Spirituality in Nature Gathering:

Join Rev. Pamela and Payton Hoegh of the Center for Spirituality in Nature at The Ranch for a morning of mindful engagement and thoughtful conversation around the sacred gifts of the wilder world for inspiration, healing, and wholeness. With time for guided meditation, a slow, contemplative walk, and nature-attuned spiritual practice, this will be a morning of rest, renewal, and rekindling our spirits as we celebrate Rogation Days. This event will be from 10am to 12pm.

The Ranch is located at 19100 County Road 86A in Esparto. Please let the office know if you’re planning to attend so we can plan accordingly. Snacks and water will be provided, and the whole event should take approximately two hours. For questions, reach out to Rev. Pamela!

The Ranch has very basic facilities and uneven ground, so be sure to dress appropriately and bring walking sticks if you need them.

What is a SING Event?

Have you ever described yourself as “spiritual but not religious”? Do you think the best way to experience a sense of the sacred is by getting outside and communing with nature?

You are not alone. A recent large survey of Americans found that “almost half of Americans (45%) found being outdoors or in nature to be the most spiritually fulfilling activities, followed by prayer (42%) and giving to charity (28%).” To drill down a little more, when asked “Which of the following activities do you personally find the most spiritually fulfilling?” the answer “being outdoors” was number one for Catholics, mainline Protestants (like Episcopalians), those who affiliate with another, non-Christian religion, and those who consider themselves not religious at all. This led the authors of the survey to conclude that “Outdoor activity is the common ground for spiritual fulfillment.”

This survey was conducted by the Ipsos research group on behalf of the Episcopal Church, which like many religious institutions is struggling to find new ways of reaching people in a world that mistrusts organized religion.

St. Martin’s was already offering activities and worship services outdoors before this survey came, in part this was a response to the pandemic lockdown and in part it was because it just fit with the culture of the parish and the community.

In that same spirit, and in order to explore the intersection of spirituality, environmentalism, and the health benefits of being outdoors, St. Martin’s is offering a monthly Spirituality in Nature Gathering, usually on the second Saturday of the month. The location and theme will change from month to month, and details will be available on our website.

Who can come?

The Rev. Dr. Dolan said this is an open invitation and nobody should worry that there are strings attached if they show up. “I want to be clear that all of our outdoor activities these are intended to be joyful experiments in answering God’s call to care for one another and all creation, not reactive marketing ploys. You don’t have to be a Christian, a tree hugger, or anything else in particular to participate. Just give it a try and see what happens.”

Questions?

Anyone who is concerned about accessibility or would like more information, is asked to contact St. Martin’s at (530)756-0444 or email info@churchofstmartin.org.