Imagine a Sacred Place

Blog Post by Ellen Schroeder, Ruling Elder
Clerk of Session, Second Presbyterian Church

Imagine a place where you can get away from day-to-day stress and concerns; where your mind is free to drift in all directions while the subconscious works on problems. Now imagine that this place is remote but still connected with the outside world. That is a sacred space.

My sacred space is Forest Park – I bike there most days. The more undeveloped spaces – the forest, the savanna, the wetlands area – are my refuge from stresses; the park is anchored on both ends by hospitals and is also connected to the outside world by the people using the park.

As I ride, my mind is free to wrestle with whatever I am struggling with, whether it is what to fix for supper, what to say at my father’s memorial service, how to deal with family issues (or church politics!), composing this blog. Often bits of scripture, prayers, lines from hymns drift through my mind. ‘There is a Balm in Gilead’ is a comfort when I am feeling low; other days what I hear is ‘This is the day the Lord has made – let us rejoice and be glad in it.’ Often I give thanks for God’s amazing creation. If I hear emergency vehicles, I offer prayers for the patient, the transport team, the caregivers, and the loved ones.

My interactions with other people in the park are another facet of the sacred space. I try to at least greet each person I pass; I also try to ‘see’ every person in the park rather than ignoring those society deems ‘the least of these. I make a point of learning the names of those I see regularly and of sharing my name. There are people that I count as friends whom I would not know if I did not spend time in Forest Park. Some of the conversations have made me uncomfortable; some of my friends have experienced things that I cannot even imagine (rape at gunpoint, a friend’s child being struck and killed by a driver fleeing police). Even though I cringe inwardly, I need to have those conversations and hear of the dark side of white privilege and racial injustice. Other times, I seek out those of different backgrounds to have a touchpoint to another way of looking at things. Some days, I seek out certain individuals to share particularly good news. I also get to listen to their joys and challenges. People in the park come together in appreciation of nature – 6 or 8 people together trying to figure out how to help an injured hawk, or sharing where to see the bald eagle this year.  Through all of these interactions, both positive and negative, I experience the kin-dom of God.

I find that if I cannot get to the park for a week or so, I start really feeling the need to get back to my sacred space. Interacting with nature (wildflowers, birds, the sounds of insects and frogs, seasonal foliage) is a balm for my soul; interacting with the people in the park is an essential part of my faith life. Being away from my sacred space is being distanced from God’s kin-dom.

Ellen Schroeder, Ruling Elder
Clerk of Session, Second Presbyterian Church