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1990 A Mountain Top Experience, by Keith Chappell 1995 Australian Diary, by Brian and Barbara Porter 1995 Two Australians in Chesterfield 1997 The Celtic Experience 1998 Trip to Iona -Sylvia Reynolds 2003 Christian House Swap 2004 A Pilgrmage Tour to the Biblical and Christian Sites in Egypt and the Sinai -Peter and June Grayson 2007 Spring Harvest in the Vendee 2007 Visit to Iona -Jill Sargent 2008 Walsingham a Place of Pilgrimage -Peter and June Grayson 2008 Walking the Cumbria Way -John Small 2009 A Pilgrims Progress -Rector and his team on retreat 2010 Eleanor Lomas' Trip to Australia! -on a YWAM course 2011 Eleanor Lomas is in Australia -ready for her YWAM course 2011 Jesus Woz ‘Ere -Ruth Turner in Bethlehem 2011 What I Hate about Camping -Eleanor Lomas in Australia 2011 Eleanor Lomas is home from Australia 2011 Spiritual Refreshment on the Autobahn 2011 YWAM in Australia -Report from Eleanor Lomas 2012 Australian Reflections -Robin Dawson A Mountain Top Experience, by Keith Chappell (December 1990 edition of magazine) The coach winds its way, slowly, through picturesque Swiss, Alpine villages, along narrow roads and round hairpin bends. Always climbing, we frequently catch glimpses of the mountain peak. When we had first seen the mountain Hans, our guide, had said, "That is where we are going to the top!" Soon we are at 4420 feet above sea level and approaching Schwagalp. It is hot, around 30 degrees C, and we are already higher than the summit of Ben Nevis, but only just over half way up the mighty Santis. The rest of the climb will be by cable car. Rising above us another 3710 feet, the mountain range is awe inspiring. Vegetation gives way to barren rock, with patches of snow shimmering in the August sunshine. It is majestic, staggering almost, and in a way, intimidating. Some of our parties decide they dare not go any higher, choosing instead, the comforts of the restaurant. My thoughts move away from the mountain to its Creator. The Psalmist wrote, "the mountain peaks belong to Him." This mighty mountain is so majestic and awesome how much more majestic and awesome is our God! It is time to board the cable car, one hundred passengers at a time, and begin the ascent. What begins as a gentle climb soon becomes a very steep one. My ears "pop" at one point, as when an aircraft takes off. The ride takes 15 minutes, but in that time we ascend some 3710 feet. Disembarking from the cable car we walk the short distance to the very summit. From a height of 8130 feet above sea level we look down on a magnificent world. It is hot, yet the air has a chill like standing in front of the open refrigerator door on a hot day. Any exertion is accompanied by the need to take in great gulps of the thin air but what really takes our breath away is the amazing panorama spread out before us. Santis is the highest mountain in Switzerland and from its peak we look down on six countries; Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein, Italy and France: but for the heat haze we would have seen the Eiger and the Jungfrau. The coaches, nearly 4,000 feet below us, are like tiny insects, and people are quite invisible. The earth is like a giant patchwork quilt of greens, yellows, browns, greys and blues. Below us large patches of snow, broken by an almost indiscernible line of footprints, glisten in the sunlight. Overhead birds scavenge for food. Clinging tenaciously to cracks and crannies are beautiful tiny white flowers, and bunches of delicate blue harebells. At our feet, even at this altitude, are tiny insects. Looking across, and down, at other mountain peaks, at the sky above and the earth below, I think of the Creator. I have never seen anything so beautiful, so immense, so majestic, so powerful, or so moving. This is all His handiwork, and it is very, very, good. How great God must be! And the One who created all this is my heavenly Father! Wow! I bow, for a moment, in worship, there on the summit of Mount Santis. Keith Chappell Australian Diary, by Brian and Barbara Porter (February 1995 edition of magazine) It is well known that Australia is many thousands of miles away from the U.K. and that it is inhabited mainly by men in wide brimmed hats, complete of course with corks, who gather regularly in male only bars to consume large quantities of a particular brand of beer and to denigrate society in general and Poms (that's us) in particular. So when Christopher asked me if I would like to replace another local clergyman who had arranged a working exchange in the diocese of Sydney but who was no longer available to go, I readily accepted the opportunity to see for myself whether this archetypal Australian actually existed. And so, early one morning last September Barbara and I found ourselves at Sydney Airport having been told that when we had pushed our baggage trolley past the immigration desks and the customs procedures (both manned by people of excellent courtesy) that we would find Graham and Jan Brown, who were to be our hosts for something like three months. We were supposed to recognise them by a placard they would be carrying bearing our names, but we spotted each other spontaneously. Little did we then know that they were to look after us so thoroughly, so generously and so amusingly that our friendship was to be the highlight of our stay in the parish of Dural and Arcadia. So