St. John in the Wilderness introduces young riders to mountain biking - and much more.
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A young STJ MTB rider practicing her biking skills.
On a Wednesday evening in Flat Rock, the parking lots around St. John in the Wilderness Episcopal Church are alive with activity. Dozens of children, some barely old enough for kindergarten and others approaching middle school, are pedaling bicycles in every direction.
Some weave confidently through obstacles, practicing turns and other technical skills. Others are still mastering the basics of balance, braking, and bike handling. Coaches and parent volunteers offer encouragement and instruction, while the young riders cheer one another on.
There is plenty of learning going on. But mostly, these children are doing something increasingly uncommon in today's world. They are outdoors, exercising, exploring, spending time with friends, and having an absolutely wonderful time.
The swirl of happy activity is all made possible by St. John in the Wilderness Mountain Biking - an innovative program that combines the joy of riding bicycles with an appreciation for nature, community, and spiritual growth. And it all began with a priest who has loved riding bikes for as long as he can remember.
A Lifelong Love of Bicycles
"I grew up riding bikes in Jacksonville Beach, Florida," says the Rev. Josh Stephens, rector of St. John in the Wilderness. "Bikes were a huge part of my family's life growing up." That is something of an understatement.
Father Josh Stephens with a group of SJW MTB riders.
When the family's car broke down and his parents couldn't afford to replace it, bicycles became their primary means of transportation for an entire year. Josh and his brothers built trails and jumps in the woods surrounding their home. His older brothers even organized a bicycle racing team called Beaches Road and Trail - BRAT for short - complete with team jerseys and Friday night BMX races. For young Josh Stephens, bicycles represented freedom, adventure, independence, and the sheer joy of being outdoors.
Years later, as Father Josh began to discern his calling to ministry, he rediscovered mountain biking and found that the activity he had loved as a child offered something more profound. "It's become a wonderful sacrament in my life for my spiritual and physical health," he says.
That passion became a shared experience with his wife, Dr. Rosanna Couture, an emergency room physician at Spartanburg Regional Medical Center. Living near DuPont State Recreational Forest, the couple enjoyed exploring the area's mountain bike trails together. When their daughters, Arlo, now 9, and Wilder, 6, arrived, there was never much doubt that bicycles would be part of their lives, too. "As soon as they were born, we were, 'Here's your bike,'" Rosanna laughs.
As the girls grew older and more confident on their bikes, Father Josh began thinking about how much other children might benefit from the same experiences. Although mountain biking programs existed for older students - Father Josh helped organize and coach the Henderson County Hellbenders, a team for middle and high school students - he found few opportunities designed for elementary school children. "We ride bikes together and there is a freedom to it," he says of his family's experiences. "The feeling like you are flying with the fear and excitement. It is so fun. I just wanted to share that with other families and their children who could be enriched by this."
For years, Father Josh’s idea of a mountain biking program for young children remained a dream. Then, in the fall of 2025, the opening of The Trails of St. John provided the opportunity to make it a reality.
More Than a Mountain Bike Team
SJW MTB has a simple mission: to teach children the fundamentals of mountain biking while helping them discover the natural world as a place of wonder, reflection, and spiritual connection.
Response to SJW MTB has surprised even Father Josh. One year later, more than 50 children from Henderson County, Asheville, Brevard, and even Upstate South Carolina are showing up on Wednesday evenings at St. John.
The young riders are divided into two age groups - prekindergarten through second grade and third through fifth grade - with instruction adapted to their ages and abilities. Each practice begins with warm-up activities and work on a particular skill for the week. The children learn to start and stop safely, shift gears, accelerate, brake, navigate corners, and ride over obstacles. As their abilities develop, they tackle increasingly challenging skills, including narrow elevated surfaces known as "skinnies" and small jumps. Parent volunteers help with coaching and supervision, making the program a family and community activity as well as a learning experience for the children.
