Labyrinth Dedication
Sunday, March 21, 2004

The only remaining task for the Labyrinth was installation of the dedication stone. Mike, with the help of his nephew Dave, picked up the dedication stone on Saturday from B-Remembered Monuments and installed in the path from the church, where it flared out to join with perimeter of the labyrinth and off to the left, out of the main walking path. They set it at an angle, and tilted it a little forward to make it easier to see when entering the labyrinth.

The hard work was over. Now it was time to celebrate. In the church service on Sunday the Minister, Chuck, talked about Dr. Lauren Artress and her book, Walking a Sacred Path. Following the service, the congregation was lead out to the labyrinth by Sacred Drummers to participate in the ceremony. The ceremony included a blessing, meditation, dancing around the labyrinth to Irish jigs played on the violin, a chant and closing words from Chuck. As they entered the labyrinth, they were given plastic eggs filled with crushed granite that they could shake in time to the music during the dance. During the chant, they were asked to open the eggs and pour the granite on the path. If they hadn’t participated in building the labyrinth before, they had now.

The Dedication’s Order of Service and Acknowledgements are below, with details of the Dedication following.

Live Oak Labyrinth Dedication
March 21, 2004
Procession
Sacred drummers:
Bill Dower, Diane Schultz, Loretta Sedlock,
Scott Claver, Martha Nethers
Blessing
Susan Steffes
Meditation
Labyrinth Dedication Team
Appleton Dance
Participatory consecration
Music by Brenna Pritchard
Labyrinth Chant
Linda Webster
Closing
Chuck Freeman

Acknowledgements
I would like to thank the Labyrinth Committee for the endless hours of thought and contemplation that have gone into the conception, planning and birthing of this labyrinth. They are: John and Joyce Phelps, Tere Kaulfus, Sue Ann Kendall, John Iacoletti, Hella Holoubek, Carolyn and Bill Dower, Chuck Freeman, Dale and Maryann Todd-Thompson, Glenn McIntosh, Mike Schultz, Sarah Swords (with children Miriam and Sam), Pat Connor, Jenny Carloye, Sara Goodman, Nancy Bandiera, Linda Webster, Cathy Hill & Anne Eagle Walker.
And also the tireless volunteers who put their heart and soul (not to mention blood, sweat and tears) into the construction of this labyrinth. They are: Mike Schultz, Bill and Carolyn Dower with son Ben, Mike and Katherine Enyart, John and Joyce Phelps, Tere and Daniel Kaulfus, Dale and Maryann Todd-Thompson with daughter Katherine, Pat Connor and daughter Rachel, Mary Pritchard with children Brenna and William, Sue Ann Kendall with son Kynan, Glenn and Mary McIntosh, John Iacoletti, Chris Lufkin, John Swords, Jon Montgomery, Sara Goodman, Linda Webster, Scott Claver, Cathy Hill, Anne Eagle Walker, Babi Hewitt, Brian Powell, MaryLou Dye, Kirby Kendall with children Stephen, Darby and Emerson, Jenny Carloye and son Gregory Huntington, Ed Crain, Chuck Freeman, Monica Fredlund, Molly McCracken, Stephanie Iacoletti, Janet VanSickler and daughter Kate, Jasmine Hamilton, Connie Gray, Juanita Moshier, Beth Rex, Roger Sessions, and the Saturday morning Men’s Group from Live Oak UU Church.
I would be remiss if I did not thank the Labyrinth Dedication Committee, without whom this celebration would not be happening. They are: Maryann Todd-Thompson, Sue Ann Kendall and son Kynan, Mike Schultz, Joyce and John Phelps, Linda Webster, Carolyn Dower, Patty Bissar, and Chuck Freeman.
Appleton Dance Leaders: Anne Eagle Walker, Cathy Hill, Joyce Phelps, Patty Bissar, Carolyn Dower, Katherine Enyart, Tere Kaulfus, Hella Holoubek, Maryann Todd-Thompson and members from the Circle of Friends from Live Oak UU Church.
Drummers: Bill Dower, Diane Schultz, Loretta Sedlock, Martha Nethers and Scott Claver.
Violinst: Brenna Pritchard
A special thanks to our support crew:
Anne Eagle Walker: labyrinth design
Thomas Dieter from Austin Power Equipment: free Bobcat delivery and use
Tom Gridley: bobcat driver for the land clearing
Bill Dower & Mike Schultz: bobcat drivers for the construction phase
Roger Sessions and Stuart W: for breakfast on Feb. 28th workday
Martha Nethers: massage therapy relief on March 13th workday
Sibone Gardner: sign making
Sue Ann Kendall and Carolyn Dower: t-shirt sales
My eternal thanks to my family, who has seen far less of me while I’ve been away at countless meetings, hovering over plans and details, sending far too many emails and being totally consumed by this labor of love. They are as embedded in this project as I am and share the enthusiasm that flows around and through this labyrinth.
And a depth of gratitude, so deep you’ll never know, to my husband, Karl, who upon realizing my passion for the creation of this labyrinth funded this gift.
Walk in Peace~
Susan Steffes