we were driven on that first morning from the airport to Dural, a journey of just under an hour; it gave us our first glimpse of Sydney harbour: the blue of the water sparkling in the sunshine of early Spring; and reflected in it the dramatic, sail-like outline of the Sydney Opera House. It was a sight which was to become for both of us increasingly addictive as the weeks unfolded. Within two hours of our arrival in the parish I was receiving a first briefing from one of the churchwardens. Life in the parish was to prove busy, exciting and rewarding. Visiting people in their homes was always an interesting prospect because many in the parish live on five acre blocks and access roads are mostly dirt tracks through the bush. I arrived often with a sense of relief: whew! I've made it. I have to say the 'after dark visiting' only happened very occasionally. The parish is large (as everything in Australia seems to be) with two centres of worship: St Judes Dural at the southerly end with St Columbs some six miles or so to the north. Sometimes on a Sunday morning it was necessary to dash from one to the other (by car of course) arriving, even so, quite breathless at St Columb's. The usual pattern of worship involved me in two, sometimes three morning services and one evening service. There was a great demand for baptism during our stay and families were encouraged to come for this at a special service at 11.15 am, following the main service. One of the highlights during the exchange was a combined service to celebrate 148 years of worship at St Jude's Church: people came from all corners of the parish and we all packed into the large hall for a great time of praise and thanksgiving. Within ten days of our arrival in New South Wales there came the opportunity to attend the Annual diocesan clergy conference. Sydney diocese covers a large area and therefore divides its meeting into regions and so it was the Western Region Conference I attended. It was good to meet with clergy in this way and to hear of their perspectives of ministry and to share in fellowship with them. Sydney diocese is strong in its evangelicalism and this showed in the times of Bible study and prayer we enjoyed together. As the only Englishman present I was made extremely welcome and was given many opportunities to exchange views in small groups and with individuals. As someone who enjoys more than anything else to be with people it was an event I enjoyed immensely and from which I hope I learned much; it was over all too soon. In Australia, the adage work hard, play hard took on a new reality, perhaps it had something to do with the climate but after a full day's work it always seemed more possible to engage in some sort of active relaxation, whether it was helping our hosts in the paddocks as they fed and watered their horses (paddock = field and horses abound in N.S.W.) or being taken by friends to a nearby golf course for a few holes; early Saturday morning starts were also built into the programme, for instance speaking at 7.00 am at an outdoor men's breakfast and then setting off into the bush for an exhausting hike as the sun gets higher and hotter. And then there was the ubiquitous dinner invitation - it really did come at us from all angles. The Australians we met were hospitality personified. As an occasion dinner in N.S.W. is quite formal; in our experience the barbecue with everyone in shorts and tee shirt happened only sometimes, but dinner was different; dress; casual but very smart (we travelled unprepared for this, fortunately our hosts, Graham and Jan, kindly came to the rescue) cuisine : varied, elegant appetizing and designed to put on the inches very quickly. We enjoyed some delightful evenings getting to know the hopes, fears and concerns of people who at grass roots level continue to value the links and traditions received from the U.K. even though at a more public and federal level these elements are frequently disparaged. The weeks soon slipped by, the camera clicked away as we sought to record a kaleidoscope of events. In order to share all that was happening, whenever it was possible Barbara and I exercised a joint ministry. When it was not, Barbara made her own opportunities: among others by arranging to be shown around a local Anglican retirement village ( a local phenomenon about which we have minced feelings). The privilege of being allowed to teach scripture in schools was another area in which we were pleased to be involved. Our visit contained a civic element because as his chaplain this year I had been asked by the Mayor of Chesterfield to take his formal greetings to the Mayor of Hornsby (the nearest local equivalent of Chesterfield) and to present to him a commemorative plate. This happened within the context of a meeting of the Hornsby Borough Council. This proved to be a splendid parish occasion as the church wardens and gardening team of St Judes were also present to receive an award for the best kept local church gardens. On our days off we travelled to the Blue Mountains (about one hour distant) with their dramatic sheer rock faces and amazing views over miles and miles of eucalyptus forest. We saw the devastating results of the forest fires of January 1994. We swam from the glorious beaches of the central coast, some fifty miles north of Sydney. We wondered at the clarity of the light, especially in the morning and in the