BLOG 15

Pilgrimage Prayer

 

God of our pilgrimage,

on foot and through our lives,

thank you for walking with us,

even when we can’t see you.

 

Be the fire to lead us

Be the star to guide us

Be the shepherd to call us

 

By your power, strengthen us for what lies ahead

By your strength, surround us with your angels

By your love, with your angels, defend us

and protect us from all evil

Watch over us and lead us in the light eternal.

Amen.

 

[prayer adapted from Millington Church prayer for pilgrims]

Prayer for St. Dubricius

In the power of God,

        Father, Son and Holy Spirit:

 

Enable this Church/St. Dubricius to do your will

Help us to be vulnerable to speak with calm humility

Make us open to all, regardless of difference

Enable us to be outward looking and to care deeply

Help us to be a community of peace, to make bridges

 

Above all, in the middle of our turbulent lives,

Let us make space to hear your still small voice.    Amen.

[adapted from prayer for Millington Church]

 

A prayer following the result of the EU Referendum

 

 

Eternal God, Light of the nations,
in Christ you make all things new:
guide our nation in the coming days through the inspiration of your Spirit,
that understanding may put an end to discord and all bitterness.
Give us grace to rebuild bonds of trust
that together we may work for the dignity and flourishing of all;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

[from Sheffield Diocese, among others]

Blog 14

Hymn (sung to “Angel Voices ever singing”) Swifts a-flying, frog a-dying Corn a-sighing, day by dayFeet a-fighting, crows alighting York a-sighting, on my wayHares a-tuning, piglets sunning Let us worship God – today Elders knowing, berries growing Flowers snowing – My! Our GodChurch bells ringing, songbirds singing Nettles stinging, by our God.Thistles hustling, poppies rustling Let us praise the Lord, our God Corn is waving, water craving From our saving … God our LordSheep shorn tightly, heron’s flighty For th’Almighty God our LordChurch clock chiming, poets rhyming Let us sing to God our Lord

BLOG 13

Well, at last I’ve caught up with my writings – I’m actually writing this directly on the computer after having attended two church services this am (at Goodmanham and Market Weighton – more on these the first place later).

 

I delayed leaving South Cave as we had quite a relaxed Sat am and said morning prayer together with my hosts – eventually I left at 10.30 am.

 

The first part of the walk I had done the night before (without the Tombstone), but was hard work uphill, but with gorgeous views back over the Humber. Then I went through some local vales and kept climbing and descending.

 

The weather held out, but was extremely hot – black clouds were gathering close by. I was trying to stop each hour and drank a lot of water. I had a phone call from my next host, David, arranged where to meet him, then later spoke to Daff. As I was climbing I thought  I might have been able to see the towers of York Minster.

Got up the top of a steep climb, panting, still speaking to her on the phone, to be greeted by Richard and his wife, Jen.

 

They’d been trying to ring whilst I was on the phone – and Richard was coming to walk with me – which was nice. Even nicer, was the fact that Jen took off 2/3 of the Tombstone with her in the back of car!

 

Although Richard had his binoculars with him, we didn’t see any interesting birds, but we did have a hare stop right in front of us, before it left us galloping – the movement was completely different to that of a rabbit – I can see why they’re part of the deer family (so I believe). Will my photo come out?

 

We finally descended into Goodmanham, after a few welcome spots of rain and had (well I had) a good pint and a half of cider, at the excellent local pub (In other places I’ve been told there’s no demand for it around here).

 

Richard entertained me with stories about Columbanus, Edwin and a local high priest, Cedwi – or something similar – who spectacularly converted to Christianity. Then founded a church, before going onto York.

 

In the late 1920s, Cosmo Lang, then Archbishop led a pilgrimage to Goodmanham from York – and there’s a window in the church commemorating their journey.

 

More recently, ABp John Sentamu has been doing a pilgrimage tour of the diocese, riding on a tractor with locals, which has been down well.

 

It’s nice to think that I am in such illustrious company; but our modern Abp worked much harder than me – he led pilgrim prayers twice a day as well as walking.

 

So what is the purpose of all this walking? You know part of answer – the reason I gave when starting this blog – but I suspect my answer later on may be slightly different.

 

Looking forward to seeing Daff at York as long as she is well enough to make it.

 

BLOG 12

Well, we all woke up to a shocker this am) – Bill’s crossed the Humber into Yorks. (or did I mean the referendum result).

Will life ever be the same again?

Well, I’ve been to Yorkshire before, but not this part. I was very excited about crossing the Humber Bridge – many photos – well videos on my camera. It was a bit scary, though – I’m not a great one for heights.

 

Great pub/wedding venue the far side, where staff were very helpful to me as I was without a map for the first time ever (Once before I had only a photocopy and got lost!).

A lady called Sue printed off a copy of the Yorks Wolds way for me – I’m doing the first three stages.

Stopped for lunch and a pint at a delightful village called Melton (near Welton!), opposite a church with a pond and a moat. The church was interesting and had some stunning stained glass by both Burne-Jones and Wm. Morris workshop, built by Gilbert Scott I think.

It was beautiful, but somehow the church didn’t inspire me.

