Pilgrimage
I hope that this blog will become a record of my the pilgrimage journey that I am undertaking as part of my sabbatical. I am minister of St Andrews URC in Canterbury and of the URC in Sandwich.
Background
Some ministers use their sabbatical to study a specific topic or to travel to a country or an area that they have never been to before. I had been thinking of traveling to an area I had not been before, maybe with a mission organisation to for instance Tajikistan, but then Covid did not invite me to make long distance travel plans.
But in thinking and praying about what to do, one topic emerged that stuck: to walk a pilgrimage route. I like walking, but have never been so adventurous to walk a long distance route, preferring the comforts of a nice hotel or guest house. But doing a pilgrimage would mean that I would walk the route, with everything that I need on my back and to reduce cost to I would need to request hospitality from churches along the route.
The next question was the route and the destination... Santiago de Compostella, Rome, Iona... Canterbury (!)... At least the last one has the advantage that I am already home when I arrive! I then found that there is a newly rediscovered old pilgrimage route, called the ‘Old Way’ which runs from Southampton to Canterbury. All that sounded quite intriguing, so I decided to do that route. But as the route would take only three weeks so, I wanted to spend some more time walking. And to give me some practice I also decided the walk the St James’ Way from Reading to Southampton. This is a week’s walking and I can have a good practice for the main walk.
During this time of pilgrimage I want to focus on having time alone with God, learning how to follow the promptings of the Holy Spirit: who to talk to, what I observe and how I sense God speaking through events, my own thoughts and prayers.
Plan
The first stage is the St James’ Way:- 14-20 August
- Reading to Southampton
- about 70 miles
The second stage is The Old Way:
- Southampton to Canterbury
- 7 Sep – 29 September
- About 250 miles
I hope to record something on this blog using my mobile every day! It is the first time I am doing this so please bear with me!
Thanks for following me along.
Yours in Christ - Bernard Fidder