Visit Our Grounds
Our grounds have been officially certified as a Backyard Wildlife Sanctuary by the National Wildlife Federation and the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife.
Charter member, Harry Jones, prepared this map which illustrates our Church grounds and walking trails.
According to our founders, the grounds of UUCOC were originally a part of a much larger plot which included the Five Mile Cemetery to the east. Harry Jones' watercolor shows the location of the original Cockrell Hill Baptist Church on the NW corner of the property. That church building was still standing when the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship purchased the 4.89 acres, but it was being used as a horse barn at the time. The building was eventually razed because it had become unstable and a hazard.
Considering the cemetery was apparently started in 1869, this land has been used in religious ways for over 150 years.
In 2010 we installed "Mary's Garden" and our Gazebo in honor of long-time member, Mary Leggitt.
The Labyrinth Awaits You...
Please feel free to walk on your own anytime!
Our labyrinth in a grove of trees awaits your footsteps...
The UU Church grounds contain several wooded areas.
A clearing in one provides just the right setting for a labyrinth, a circling pathway for walking meditation.
A Labyrinth
A labyrinth is a circular path that leads to a center. Because there is only one path, unlike a maze, you can't get lost.
Labyrinths are often used for walking meditation. It’s an ancient practice, found in many cultures, that can represent a journey to our own center and back out again into the world. Walking a labyrinth brings a different meaning and experience to each person, in keeping with this church's philosophy of providing a safe place for people to develop their own spirituality.
Please feel free to write something in our Guest Book about your visit.
How To Walk The Labyrinth
The entrance to the labyrinth is on the east side, near the information stand. Pause here, to focus and/or calm your thoughts. Then step within and let the pathway guide your feet while freeing your mind. Walk at your own pace. Please pass gently at the curves if your walk takes you faster than others. Courtesy suggests your silence unless group consensus calls for drums, music, or chanting. Notice thoughts and feelings while walking to the center. Then pause and process what you have experienced so far. When you feel the time is right, proceed back out along the path.
When meeting others, simply step aside and then resume your place. Your exit walk may have a different tone. Some people draw or journal afterwards; others may sit in quiet reflection.
A Brief History of Our Labyrinth
The idea for a labyrinth at UUCOC began in 1998, when member Sally Jones was inspired by a speaker named Victoria Stone. By the next summer, a labyrinth in the woods was taking shape. Members from the community began dropping in, and the labyrinth’s popularity grew. It has been featured in several publications and is listed on LabyrinthLocator.com. The labyrinth was maintained for years primarily by energetic retirees. As the church began to lose these members the labyrinth fell into disrepair. In 2016, volunteers with the labyrinth’s namesake, the Labyrinth Walk Coffee House, offered to take on restoration of this sacred space. Generous donations of time, talent, and treasure returned the labyrinth to its former glory. Decomposed granite replaced mulch, paths were widened, and flowering and fruiting native plants replaced a number of non-natives. The Labyrinth was rededicated March 19, 2017.
The Memorial and Meditation Garden and The Gazebo
"Mary's Garden"
The garden and gazebo are named in loving memory of long-time member Mary Leggitt.
"Jazz Under the Stars"
Matching funds from a Chalice Lighters’ Grant from the Southwest UU Conference made our Memorial and Meditation Garden and Gazebo a reality.
Thank you Chalice Lighters!
The Gazebo has been used for a number of events since its installation.
"I now pronounce you..."
Several outdoor weddings have been held in the gazebo.
"Fall Festival with The Lost Serenaders"
Did you know trees make a great backstage?
The acoustics are fabulous!
(And so were the musicians - and that dancer!)
"Presenting Ronny Cox"
Singer-Songwriter-Actor Ronny Cox helped dedicate the gazebo
"After the journey from Central Texas"
Delivery Day
February 2, 2010
(In case you were curious how it got here.
