Tuesday, 31 May 2016

Day 17 Walk 15

Today was like a walk with Morse  - two pubs by midday and no church even in sight – despite having been through the centre of Oxford (where I got badly disorientated trying to get from the Cherwell to the Oxford Canal).
Saw the old prison then went along Canal Road (where one of Colin Dexter’s novels is set); eventually coming out at the Plough Inn (maybe not in a Morse novel?).
More importantly from a spiritual point of view (not the 8.4% pint of cider at 12 noon  - using Cave Refectory Road again  - talking of the need to “gaze upon God” – without words.
The weather’s about to change, so may finish early.

Monday, 30 May 2016

Blog 14 (Walking Day 14 - Harwell to Oxford/Cowley)

Today was the first day I had one or more companion all day

(Rachma and Steven had joined me at the end of day 12).

In the morning my friend David and I started from Harwell - we struggled to cross two main roads (one being the A34) and the main GWR line; David's comments were:

b----y roads, b-----y railways and b-----y footpaths.

Despite our careful map work several paths ran out at the boundaries and failed to cross road or rail.

However, eventually we got to Abingdon, late, to a nice pub, Nag's Head.

I was allowed 5 minutes before-hand in a lovely church - St. Helen's - with fantastic

 roof-paintings - but we were in danger of being late for our meet with  David's wife, Louise and Daff.

After too long and too large a lunch (Bill) we left  for a long idyllic walk on the side of the Thames.

Unfortunately, too long - so we made many stops as exhaustion began to set in; the last at a pub on the river in Sandford

(so 2:1 score Pubs to churches, I'm afraid).

We arrived back at Louise and David's exhausted - not having the energy to go out;

poor Louise having to cook us a delicious chilli.

No psalm today, nor tomorrow, rest day when I'll be catching up with sending past blogs. Bill the relaxing Pilgrim

The

Blog 13

For today: a brief canticle for midday - to be sent later

Blog 12

For today - Warnborough to Uffington; another version of a Psalm

(NB note to Dane - can they be spaced after every 4 lines - I think the last one

lost its formatting in downloading).

1. Lord, you have been our house and home;

the place in which we make our dwelling.

Before you had created the heavens,

beyond the mountains of human telling.

2. You are God, God for ever and ever,

And yet when all's due, you turn us to dust

You command us to turn back and repent

To do you great deeds, you tell us we must.

3. A thousand years to you flash by,

They are, as it were, one watch in the night;

like yesterday, which came and went past

As but a blink in your eye, in your sight.

4. Our years pass you by, for us like a dream,

In the dew of the morning, renewed is the grass.

As the day goes past, as the evening fades,

our yesterdays, as it were, let them pass.

5. But does your wrath overshadow us

The psalmist, in psalm ninety, tells us so.

Our iniquities and our secret sins,

offend you so much, you tell us to go.

6. Our span is only toil and trouble

Our years come to finish, like a sigh

Seventy, or eighty, if we are strong

But the fear of your wrath makes it nigh.

7. Let us count our days and blessings

So as to give wisdom in our heart.

Turn back, O Lord, relent and save us

Have compassion on us, at least in part.

8.In the morning give us your steadfast love,

May we gladly rejoice all our days.

Let us be glad in all our afflictions.

Let our work serve you, in all of our ways.

9. Give glory and power to our children,

Let your favour return on our lands;

O prosper the work that we do,

O prosper the work of our hands.

Amen.

Friday, 27 May 2016

WALK TO AVEBURY (from Bromham)

I seem to have not concluded the last blog - even if started.
Never mind.

An amazing day - quite a challenge to get to the ridgeway from Bromham, and cold, but stunning, once I was there. I arrived at Avebury quite early and had an interesting conversation  with a passer-by about ley lines, Paganism and Neo-Paganism! I don't know her name, but she certainly was no fan of the National Trust. 

Then I went into the church, full of visitors - and saw it as a centre for interfaith prayers;pilgrims were welcomed; there was a goodies box for passing pilgrims and homeless people to help themselves from (maybe something we could learn in Porlock?) I found out they were holding sung Celtic Evensong which I attended (along with two others); I was made most welcome; even a prayer I prayed was appreciated - about  resolving conflict.

I was asked to carry a prayer card (the Great Invocation) for someone called Adrian, who had just died and was a Buddhist sound healer, for whom an interfaith prayer vigil was said the previous night.

I felt incredibly peaceful after the service; only slightly diluted by the inevitable pub, gassy cider and canned music afterwards. There was also in the pub a picture of a supposed ley line route from Glastonbury to Avebury (and beyond in both directions). It's interesting that I went to the "George and Pilgrim" in Glastonbury;

I do feel that I am reclaiming the ancient tradition of Christian Pilgrimage; I have said more than once that I think some people from outside the church "get it" in a way that some from within don't. The vicar here, Maria (emphasis on the first syllable) said that the village was designed for the pilgrim, even special crosses were carved in stones in the corners of the outside of the church; and special windows/doorways for them at the neighbouring priory and nunnery.

I now feel I have a purpose, an extra purpose, to take this invocation prayer card for
Adrian to Lindisfarne. Maria prayed a beautiful prayer for the people of Porlock and its church, too. May they, we and I grow as we continue to seek to walk together.  Amen.

Tuesday, 24 May 2016

Day 10 (Walk 9)

Psalm 89
I will sing of your steadfast love
as I look to your beauty in the skies.
Your heavens proclaim your faithfulness,
your covenant with me makes me realise ...
How faithful you are, to be feared, mighty, awesome
I can't see the sea you made, the earth is for you,
You save us with your mighty arm; righteousness,
steadfast love and faithfulness go before you.
How happy are those who walk in your way
You are the glory of their strength, their light.
In you our horn is exalted
 - you are our might.
In a vision you spoke to your faithful servant.
To David, the priestking, your chosen one.
I will strengthen him - my faithfulness will be with him
My right hand will be with him, his battles won.
His right hand will be on the seas and rivers,
he will call me his Father and his rock,
I will strengthen him, make his covenant stand firm,
his line will continue forever, kings will come from his stock.
But, despite all the above, my life is short, how long,
I cannot escape death, where is your love of old?
Your steadfast love, where is it, when enemies taunt me?
They taunt my footsteps, where's your love that I told ...
To others, of your love and mine?
Yet to them, to me, it's fine
I mustn't pretend, deny you never.
Blessed be the Most High, Lord for ever.
Amen.

Monday, 23 May 2016

A bull in a field

Our friends Rosie and Richard were amused that each day I'm keeping a tally of churches/pubs visited - today the pubs won- two to one!

My day started early as I had some catching up to do. After leaving the church at Wingfield which wasn't quite open, but the opener kindly pointed me in the right direction for the footpath. It started well, but soon I was wading through long wet grass to avoid a bull in a field who'd eyed me up and down. I then broke through a fence and crossed a stream to emerge into a housing estate on the edge of Trowbridge.

I was able to pray for a few churches as I passed through before emerging by the railway which then went under the canal and I had an idyllic walk along the towpath. saw two sets of ducklings and another heron (grey).

I was trying to equate my sense of wellbeing with the psalmist who wrote Psalm 88, who was clearly afflicted with a terrible disease or dying. I came to the conclusion that we need to accept the rough with the smooth - and particularly celebrate God things when they happen. I even found two pubs to have lunch in. However, later, I found the going was tougher, so I'd learnt my own lesson.