Building, planting and planning. Sharing ceremony and good, home raised food.
Oddities in the weather and how the orchard did.
Observations on the Global Crisis.
Earth Spirit and Earth Living.
These are all parts of the News from Four Quarters. Enjoy.
July 31, 2020
Our thanks to everyone who made Micro Dub such a success!
Beautiful summer weather, great co-operation with our COVID mitigations,
excellent DJ's and stunning lighting of the forest canopy in New Camp.
A sweet, easy weekend in the woods, down by The River!
The Old Forest Stage glows in the night at Micro Dub
July 24, 2020
Iyv graces a Stone in the Stoneyard.
Many of Ivy Sturm's friends know of her two hip operations performed this last winter, and of the slow recovery Ivy has experienced from the second operation. Since January of this year Ivy has been in serious decline, stubbornly attempting to manage her duties in the office, even as we moved her into the main floor of the Farmhouse to make her care easier for all of us
Ivy first came to Four Quarters for Stones Rising of 1996, and has attended every Stones since. Back in those days we were all much younger, and we cooked out of an US Army GP Medium tent over Benzomatic gasoline burners... Ivy rolled up her sleeves and dove right in. After the Starvin' Artist Kitchen was built Ivy took on all of our baking at events, and pioneered our gluten free fare. She also played an over size role in ceremony and could always be relied on to fill in for that "extra" part. Ivy was instrumental in planning the very first WickerMan event thirteen years ago, maintained the mailing list and organized "Bread and Circus" as her eatable Art contribution.
About six years ago Ivy petitioned for her Novitiate as a Member of the Community of Service, and was accepted. She closed out her personal affairs in Wilkes-barre and moved to Four Quarters to live under vows of poverty and service. From that time until just recently Ivy has managed our office, database and accounting systems; and greeted thousands of visitors. She served for a number of years as a Members Advocate and since 2018 as a fully seated Member of our Board of Directors.
July 9, 2020
Mike McConnel lights up the Meadow with dazzling fire spinning.
Drum and Splash was fun …. and weird … but mostly fun. It was particularly amazing seeing everyone this year. Covid has certainly changed my perspective on seeing and hanging out with chosen family and friends. These moments are just extra sweet because they are so rare. Seeing friends, hanging out with chosen family, sharing space and experiences was something I used to take for granted. Now, there are no guarantees when the next time will be. I can’t believe I’m saying this and double true if you know me … I miss people. I miss hugs. I can’t believe I just owned that … lol. It was so weird feeling like that and then feeling this little edge of fear creeping in … c o v i d. I refuse to capitalize the “c” anymore, I am not giving it any more power.
June 10, 2020
The Stone Circle is here, waiting for you.
When we closed the camp in March, we began planning to re-open the 2020 Season at Four Quarters at Summer Solstice. As things turned out, we re-emerged from the sacrifices of the winter at Beltaine!
Please join us for our celebration of the Summer Solstice at an informal Members and Guests Weekend on June 19-21 and help us welcome the Summer. We will have our first Sweat Lodge, Ceremonies to celebrate the Summer Solstice in the Stone Circle and the Labyrinth, Greeting the First Summer Sunrise, and maybe some surprises. Help us wake up the Mountain! Summer is a comin’ in and winter’s gone away. May Summer Solstice Sunrise greet you on the lush green of the Mountain
For more Information, pelase see the Summer Solstice Service Event page
or call 814-784-3080 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
June 1, 2020
Moon Service - Opening the Drum Circle
We are dancing in the Circle, Dancing to the Center. - Drum 'N' Splash 2014
Join us for the opening of the Drum Circle at our June 6th Moon Service to the Land. The drum circle will be weeded and cleaned, and made ready for Drum N Splash and the coming season. Good, dedicated, motivated tribe welcomed for the clearing. Then our first Fire, Drumming and Fire Spinning to welcome the season. Anyone hanging out this weekend is welcome to join.
Since our beginning there has been a Fire Circle at Four Quarters. Once again as we celebrate the season and prepare for Drum and Splash, we continue to dedicate ourselves to holding the Sacred Space within the Fire Circle as we focus on those who will continue to hold Sacred Space for the next 20 years and, in turn, cultivate the generations of Drummers and Dancers yet to come.
May 22, 2020
Socially distant ritual on a brisk spring day.
by Carrie Krystek.
The May 9 Beltaine Emergence Moon Service was a very special time for me.
Like many of you, I have been finding the entire coronavirus situation to be very mentally and emotionally draining over these last few months. The care and concern I feel for those with the virus, the healthcare workers helping them, those affected by the economic closures, along with concerns for my own personal health and safety has been overwhelming at times. With the wide variety of information out there, it has also been difficult to know how to interact with the world in a manner that keeps me and others safe.
After a long and cold winter, it has been frustrating to observe the advent of Spring from a distance. After so many weeks of curtailed action, I was ready to spend some time in the sun. When Pennsylvania announced that campgrounds could now open, it was exciting to determine how Four Quarters could open up so that people could enjoy Nature in a safe manner.
April 27, 2020
A Beltaine Emergence Moon Service
The Green Shoots of Spring... Emerging.
These last months of Pandemic have been a hard road for so many: our Caregivers, those directly affected by the disease, the many who have lost income and work, and all of us facing the enormity of the changes this virus brings. We have weathered the first of this storm, knowing that there are more trials yet to come. But there is good news.
As a Church Four Quarters has been exempt from all restrictions, but as good citizens we chose to strictly adhere to civil guidance and closed Four Quarters in early March. On April 27th, Pennsylvania's Governor Tom Wolfe of has begun the slow process of lifting restrictions, and because of the fundamental safety of the out-of-doors, has first reopened campgrounds across the state. Four Quarters is now re-opened for visits and ceremony!
Four Quarters Interfaith Sanctuary, 190 Walker Lane, Artemas, PA 17211 USA | 814-784-3080 | office@4qf.org
Incorporated in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as an InterFaith Non-Denominational Church, Monastery and Spiritual Retreat Center.
All donations fully tax deductible as allowed by law. PA EXMP 75-538-546 FED EIN 25-1853964
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