“People ought to saunter – not hike! Do you know the origin of that word ‘saunter?’ It’s a beautiful word. Back in the Middle Ages people used to go on pilgrimages to the Holy Land, and when people in the villages through which they passed asked where they were going, they would reply, “A la sainte terre,’ ‘To the Holy Land.’ And so they became known as sainte-terre-ers or saunterers. Now these [trees] are our Holy Land, and we ought to saunter through them reverently, not ‘hike’ through them.”- John Muir
On select Saturdays, we celebrate an outdoor Eucharist at Sequoia Park in Eureka CA while sauntering through the redwood trees. We gather at the park entrance for opening prayer and then saunter to a beloved sequoia tree that we affectionately call “the gargoyle tree” because of its delightfully gnarled burls. We then pray a Psalm together by a trickling waterfall. From there, we proceed to a nearby bench for the reading of the Gospel and a brief devotional reflection. We then gather around a fountain by a duck pond for the Prayers of the People and the Passing of the Peace. Finally, we slowly ascend a small hill to arrive at a meadow, where we form a circle around a redwood tree trunk altar to sing and celebrate Eucharist.
We hold Sacred Saunters on select Saturdays throughout the year, including a Saturday close to the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi (Oct 4).
We look forward to sauntering with you!
Read a local newspaper article about Sacred Saunter here
Read about or listen to the origins of Sacred Saunter here
Download Sacred Saunter worship bulletin here: Sacred Saunter Worship Program
For questions regarding Sacred Saunter, contact the Rev. Dr. Daniel London by calling 707-442-1797 or emailing christchurcheureka@gmail.com.
Read past reflections shared at Sacred Saunters
August 2021 Sacred Saunters
- Sauntering with St. Augustine in August at 11 AM at Sequoia Park (August 28)
- Discovering Wisdom in the Woods with St. Bernard of Clairvaux at 11 AM at Sequoia Park (August 21)
- “Ministry is Not for Sissies”: The Faithfulness of Jonathan Myrick Daniels at 11 AM at Sequoia Park (August 14)
- Transfiguration and the Rainbow Body at 11 AM at Sequoia Park (August 7)
Eastertide 2021 Sacred Saunters
- Sauntering with St. Helena of Constantinople Sacred Saunter at 11 AM at Deacon Anne’s home (May 22)
- Sauntering with Pachomius of Tabenissi – Sacred Saunter at 11 AM at Deacon Anne’s home (May 15) – Reflection written by David Tschoepe
- Sauntering with Julian of Norwich at 11 AM at Deacon Anne’s home (May 8) – Reflection shared by Mother Lesley McCloghrie
- Sauntering with St. Catherine of Siena at 11 AM at Deacon Anne’s home (May 1)
- Sauntering with John Muir and Hudson Stuck at 11 AM at Deacon Anne’s home (April 24)
- Sauntering with St. Kateri Tekakwitha, the Lily of the Mohawks at 3 PM at Deacon Anne’s home (April 17)
- Sauntering with William Law and Perennial Wisdom of Silence at 11 AM at Deacon Anne’s home (April 10)
- Holy Saturday with St. Richard of Chichester at 11 AM at Deacon Anne’s home (April 3)
2020 Sacred Saunters
- Sauntering with St. Nick and Thich Nhat Hanh at 11 AM at Deacon Anne’s home (December 5)
- Sauntering with St. Francis at 11 AM at Sequoia Park (October 3)
- Quenching Our Deepest Thirst with St. Photini at 11 AM at Sequoia Park (March 14)
- Listening to the Wind with Nicodemus at 11 AM at Sequoia Park (March 7)
August 2019 Sacred Saunters
- Sauntering with Sts. Aidan and Cuthbert at 11 AM at Sequoia Park (August 31)
- Sauntering with St. Martin de Porres at 11 AM at Sequoia Park (August 24)
- Sauntering with St. Clare of Assisi at 11 AM at Sequoia Park (August 10)
Lent and Holy Week 2019 Sacred Saunters
- Holy Saturday Sacred Saunter at 11 AM at Sequoia Park (April 20)
- Spiritual Beings Having a Human Experience at 11 AM at Sequoia Park (April 13)
- Sacred Saunter at 11 AM at Sequoia Park (April 6)
- The Humility of the Earth at 11 AM at Sequoia Park (March 30)
- Sacred Saunter at 11 AM at Sequoia Park (March 23) – Reflection by the Rev. Cindy Woods
- Sauntering with St. Patrick at 11 AM at Sequoia Park (March 16)
- Shinrin-Yoku in Sequoia Park at 11 AM (March 9)
Like John Muir, we appreciate the term “saunter” as it invites us to walk more slowly and mindfully and to bathe in the forest trees’ ancient and verdant light. Although some have called our church building the “Cathedral of the North Coast,” it is only when we gather for Sacred Saunter services at Sequoia Park that we feel we are in the true Cathedral of the North Coast. Nature mystics such as St. Francis, Teilhard de Chardin, Mary Oliver, and the Celtic Saints have been our favorite guides so far as we glorify God among the giant sequoia trees.
The Sacred Saunter community is a proud member of the Wild Church Network
Watch an experimental virtual Sacred Saunter here: https://www.facebook.com/ChristChurchEureka/videos/325596368561902
Christ Episcopal Church Eureka 