This week for Sunday Stills, the theme is churches, temples, and spiritual centers. In addition to some sights we visited in Utah, I’m sharing some images from my archives of churches, spiritual centers, and other sacred spaces.
In the Beginning…
I spent a total of 31 years at a small evangelical church in Sacramento. I left in 1995 after the first 9 years due to the pastor’s disapproval of my divorce. Dude, it happens.
Three years later a new pastor was hired and from 1998 until we moved in 2020, we attended the church. He just celebrated 25 years on April 2 as the pastor (a rare feat indeed). This pastor had relocated from Central California, having moved from Spokane, WA years before. To this day we still have a wonderful connection with him and his lovely family.
I just love the mood of this image. A happy family, kids are now grown.
From the day he began his ministry, he ends every service with this passage from Numbers 6:24-26, which begins “May the Lord Bless you and Keep You…” This was printed on the lobby wall for the 20th anniversary in 2018.
At that same church, the women’s ministry was thriving and we spent many wonderful weekends at retreats about every 2-3 years. I didn’t know how special the last one I attended in May 2019 in Lake Tahoe would be. The retreat center in Tahoe’s Zephyr Cove boasted several places for meditation and quiet time.
I couldn’t have known then about our desire to move from California a few months later, nor the pandemic that would close religious centers worldwide—ironically, just when we would need them the most.
Utah’s Spiritual Centers
“The day we find the perfect church, it becomes imperfect the moment we join it.” ― Charles H. Spurgeon
Salt Lake City’s downtown is home to the 35-acre Temple Square which houses the global headquarters of the Church of Latter-Day Saints’ main center. The temple was under construction, but we could still stroll the grounds.
Have you ever heard the world-renowned Mormon Tabernacle Choir sing? This is the Tabernacle where they perform and boasts the 11,623 pipe organ as the backdrop. To the right, you can see some of the construction.
A docent led us inside to hear an organist practice. What a thrill! You can see he is dwarfed by the immensity of the Tabernacle and pipe organ.
The 360-member choir sings a variety of well-known hymns and songs, including songs from Broadway and Disney. They’re well-known for US patriotic songs as well. But their version of the Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus might literally bring you to your knees!
Big Cathedral in a Small Town
A two-night stay in Helena, Montana was our final leg of the road trip. The Cathedral of St Helena was an easy walk from downtown Helena. We walked in through an unlocked door, and oops, a Catholic mass was happening!
Modeled by architect A.O. Von Herbulis after the Votive Church of the Sacred Heart in Vienna, Austria, the construction began on the cathedral in 1908, and held its first mass in November 1914, but still under construction until 1924. Source
Franz Xaver (aka FX) Zettler (1841-1916) was a German stained-glass artist who helped develop the “Munich style” of painting on large glass panels. Zettler’s most notable work adorns the St. Peter’s Basilica at Vatican City in Rome. The firm of FX Zettler crafted the window between 1908-1926, along with 58 other windows.
“It took years to finish installing all of the church’s 59 windows, which were hand-crafted in Bavaria and shipped to Montana.” Atlas Obscura
Nature’s Cathedrals
Some people seek their spiritual centers in nature.
Tuolumne Meadows, The high country of Yosemite National Park
“But no temple made with hands can compare with Yosemite. Every rock in its walls seems to glow with life…as if into this one mountain mansion Nature had gathered her choicest treasures.” — John Muir
For countless summers, my parents took us on 2-3-week camping trips to Yosemite National Park. It was a 500-mile drive from San Diego (California). Mom hated the heat so we always camped at 9980 ft elevation in Tuolumne Meadows near the Tioga Pass (Hwy 120). During the short summers, average temperatures ranged in the mid-30Fs at night and 70Fs during the day.
I probably spent at least 11 summers there with my parents. We loved to take the ranger-naturalist-led hikes, troop to the local lakes and rivers for fishing, enjoy sunsets on Lembert Dome and maybe catch a community campfire. And once in a while, enjoy a ranger-led star walk at 10pm.
