Spiritual Garden

Prayers, Reflections & Information.

Welcome!

Welcome to this hidden gem of a garden tucked away in St. Mary’s churchyard. We hope you will enjoy the peace, quiet and beauty of this garden. Stop and rest a while, take time to be quiet and draw close to God in this sacred space. If you would like, do use the thoughts and images here to guide you in reflection and prayer as you explore this little garden. The planting has been chosen to tell stories and inspire visitors.

To download our Garden Leaflet with a map and guide - Click here

 

The Rainbow

Our garden has a rainbow of colour picked out in bulbs in the Spring and re-planted in flowers for the Summer. Have you stopped to think how creation itself appears to proclaim the glory of God all around us and teaches us of the nature of God. Take the rainbow… it’s bright, colourful and awe-inspiring. It’s a gift that brings a smile to your face. Yet there would be no rainbow without rain or storms. In the stormy times of life, when worry or sadness surround us, remember that after the storm comes a rainbow of radiant colour, stretching end to end across the sky. Life is full of ups and downs but the mercy of God is eternal and it will bring us through all things, enabling us to rejoice again after the storm has passed. The rainbow is a sign of God’s steadfast protection and promise to be with us.

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified… for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6

Lord, keep my eyes on You at all times. May I retain hope and joy in the midst of every storm of life. Please remind me when I feel oppressed and bombarded that this too shall pass and that You will bring my struggles and my life to a full and joyous conclusion. Jesus, I trust in You. Amen.

The Cross

In the centre of the garden is a wooden cross.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

This single verse sums up the most important message of the Gospels, that we are infinitely loved by God and he has been hard at work to save us from evil, failure, ruin and darkness. God’s plan is to bring us all into eternal life. On the cross Jesus defeated the power of death, taking on himself the consequences of the sins of the whole world, then rising to new life. That new life, filled with hope, forgiveness and joy is available to everyone who will put their trust in him.

So we have planted blue flowers around the cross called “forget-me-nots”, to remind us to do just that!

The Burning Bush

The Old Testament tells of how Moses stepped aside to investigate a bush that was burning, yet not burned up! From the bush came the voice and call of God on his life. Humble, inexperienced and lacking in courage, with faith Moses would go on to rescue God’s people from oppression under Pharaoh in Egypt and lead them to safety by parting the Red Sea. We have planted red leaved plants to represent the burning bush and there is also sand here, like a dried up river bed, and shells brought here from the Holy Land.

God answered “surely I will be with you” Exodus 3:12

What might God be calling out to you for today? What do you need to hear? Where will He lead you?  In the quiet… listen…

The Last Supper

This feature in the garden reminds us of the well-known last supper of Jesus with his disciples.  As a sign and symbol of what would happen to Jesus in the coming days on the cross, at the table Jesus took the bread, gave thanks and broke it, giving it to them and saying “Take, eat, this is my body broken for you”, and taking the cup of wine said “this is my blood which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins”.  At the table were disciples who would understand and follow, and others who would deny and even betray Jesus, yet all were welcomed.  You are welcome to this table too, and to know Jesus laid down his life for you.

The table in our garden has a central white rose, representing Jesus and 12 miniature red fuchsias for the disciples.

Volunteer

We are grateful for a team of volunteers including both members of church and our local community who work on these gardens and churchyard most Tuesday and Thursday mornings (weather permitting). The group enjoy creating and maintaining the gardens, sharing fellowship and friendship, and exercise too! The morning also includes half-time tea and toast. There are jobs for any ability and no previous experience is needed. To find out more about volunteering contact us here.

 

 

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