Rediscovering the Jerusalem Path
/The Trails of St. John: Rediscovering the Jerusalem Path
TRail Map
Long before Flat Rock became a summer retreat, parishioners of St. John in the Wilderness made their way to worship along a woodland footpath known as the Jerusalem Path. The trail began at Ravenswood, the home of the Reverend John Grimke Drayton, and wound through the neighboring estates of Mountain Lodge and Saluda Cottages before reaching the church.
Reverend Drayton was beloved in Flat Rock as rector of St. John in the Wilderness and in Hendersonville, where he also served the congregation of St. James. For decades, families followed this shaded trail to Sunday services. Though its use eventually faded, the memory of the Jerusalem Path lingered in local history.
This September, a portion of the old path will open once again. From September 5–7, St. John in the Wilderness will dedicate a restored section of the Jerusalem Path as part of its new woodland trail system.
The story of how these trails came to be is one of grace, vision, and rediscovery. When the Reverend Joshua P. Stephens arrived as rector in 2020, his first year in ministry was spent under pandemic lockdown. Seeking ways to gather safely in God’s creation, he began Holy Hikes -WNC, a ministry blending prayer and recreation on the trails of western North Carolina. Around the same time, church services moved outdoors beneath a great tent in the parking lot.
It was then that parishioner Rivers Stone came to Father Josh with a bold idea.
“We need a place to worship outside,” he said. “This is beyond Covid, this is beyond life. This needs to be for generations to come.”
Rivers was a dreamer who made things happen—an entrepreneur with a gift for seeing possibilities. Though he passed away unexpectedly not long after, he left behind a legacy of generosity. His gift to the parish, and the vision he inspired, made the creation of the trail system possible.
“I was on the vestry when Rivers presented us with his vision,” recalled Cynthia Easterling, chair of the Holy Hikes committee at St. John in the Wilderness. “He felt the church was not using a treasure right here on this property—the land. Two really good things came out of Covid at St. John’s: Holy Hikes was created, and parishioners got out and hiked; and Rivers Stone planted a seed for community worship outdoors. When Rivers died unexpectedly, the vestry thought it was the end of the project. We were amazed when we found out he had left a substantial gift to the church.
Today, thanks to many hands and hearts, the Jerusalem Path will welcome pilgrims once more. As they step onto this historic path, they join those who walked before us and carry their faith into the future.”
The New Jerusalem Path and Unexpected Discoveries
For many years, there had been talk of the old Jerusalem Path, the woodland trail once walked by the Reverend John Grimke Drayton and C.G. Memminger in the mid-1800s. Most of the path had faded into memory, except for a short stretch still visible near the parish’s historic Parsonage.
As Holy Hikes - WNC grew, the idea of creating trails on the church property became more compelling. Restoring the Jerusalem Path would allow people to walk from St. John in the Wilderness to the Carl Sandburg National Historic Site—blending history, recreation, and prayer.
The Trail Committee, a subcommittee of Holy Hikes, Cynthia Easterling, chair, Ed Blackburn, Patrice German, Jim Olson and Father Josh, began planning a system of single-track woodland trails and a wider gravel path, appropriately named The New Jerusalem Path. They invited Todd Branham of Long Cane Trails to serve as designer and builder. Todd immediately understood that these trails were not just about walking—they were about telling the church’s story.
“Coincidentally, in the fall of 2023, the church archives committee was transcribing financial records from 1884 when they came across a receipt from a contractor for repairs to a servant’s house,” recalled John Barker, parish historian.
Around the same time, an unexpected conversation opened another chapter of discovery. Luke Hunter, then president of Historic Flat Rock, shared lidar images of the church grounds with Father Josh and John Barker. The images revealed outlines of structures long hidden beneath ivy and bramble. As the team cleared the overgrowth, they uncovered stone foundations and remnants of what appeared to be a cabin, springhead, and walled garden.
Fragment of Earthen Ware Jug
State archaeologists encouraged the church to pursue further study. In early 2025, a professional archaeological team began careful work in the woods near the Parsonage. Their findings confirmed that the site had been inhabited from the mid-1800s to the early 1900s. Archival research added another crucial detail: references to a “Servant’s House” built alongside the Parsonage in 1853. Evidence suggests these structures once housed enslaved laborers brought to Flat Rock by clergy before emancipation.
Working together, the archaeologists and John Barker confirmed the presence of a springhouse, ice house, walled garden, and cabin. These discoveries shed new light on the Parsonage and the lives of those who worked and lived there.
Reflecting on these findings, Father Josh shared, “We have been incredibly blessed to discover new parts of our history that we did not know much about before. There was a lot more to the Parsonage for many, many years.”
The Trail Committee, church historian John Barker, trail designer Todd Branham, and Father Josh spent hours walking the land together. This collaborative effort ensured that the trails would not encroach on areas of historic significance while also enhancing the experience for those who walk them. The trails were carefully designed to offer views of historic sites, blending preservation with prayerful recreation.
“Truly, God had a hand in the timing of these archaeological discoveries. They contributed to the mapping of the trails and the story of the church,” added Barker.
Honoring the Whole Story
Today, St. John in the Wilderness is often visited by both locals and tourists as a historic site. Among the most moving places on the property is the African-American Burial Ground, where generations of Black parishioners rest. Visitors are often curious to understand how slavery was part of the church’s history, and what that means for us today.
