Christian Education

Rite and Ritual

by Nancy Van Fleet How we frame sacred experiences often trumps much of the material found in the middle; beginnings and endings do matter. The labyrinth is a perfect tool to help mark some of the important milestones in our lives. I would like to share two instances that have taken place at our church, and one instance that we can look forward to when we will be able to meet face to face. The beginning of the confirmation journey for five of our students, called The Ceremony of Lights, took place back in February. At that time, our confirmands held candles, and as their parents lit their candles, they walked into the center of a temporary labyrinth created by Jill Crawford and myself. That center represented the heart of our congregational life and the hope that our candidates for confirmation would experience the congregation’s will for God’s love, care, and guidance in their lives. At that time, a Bible was presented to them as a gift from the congregation to use during the confirmation journey. Confirmation Sunday, originally planned for May 17 has been postponed until we can meet again. However, we no longer have to “create” a labyrinth since we have been gifted a beautiful 7-circuit labyrinth from our wish list. I am so grateful! Once we can again meet and celebrate Confirmation Sunday, we will invite the congregation to join the confirmands, before the service if they wish, by our labyrinth. These students will begin in the labyrinth’s center and walk out as a sign of walking out into the world with their faith and as a commitment to take responsibility of their own evolving faith journey. Intentionally marking milestones is something we don’t do well in our culture today. My daughter, Julia, is graduating from college this spring. She joined me at the church as we were able to see our new labyrinth for the first time. We unfolded the labyrinth in the Chapel –a space where it fits perfectly. Then we took the time to walk the labyrinth, marking this milestone in her life. She, like so many other graduates, had no idea that a normal school day would be her only closure to a lifetime of education. Even though she will not actually be able to “walk” for graduation, she was able to walk the labyrinth marking this rite of passage. I am so grateful for the labyrinth and the ritual it enabled us to participate in at this very special time in her life. I look forward to the time when you, our congregation, can also enjoy this powerful spiritual practice.