evening; and at the abundance of exotic birdlife, enjoying most of all the kookaburras with their infectious laughter-like calls,. Again and again we returned to Sydney, just. 40 minutes away, to revel in the glorious setting of the harbour, the bridge, the Opera House and the dynamic, vibrant city. However it is the people we shall remember most of all, the friendships made, the fellowship enjoyed whether at house groups, around the dinner table or in the course of numerous activities. Their foci are no different to ours: The Lord Jesus Christ, who calls us all do Himself to receive from him abundant life; Scripture, the means by which God communicates and reveals Himself to us by His Holy Spirit; the Church, the Body of Christ. The caricature of the Australian I started with very quickly evaporated as we experienced a little of Australia and met some of the people of that great country. And that I believe is what such an exchange is all about: to break down and dispel misunderstanding, to open up avenues of communication and to build up and encourage one another in our shared Christian heritage. Brian Porter Two Australians in Chesterfield (February 1995 edition of magazine) Gerald and Jan Beckett, from the parish of Dural in the Sydney diocese, were in the parish from September to November, on an exchange with Brian and Barbara Porter. Gerald sends us these reflections. Jan and I have just completed 3 months amongst you and have been asked to share a few impressions of our time here, so I'll begin where everybody begins, with the weather. We hope that we will be able to take home some of the rain with us to Australia. We have been intrigued with your capacity to walk in all kinds of weather. We have photos to prove our point. We will go home with many special memories like our time on the Continent, on the Rhine and in Amsterdam, of our arrival in Chesterfield - the market, the Crooked Spire, Brookside Glen. Also our excursions to surrounding places - the Peak National Park, Haddon Hall, Chatsworth House, Bakewell, steam train rides at Darley Dale, tram rides at Crich, the theatre in Sheffield, and special times like the two hours we spent with the Mayor of Chesterfield. We appreciated the opportunity to preach at the Crooked Spire on Remembrance Sunday, our stay with a lovely Christian family in Ireland, a visit to my 94 year old Aunt in Wolverhampton, Jan's parenting evening at St Johns. Our special memories will be of the people of God here. One of our first impressions of Church life in Chesterfield was the Family Service at St Thomas' which concluded the summer children's programme. It was a real encouragement to see so much life and enthusiasm. I remember writing home and saying that the church is alive and well in England if that service is any indication. It has been wonderful to be welcomed into peoples homes and lives. We have made many new friendships which I am sure we will keep for the rest of our lives. But not only have individuals encouraged us so has the whole church. It has been good to worship with you and be encouraged by the fellowship here. Our special responsibility has been for St John's and we have developed a real affection for the people of that congregation. Great potential exists at St John's and we want to urge you to use your new facility to the full and reach out to the many young families on your doorstep. As I said to St John's on our last Sunday, "Our spirits have been refreshed and we have you in our hearts". Of course great potential also exists throughout the parish. To have some 20 odd people prepared for the next "Christians for life" course is a barometer of that potential. Seize the opportunities that God is giving you and do it together. The work of the kingdom is a team effort so work together to extend that kingdom. As you share the Gospel with others, encourage one another and live as salt and light in the world - praise God for Touchstone. With so much potential and so many opportunities the ever present danger is that individuals will "fall through the cracks". Your ministry team, led by Christopher, works hard at trying to minimize these losses but they cannot do it alone. I am aware that many members of the parish work hard at caring for individuals who come to you for ministry. Could I particularly urge you to participate in whatever programme is put in place to make the parish more effective in this area. I conclude saying thank you from the bottom of our hearts for the privilege of sharing with you for the past 3 months and for the opportunity of ministering the Word of God amongst you. Gerald Beckett The Celtic Experience (August 1997 edition of magazine) Over the weekend of 30 /31 May 1997, we went on a journey to All Saints Church, Wingerworth in search of the Celtic Experience. This was led by Rev'd John Bell of the Iona Community. What was the Celtic experience? Singing the faith; examining Celtic spirituality; prayer in the Celtic tradition; the Word in Worship and Bringing the Bible to Life. The Celt, we were told, had a strong sense of community, not just for the people with whom he lived and worked every day but also reflected in a deep rooted spirituality. People were close to each other but even closer within the distinctive spiritual community. The Friday evening began with "A Big Sing" with around 200 or so people. John Bell, in his relaxed and inimitable style, told