The art of reinstalling a labyrinth: Galveston, Part III

Unloading labyrinth sections at the new location

When our friend Kay Sandor called to request our assistance with uninstalling, moving, and reinstalling one of our hand-crafted labyrinths in Galveston, we were up to the challenge. Development plans threatened to destroy their beloved community labyrinth, and we were determined to help them save it.

We had never moved one of our artworks from one place to another, but with the help of our friend Dave Keller, Labyrinths in Stone began the laborious process of preparing the labyrinth for the move from The William Temple Episcopal Center to its new home at Moody Methodist Church. What a learning process! Section by section, the pavers were meticulously measured, marked, cataloged, loaded on a flatbed trailer, and transported across town. Fortunately, we were able to reuse or recycle most of the brick pavers, reducing the amount of waste that ended up in the landfill and minimizing the use of additional resources to recreate our work of art. As the labyrinth slowly disappeared at one end of Galveston, it slowly reappeared at the other side of the city.

Handwritten messages in the base material

Before the reinstallation took place, Moody Methodist Church members did a great job of clearing the land for the labyrinth and consecrating it as sacred space. Some members wrote messages on rocks that were to be mixed into the base material of the containment ring. Others wrote handwritten notes on paper to be tucked under the pavers of the center's rosette. By the time Labyrinths in Stone delivered the pavers, every aspect of the labyrinth had been thoroughly blessed so that we could get to work reinstalling the labyrinth.

Handwritten messages tucked under the center pavers

One of the ways we like to demonstrate our gratitude for the host organization is by consecrating the pavers of the rosette with special inscriptions from the people who will walk the labyrinth. While Marty and Dave prepared the containment ring, members of the congregation inscribed the bricks with the names of loved ones, Bible verses, quotations, drawings, and special messages to future generations who will walk the labyrinth in years to come. These bricks were the first to be laid as the labyrinth was built from the center outward.

Kay Sandor helps with the sand blessing.

Once all of the pavers were in place, Marty and Dave swept sand into the joints, completing the process of compaction. To thank her for her efforts to save the labyrinth, Kay Sandor was invited to participate in the sacred sanding process. Sanding the labyrinth involves filling all of the seams with bricklayer's sand, a finer grade of sand with smaller particles for such detailed work. Each and every inch of the labyrinth is blessed as sand is sprinkled into the spaces between the pavers with a prayer asking for peace and healing for all of the pilgrims who will walk the path and expressing love and gratitude for all. 

Once complete, compaction locks the pavers permanently into place, ensuring the durability of the labyrinth for generations to come. The surface is then thoroughly swept and cleaned, revealing the labyrinth’s stunning artistry. 

We were grateful to the spiritual leaders of Moody Methodist Church, who paved the way for a smooth reinstallation process by educating the congregants about the labyrinth and its uses, selecting a suitable site, encouraging members to participate in the process, and creating a quiet setting for the labyrinth on the east side of the church property. The labyrinth was consecrated on April 16, 2014, during Holy Week.

The Moody Methodist Church labyrinth 

When Labyrinths in Stone received the call to help save the Galveston labyrinth, we accepted the challenge because of our commitment to our customers and to our work in the world. Labyrinth reinstallation can be a very tricky and time-consuming process, even if we have done the original installation and removal. However, we believe so strongly in the quality of our craftsmanship and the sacredness of each work of art that we have added this important service to our repertoire of specialized skills. We were so grateful to have the opportunity to shepherd this labyrinth through its many changes, loving it along its own path of twists and turns. Thanks to Dave Keller, Kay Sandor, local labyrinth enthusiasts, and the good people at Moody Methodist Church, the labyrinth has a wonderful new home, where it can continue to serve the needs of the Galveston isle community.