Peace & Carrots Community Garden

The Community Garden began in the Spring of 2000 as a means to help fulfill the mission goal of SJRUC – “to provide an active outreach to the community.” The garden is 55′ x 75′, with 16 plots each measuring approximately 5′ x 20′. Cost per season: $20.00, with $10.00 refundable as long as year-end cleanup is done. Community gardening tools are stored on site and two water taps in the garden allow for easy hand watering. A rustic arbour frames the garden entrance. A shrub and perennial flower bed runs along the front. Wood chip pathways between each of the plots help to retain moisture and keep the weeds down. Principles of organic gardening must be followed by our gardeners. For information about availability of a garden plot, contact the church office.
For more information about Community Gardens in Waterloo Region click here.

Labyrinth

A labyrinth is an ancient tool used for meditation, healing and spiritual growth. It consists of a single winding path that leads from the entrance to the centre. All labyrinths are unicursal, meaning they have only one path. Mazes, on the other hand, have many paths presenting a puzzle you must solve to reach the centre.
Our labyrinth is based on the Chartres or medieval style (Chartres Cathedral is in France dating from the early 13th century). The oldest reliably dated labyrinth dates from c. 1200 BCE. Labyrinths have been found in many parts of the world. Ancient labyrinths had many uses: they were seen as protective symbols, pathways for sacred dances, symbols near tombs for the journey of the soul after death or a symbol for a pilgrim’s journey to the Middle East when it was too dangerous to actually travel there.
There has been an increase in interest in labyrinths since the 1990’s, reflecting an increased focus on personal self-awareness and spiritual growth. Walking a labyrinth can relieve stress and aid in rehabilitation for caregivers, patients, family. Individuals use the labyrinth for meditation, reflection and exercise. Schools use them for an activity zone for students. Labyrinths stimulate creative thinking and problem-solving and act as a tool for conflict resolution. They remain a metaphor for an individual’s journey through life.
Our labyrinth is made of brick for easy walking. It is available to everyone, young and old, alone or in groups, 24 hours a day.
This labyrinth is part of the Labyrinth Community Network. To visit their site, click here.

To Walk the Labyrinth

• Follow the path of the labyrinth from the entrance to the centre.
• Walk at a pace that feels comfortable to you.
• Pass others on the path if you need to and move around walkers coming toward you.
• Stay in the centre as long as you wish.
• Follow the path back to the entrance of the labyrinth.

 

Basic approaches to walking the labyrinth
Asking for Help through Prayer: Pray throughout the labyrinth walk.
Gracious Attention: Let go of all thoughts as they come to your awareness.
Asking a Question: Focus on a question that you have been asking yourself.
Use of Repetition: Repeat a word, mantra or phrase over and over.
Reading Scripture: Read scripture or books on spirituality while you’re walking.
Ceremonies: Gratitude walk, rites of passage (birth, puberty, menopause, marriage or union, divorce, graduation, death, new job, retirement, etc.)

Peace Pole

The Peace Pole displays the message “May Peace Prevail on Earth” in Arabic, English, Hebrew, Seneca and braille. It is a reminder for us to visualize and pray for world peace, as well as peace in our homes and in our communities. There are more than 200,000 Peace Poles in 180 countries around the world.
For more information on Peace Poles click here

 

Stone of Promise

The Stone of Promise, located on the Sherwood Avenue side of the church, was a gift from the Rev. Dr. Charles Lewis just prior to his retirement from St. James’-Rosemount in 1971. The stone is six feet through, sits five feet above ground and weighs in at approximately 7,000 pounds. In the Bible, the prophet Joshua had the people of Israel, who were coming out of slavery, stand around a stone and make promises about what was going to happen in their religious life. In a special dedication service held on Sunday, June 27, 1971 the members of St. James’-Rosemount stood around the stone and made similar promises about their own faith. The Stone of Promise remains a treasured, permanent fixture on our church grounds.