Ridgefield church opens outdoor labyrinth

Ridgefield — The Southridge congregation of Community of Christ in Ridgefield dedicated the church’s new outdoor labyrinth during a ceremony last month. The congregants conducted a prayer of blessing, and church members and guests walked the labyrinth under their umbrellas, as it was a rainy day. Penny Hammac of Vancouver and Fae Jackson of Felida decided to build the labyrinth for their final project after their three-year Spiritual Formation and Companioning Program, which was sponsored by the Community of Christ. The Southridge congregation supported the vision with funding, and Dan Jackson of Felida and Les Sundstrom of Yacolt built the labyrinth, which was modeled after the one at the Chartres Cathedral in France. The labyrinth is an ancient symbol patterned from the sacred geometry of the natural world. The church’s intention in having an outdoor labyrinth is that it will be available to walk by members of the congregation and neighbors in the community who are searching for ways to express their spirituality.