Have you seen our new outdoor Chapel yet?! It is right behind the playground fence near the woods. This beautiful space was created for us by Eric Muller, a life-long member of St. Paul’s Church and a junior at Pascack Hills High School. Eric created the chapel as part of his eagle scout project for boy scouts. In the summer of 2006 Eric approached the vestry with his concept for an outdoor chapel, an his idea was enthusiastically embraced by the parish leadership. Over the ensuing months, Eric presented drawings and ideas which were discussed with some suggestions and a few alterations. Final approval was given and in the early spring of this year, Eric organized the project and started construction.

As you will see when you visit the chapel, Eric carved and sanded a beautiful cross, planted rhododendrons, laid out a center rock path and constructed a wonderful altar and sturdy benches. Thank you Eric, for your good work and your gift to St. Paul’s!

The chapel was used formally for the first time in early September at the Wednesday 12:15 p.m. Worship/Eucharist. A prayer of thanksgiving for the space was said, and then the eleven people present celebrated the Holy Eucharist. It was a wonderful, unique experience! Everyone agreed that it is a very peaceful, quiet, reflective space. I plan to use it often for our mid-week services and for other worship occasions. I hope it will come to be a place where many of you will visit for our worship services and for prayer and meditation. The benches and altar are movable, so this offers exciting possibilities for various configurations of this sacred worship space. We have such a beautiful and unique piece of property, in the midst of an area which is becoming increasingly built-up and congested, so this new chapel is a wonderful use of this space.

Please visit the chapel, and when you do, think about a possible name for this holy space - we will gather all submitted name possibilities and pick one for our new chapel!