Walsingham



KEEP CHECKING BACK AS NEW REFLECTIONS WILL BE ADDED OVER TME 
AS WE GO ON THE PARISH PILGRIMAGE AND YOUTH PILGRIMAGE 


September 2011

Until early this year actually it wasn't until April I hadn't heard about Walsingham even if the site of the shrine had been a place of pilgramage since 1061 and celebrates . A little place in Norfolk on the east coast of England. I must admit I had no idea really what to expect I'd heard a little about from a couple of people in the church but that was it. So it was with a great deal of intrigue that I set out with the Parish on Pilgramidge. Its funny really not to have heard of a place that celebrates 950yrs this year but then again one of the kings of england did ransack the monastery's and walsingham didn't escape. for the story so far of the shrine see here

It's hard to reflect on something that you want to share without saying too much that would ruin it for someone else. 


The shrine site is a wonderfully peaceful place to just be to step out of the business of life. I would have liked to have found this place while in london.

The sign on my door, not that this is what it felt like. Though there was a sense of that peace of God with us.

on the wall of the barn chapel I mentioned elsewhere that this reminded me of the title of a book from college the shadow of the galileean. I spent a long time alone in this little chapel playing with the light. It was the first time in a long time that I've really had the hunger to stop and take photo's to wait for the right moment no matter how long it took. 


Sunday afternoon of all the different things that took place and I look back on was the one that made me stop and sit back and if anything would have wanted more time to just be after to reflect. was what has had a lasting impact the challenge by Fr Stephen was about the well.. the challenge how are you going to leave this place are you going to bring life to use your life to point to Christ or to fill in the well of life as the king had ordered when the monastery was disbanded or is there a well that needs to be re-dug it may not be in exactly the same place but close by to the original. 


One of the hugh impacts on me yet again about this weekend was how strange to me some of the events and practices of the weekend were. Others were very much part of worship and practice that I am used to. This was a wonderful reminder of how even though I've been in around the church since I was 15, that it is still walking into the unknown when you come to a church for the first time. How do we brake down the barriers to explain what we do in a way that isn't so way out there. To clam nerves and set people at easy but still challenge with the core of the gospel.


Yeah I signed up for next year parish trip.... And in the summer the youth pilgrimage week will be a first for the young people from the youth club and for me....


2012


UP COMING EVENTS


Youth Pilgrimage  Early summer
Parish Pilgrimage  Late Summer