Sacred spaces with divine designs: A look into Cumberland County’s spectacular places of prayer, blending artistry and devotion

Fayetteville, and Cumberland County at large, is home to a plethora of houses of worship with distinct architectural styles, representing the faiths practiced by its congregants. The Hindu Bhavan of Fayetteville gives offerings of nuts and holy basil water (prasad) to the deities during a pooja; Beth Israel Congregation welcomes visitors with a menorah at the entrance and offers loaner kippahs to wear during prayer; St. John Episcopal Church catches eyes with its white exterior and multiple spires; Holy Trinity Episcopal Church guides congregants’ attention to the center of the worship space with its labyrinth tiles; Haymount United Methodist Church sneaks in light through the mesmerizing stained glass windows; First Presbyterian Church reminds downtown Fayetteville of the time with its looming bell tower; and St. Joseph’s Episcopal Church’s powerful organs sing with the churchgoers in the pews.