A Circle of Earth and Stone

From Susan Sims Smith

The inside of the House of Prayer carries its own mystery. In the middle is a circle of stones that enclose a circle of soil. The circle of stone surrounds a column that is filled with dirt that goes 16 feet below the House of Prayer floor to connect with the actual earth under the building. 

The ceiling is designed to beckon the visitor to another level of spirituality. It is dome like, filled with light and uplifting. 

The room has a deliberate sense of enclosure. As well as a peek to the outside world. 

We are made of matter and spirit and we are enclosed by Divine Love. 

On the day of the dedication of the building in 2007, people from many religions brought soil from their places of prayer and worship. That soil was mixed into the center circle of soil to remind us that we respect all religions, we welcome them to this place, and are connected to them in love .