 

Lots of small climbing up and down (it is the Yorks Wolds), but with Lincs. I’m out of practice. I had a hilarious encounter with a well-meaning local man who spent 10 mins giving me directions, then changing them so I could walk on the Wolds Way. My head was buzzing and I found a completely different route!

 

Got to South Cave just on time very near where the footpath ended by fluke. I was entertained royally by a charming couple Peter and Sarah Draper; she’s a Primary Headteacher in Hull, he’s a university lecturer and an NSM. They just let me be – I’m now more relaxed. They even did my washing for me!

 

On a more serious point, I think today has marked a change in my travelling – it’s as if I’m seeing the world with new eyes. I wonder what lies in store? I heard “Thought for the day” and felt it was good, given by Bp. Richard; sort of saying we have to work with the shock of the new, but still work together in partnership.

 

But how will it all end (other than with the Second Coming)?

Wait – as we often sing in Taize – and see.

BLOG 11

Today I had only a very short walk to do, but I lengthened it by going backwards! It was planned from Worlaby to Barton-on-Humber, but I finished it with a walk back from B-on-H to Burnham, where my hosts live. The weather was still hot and humid, but I managed to avoid any rain.

 

 I couldn’t bring myself to focus on any psalm, though I read the first few verses of #107, which was similar to 106, but had a repeat refrain. However, a phrase from yesterday repeated in my mind: “walking in the way of the Lord” – it was my idea of the chorus for “Down by the riverside”. I also was struck by the line from the psalm about from the north, east, west and the sea/south – as I was to get my first glimpse of the Humber – the first real estuary I’d seen since the Bristol Channel.

 

I was quite moved to see it – and before it the towers of the famous bridge – I felt I had entered a new phase of my walk. I wrote several cards saying I’m about to walk over the bridge, and that I’m well over halfway.

 

I had a chat with a potato-grower and avoided another nearby crop-sprayer.

Tomorrow is my first day without a proper map – let’s hope I find my way, God willing – down by (and over) the riverside!

 

BLOG 10

Today I left Sally and Geoff who have been marvellous – sally drove me to north of Snitterby (I’ve forgotten the name of the village already) and I fought through corn and nettles to the new river Ancholme – I even reported a footpath near impassable to Lincs council – who seemed to want to know such things.

 

Once on the river, most of the walk was easier, but I still had some difficult bits – I kept trying to sing “down by the riverside” to keep my spirits up. ( I hoped to write a little of the song with some of my experiences for the schoolchildren, but it somehow got lost).

 

Brigg’s best forgotten – full of pubs, chips shops (with chips cooked in beef dripping) and a shut church.

 

When I finally left the river, I had aching feet and twisted sandals – but I made it up to the church at Worlaby on time only to find a hitch-up with my pick-up. After my initial panic, a very welcome Brian turned up to take me home to him and his wife, Karen. Despite being a little bemused by my diet, they coped with me admirably.

 

I was happy to leave my walking experiences – down by the riverside.

 

Mon. June 20th. June Blog 9

I seem to recently have lost the art of meditating/reflecting upon a psalm as I walk; one came up in an archway as I walked to Spridlington from Lincoln – it might have been Psalm 100, but I don’t think so. Four different verses were written over the archways between the nave and the chancel, so it was a good reminder for me not to give up.

 

I think it finished by praising God’s truth and justice and started perhaps with praising God’s creation.

 

As I’ve said before, sometimes I just seem to have to concentrate on the walking – and maybe praying a bit for people if I’m lucky – no holy mendicant poustinik me!

 

It was sad to have had to have left Lee and Clare today; great company and lively fellowship, with deep conversation; but I’m looking forward to meeting Sally and Geoff.

 

I’m still mulling over making new friendships for such short periods of time, and the inevitability of having to leave and move on; such is the joy of “being a pilgrim”. The meeting of people almost seems more important sometimes than the walking, certainly as important.

 

Today was a short distance, but I started late owing to the appalling weather, and managed to visit two bookshops and the cathedral shop on my way out; sheltering as I went. Guess which was by far the worst.

 

It’s not very difficult if I tell you that the manager of one of  the second-hand bookshops said that all the cathedral was interested in was making money. A little unfair, but they (the cathedral)  had next to no theology and no icons, worse than most that I see.

 

This is not the space for a rant about the sparsity of good second-hand theology; but I see it as tragic that cathedrals miss that opportunity following the disaster of the collapse of SPCK. Rant over for the minute.

 

So, out of the rain, I got to Nettleham, and dried of outside a Methodist chapel (Methodism seems to have been really strong in this part of Lincs), which had only just shut  - it was open for prayer for the referendum. I then, surprise, surprise found a pub, left it later, only for the heavens to open again, and so had to shelter in the next pub and of course have another drink – at least the very kind landlady pointed me in the right direction as I had been disorientated in the heavy rain.

 

Later very wet walks through fields to Weltam where I found an open welcoming church.

 

Eventually got to Sally’s and had what I felt was a well-deserved hot bath and a lovely tea. Another lovely couple – watched the tail end of the England/Slovakia match – a goalless draw (always is whenever I watch football).

 

Sounds as if weather is better tomorrow – I hope so – but I feel as if I am back on my way. Humber here I come!