Prayer Garden Construction Begins at Mississippi College

Prayer garden designer Cade Trisler moves dirt on his tractor as workers assist with the project on August 6th outside Mississippi College's Alumni Hall. The project should be completed by early September.

Moving dirt, improving drainage and handling other infrastructure needs, workers stayed busy creating Mississippi College’s new prayer garden.

As summer temperatures sizzled into the mid-90s, the project got started on August 6^th and should be completed in three to four weeks, weather permitting.

“We’re excited about it and blessed to be part of it,” says Cade Trisler, owner of Trisler Landscape Management of Jackson and the garden’s designer.

Hauling dirt on his Bobcat tractor around the 35’ by 35’ garden near Alumni Hall, Trisler said the garden will feature lots of shade, four water fountains, new lighting and an area for seating. “It will be a tranquil setting.”

The Christian university’s prayer garden will give faculty, staff, students, alumni and visitors a quiet place on the Clinton campus to draw closer to God as the school’s 189th academic year begins.

“It will really be popular,” says MC sophomore Mary Elizabeth Stringer, 19, a business administration major from Tylertown. “For students, it will be a place to get away and reflect with God.”

Students at Baptist-affiliated Mississippi College have asked for this special place to pray for years, and by early September will get their wish.

Trisler did some checking and discovered there are not a large number of prayer gardens on U.S. college campuses. Carson-Newman University in Jefferson City, Tennessee, Tabor College in Hillsboro, Kansas, and Metropolitan Community College in Nebraska are among the schools with prayer gardens.

MC’s project will also feature a raised planter in the center of the garden, shrub roses, boxwoods and Japanese Maples. New sidewalks will be built leading to the prayer garden from Nelson Drive and from the existing sidewalk outside Alumni Hall.

The theme of the Mississippi College garden is based on a Bible verse, “Now, my God, may your eyes be open and your ears be attentive to the prayers offered in this place.” The verse comes from 2^nd Chronicles 6:40.