Soundings

The Blog of Mercy by the Sea

We at Mercy by the Sea have so much we want to share with you:

Inspiring and transformational quotes, prayers, poems, videos and books we discover or rediscover
Conversations with upcoming presenters
News and events about what's happening at Mercy by the Sea
Resources and thoughts on contemplative prayer, spiritual direction, the second half of life, emerging leadership, creativity, our relationship with nature and much more!

You'll find seasonal photos of the grounds — vegetation, trees and winged and four-legged creatures that make their homes here. We'll capture changes in the light and colors as the seasons change. So bookmark this page and come back regularly. or subscribe to our weekly eNewsletter where these posts will be sent to your email inbox.

Letter from the Executive Director: Silently Out of the Night

I have heard any number of people expressing fear and anxiety over the past days. There are a litany of realities all over our world that shatter our hearts. How are we to live this time, what are we to do knowing that we are part of a whole web of life that connects us to all that is unfolding.

Labyrinth Restoration: Shrubs Removed

As the Mercy by the Sea labyrinth restoration project continues, we are hugely grateful to our building and grounds crew - Rob and Mark - for removing 145 overgrown Ilex glabra (Inkberry) shrubs which obscured the labyrinth path.

Below you will find both before and after pictures of the project up to this point.

Before

After

Mercy by the Sea Begins Much Anticipated Labyrinth Restoration

We wanted to share some very welcome news for those of our guests who love and miss our walkable Labyrinth. Over the next several months our Labyrinth will be closed as it is restored. We thank you for your patience and care over these many months as we discerned the best approach for restoring the Labyrinth to a usable, sustainable, and safe space.

We will be removing the shrubbery and composting it on site. We will then be replacing the path boundaries that the shrubbery demarcated with brick (as is used now to demarcate the path, and the walkway will be Stony creek pink granite stones – as is now used).

We hope to have it fully open by early spring.

If you would like to be contacted once it is open, please contact us at 203.245.0401.

Thank you for your prayers and support and may God bless you.

The labyrinth before renovations begin.

Experience the Combined Works of Chapman, Muller-Thym, and Perry in the Art Exhibit, Connected

"We are all leaves of one tree ~ We are all waves of one sea"
-Thich Nhat Hanh

This art exhibit features original works by three accomplished local artists, Judith Chapman, Kim Muller-Thym, and Judy Perry. This collection of paintings express the connections these women share through friendship, love of nature, and the healing properties of art.

Please join us on October 1 at 1:00 p.m., to meet the artists and visually experience their combined creativity. A talk by Judy Perry at 3:00 p.m. on “The Art of Healing: Healing Through Art" will follow.