the gathering that singing the faith was important. He encouraged everyone to join in and he had a message for all of us who had been told by others that they could not sing -"this was only a rumour". He led the gathering in song and within a few minutes everyone was singing in tune and in four part harmony. John Bell took the part as precentor and there was no other accompaniment. Short. breaks and talking with our neighbours were part of the programme thus a sense of community was embraced. All of us left Wingenvorth on the Friday night encouraged, wanting more, and full of praise for the Lord and all that He has done for us. Saturday continued to explore the importance of community and spirituality to the Celt and this was related to modern day where some churches, clearly lacking a sense of community spirituality, were described as "acne churches". This was a description of congregations of about fifty dotted around a church which accommodated up to five hundred people. Prayer was important to the Celt and prayers tended to be very simple and related to every day life. The Celt would pray for a blessing on his doors and windows, his cattle and land whilst seeking God to bless the community as a whole. Again the distinctive Celtic spirituality and its relationship to prayer was stressed as was the importance of the community. This was further illustrated with a practical description of preparation worship at the abbey in Iona. On Saturday evenings, people, most complete strangers, meet over a simple meal designed to foster friendship in order that they meet as one community for worship on the Sunday. The Word in Worship was introduced by John Bell asking the community what type of books they were reading. These varied from text books to poetry, history and autobiography. The Books of the Bible include all types of writing and authors providing a rich variety for us to experience and enjoy both in a literary, but more significantly, in a spiritual dimension. This led easily into Bringing the Bible to life which looked at a number of passages from the Bible and people were asked for views on how these should be read in Church. It is important when reading that people are familiar with the passage and its context. The use of a lectern can be a hindrance rather than a help. Be creative - not all of God's Word should be read in the same way. Where there is more than one part and location, e.g. the temptations of Jesus, try dramatic reading from different areas of the church. Where there are some unfamiliar names, have someone beside the reader explaining who the people are - the example given here was genealogy of Jesus from Matthew's Gospel. John Bell was an excellent leader and gave great encouragement. The Rector and our friends in the congregation at All Saints welcomed us warmly and kept us supplied with teas and coffees. We thank them for their hospitality and welcome to their community. A summary such as this cannot do justice to the event - The Celtic Experience as with Christian experience must be personal and participative. Tom and Alison Donachie, Pam Brimelow, Doug Price, Ian and Eileen Gorden Trip to Iona (December 1998 edition of magazine) As a result of the Diocese offering a week away on the Isle of Iona in the form of a Pilgrimage, I decided to take advantage of the break and was fortunate to reserve a place. The trip was led by the Reverend Chris Dyer and Rev. Mike Alexander. I thought an account of my experiences would be of interest to readers. The party consisted of two coaches, approximately 90 Pilgrims leaving Derbyshire at midnight Friday 30th October. As we approached Iona by ferry the view was clouded by rain and an overcast sky so we were unable to take in the beauty of the island at first sight, but this did not mar our enthusiasm. The Iona Community has two Centres quite close together. One being the Abbey, the other the Macleod Centre. The group was split between the two centres and I was given a room in the Abbey and quickly met those I would be sharing with. Namely, Helen, Jean and Pat. There was an instant feeling we would get on together. People staying at the Centres exist as a Community, grouped together with chores allocated by a member of the Community staff. A vegetarian diet is the norm except for Sundays and Wednesdays when meat is on the menu. There was morning worship, then Thought for the Day given by leaders of our party, and evening worship to round off the day. There were also to be workshops offered by members of our own party and also by Community members, ranging from Arts/Crafts-Poetry-Music-DanceEmbroidery to island rambles and walks. Sunday, we awoke to a lovely sunrise heralding a calm and peaceful day. I took a short early morning stroll to take in the lovely views of Mull across the water, before joining in breakfast chores, then breakfast. Our first Morning Service followed, which was a fulfilling introduction to Celtic spirituality, and we were soon aware that a robin was a regular visitor to the services. Coffee followed, with an encouragement to talk to someone we hadn't met before. The afternoon workshop I attended was Craft using rubber stamps and the different use you could put them to, with an emphasis on making greetings cards, etc. After the evening meal there were further workshops and I attended one offering Poetry, which I found extremely encouraging and came away