Sara Stutz, copyright 2025
This song provides me comfort and a place of sanctuary in these ever-changing times.
Teaching Tracks:
All Voices
High Harmonies (at 1:50 min)
Low Harmonies (at 1:00 min)
Lyrics:
Chorus
Oh Sanctuary, oh sanctuary, oh sanctuary
Where is home?
Verse
In this breath, sanctuary.
In this heart, sanctuary.
In this moment, sanctuary.
Sanctuary, I am home.
Chorus
Verse
In this circle, sanctuary.
With these people, sanctuary
In this song, sanctuary
Sanctuary, I am home.
Chorus
Verse
In the mountains, sanctuary,
In the forests, sanctuary.
By the waters, sanctuary.
Sanctuary, I am home.
Chorus
Verse
All people need sanctuary
All creatures need sanctuary
Our planet needs sanctuary
All of us, we need a home.
Final Chorus
Oh Sanctuary, oh sanctuary, oh sanctuary
Sanctuary, where is home?
Sanctuary, I am home.
Sanctuary, I am home.
I had the pleasure of attending a workshop about embodied singing and song leading, led by Adam Con during a CCLT reunion in the summer of 2025. Adam had us picture our bodies as sanctuaries where our singing voices resonate and helped us explore ways to expand and grow that inner sanctuary to create richer resonance and a deeper singing experience. From there, I started thinking about the what, where and when of sanctuary and this song dropped in. It’s clear to me that what qualifies for sanctuary for me, may differ from what provides sanctuary for someone else. This song is an invitation, to name some of your sanctuaries and to consider what provides sanctuary to others.
I have recorded some variations in harmony and arrangement in these teaching tracks for your consideration. This song is meant to be a zipper song (feel free to change words or order of verses). It works very well in unison with call and echo on the verses but also invites harmonies and improvisation if that feels right in the moment. Feel free to use this arrangement as a springboard. If you teach and share this song and have made changes, please mention that you have done so with permission to your group. Thanks.
Special thanks to LRC Choir member Ginny Browne for some thoughtful discussions and inspiration around lyrics.
You can learn more about Adam Con and his work here: https://www.uvic.ca/finearts/music/people/faculty/profiles/con-adam.php