St. Paul's Episcopal Church - Salt Lake City, UT - March 18th, 2014

     What an amazing adventure and experience my exploration of St. Paul's Episcopal Church was. I came here for the evening prayer that was going to be happening as a way to partially commemorate my job success, but it turns out the event was canceled since the man who hosts it is also a coach. This ended up being an awesome chance to explore the church and find my own ways of meditation and gratitude.

      First, the church is beautiful. It is a huge building made up of the Chapel, sanctuary and also a preschool and a pantry that serves the hungry and homeless. My appreciation of the Episcopals has grown even more since coming to Utah. I have not attended a church that did not provide food and resources to the community that the city is in. There were also flyers that provided information to people who experienced abuse and how to get help. Sadly, abuse seems to be ignored by so many organized religions. Power is seen as justification in and of itself and authority is to to be obeyed not questioned...which leaves the door open for a person to use that power to abuse (and later cover it up or victim blaming) as we have seen happen in many religious communities, but especially the conservative ones that have been in the news.

     My journey to the chapel started out with me running into a kind woman and her daughter who directed me to the chapel area where Evening Prayer and morning Mass are hosted. Here there is a candle lit for all those who have been abused. I lit one for the victims and survivors before talking briefly to a woman who might have been the priest and after read a prayer out loud in the prayer book before taking a moment of silence.

      The silence, sometimes there is nothing more prefect and beautiful. It was there I was able to reflect and simply be while resting after the walk it had taken to get there. Afterwords I found a library, with a ton of books. Every church should have a library...scratch that, any community should have a library. The potential to learn so much is just a flip of a page away.

      I was impressed with what I saw and plan on attending a service. It was nice being able to explore at my own leisure though, and to be welcome. I was a stranger and was treated kindly by every person I met here.