to caring for the environment.
They believe that stewardship of the earth and its resources is expected of them by God. The church newsletter also includes a quote from the Old Testament book of Leviticus: “Throughout the country that you hold as possession, you must provide for the redemption of the land.”
The quote is on a page which also encourages the use of plants that require little water and explains how to catch rain water in a barrel or other container to use for watering plants.
A note from the editor reads, “One inch of rain falling on 1,000 square feet of roof adds up to 623 gallons. That's enough to keep a lot of petunias happy!”
Church members also promote the recycling of clean, used clothing by their support of the St. Pauly Mission, a local company whose purpose is to match “usable clothing to people who can use it here in the United States and in Third World Countries.”
The group accepts clothing, shoes, belts, purses, blankets and other bedding and stuffed toys. A special shelter is set up in the back of the church's parking lot to collect items.
When the prayer trail is finished, the church has plans to erect mailbox-like structures along the way where walkers may find prayer prompts or they may find or leave prayer requests.
“We want this to be a nice environment,” Bell said. “This is a prayer trail. It's not just for our church members, it's for the whole community. It's a place to come and be alone with the Lord.”
