Public Properties

Creekside Prayer Garden: A Place Open For All to Meditate and Rejoice

New Vistas Landscaping designer Judy De Pue APLD received a commission in early 2007 to design a Prayer Garden for the Creekside Church of the Brethren located on CR 113 in Elkhart County between CR 28 and CR 26. The garden was originally planned to honor both the long time choir director, Janet Berkebile, and the Pastor, David Bibbee, as he celebrated his 15th year with the congregation. The first design step for Judy, a certified landscape designer, was to stake out the path of the flowing water. Measurements were then taken of the proposed water feature and the existing slope and the design concept of a garden for all seasons, grew from there. There needed to be spaces to walk, stand and sit, in the sun and in the shade. Most important of all, the garden was to be a place to slow down, reflect, feel closer to God, pray and listen.

From the time the visitor enters the arbor, one can hear the upper waterfall rushing over the boulders and walk amongst the perennial flowers, shrubs, and flowering trees that bloom along the paths, have a seat on the curving wooden benches or one of the “sitting rocks”, step up over the small curving bridges, and explore the different gurgling sounds as the water trips over the rocks in the narrow stream. One can gently rub up against the scented leaves of the sage, lavender, peppermint, and bee balm, listen to the wind chimes that play the first chords of the hymn Amazing Grace, watch a butterfly flutter from flower to flower, or hunt for the tiny green frogs that love to sun on the rocks around the ponds. Sitting in the shade of the huge sycamore tree facing the lower waterfall, one can experience God’s world as you rest and meditate.

The garden was constructed entirely by volunteers from the congregation under the direction of New Vistas Landscaping owner Judy De Pue (also a member of this church). Her husband Stephen guided the construction of the water features. There are still unplanted areas in the garden to be developed as future memorial funds are available. To make the garden even more useful for prayer and meditation, a labyrinth was created nearby. Brochures hang on the garden arbor with ideas on how to use both the labyrinth and the garden for meditation. The Creekside Church of the Brethren Prayer Garden is located behind the church via a paved path and open to the public at no charge every day.

Judy De Pue feels honored and blessed to have had the opportunity to envision, design and implement this garden and would welcome opportunities to create more private and public gardens as she has for the past 26 years with her design/build landscaping business, New Vistas Landscaping, “Bringing New Life to Your World”. Judy and her staff, including an experienced installation crew, run a business that is “small enough to get to know you and large enough to serve your needs.”

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