Breckenridge Texan

On Saturday morning, Nov. 8, standing beside a small stack of new lumber and freshly cleared ground, local Scout Christian Lechner described the vision for his Eagle Scout project — transforming a rough patch of land beside his church into a peaceful outdoor prayer garden.

Lechner, a member of local Scouting America Troop 63 who has been in scouts since third grade, said the idea for the project came from wanting to restore an area beside his church where a barn once stood.

“Well, on this side of my church, there used to be a barn here, and now it’s looking kind of rough,” he said. “So I’m gonna try to make a prayer garden to pretty it up a little and give people a nice place to worship.”

Christian Lechner, left, and Matthew Wunsch place stones for a border around the prayer garden at First Methodist Church for Lechner’s Eagle Scout project. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)

He plans to fill up the space with gravel and add a couple of benches and a big cross.

Lechner said he envisions the garden as a quiet place for reflection and worship. “I see people coming here (to) use it to sit in the outdoors and be able to praise the good Lord.”

The idea, he said, came from wanting to provide a space for those who might not feel comfortable worshiping inside a traditional building. “I just felt we needed a place outside, in case some people were too scared to come into the church,” he said. “They could just have a place kind of off to the side so they can do their solo worship.”

He added that the space is meant for everyone, not just church members. “It’s for the whole community,” he said.

As part of the project, Lechner and his team are building benches and a large wooden cross that will stand in the garden.

Scouting, Lechner said, has taught him valuable life skills over the years. “I’d say leadership’s a big part of scouting,” he said. “I think I’ve learned how to work with people a lot better (and) been able to make friends along the way.”

He’s also developed practical skills and hobbies through the program. “Skills I’ve been able to learn … things like archery and leather work … I probably never would have learned without (scouting),” Lechner said. 

Asked about his favorite part of Scouting, he said it was the campouts. “I get to just be with all my buddies and learn new skills,” he said. 

The project, he said, is progressing steadily. “We’re gonna be here for about two more hours today, and then I think next weekend we’re gonna fill in the gravel and do all the finishing work,” Lechner said. “It was just getting all the rough stuff done, and then next week we’re gonna come back and perfect it.”

As part of achieving his Eagle Scout rank, Lechner will have to go before the Eagle Scout Board of Review.

Christian Lechner, from left, Maggie Wunsch, Matthew Wunsch and Dirk Miller carry rocks to the prayer garden to create a border. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)

Christian Lechner, center, led a team of scouts in creating a prayer garden at First Methodist Church for his Eagle Scout project. Pictured from left are Matthew Wunsch, Christian Lechner, Dirk Miller and Maggie Wunsch. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)

Cutline, top photo: Christian Lechner, from left, Dirk Miller and Matthew Wunsch create a rock border around the prayer garden Lechner is building for his Eagle Scout project. The prayer garden is located behind First Methodist Church in Breckenridge. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)