New YMCA prayer wall offers safe place for diverse community to 'know they're cared for'

Carla Hinton, The Oklahoman
·4 min read

A new feature at a local YMCA was inspired by a sacred place in the Holy Land.

The Earlywine Park YMCA recently dedicated a prayer wall that allows Y patrons to leave their written prayer requests to God in cracks and crevices found along the bricks.

Paul Urquhart, executive director of the Y at 11801 S May, said the prayer wall was modeled after the Western Wall located in the Old City of Jerusalem. Often called the "Wailing Wall" and considered one of the most sacred sites in the world, it is the last remaining outer wall of the ancient Jewish temple.

Attendees pray during the recent dedication ceremony for a new prayer wall at the Earlywine Park YMCA in Oklahoma City.
Attendees pray during the recent dedication ceremony for a new prayer wall at the Earlywine Park YMCA in Oklahoma City.

Urquhart said after he learned about a prayer wall at a Houston-area YMCA, he took the idea to a longtime donor who was interested in the Christian foundation of the YMCA. The donor liked the idea and agreed to fund the installation of the wall. Urquhart said he got the OK from Kelly Kay, president and chief executive officer of the YMCA of Greater Oklahoma City, and it was installed.

The Young Men's Christian Association, popularly known as the YMCA, was founded in 1844 in London. The organization's mission statement is "To put Christian principles into practice through programs that build healthy spirit, mind and body for all." Urquhart said the faith principles it was founded under and the "for all" in its mission statement are often reflected in many ways. The prayer wall is one example, as is a local YMCA deciding to host an Eid festival for Muslim Afghan refugees in the Oklahoma City metro area.

Prayers written on paper are placed in the crevices of a new prayer wall at the Earlywine Park YMCA, 11801 S May Ave.
Prayers written on paper are placed in the crevices of a new prayer wall at the Earlywine Park YMCA, 11801 S May Ave.

"We are a diverse community and some people will have a faith, some people will have no faith, but you are welcome to come in and use the space and we want to serve," Urquhart said.

He said Y members have responded favorably to the prayer wall.

Visitors to the Western Wall in Jerusalem often pray there and place notes leave notes with prayer requests in the walls crevices and cracks. In keeping with this tradition, on any given day, the YMCA wall features children's prayer requests written in their youthful scrawl on folded pieces of paper, and adults also leave prayers written on paper provided near the wall. Urquhart said many times, the prayers are anonymous but sometimes they are not.

Linda Carr places a written prayer in the crevice of a new prayer wall during a recent dedication ceremony for the wall featured at the Earlywine Park YMCA in Oklahoma City.
Linda Carr places a written prayer in the crevice of a new prayer wall during a recent dedication ceremony for the wall featured at the Earlywine Park YMCA in Oklahoma City.

"Some (prayers) are very heavy, but also some very light, but I love the fact that it has taken off and people are feeling comfortable about using the space to write a request or even just to go up and lay hands on the on the wall and say a prayer," he said.

Urquhart said he has been taking about 40 and 50 prayer requests down from the wall each Sunday before the YMCA opens. He said this is a way to start the new week of with a clean slate, and he can then pass the prayers along to members who are "prayer warriors" and members of a local church that meet at the Earlywine Park YMCA who have all agreed to pray for each individual request.

Paul Urquhart, executive director of the Earlywine Park YMCA, speaks during a prayer wall dedication ceremony at the YMCA in south Oklahoma City.
Paul Urquhart, executive director of the Earlywine Park YMCA, speaks during a prayer wall dedication ceremony at the YMCA in south Oklahoma City.

More: YMCA steps in to bring a little bit of home to Afghan refugees celebrating Eid ul-Fitr

Just as Urquhart got the idea for the prayer wall from another YMCA, a local pastor said he's inspired people in other states to consider such a feature for their local YMCAs. The Rev. Steve Chiles, senior pastor of Shartel Church of God, said his Facebook posts featuring pictures and commentary of the Earlywine Park YMCA prayer wall have been popular.

Chiles said the Earlywine Park YMCA is about two miles from his church at 11600 S Western and he serves on the Earlywine Park YMCA board. He said his church partners with the Y in several ways, including allowing the organization to host its youth recreation activities in the church gymnasium, and the church is also the site of one of the Earlywine Park YMCA day camps.

A person attending the recent Earlywine Park YMCA Prayer Wall Dedication Ceremony places his written prayer in the crevice of the prayer wall at the south Oklahoma City Y.
A person attending the recent Earlywine Park YMCA Prayer Wall Dedication Ceremony places his written prayer in the crevice of the prayer wall at the south Oklahoma City Y.

Like Urquhart, the minister emphasized the YMCA's faith-based roots and commitment to serving the community.

"One of the things we're just very aware of is that there are many people who come, they have lots of challenges in their life, they have health issues, they have financial issues, they have relationship issues, they have family members struggling with addiction issues, and many of them don't have a place where they can basically reach out for support, or help or prayer," Chiles said.

"I think the prayer wall gives our members a safe place to express their concerns, to place their request and know that there are caring people who are going to see their need. ... And, I think that that's just really critical for people ― I think everybody just needs to know that they're cared for."

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: A new prayer wall has been installed at the Earlywine Park YMCA in OKC