Three Hollow Core Doors as Sacred Space

The Prayer Wall has returned to Drysdale! What started out as a few “pins” on Pinterest about some cool ideas I’d like to try, was put into reality a few years ago by a liturgical artist. Then in the summer Drysdale coordinator Summer Spicer started to notice it was looking a bit tired. After a semester in the shadows she and her dreams have blessed the Prayer Wall with new life. It is truly a piece of art and an interactive space for prayer and spirituality on campus.

A few years ago one of our Pastoral Associates, Kay Higgins, shared her artistic gift with the Spiritual Life Center and painted a tree logo for us.  Summer Spicer used that tree as inspiration. The symbols of many world religions are on the tree (and also on the art quilt in the Chapel), making a public statement about Lynchburg College as a Disciples School for all faiths. (The symbol for the Disciples church is a red chalice with a St. Andrew’s cross.)

The Prayer Wall has space to share prayer concerns with chalk or to write a prayer on a ribbon and offer it on the tree. It has space to share upcoming Spiritual Life events and materials for meditative coloring. I hope to put some small project out as well as some meditation prompts along the way. On this campus we come from so many faiths and non-faiths, but I think this Prayer Wall gives us a way to find common ground. It allows us to share our heartfelt pains and our highest joys in our campus living room. About once a week or so, one of the Spiritual Life staff goes over to erase the chalkboard side and straighten up the space. Know that we remove those prayers as prayerfully as they are written. Many times the prayers are lifted up in Sunday mass and at our staff meeting.

Some people think that you have to pray in a certain way or with a certain formula. Some think you have to bow your head or kneel. Some think you should raise hands outstretched.  Some meditate and others sing or walk. Please use the Prayer Wall in whatever way makes sense to you and your tradition. Snidow Chapel is also open for prayer at most times, and after hours you can access the sanctuary space with an ID through the side ramp door. If you want something less individual and more community focused, give us a call, there is a lot going on almost every week.

Blessings, Stephanie