Greenest Church In Iowa

by | Aug 17, 2023 | (Sub)Urban Homesteading, Energy Efficiency, Labyrinths, Nature

Coralville’s Unitarian Universalist Society Members
Live What They Profess

In the middle of a worldwide heat wave that scientists declared resulted, in part, from human-caused climate change, we entered the campus of the Greenest Church in Iowa, the Unitarian Universalist Society in Coralville, Iowa. Feeling depressed by climate change news, the visit buoyed our spirits and gave us a glimmer of hope for the future of our planet.

One of the Unitarian Universalists’ principles is respect for the independent web of all existence of which we are a part of.  The members of the Coralville church live the principle and others that form their core beliefs.

The Greenest Church in Iowa

As we turned into the Church campus, everything was softer and quieter. We drove past rows of photovoltaic solar cells.  Just past them was a world of green. Nestled within native vegetation was a lovely contemplative labyrinth.  A vegetated detention basin is both the home for pollinating insects and a place to catch stormwater, preventing it from scouring its way downhill.

We walked a delightful path circling the organization’s eight acres. Native flowers were alive with pollinators, and a children’s play area was meshed into nature. It’s almost as if this location were meant to be.

On entering the building, the Church’s low ceiling entry opens into expansive spaces, an echo of Frank Lloyd Wright’s style. An immediate sense of calm and comfort enveloped us. Just beyond the cozy foyer, our eyes were drawn upward. East-facing windows framed an Iowa summer sky dotted with puffy clouds. Outside, deep green pines swayed in a gentle breeze. Members greeted us and Sally Hartman, chair of the Social Justice team, hosted us during the service. Worship leaders were engaging, the acoustics excellent, and the presence of the outdoors through the windows soothed us.

How Did This Come to Be?

Depending on one’s perspective, this church and location have been in the making since the 1990s.  More recently since 2013.  Sally, also a member of the Iowa UU Witness Advocacy Network, and Kirk Witzberger, who served on leadership teams that developed and implemented the plans, explained. Over many decades, the Society recognized that even with renovations, the former Gilbert St. site in downtown Iowa City could not meet 21st Century needs. Different teams looked for new property. After an almost certain deal for another property fell through, a member happened to chat with a realtor who mentioned the current site.  The Congregation voted overwhelmingly to buy and the couple who owned the land, former Peace Corps volunteers, were delighted to sell to an organization that respected the land.

Multiple meetings and myriad decisions followed. The result is a beautiful net zero building that the congregation shares with the community. The building burns no fossil fuel. Solar energy produces all its energy needs, including lighting, heating, and cooling.

Efficient and Flexible

The building includes a sanctuary, gathering spaces, offices, classrooms, and food service areas.  Tucked into the property, it fits well. As attractive as its outdoor vegetation is, the building was well thought out. Just a few examples include:

  • Efficient glass walls boost energy efficiency while allowing people inside to feel like they’re sitting in nature. We enjoyed watching clouds drift by during the service we attended.
  • Flexible space can accommodate large groups of up to 600 or be compartmentalized into smaller, more intimate gathering places.
  • All areas are easily accessible for folks with walking challenges. Even carpets are precisely flush with adjoining harder floors.

When we asked Kirk Witzberger, who was instrumental in the transition to this location, what the utility bill is he said, “We don’t have one. This is a zero net energy building…..it produces all its energy needs.” For members of an organization to live as lightly on the land as possible is impressive!

Living Other Principles

The Coralville Unitarian Universalist Society members live their commitments in other ways, too. Members take turns recycling compostable materials. When outside groups rent the space, they agree to a contract of sustainability – i.e. use only recyclable materials. The church is investigating how to be a “cool” refuge in summer and a “warm” refuge in winter. Further, members are researching ways they can offer a safe learning space for marginalized youth with activities like art and music. Members have held summer Nature Camps and environmentally-themed Trunk and Treats, and sponsored an environmental fair designed to raise awareness and action in caring for our world.

Inspiring Model

After touring the building and grounds we wondered why the model of the Unitarian Universalist Society isn’t more common in society. It should be. If people associated with all buildings everywhere did what they could to produce their energy needs through renewable sources the threat of climate change would be muted and our children could look forward to a cleaner and safer world.

Want to visit?  The Church welcomes you.  Details are on their website. 

