Summer Solstice Eucharist Round Up

"Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain." Galatians 4:10-11 (KJV).

Rather than decreasing in numbers as the word gets out how silly and perhaps heretical these celebrations are, they seem to be spreading. This year my Google search words, "summer solstice 2014 eucharist" returned  726,000 results.
Here are just a few, and I have added two non-Episcopalian sites to the bottom of the list as evidence of the spread of this worship service.

From the Episcopal Church of the Resurrection Eugene, Oregon,

 Summer Solstice Labyrinth Walk: On Saturday, June 21, beginning at 7:30 p.m., yoga teacher, Dave Curtis, will lead a Summer Solstice Labyrinth Walk as a part of his Solstice Yoga Retreat. Contact Bryn Lighthawk for a flyer or visit www.YogawithDave.com for more information. By donation – a portion of the proceeds will be donated to Church of the Resurrection.

From St. Timothy's Episcopal Church, 4670 Congress Street, Fairfield CT,

"HOLY EUCHARIST:  Summer Solstice Eucharist on the Labyrinth
Sunday June 22, 4-5 pm
Come walk our labyrinth and experience God at the center of all.
Light refreshments will be served after the service."

From the Episcopal Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine in NYC,

 "Join Cathedral Artist in Residence Paul Winter, with Chris Brubeck, bass trombone; Paul McCandless, oboe, English horn and bass clarinet; John Clark, French horn; Marcus Rojas, tuba; Tim Brumfield, organ; and four percussionists for an epic sunrise concert beneath Xu Bing's massive Phoenix sculptures. Together, musicians and audience will share the experience of the journey from total darkness into the dawn of this longest day of the year. The full glory of sight and sound will come alive with the light of this first sunrise of the summer."

 From St. Mary's Episcopal in Tuxedo, NY,

"Come enjoy the Summer Solstice at The Tuxedo Club Boathouse from 6:30 - 11:00 p.m. Music by Frank Tate and All That Jazz. Eat, drink and dance with friends as the stars come out. $100/person; drinks by chit or cash. Limited seating."

From Holy Trinity Episcopal in Greensboro, NC,

SUMMER SOLSTICE LABYRINTH WALK
"Welcome the arrival of summer by walking Holy Trinity’s outdoor labyrinth on Sunday, June 22 at 4 p.m.
You are invited to walk the path of the heart, in community, as we celebrate the coming of the Season of Light.  A brief blessing at the beginning will incorporate a vision of harmony and balance inspired by Native Americans’ gratitude for the abundance of the earth.  Uninterrupted walking and music follows."

From St. John's Episcopal Worthington, OH,

CELTIC WORSHIP TODAY – A Celtic service is planned for tonight at 5:00 in the Atrium. This lay-led worship time will focus on “Moving Towards the Summer Solstice: A Celtic Ritual.” Refreshments and fellowship will follow. We welcome all!

The Center for Inclusive Excellence at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Illinois brings you,

Litha/Midsomer/Alban Hefin/Summer Solstice (Pagan, Wiccan, Druid) • June 21-22, 2014
A celebration of the longest day of the year and the beginning of summer. Celebration of the Goddess manifesting as Mother Earth and the God as the Sun King. For some Pagans the Summer Solstice marks the marriage of the God and Goddess, and some see their union as the force that creates the harvest's fruits. One of the eight major annual sabbats or festivals.
General Practices: Lighting bonfires and watching the sun rise.

And not to be outdone by some secular school, the Catholic Church in Ireland brings you from St. Mary's Dominican Retreat House Tallaght, Dublin, Ireland,

DANCING THE SUMMER SOLSTICE, JUNE 21
“IF THE LIGHT IS IN YOUR HEART YOU WILL FIND YOUR WAY HOME” RUMI
Come explore the summer solstice, a peak moment that is both a celebration of the longest day of the year and a tipping point as the days get shorter and the nights get longer.
Let our dancing and movement bring us into this special time
Dance the Sun within
Dance the Sun outside
(No prior experience of dance is necessary)

If St. Paul's advice in his letter to the Galatians is not enough warning, here are some more recent warnings to stay away from the house of the rising sun,

"If I had listened to what mama said,
I'd be at home today,
but being so young and foolish poor girl,
let a gambler lead me astray..." House of Rising Sun (1937) - Georgia Turner