An important element of our spiritual lives, prayer is a way for us to connect directly with God.

There is no bad place to perform the act of prayer. But depending upon an individual's perspective, some spaces may be better than others.

St. Paul Lutheran Church's prayer labyrinth encourages prayer in an attempt to broaden our spiritual horizons.

"It's kind of like a grounding area to pray," said Suzanne Black, the church's new director of outreach. "Ours is in a place in nature, so maybe you can spend more time praying than you would at other places. It's in a nice quiet spot. It grounds you with God during your prayer."

The prayer labyrinth is part of the church's sacred grounds, nestled in a natural wildflower meadow on the south side of the church's structure at 200 W. Orange St., Lititz. The labyrinth is situated in an area surrounded by the church's native forest, monarch waystation and community garden.

The prayer labyrinth is open to the public.

"Personally, I define prayer as a quiet time to speak to God and acknowledge his presence in my life," said Black. "Prayer's important because we're all so busy in our daily lives. Setting aside time for prayer is important."

Built from crushed stone and larger stones that serve as guide rails and adorned by native and nonnative plants, the prayer labyrinth is a simple walkway that winds its way within itself. The labyrinth is designed to produce a leisurely stroll that places one's mind in a relaxed state suited for reflection, meditation and prayer.

"A labyrinth is a circular pathway that ends in one specific spot," said Black. "It's not like a maze. It has a specific route to get to the middle. Ours is not very long; some are longer."

The use of labyrinths for spiritual purposes dates back more than 1,700 years. The construction of St. Paul's prayer labyrinth was completed on Nov. 18, 2023.

"(Prayer labyrinths) have been around for a very long time," said Black. "The circular pathway is meant to represent a person's spiritual journey."

St. Paul Lutheran Church's prayer labyrinth is used for group services, as well as personal prayer. It fits in well with the church's mission: "Rooted in God's grace, we grow loving relationships with Jesus and one another to serve the world."

"We are pleased so many people are using it," said Black. "We are still developing the (sacred grounds), so we can encourage even more people to use the space. The sacred grounds is an area where we're trying to take care of God's creations. It's part of the church's mission, but not the whole mission."

Intentional or not, the prayer labyrinth can serve as an outreach tool for the church and community.

"St. Paul Lutheran is a very welcoming church," said Black. "We'd like to share God's message with the community. The prayer labyrinth is a space meant to make you feel welcome. We would like to help the community as a whole come together."

For additional information about St. Paul Lutheran Church, go to http://www.stpaullititz.net.