 

2022 Labyrinths – Walks and Experiences

by | Dec 22, 2022 | 1080 Labyrinth Blog, Labyrinths

2022 Labyrinths

What about labyrinths draws us? The unique patterns? The locations? The need to center? Perhaps all.

Labyrinth walks of 2022 varied from ordinary to recognizing the structure needed attention and Love, to being “surprised by Joy!”

Home

The Phoenix Harmony Labyrinth in the front yard was graced by groups and regular or random walkers. Sometimes we interacted with a wave or a chat.  Other times we were simply aware people came to walk. All winter the solar lights glowed above the thin topping of snow. By spring N helped gather in the lights that we cleaned and stored.  Then, come fall, P helped place them again at turns delighting in the changing reds, greens, blues, and whites of the solar lights at night. Rich and I reset the welcome pavers and trimmed the center oak that is stretching to the sky. One regular walker mentioned how tall the bur oak had grown this year. The autumn burn followed by Rich’s amazing weed whacker left the labyrinth walkable and rather sad looking.  We need snow to cover the burn marks and replenish the soil! When I gather the morning paper or evening mail, a stroll through the labyrinth refreshes me.

Four local labyrinths called for a visit and all but one needs attention and Love. The director of Prairiewoods Franciscan Spirituality Center enjoys the 11-circuit Chartres labyrinth and recognizes its need for renovation.  Together we are exploring ideas and resources as the labyrinth is a sweet one. The top-of-the-knoll Regis labyrinth has lost its luster yet the memory of walking it stays sweet. Some walkers have mentioned that the Nature Center’s while maintained is more like a long march over uneven ground than a tender commune with nature. New Bo’s is simply lovely. Separate. Private. Yet with and within the vibrant community.

Nassif Community Cancer Center. Tom H and Lynda B-S are such great colleagues and friends to again help create a labyrinth to inspire giving.  After the supervisor, Matt S, cleared having the floor used for a temporary labyrinth, Lisa H. Matt and I drew some dimensions.  Then, Tom and Lynda created their magic.  It’s always a challenge to figure out the centers – yes two! Then, to begin the spirals that lead into the center, around a corner and out past the other center to the exit.  Somehow they do it and with such a lovely spirit, too.

Each day new items appear along the labyrinth from canned goods, to household products, to clean clothing and backpacks.  At the end of the season, we will gather these up and donate to organizations that Matt researched.  Thank you all!

Derecho Labyrinth

Leslie W created this diminutive labyirnth of derecho 2020 wood.

Derecho Labyrinth. Tucked into the corner of a yard is a lovely diminutive labyrinth constructed of Derecho 2020 rounds. Linger and feel the creative energy fueled from a destructive event.

 

 

Across the Country – West, and North

Mountains beyond the labyrinth.

A serendipitous find!

Taking a break from the Outdoor Writers Association of America’s annual conference held this year in Casper, WY, Rich and I strolled along the meandering multi-use path on the North Platte River. Across the River, a copse caught my eye. The trees seemed to embrace an opening.  After crossing the River we walked back up the other side and found a delightful labyrinth! Well-marked and maintained it is a welcome respite for people needing some quiet. It is listed on the World Labyrinth Locator.

Alaska’s labyrinths were a mix. St. Mary’s Episcopal Church off Tudor Road in Anchorage is a lovely walk beside the main building.  Gently held by trees that screen it from the busy road, it is Accessible, Charming, and Soothing. Always a good stop.  Christ Episcopal Church’s is absolutely sweet. Created in the summer of 2020 perhaps in a burst of enthusiasm associated with the COVID-19 Pandemic it remains quite nice once you get there and can find the entry. It lies beyond a garden and greenhouse and is set in some young trees.  Approaching it to walk, the entry was unclear. I simply stepped on a circuit and began to walk. When I discovered the entry nicely set between two guardian trees but away from natural access, I noted that the path was overgrown. Basically inaccessible. Disappointing. A touch of maintenance is all it needed.

Homer, AK’s St. Augustine’s recently refurbished labyrinth is astonishing! Tucked on the end of the Kenai Peninsula, and set behind the small church, it overlooks the waters and mountains. The renovations suit it well with Nell Gustafson and Judy Millikin as two of the prime driving forces. We created a labyrinth program which was both in person and on ZOOM, was a satisfying experience with attendees from Alaska, Utah, and states beyond. An Honor. Fun!

