Labyrinth Ministry
Celebrate World Labyrinth Day At Naples United Church of Christ
The fifth annual World Labyrinth Day will be held on Saturday, May 4, 2013.
World Labyrinth Day is an annual global event celebrated each year on the first Saturday in May, sponsored by The Labyrinth Society, an international organization founded in 1998.
You are invited to “Walk as One at 1,” in an attempt to create a wave of peaceful energy moving around the planet. To participate, people are invited to walk a labyrinth at 1pm in their local time zone. The canvas labyrinth will be open in McSpadden Hall at Naples United Church of Christ on Saturday, May 4 from noon to 3 pm. It will also be open on Friday, May 3 from noon to 3 pm and on Sunday, May 5th from 8am to 3pm. Church school classes will be using the labyrinth at 9am on Sunday.
In past years, a variety of events were held in over 100 locations worldwide, including the Ellipse in Washington, DC, public parks, churches, and many private labyrinths. Countries joining the celebration include: the United States, Canada, England, the Bahamas, France, Spain, New Zealand, China, South Africa, Australia and the list grows every year.
Labyrinths have been found all over the world, dating from earliest antiquity. Once popular in the Middle Ages, labyrinths have been experiencing a resurgence in popularity. They are commonly found in schools, prisons, parks, hospitals, spas, churches and retreat centers. The World Wide Labyrinth Locator, established by The Labyrinth Society, is an on-line data base that lists of 3400 labyrinths world wide.
This ancient Church prayer practice is enjoying renewed popularity.
Of the original 17 labyrinths constructed during the Middle Ages in the stone floors of the major French Pilgrimage/Gothic Cathedrals, one remains today — in the Cathedral of Chartres. Our own canvas labyrinth is an exact replica of that labyrinth. Unlike many, our labyrinth will be indoors, available throughout the year in McSpadden Hall for various spiritual events.
The world-wide growth in labyrinths has been tremendous. There are 10,000 in churches, hospitals, schools, private gardens, and public parks. Walking prayer benefits both body and soul. The calm movement of ‘walking prayer’ is often very soothing for a thirsting and troubled soul, while lowering the heart beat and blood pressure at the same time. We bring to the labyrinth our prayers of thanksgiving, joy, healing and hurting; we also ‘listen’ for the Holy Spirit. A labyrinth walk can be a ‘Conversation with God’, a meditative spiritual gift.
The labyrinth offers a unique opportunity to build church community and faith friendships through group prayer. In an ‘intentional’ walk, a group prays with a specific focus, recognizing that whenever two or more are gathered in his name, Jesus has promised to be present.
A Labyrinth Ministry calls us to be ecumenical and inclusive; it calls us to be intentional in our communal and individual spiritual growth.
Blessings of Peace and Love on the Pathway of your Life