Our Church Campus consists of one large building with the Sanctuary, Family Life Center, and Little Lambs Learning Center in it. In a separate building is the outreach ministry of the Shepherds Nook. In our outdoors areas we have the Prayer Labyrinth and Gardens of the Pines Cemetery and Columbarium. The entire complex is Handicapped Accessible.
The Community Church at Ocean Pines recognizes that it is mutually beneficial to permit use of Church Facilities for appropriate Community purposes. Since the Church is maintained by its members and friends for the Worship of God, Christian Education, Outreach and Church Family Life; non-church use must not interfere with the most effective use of the Facilities for Congregational activities.
In accordance with this policy the Board of Trustees has established guidelines for the use of the facilities. Any group meeting the criteria for usage should request a copy of the Facility Use Guidelines from the Church Office and complete an "Application for Facility Use" and return it to the Church Office.
Little Lambs Learning Center offers Infant, Toddler, Preschool, Before/After School, and Summer Programs.
Included in the Family Life Center are the Church Staff Offices, Fellowship Hall and Religious Study rooms.
Cemetery and Columbarium - Designed to provide a restful place of respect and dignity, which will enhance the years of memories for the life lived among us. The Gardens of the Pines are open to people of all religious faiths, races and nationalities.
A variety of options for planning.
Burial Plots and columbarium niches are available for individuals or families. Plots are planned for 1, 4, 6 persons with any additional multiples of these available together. Estate lots, located along the roadway are extra-large, and will permit burial of from 1 to 6 persons, and may have above ground crypts and special statuary, with approval. Columbarium niches are for one or two persons.
Monuments available to honor your loved ones.
Placement and size of monuments is permitted within the master plan for the Gardens. Bronze and granite markers can be placed at ground level in all sections of the Gardens.
Provision for those who prefer cremation.
Urns may be placed in any of the burial lots, above ground crypts or in columbarium niches. Special monuments are available through your funeral director.
Future Beauty and Care of the Gardens.
When you purchase plots or niches in the Gardens, a percentage of the purchase price is placed in a Perpetual Care fund.
Priced to be available to all persons in the community.
The cost of a burial is determined by the number of burial sites purchased. When sites are purchased as part of a plan for future use, a payment plan may be arranged. When purchased for immediate use, full payment must be made.
Niche prices include a nameplate and two urns. A plot or niche may be resold to the Gardens of the Pines but not for the full original price.
A prayer labyrinth is a spiritual tool used to enhance prayer and meditation and walking a labyrinth could help bring us closer to Christ. Unlike a maze, there is only one route to the center and back out again. Since the destination is known, the labyrinth walker simply puts one foot in front of the other in a symbolic way of honoring the journey itself. For Christians, the center is symbolic of Christ being the center of our lives.
Regular meditative practice leads to greater powers of concentration and a sense of control and efficiency in one's life. Labyrinth walking is among the simplest forms of focused walking meditation, and the demonstrated health benefits have led hundreds of hospitals, health care facilities, and spas to install labyrinths in recent years.
The Community Church at Ocean Pines labyrinth was built on September 27th and 28th, 2014 by a crew provided by Phillip Barton, owner of Barton's Landscaping Company. Phil also designed the surrounding garden and provided the original plants and labor for the project. We are grateful to all who donated money for this project and to our Trustees, Bill Long and Ron Howe who built and erected the wooden cross. The Prayer Labyrinth was dedicated in memory of Julie Kolanowski, a former beloved choir director on May 31, 2015. The Community Church at Ocean Pines labyrinth is located along the left side of the road behind the church leading to the cemetery.
There is no "right" way to walk the labyrinth, and walk at your own pace. If someone has entered the labyrinth ahead of you, allow them 2-3 turns on the path before you enter. If the person in front of you is slower, you may quietly pass them. If someone is coming toward you in the opposite direction, simply step to the side and allow them to pass. After your walk, you may wish to find a quiet place to sit and reflect. Please respect the Church's property and leave no personal items behind so that others arriving after you can experience their own reflections.
A LABYRINTH PRAYER
Dear Lord, thank You for this time to be with You. Help me to remember that you are with me now as always, but especially now in this place.
Help me to receive your blessings. Give me the grace to move toward Your light and show me Your peace.
Help me not to forget the words You have spoken to me today. Let Your peace fill my heart, my world. Holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come! Amen
The Sanctuary was built in 1996 and seats 300 with another 40 in the Chancel Choir area and 10 in the Bell Choir area. All three services are held in the Sanctuary: informal, contemporary with praise band, and traditional. Cynthia Gallagher created our stained-glass windows which all together we call them our awe-inspiring "Journey of Faith" windows. Starting on the left the window is called "Alpha : Beginnings" – our beginnings; "Through Rough Seas" – difficult and even tragic moments of our lives; "Over the Smooth Seas" the bird flies – the gentle and peaceful moments in our lives; and lastly, "Omega: Endings" – the empty cross with the diamond prism of Christ at the center symbolizes the crucifixion and resurrection – the triumph of God's love over suffering, sin and death.
Donations to all three sections of the Shepherds Nook are taken during the hours of operation.