It’s the first week of school! Everyone’s got their new sneakers on and they’re trying to figure out where they fit in at a lot of the university campuses. I’m hoping that some of them will fit in with us at Circle of Hope so I went to University of the Sciences and Philadelphia University on their first day of school to see what was up and let people know we were looking for them and they had a place with us and with Jesus.

At Philadelphia University I was surprised to find a beautiful stone labyrinth on a path between the main campus where a lot of the classes are held and the Ravenhill campus where a lot of the freshman live. I had to walk it right then and there and as I did I was inspired to share this opportunity with the people who were there. I wanted to say “Look what you have here! Do you know how great this is?” I suspected not for many, so I decided to make a sign to install there the next day.

I made a sign that said this:

“A labyrinth is an ancient form of meditation famously appropriated by Celtic Christians to symbolize the spiritual journey. Follow the path and follow the twists and turns of the journey to the center. It’s an active way to slow down and reflect, to get your body involved in prayer. It’s an opportunity to be led by God. It’s meant to be repeated. It’s the same coming out as it was going in and yet also different. Taking an intentional walk on this labyrinth every day could be a discipline for your spiritual growth.

Circle of Hope is a church community in Philadelphia that is committed to preserving the old ways of worship and inventing the new. One of our proverbs says, “We stretch ourselves to worship with diverse styles. God is transnational, transcultural, even transhistorical.”– learn more at http://www.circleofhope.net”

I had it laminated and I put it on a stick to plant in the ground by the labyrinth pointing to this great resource. Someone told me it was weird that it had our info on it- like I was taking credit for Circle of Hope that was not ours to take. It did feel a little mischievous, and that was half the fun, but I don’t think it is wrong to follow the path that was laid for me. I was taking advantage of what God was already doing on campus. This labyrinth had been done. I claimed it for Jesus and His mission among us.

I was very encouraged to spy on the sign after I placed it and see people stop to read, and to see security guards walk right by it without a second glance. It was for all the time that I was at Philadelphia University yesterday. I hope it’s still there now. I hope that people are intrigued about their own spiritual growth and about us. With prayer, fun little seeds like this will bear fruit, either remotely or in person as we continue to frequent these campuses and make relationships. I’m on Penn’s campus today looking for friends and softened hearts. Thanks for being with me in prayer.