One design concept used is the idea of a central axis. The axis leads
into the formal meditation garden, which will serve as the garden's
center and main point of interest. The formal meditation garden would be
consecrated as a sacred memorial. The center of this space features a
simple fountain to represent the wells mentioned so often in the Bible.
Leaving the formal garden through the North opening takes the visitor
into the Biblical garden that is more open than the wooded area and is
planted with a natural arrangement of plant species. The plants in this
garden are a variety of plant species from the Bible, and are marked to
indicate what species they are and where in the Bible they can be
found. These plants will range from the large sycamore and cedar of Lebanon
to the smaller yucca and lily of the valley.
This design is intended to create a number of spaces so that a wide
range of visitors can find their sense of place, and so that many
different activities can take place within these spaces. The church is not a
building, but a congregation of people. The garden will be an extension
of the building to help it further serve as a place for this church to
pray, worship, have fellowship and grow.
Jeremy Thorne, Diane Schillow, Valerie Forth, Carmen Turner, Professor Mary T. Haque, Minister Warren Ashmore, Amy Sturdy, Adrian Henson,
Jason Somerville, Tiffany May, John White, Mike Anaya, Renee Boyer, Morri Freeman, Nathan Tidd, Jason Horton, Jeremy Kelly, Michael Parks,
Mark Sartain, and Adam Ormsbee.