Church of the Wayfarer

“Pause in your travels ye wayfarer, and celebrate the Lord in the beauty of His creation”

That is the invitation Carmel’s Church of the Wayfarer has offered the countless visitors who have come to this tourist haven in the century since its construction in 1904. Who knows the thousands of celebrations of joy and sorrow that have been held within these walls – the weddings, the baptisms, the memorial services that accompany the beginning and the end of life?

I set up my easel to paint the grand old chapel in the glorious light of an autumn morning. The radiance seemed to kiss the shadows away from the whitewashed walls. Monterey pine trees form a festive garland surrounding the church’s craftsman style cupola and steeple.

The church is framed by the famous Biblical Garden on its left – which showcases many plants from the Holy Land – and the equally famed Cottage restaurant where my family feasted as I worked.

My Church of the Wayfarer celebrates one hundred years of a grand California tradition. If your own travels bring you to the Pacific coast sometime, perhaps you too will pause and celebrate the beauty of this enchanting landmark.