Sarah York Books and Spiritual Guidance

Sarah York is an author, spiritual director, and retired minister.

After serving congregations as a Unitarian Universalist minister for thirty years, Sarah retired to the family farm near Asheville, NC, where she and her husband, Chuck Campbell, raised French Alpine Dairy Goats from 2008 to 2018. In 2012, she became a certified Spiritual Director, and her professional focus has shifted from parish ministry to writing and providing spiritual guidance for individuals and small groups.

Sarah York enjoys speaking and engaging with readers in person or on Zoom. Anyone who has read her books appreciates her gift for weaving stories from real life into a moving and inspirational presentation. She speaks with an authentic and compassionate presence and is able to address deep and meaningful topics with a blend of humor and conviction. 

In addition to graduating with honors from Wake Forest College (B.A.), Duke University (M.A.T.), and Harvard Divinity School (M.Div), Sarah holds an honorary doctorate from Meadville-Lombard Theological School and a certificate in spiritual direction from the Haden Institute. During her career as a minister, she served as an officer in the Unitarian Universalist Ministers Association, worked on continental projects for the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA), and delivered the sermon for the Service of the Living Tradition at the General Assembly. 

Sarah's new book, Trouble in Paradise: A Story of Ministry in the Aftermath of Clergy Misconduct, is scheduled for publication August 18, 2026. 

Remembering Well: Rituals for Celebrating Life and Mourning Death, is still in print. 

Remembering Well, which has offered a ministry to people of all faiths since 2000, continues to receive acclaim for its relevance to people dealing with death and grief. Pilgrim Heart: The Inner Journey Home offers inspiration for those who travel far or near in the quest to become more at home in themselves and the world. The Holy Intimacy of Strangers speaks to the perennial challenges we face as we seek to nurture a sense of hospitality in all relationships.

Into the Wilderness, originally published by Skinner House Press as part of the Unitarian Universalist Meditation series under the name Sara Moores Campbell, is also available in paperback.

Spiritual Guidance (spiritual direction) is soul-tending; a spiritual director is someone who offers a listening presence and gentle guidance as you seek to discern the stirrings of the Spirit in your life, to grow in self-knowledge, and to become the person you truly are.

Typically, you will have monthly sessions where you are invited to explore your spiritual growing edges. This may include conversation, ritual, exploring dreams, silence, or prayer/meditation; you might write a poem, respond to a prompt or draw a dream image. Inviting a holy presence to be with you, you and your spiritual director recognize a sacred dimension to your time together.

You might discuss difficult personal issues with a spiritual director, but spiritual direction is neither therapy nor coaching; your sessions will be less about healing or solving problems and more about listening for the voice of the Spirit that will guide you and give you the strength to move through bumpy times. Spiritual Direction is also less about trying to be a successful person and more about understanding your gifts and your shadows. Your focus is on living the life that is meant to live in you.

To enter a relationship of spiritual direction is to embark upon an inner adventure of self-knowing, discernment, and spiritual growth. As you begin this journey, you may ask, “How will I know that the Spirit is with me?”

You will know because you will be led to places you did not plan to go.

Am I the right spiritual director for you? I invite you to read more about me and my approach to spiritual direction in the posts on this site, “Spiritual Direction for Mystical Non-Believers” and “If You Don’t Pray, What do You Do?” Although I am quite comfortable working with people who have a more traditional concept of God, I suspect that I am most gifted working with people who are on a less traditional path. As a minister with over 35 years of experience, I am a skilled, wise, and perceptive listener. I listen. I ask questions. I listen. I ask questions. I listen. And in the process, you are listening, too.

If you live near me, I would be pleased to meet with you and explore the possibilities of working with you. Currently, I only do sessions on video conferencing. Zoom is preferred for its reliability, and you can download a free app if you do not have it already. Most people I work with are in other states or countries. If you wish to arrange for spiritual direction by Zoom, please read the post about "Spiritual Direction Across the Miles." If you are a ministerial student, you may request a student discount on the fee. Currently the fee is $100/hour. If you pay four sessions in advance, that is discounted to $390 for four sessions. The discount applies to checks or Zelle. 

I am pleased to meet with you for no charge for a half-hour conversation to help both of us discern whether or not this would be a good working relationship. Then you can opt for up to four sessions before making a longer-term commitment and entering an agreement together. My job is to help you grow in self-knowledge, which includes your sense of who will be the person to journey with you. I am never offended if someone opts to work with someone else.