Tuolumne Meadows was our nature’s cathedral and we worshiped God’s amazing creation with each visit. Have I mentioned I have visited Yosemite 26 times?
“[Camping in Yosemite] was like lying in a great solemn cathedral, far vaster and more beautiful than any built by the hand of man.” ― President Theodore Roosevelt
As we drove into the park boundary, you could just begin to see the Cathedral Range of iconic mountains that rim Tuolumne Meadows.
Cathedral Peak was a nunatak (summit ridge) during the Tioga glaciation of the last ice age, the peak projected above the glaciers, which carved and sharpened the peak’s base while plucking away at its sides. NPS geology of Tuolumne Meadows, Yosemite NP
Just above my head in the distance is Cathedral Peak. At an elevation of 10,916 feet above sea level, it’s a mountaineer’s dream.
“Never was a mountain mansion more beautiful, more spiritual; never was a moral wanderer more blessedly homed.” John Muir, Yosemite
Northern California’s Mt. Shasta and Arizona’s Sedona
Mt. Shasta has significant spiritual importance to the Native Americans who lived/live in Siskiyou County, similar to many monolithic mountains around the world. Mt Shasta was the home of the “harmonic convergence” in 1987.
Over the years, less traditional/more new-age beliefs have sprung up around the mountain too, making it a magical place. (Valise Mag)
Another spiritual center is Sedona, Arizona. Sedona is said to boast eight vortex sites with varying levels of energy. In these places, visitors report instances of healing, meditation, and positive thinking.
“A vortex is an invisible spot on Earth with a whirling and vibrating center of energy.” Source
On our last trip in 2021, we spied two vortex sites from the road. The first one you see upon entering Sedona is Bell Rock, visible from Hwy 179, which stands like a sentinel greeting visitors to Sedona.
Nearby are the Two Nuns, a view from the Chapel of the Holy Cross. Sources tell us that the energy of the vortex may be strongest inside the chapel.
We weren’t able to see the Chapel due to time constraints. The photo of the Chapel is courtesy of Pexels.
“In God’s wildness lies the hope of the world.” — John Muir
Inspiring Photo Challenges This Week
Each week I find inspiration from my fellow bloggers’ photo challenges. I enjoy incorporating these into my Sunday Stills weekly themes.
How To Participate in Sunday Stills Photo Challenge
The Sunday Stills weekly-themed photo challenge is easy to join. You have all week to share and link your post. Comments from bloggers leaving their links are always appreciated.
- Remember to title your blog post a little differently than mine.
- Please create a new post for the theme or link a recent one.
- Entries for this theme can be posted all week.
- Tag your post “Sunday Stills.”
- Don’t forget to create a pingback to this post so that other participants can read your post.
- I also recommend adding your post’s URL to the comments.
This Week’s Featured Bloggers
Sunday Stills is a wonderful community of bloggers and photographers who desire to connect with one another. Below are this week’s links from bloggers who shared their photos of sacred spaces and places. I add these all week as new links are posted.
- YOUR BLOG POST’S NAME HERE…
- Always Write
- Between the Lines
- Bushboys World
- Cee’s Photo Challenges
- Cindy Knoke
- The Day After
- Deb’s World
- Easin’ Along Image shared in comments
- Equipoise Life Image shared in comments
- Flights of the Soul
- For the Love of
- Geriatrix Fotogallery
- Graham’s Island
- Hugh’s Views and News
- Journeys with Johnbo
- Kamerapromenader
- Live Laugh RV
- LadyLeeManila
- Loving Life
- Musin’ With Susan
- Natalie the Explorer
- Now At Home
- Philosophy through Photography
- Quaint Revival
- Stevie Turner
- Travel with Me
- WoollyMuses
I am excited to see your versions of the sacred spaces and places you have visited.
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