For Jim Thorpe's St. John's Lutheran Church in the Heights, Sunday afternoon marked the end of a 15-month project as the congregation gathered for the dedication of their memorial prayer garden.

The idea for the garden occurred in April 2013, when Irene Remmel and Bonnie Hoffman wanted to make use of the yard behind the church."This was a backyard with nothing in it," Remmel said. "Other churches have prayer gardens, and we thought, why not St. John's?"Following approval by church council, the renovations began in September 2013 by Glenn O'Brian of Jam Landscape and Contracting, who chose an array of flowers and shrubs to place throughout the garden.Local artisans also contributed in a number of ways.The arbor placed at the entrance to the garden, detailed with crosses and a delicate leaf design, was custom made by Robert Hydro.Above the garden hangs a sapele wooden cross, made to endure the harsh Pennsylvania weather, carved by Galen VanDine of Foster-Kmetz Woodworking in Jim Thorpe.Mounted inside the cross is the Luther Rose, made by Douggie Rontz.Members of the congregation added their own personal touch to the garden by purchasing individual stones that were engraved by Stanley Bohenek of Pennsylvania Monument Co. in Hazleton. Some families chose to dedicate their stones in memory of loved ones, while others depicted bible verses or symbols such as butterflies, crosses, angels, doves and lambs.Facing the church is a garden angel, carved from a piece of granite that came from the mountains of India. Beneath the angel is a time capsule, where members of the congregation will place personal belongings that will be recovered in 50 years when the capsule is opened again. The garden angel was installed by Craig Walters of Walters Monuments in Summit Hill.More than 100 people gathered behind the church for the dedication ceremony, where 24 monarch butterflies were released, symbolizing the resurrection.Both Remmel and Hoffman expressed their appreciation for those who helped the prayer garden become the serene, peaceful place they had envisioned over a year ago."I hope that people can come here and find some peace," Remmel said. "This will serve generations to come."