MTB riders on the Trails of St. John
From there, the kids take their growing skills onto The Trails of St. John, the network of woodland paths that opened last fall on the church's property. More experienced riders may venture beyond the church grounds with adult rider leaders to explore parts of Flat Rock, gaining experience in road awareness and bicycle safety along the way.
But there is another important component to every gathering. Children and parents assemble for Evening Prayer in the Wilderness Chapel nestled among the church's woodland trails. The prayers draw upon the Episcopal tradition of Evening Prayer, with roots in ancient monastic practices. Bible stories, the Lord's Prayer, and the 23rd Psalm help introduce the children to a spiritual tradition that sees the natural world as a place to encounter God. "It is a way to pray and a way to experience the joy and wonder of the world and deal with life's ups and downs," explains Father Josh.
Building Confidence, One Ride at a Time
For Rosanna Couture, who serves as the program's co-director, watching the children develop their skills and confidence has been one of its greatest rewards. "I think it's been complete magic," she says. "The kids love to be out here, and it is fun to watch them enjoy something that builds their confidence. And at the same time get the experience with wilderness and God."
She believes mountain biking offers something particularly valuable for children who may not feel comfortable participating in traditional organized sports. "I think there are a lot of kids here that might not fit the typical team sport," she explains. "They might have anxiety about being on a team, and this activity helps them build confidence without worrying about anyone else's expectations of them."
Unlike many youth sports, where performance is measured by scores, standings, or competition against other players, mountain biking allows children to progress at their own pace. Success might mean mastering a difficult turn, riding over an obstacle for the first time, or simply finding the courage to try something that initially seemed intimidating.
Parent Matt Hutcherson with his daughter, Rhett.
And because the children ride together, they learn from one another. Melissa Driver has seen that firsthand with her daughter, Salma, a 6-year-old first grader. Melissa and her husband, Joe, own CykelWorx, a bicycle shop in Brevard, so riding bikes is already a familiar part of their family's life. Even so, she sees something special in the opportunity for Salma to ride with other children. "She's learning by being around her peers and not just mom and dad telling her to try this or try that," Melissa says. "She's watching others and getting the opportunity to try new skills."
Matt Hutcherson, whose daugher Rhett participates in the program, volunteers to assist the coaches. He appreciates the emphasis on teaching children proper riding techniques so they can enjoy the sport safely. But his family's involvement goes well beyond learning bicycle skills. "It is a great way for Rhett and I to connect with nature and God as well," he says. "That is our primary reason for doing it - and it's a whole lot of fun!"
The Freedom to Explore
For Father Josh, the benefits of SJW MTB extend well beyond learning to ride a mountain bike. He believes today's children are missing something that was once an ordinary part of growing up: the freedom to explore. In earlier generations, children might have explored neighborhoods, woods, and back roads miles from their homes. Today, their world is often much smaller, bounded by their yards, scheduled activities, and the ever-present attraction of electronic screens. "At a very basic social level, we know that kids need to be outside, off screens, exercising, and being with each other," Father Josh says. "Our society has gotten more and more indoors and isolated and less healthy."
The enthusiastic response from families suggests that Father Josh's idea has met a genuine need in the community. But even those closest to him weren't always convinced it would work. "This was Josh's crazy idea for years," Rosanna admits with a laugh. "I said, 'That's not going to work. This is not what a church does.' And I was wrong. He was right." Indeed, as Father Josh is quick to point out, the church has embraced the new program with enthusiasm and a spirit of generosity.
Something Worth Sharing
On Wednesday evenings at St. John, the vision of SJW MTB is easy to see in action. It is there in the tentative smile of a child who has just mastered a new skill. In the encouragement of a parent riding alongside a son or daughter. In the laughter and excitement of young friends pedaling through the woods. And in the quiet moments of prayer shared in the Wilderness Chapel.
What began as one man's lifelong love of bicycles has become something shared by dozens of children and their families. They are learning to ride, to explore, to trust themselves, and to appreciate the world around them. And along the way, they are discovering something Father Josh learned long ago: that the simple freedom of riding a bicycle can nourish both body and spirit.