Hot August Days & Nights

August found us in Missouri and Kansas with 109 degrees of heat! Wowzer!  And, the labyrinths in Liberty were wonderful. Grace Episcopal Church’s we’ve walked before. Created for an Eagle Scout Project it still attracts pilgrims with its tender turns and simple setting. Precious Blood Renewal Center’s was new to us and a delight.  Set off a path around a small pond, it’s made of flagstone pavers with a central pit. Depending on the light the path can be challenging to follow.  Just take time.  It is worth the stop.

Kansas City, MO, North Oak Christian Church square labyrinth is so sublimely set that it captivated both of us – the labyrinth and the surroundings.  Trees, walkway, grounds. All combined for a satisfying walk, in spite of the heat.

A well-intended, but neglected school project labyrinth in Lawrence, Kansas, again reveals the importance of commitment beyond initial enthusiasm.

Sweet North End

North End Labyrinth

labyrinth at Cedar Lake, Denville, NJ

On to New Jersey!  By far one of the sweetest tiny labyrinths has been created and maintained by Bianca Franchi on the north end of Cedar Lake in Denville.  Through multiple superstorms and hurricanes, the labyrinth has survived and been refurbished by loving hands. Twylla Alexander, board president of Veriditas visited and wrote about the North End Labyrinth in her book Labyrinth Journeys: 50 States, 51 Stories. Her talk at a labyrinth conference is how we met and shared the delight of this diminutive labyrinth and its journeys. I walk each time we are back East and Rich took a snowy picture of it on his December visit.

Iowa

Iowa hosts a surprising number of labyrinths and we discovered two special ones on a Thanksgiving sojourn to SE Iowa. The backyard of a home in Washington, IA, is a quiet refuge for pilgrims and wildlife. Nestled among arbor vitae the labyrinth feels restful and holy. A few miles down the road at the Crooked Creek Christian Camp, we chatted with the director who shared that the camp hosts families and other groups and the story of the labyrinth. When we walked it, the happy spirit simply bubbled up around us. Fun! Fairfield, IA, labyrinth behind the Methodist Church is sad because the prime advocate for it has died. Hmmm. It is a nice labyrinth and just needs a touch of love. The town, however, is magical with Seven Roses Inn BnB run by the mayor of the city, great eateries, intriguing small shops, The Maharishi University, and miles of trails.  A great overnight!

Maintenance is always the issue.  Good intentions help people create. Diligence easily falls to the wayside when volunteers are expected to maintain structures. Part of the mission of Veriditas Council and led by Chuck Hunner is restoring lonely labyrinths.

Veriditas Offerings

Crystal Heart on Leaf

Veriditas Council the Heart.

The last categories of labyrinths this year are the Virtual Facilitator Renewal Day in January, and the regular finger walks that Veriditas has hosted each Friday since the pandemic began. Council produces the Virtual Facilitator Renewal Days on ZOOM offering a wide variety of experiences for people across the world. The Friday free, hour-long ZOOM finger walks also bring a Global community together. We see familiar faces and get to know people’s stories.  Veriditas Council hosts the third Friday of the month. This year I was honored to present in July from Alaska with the theme “View from the Edge.” The edge of the Pacific rim. The edge of the North American Continent. The edge of the United States. The edge of the Cook Inlet. The view is different. On November 11, I shared “To Everything There is a Season.” Armistice Day, Veterans’ Day, Poppy Day, Remembrance Day, and seasons of the Phoenix Harmony Labyrinth. Veriditas staff is fabulous with their support and choice of music, making presenting a joy. Thank you.

So, that is it! A year of labyrinths 2022. Check out the next Virtual Facilitator Renewal Day # 4 on January 14, 2023.

Taking the Direct Path – No Rules Labyrinth

by | Oct 27, 2022 | Labyrinths

Editor note: Because of a glitch in the system and being uncertain if this blog was published at the original time, we are sharing now.
Guest blogger, Shari McDowell

I walked a labyrinth this afternoon. The one in New Bo, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, between the Bottleworks and the Bohemian. Usually, I walk the path as it’s laid out, stand in the middle, contemplate something that’s on my mind, take it all in, then walk the path out. this time I chose a no rules labyrinth walk.

