Field Studies Sanctuary
Sacred Assembly of Soil & Soul (SASS)
SASS is a non-denominational church and community, open to people of all faiths and paths. We are united by a shared reverence for the living Earth, the wisdom carried in our lineages, and the belief that healing for all is possible through intentional relationship with nature.
Born as a living expression of the Field Studies Sanctuary vision, SASS holds space for prayerful gatherings, deep study, and the embodiment of Source through soil, song, and soul work.
Structured as a 508(c)(1)(A) spiritual organization, our leadership moves in alignment with Spirit, guided by stewardship rather than hierarchy.
The SASS Philosophy
Sacred Assembly of Soil & Soul (SASS) is a living, breathing fellowship — rooted in reverence for Earth, Source, and the unseen threads that bind us.
We gather to remember what it means to belong — to each other, to the land, and to the quiet wisdom carried in every stone and seed. Our healing begins with how we tend to the Earth, and through her, ourselves.
SASS is a sanctuary of dignity and care — open to all walks of life, all faiths and traditions, united by a shared devotion to the living world. Guided by three pillars:
Trust.
Respect.
Consideration.
These values shape the spaces we create, the relationships we nurture, and the light we bring into the world.
This is a place to listen deeply, feast together, dance in joy, grieve when needed, and create freely. We hold the vision of a great table — standing at the edge of a meadow — where all are invited to gather, share, and remember. The table itself is the altar, the meeting place of soul and soil.
We believe in cycles and spirals, the sacred intelligence of plants and animals, and the call to live in harmony with the rhythms of the Earth. Through this relationship, we find wholeness, grace, and a collective path forward.
The Sanctuary is here to serve, to seed, and to support. It is a living model of what is possible when we center love, land, and liberation. Together, we breathe a new story into being — one written in earth, carried by soul, and sung forward for generations to come.
Why We Use the Word “Church”
For many, “church” has been a place of exclusion, control, or harm. We honor that truth, and we carry it gently.
We choose to use the word not to preserve old wounds, but to help heal them — to remember that at its heart, a church is simply a gathering of people in shared reverence. Here, that reverence is for the living Earth, for the unseen threads that connect us, and for the possibility of healing in community.
We are a church without walls, dogma, or hierarchy — open to all paths, all faiths, and all who seek a deeper relationship with the land, with each other, and with the Source of Life that moves through all things.