“We have viewed our history as a church regarding slavery in different ways over the decades,” said Father Josh. “Indeed, each parishioner has unique thoughts on the question. The records show that we did not always honor the full humanity of Black people at St. John, though many church members have leaned into the conversation in constructive ways. In more recent times, we have been curious to learn about the enslaved people who were members of our community—even though they may not have had a choice in the matter. We know that they are a part of us, and so we want to tell their story, too, since they were baptized and married in our church and were laid to rest in our churchyard.”
In recent years, Father Josh has led efforts to connect with descendants of early church members who were enslaved. The new trail system honors their lives in a tangible way: two of the trails are named after them, and their stories are shared with those who walk the paths. In doing so, the trails become more than walkways through the woods—they become a witness to lives too long overlooked, and a way of ensuring that every chapter of history is remembered.
One of the honored guests during the grand opening weekend will be Eugene Curtain and his family. He is a descendant of Venus and Caesar Edwards, two enslaved people who were married in this church in 1855, representing the first recorded marriage at St. John in the Wilderness. Mr. Curtain has expressed how touched and pleased he is that the church wanted to honor his family’s story by naming a trail after his ancestors. He submitted the following Scripture passage to be included on a plaque or sign for the trail:
“This is what the Lord says, ‘Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.’” (Jeremiah 6:16)
Voices from the Parish
A Prayer for the Trails
By Ed Blackburn, Holy Hikes WNC Committee
Wilderness Altar
Lord Father and Creator of All,
We come to you deeply grateful for your creation.
Nature around us speaks to your greatness.
The vast expanse of the mountains, lakes, streams, fields, and flowers speaks of your great design.
We ask today that our endeavors enhance the beauty and sacredness of St. John in the Wilderness for generations to come.
In your name we pray, Amen.
“This prayer opens each hike and is also our mission statement,” said Cynthia Easterling, Holy Hikes - WNC chair. “It reminds us of the privilege of inviting the entire community to discover the joys of nature, history, and sacredness. Just as historian Louise Bailey once expressed hope that the Jerusalem Path would be reopened after her lifetime, I also hope that future historians, archaeologists, biologists, and gardeners will continue to uncover new chapters of our story, as well as flora and fauna to celebrate.
My children grew up in this parish and played in these woods. I hope our efforts welcome children of all ages to appreciate the beauty and sacredness of St. John in the Wilderness for generations to come.”
Building the Wilderness Chapel
“Father Josh called me just as he was leaving for two weeks on vacation and asked if I would consider building a wilderness altar for the new outdoor chapel within the trail system,” said Bill Walker, a long time St. John’s parishioner. “Nelson Motes, another parishioner, is always involved with anything I do—we think alike. The two of us built the altar in my carport out of locust wood found on the church property. Once finished, it weighed about 300 pounds. A man who does some work for me, Tommy Muniz, laid a stone platform large enough for the altar to sit on and facilitated the move of the altar from my house to the chapel. He positioned it so there would be space for the clergy to walk around on three sides of it.
The whole wilderness chapel project was coordinated by God. None of us were talking to each other, yet everything just fell into place—the bench builders, the parishioners who bought benches, the trail builder. It was the hand of God.”
Trail Bench
Cynthia Easterling agreed that the chapel has been a true miracle. “When Hurricane Helene hit last September, I thought it would delay this project for some time. Numerous trees had fallen all around the proposed trail, but the trail builder we hired did not charge us extra to clear the debris. He wanted to build a meandering trail that complemented the church and was invested in the project.
When Father Josh first talked about adding a wilderness chapel, I imagined just a few benches in an outdoor space. Instead, parishioners stepped up and paid for 18 beautifully made locust benches and an altar in this picturesque setting. The entire project was the culmination of so many different enthusiasms in our church, and it came together without a hitch. When Father Josh returned from vacation and saw the finished chapel, he had a smile on his face like it was Christmas morning.”
An Invitation to Adventure
Father Josh often reminds the parish that following Jesus and sharing life in Christian community is “the adventure of a lifetime.” The Trails of St. John now invite people to that adventure in a fresh way, as they discover the holy ground of the church in a modern context. The hope is that neighbors and visitors alike will find rest and renewal through time spent in God’s good creation along these paths.
The trails will also become places of joy and growth for younger generations. This August, a new mountain bike team for elementary school children will launch, giving kids the chance to learn to ride, to pray, and to play in God’s creation—all on the trails of St. John.
Ultimately, the parish hopes these trails will be a blessing not only for its members but also for the wider community. The properties now known as the Flat Rock Playhouse and the Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site were once owned by the founding parishioners of St. John in the Wilderness. The new trails will quite literally reconnect this history. As St. John continues to uncover archaeological evidence along the paths, these discoveries will not only deepen the parish’s own story but also enrich the understanding of other cultural landmarks throughout Flat Rock.
In earlier times, the people of Flat Rock traveled everywhere by foot or on horseback. Life then was slower, closer to the earth. Today, many are rediscovering how deeply good it is for body and soul to walk an old path, to breathe deeply, and to notice the beauty around us.
Sometimes the best gifts are not the newest ones, but the rediscovery of what was there all along—the old ways, the old paths, and the holy ground beneath our feet. Looking back on the journey that led to the trails, Father Josh offered this reflection, “As we walk these trails together, may we remember those who came before us, give thanks for the stories uncovered, and find renewal in God’s creation for generations yet to come.”
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Missy Craver Izard was born and raised in Charleston, S.C. and resides in Flat Rock, N.C. A retired Summer Camp Director and art teacher, Missy is an entrepreneur, speaker, author, journalist, community leader, and the recipient of several awards including the White House Champions of Change. Missy currently serves as the Director of Christian Education at St. John in the Wilderness in Flat Rock.