Blessing by Susan

Today we celebrate the Spring Equinox ~ the day that night and day are of equal length. It is the Earth’s day of balance. Take just a moment and feel that balance.

We celebrate the arrival of spring and the warmth of a new season, when new life springs forth from the dark of winter ~ a time of new beginnings.

We stand in anticipation, asking the Divine Spirit of the Universe to bless each of us here and those who are yet to come, to fill the pathways of the labyrinth with divine light and love for all who will walk them.

This is a sacred place; a place of peace and joy, a place of love and healing, a place of understanding and knowing. May you come to know the power of it’s presence in your life and share its gift with others.

May all who walk this labyrinth be balanced, centered and grounded; have peace and happiness; be healed according to their needs; have their hearts filled with unconditional love. May the energy of this labyrinth always be pure and of the highest quality. May the experiences of all who walk this labyrinth be for their highest good.

Blessed Be!

Join us in meditation

Meditation by the Dedication Committee

The Labyrinth Dedication Committee
And then all that has divided us will merge (Joyce)
And then compassion will be wedded to power (John)
And then softness will come to a world that is harsh and unkind (Sue Ann)
And then both men and women will be gentle (Mike)
And then both women and men will be strong (Maryann)
And then no person will be subject to another’s will (Kynan)
And then all will be rich and free and varied (Carolyn)
And then all will share equally in the Earth’s abundance (Linda)
And then all will cherish life’s creatures (Chuck)
And then all will live in harmony with each other and the Earth (Anne)
And then all will walk in Peace (Susan)

It is time to dance!

Tere and Brenna

At this time we will ask the people on the southern half of the labyrinth to work your way, single file, and clockwise to the entrance of the labyrinth. The northern half should wait to be led counter clockwise. You will receive instruction at the entrance.

The Appleton Dance is specifically designed for labyrinths. It involves people walking in time to the music through the labyrinth. People would hold hands, and raise them high, across a path, while they themselves were walking in adjacent paths. This would form sort of a “London Bridge” under which the people in the center path, walking in the other direction, would walk. (Well, that’s the theory. In practice, we had too many people to get everyone to do it at the same time. So a hold lot of skipping to the music was going on.)

Chant by Linda

Please step back into the labyrinth for our closing. During the chant please open your egg and release its contents onto the path.

We are a circle
Within a circle
With no beginning
And never ending

Closing Words

Chuck thanked Brenna for playing nearly continuously for 30-minutes. And then said, “Say it with me now, in the immortal words for the Labyrinth Committee…” to which the congregation said “Walk in Peace!”.

There’s a DVD available for checkout in the Live Oak UU Library with pictures taken during some of the work phases of the labyrinth, plus video of the Dedication.

And with that, the work on the Live Oak UU Labyrinth was complete. Oh sure, there’s always one more project: The information box, the aperiodic tiling for the center, and the path from the parking lot. And Susan has formed another committee to plan events for the Labyrinth. However, the Labor of Love that this website set out to chronicle was complete.

So, there’s only one thing left to say:

Dedication Stone

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