| Labyrinth is a tool for prayer  The Rev. George Weitzel, pastor of Messiah UMC in Glen Burnie, along with church member Randy Palmer, constructed the prayer labyrinth at FaithFest Feb. 20-22. I was first exposed to the use of the labyrinth in Educational Expo 2000, Weitzel said. Rev. Jerry Wicklein taught a class. Weitzel learned that the Labyrinth was an ancient practice used as a focus for prayer. When he returned to the church, several people became interested in using the labyrinth as a devotional tool. In the Fall of 2001 we decided that the theme for our camping retreat would be To Love As God Loves, based on the book by Roberta Bondi, Weitzel said. It seemed appropriate to introduce the ancient practice of the Labyrinth as a part of the weekend devotions. Two members of Messiah set up a labyrinth in the meadow. It became unique, Weitzel said, in that the labyrinth set up by stringing ribbon between stakes became, when the wind blew, a singing labyrinth. To build a labyrinth is to create holy space, Weitzel said. The labyrinth set up on the beach for FaithFest was patterned after the classical seven-circuit labyrinth, he said. The seven circuits refers to the seven paths that lead to the center. A cross is the starting point used to construct this labyrinth. The cross at the center becomes a focus for meditation and the prayer. For the FaithFest labyrinth, Weitzel choose the seven I Am statements of Jesus as stations for meditation and a Listening Prayer as the center focus. For more information on labyrinths, contact Weitzel at (410) 761-1944. | 
Login/Register to leave comment