No Rules Labyrinth Walk

Today was different. No rules, no expectations.

Approaching the labyrinth, I felt pulled from my center. I looked down at my feet on the ground and watched as I crossed all the lines and walked right straight through to the center. I stood there for a moment, then laid on my back and looked up at the clouds in the blue sky.

Blue Sky, Fluffy Clouds

summer sky from the no rules labyrinth walk

The warmth of the sun settled on my face and body. The air around me danced between a breeze and full-out wind ensuring the sun didn’t get too hot while simultaneously whisking away a few tears.

It was a gentle release. A reminder that when I know where I’m going I can just go there. I don’t have to take the expected path. I don’t have to do it the way everyone else does and it really can be simple and straightforward.

Listening to Intuition

I can trust myself, trust my own process, and my intuition. No fluff, no ceremony, no hoops to jump through. Just take action. Do what I need to do. Stop when I need to. Rest. Breathe. Be.

I don’t know how long I stayed there. My head got “busy” brain. I became aware of passersby. The moment had passed and it was time to get up.

I don’t remember if I walked straight out or if I followed the path. It didn’t really matter. I was ready to go so I went.

While there are many things to be discovered by taking the long road or the scenic route, sometimes a direct approach is good.

Now on to 2021 Labyrinth Walks!

by | Dec 30, 2021 | Labyrinths, Reflections/Profiles

Chronologically I trace the year in different labyrinths.

Mysterious Disappearance of 2020 Labyrinths

by | Dec 16, 2021 | Labyrinths, Reflections/Profiles, Wonderment

Where Did the 2020 Labyrinth Blog Go?

I’m curious what happened to the 2020 labyrinths blog! While I mainly walked the Phoenix Harmony Labyrinth in our yard, I know I walked other labyrinths. Edith Starr Chase’s lovely one at Wickiup Hill on a magical Winter Solstice evening.  The comforting labyrinth at New Bo District. And, early in the season, the Westminster Presbyterian Church of Waterloo, IA, labyrinth. Well, it will show up.  Meanwhile, here is a look back anyway.

I’ll just share again.

Now on to 2021!

 

How Does Our Prairie Garden Grow?

by | Aug 26, 2021 | (Sub)Urban Homesteading, Flowers/Grasses, Garden/Yard, Labyrinths

In early July we sat on our front porch watching delightfully splashes of color dance in the breeze.  A restoration triumph stood stoutly in the wind-blooming compass plant.

Restoring prairies takes patience. We began ten years ago by converting a former mowed lawn into a prairie. For the next few years, our emerging prairie looked rough. A weed patch mostly, but as the years rolled by the “weeds” also called Mother Nature’s stitches, retreated as prairie plants matured and outcompeted them. Coreopsis, coneflowers, monarda, and vervain began adding color to ever more vigorous big and little bluestem, switch, and Indian Grasses.

Then, this year, compass plants that had been flowerless for years, shot spikes six feet into the air. In mid-July, the plant is in full bloom.

Difference Between Domestic and Native Plants

When you plant beans, tomatoes, or squash and many domestic flowers and the fruits of labor are rewarded that same year with fresh vegetables and colorful petals. Not so with native plants. Prairie takes patience. Some native pioneers come on in a year or two but many wait and wait and wait. Sometimes it can take upwards of 15 years for stately compass plants to bloom, so ours may be racehorses to show color in just a decade.  More point skyward along with coneflowers, purple prairie coneflower, and rattlesnake master along the roadside in front of our yard.

We have tour prairies at Winding Pathways. Into our oldest Marion has crafted a prairie labyrinth, giving walkers an opportunity to follow a contemplative path surrounded by blooming, dancing flowers and tall grasses.

The “middle-aged” prairie out in the back is a haven for birds, adds color, and is a buffer from the ruined-looking woods where young trees are starting to show amidst the broken derecho tree trunks.

In 2019 and following the August 10th, 2020, Derecho we scattered prairie/open woodland seeds to encourage diverse plants on the east-facing slope.

Our youngest prairie, planted in the spring of 2020, remains in infancy.  A mass of black-eyed Susans shines brightly, and many other small bloomless plants show promise to color up as the years go by.  We look forward to their future.

We welcome anyone to visit, walk the labyrinth, and enjoy our prairie and the butterflies that skip from flower to flower within it.