Outdoor Chapel

St. Stephen’s Outdoor Chapel on the Meditation Trail has existed for many years, but was not widely used until 2012, when it was restored by the St. Stephen’s Men’s Group. A new wooden altar was added, as well as benches and a handmade cross. The Outdoor Chapel at St. Stephen’s is most often used for services during Lent, when Christ spent forty days in the wilderness.

The altar of the Outdoor Chapel is engraved with the words “For God so loved the World”, a line from the Gospel of John. This famous line, perhaps the most well-known line in the Bible, shows a previously unknown element of Scripture, one that makes Christianity different from many other religions, in the belief in a loving God, one who gave his only Son so that we could be forgiven for all of our sins and will live eternally in Heaven. God’s love can also be seen in the complexity of nature.

The outdoors provides a chance for us to reconnect with God’s creation. By simply sitting in prayer or reflection, we can be alone with God and escape the hurried pace of daily life. The beauty and scale of the nature around us can inspire creativity and reflection on our lives. Whether alone or in a group, in good weather or bad, one can always find peace in nature.