30th Anniversary: Formative Spaces

By God’s grace our 5.5-acre property has a “million-dollar view” (and not just because of California real estate prices!). Our original vision was birthed in the days when Granite Springs was worshipping for twelve years in a run-down Rocklin warehouse. When we dreamt of having a permanent home, we wanted to find a site that allowed attendees and guests to experience God’s creation beauty, simply by driving or walking on the site. That is no small dream in a land of burgeoning home building. Our hope was that the grounds and building would “speak” of God’s creative love and delight (see Psalm 8 and 19). Our hope was that simply by being on our site a person’s heart and soul would be nourished by grace. 

With this stewardship journey we want to further honor this original vision and leverage our captivating property and its gorgeous views—have you ever seen a sunset from the property?! We plan to hire a landscape architect to design a master plan that will inspire guests and attendees to wonder in God’s creation for generations to come.

Stage one plans include designing a contemplative walkway and garden, an orchard (to provide fruit for local foodbanks), and a community labyrinth.

When we dreamt of having a permanent home, we wanted to find a site that allowed attendees and guests to experience God’s creation beauty, simply by driving or walking on the site.

Our hope was that simply by being on our site a person’s heart and soul would be nourished by grace. 

Imagine a walkway that enhances a person’s well-being. A path that echoes historic spiritual pilgrimages. A footpath that enables users to journey in the spirit of historic pilgrimages to Jerusalem and Rome and Santiago. Imagine being able to invite your neighbors–spiritual rookies and veterans—to enjoy such a gift.

Imagine a labyrinth: Since moving onto our property in 2004 we have imagined it fostering a variety of spiritual practices that lead to deepening relationship with God. Used by Christians since at least the fourth century, labyrinths are a kind of walking meditation, an opportunity to calm the mind and enjoy peace, quiet and reflection.

Imagine neighbors—near and far—using our labyrinth privately and as groups—solo, or as part of a regular gathering.  Labyrinths offer a unique and relaxed experience that anyone can sample on a drop-in basis. Unlike a maze, a labyrinth has just one path. There are no tricks to it. For some it can be a releasing; a letting go of the anxieties of your life, shedding worries and distractions. A time to open the heart and quiet the mind. The center can be a place of meditation and prayer. For some it offers a deep connection to God, even a place of spiritual and emotional healing.  Walking the labyrinth can feed the soul.

Imagine an orchard: Echoing wise monastic practice for centuries, and as a way to seek the common good of our community, we want to help provide food for those who need it. One way to do this is through partnering with local groups who provide food for our neighbors—like The Salt Mine. Another is to produce the food needed.

We imagine a small grove of fruit trees that coordinates with our walkway.  Each of the four seasons offer spiritual reflection opportunities—the dormancy of winter, the blooming of spring, the fruitfulness of summer and the harvest of autumn. 

A note regarding GS facilities: In the days before COVID—winter 2019-2020—we gathered funds to pave the parking lot on the southeast side of our facility. We raised enough–$65,000—to meet the contractor bid at the time. Given the online era of worship services during the pandemic, we paused the project. In the past several months, we have brought the project back to life. Currently engineers are engaged in due diligence and certifications required by the city of Lincoln. We expect new bids on the project will be higher—given inflation and the cost of oil—we will give everyone an update as soon as we have one. Thanks for your patience.

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