PLAINVIEW, TX — More than 75 faculty, staff, students and friends gathered Wednesday morning as Wayland Baptist University broke ground on a new prayer garden, something the Wayland family has wanted to do for a long time.
Construction on the garden, located just east of the Brown Family Conference Center, is expected to be completed in October, with a dedication ceremony to follow.
“Today is a wonderful day as we gather to celebrate the groundbreaking of the Wayland Prayer Garden, a special space that will serve as a place of reflection, prayer, peace, and spiritual renewal for all who spend time here,” said Dr. Donna Hedgepath, president of Wayland Baptist University.
Hedgepath said the project represents more than landscaping, conservation or construction.
“It reflects our mission — our commitment to faith, community, and the development of the whole person,” she said.
The vision for the garden originated with Betty Boone, one of two living grandchildren of Wayland founders Dr. James and Sarah Wayland. Boone and her late husband, Ralph, made the original gift toward the project. Wayland’s Sally Society women’s giving group also provided significant funding.
Teresa Young, associate vice president for Advancement, told those attending that the garden extends the founders’ vision of a university built on faith in Christ and will serve as “a visual reminder of the importance of prayer and the daily reliance on God that has been both Wayland’s heritage and its lifeblood since 1908.”
The High Plains Water Conservation District provided a $20,000 grant to support water-conservation features, including a soil cistern that will capture rainfall and direct it into the landscape, as well as native plants suited for the region’s semi-arid climate.
Abel Hernandez of JDMA Architects said the design team envisioned the garden “as both a physical and spiritual journey.”
Plans include a Trinity Entry Gate representing the Father, Son and Holy Spirit; a Nature Chapel and vine trellises; limestone seating areas for individual prayer and small-group devotionals; and a Memorial Walk connecting the Brown Family Conference Center and Van Howeling Education Complex.
“Ultimately, this space was designed to be experienced and embraced, a place of peace and prayer at the heart of campus life,” Hernandez said.
Brad Evans of KDC Associates discussed the landscape design and water-conservation elements, saying the goal is to create “a sacred place that reflects faith, purpose, and community with each other and Our Creator.”
Following the ceremonial turning of dirt, Donnie Brown, director of Spiritual Life, offered a prayer of blessing and dedication, asking God to make the garden “a sanctuary of peace, reflection, worship, and prayer” where hearts are renewed, burdens are lifted and the Wayland community draws closer to God.