with inspirations to pursue further. Communion followed, which was a tuneful and spiritual offering to the Lord and an introduction to Celtic songs which are very light, gentle and rhythmical. Over lunch on Monday, it was announced that the proposed Tuesday boat trip to the isle of Staffa had been brought forward to that afternoon and those interested hurried through their meal to change into suitable waterproof clothing and head for the jetty, where the boat would pick us up at 2.15. The sea was crystal clear and that together with the sunshine encouraged us to feel that God really was close, that we would enjoy the afternoon, the friendships and His surprises in creation. Staffa is one of three small islands made of basalt and is well known for its organ-pipe rock formation and Fingal's cave. The length of stay on the island was just thirty minutes and although there would have been excellent views from the top of the island to Ulva, Skye and Mull unfortunately there wasn't time and we were quickly jumping back onto the boat with the prospect of a rough but safe journey back to Iona. The island Pilgrimage on Wednesday was led by three members of the Community. This took in points of religious and historical interest. There was singing and prayer along the way which was a good encouragement to seek God's will in our everyday life as we walked. The scenery was breathtaking as we approached the coastal route which led onto fairly difficult walking terrain. This included rocks and marshland which provided some interesting remarks and "horizontal" performances by fellow pilgrims. Embarrassing when the outcome was muddy clothing but the Christian encouragement received helped them overcome their red faces and discomfort, fortunately no real harm was done. The latter part of the pilgrimage took us over Dun I which is the highest point on the island and gave good views across to Mull with shadows of other islands and mountains in the distance. The highlight on Thursday was the Concert which was held in the Macleod Centre. There were twelve entries, offering their gifts in the spirit of the community. I was in a group which gave a light-hearted sketch which was easy to learn and well received. The evening came to a close with a Worship Service of Commitment in the Abbey, encouraging all of us to pray about the way we felt God was calling us and to recommit ourselves to His work. Evening worship was provided by a small number of the Pilgrims and was moving and sensitively led. Alma took the role of leader, Helena reading the Bible followed by prayer. A worship group had been formed and Barbara lead a dance routine to accompany the Creed. The evening ended with a get together in the refectory for tea and coffee and to talk over the day. On Friday I took a walk to the White Strands and the North Shore. The sands are pure white as are all the beaches around Iona and there are interesting pebbles, shells, rocks, etc. to collect. To sum up, for me the highlight of the Pilgrimage was the feeling of friendship between us all: the Celtic worship which must be experienced; having the opportunity of taking part in workshops; experiencing the Community life and enjoying it. To close, as we were all bustling around to collect our baggage for our journey home, I happened to rush into the Common Room only to find one of the friendly robins which frequented the Abbey, flying around the room trying to get outside. As it fluttered to the glass door leading to the outside, another male robin flew to the door from the outside to help its friend. This innocent act of nature encompassed for me the message of the week. We are all here to help each other and through our faith it is even more possible. Needless to say, this Pilgrim resisted the temptation to rush to join the party but took the time to open the door for the robin, watching it fly to freedom and to its companion. Sylvia Reynolds Christian House Swap (June 2003 edition of magazine) What are the criteria for a good holiday? Something to do with the fact that by the end of it we feel relaxed and able to return to our home and work-place, with renewed vitality and sense of direction. So, how can that end be achieved? In our busy lives, words like time, space, relaxation, freedom and peace first come to mind. Perhaps a good holiday needs to provide all these, but also excitement, stimulation, great food, good company and opportunities not usually available to us, due to location or simply lack of time. The ever growing range of Christian holidays reflects the fact that Christians seek the above, but in addition, they often look for a spiritual dimension to their holiday. The relatively new "Christian House and Church Swap UK" is well worth considering. It is an interdenominational organisation that gives you the opportunity to holiday anywhere in the United Kingdom, by swapping your home with other Christians. It's like a self-catering holiday that has much more to offer and yet no rental charge. House swapping is not new. It is a tried and tested great way to holiday. "Christian house and church swapping", however, is a new concept. Church swapping will enable you to participate, as much or as little as you wish, in the life of your host church. As well as Sunday services, you will be made welcome at mid-week meetings and activities, from Bible studies to drama clubs, fellowship evenings, sport and quiz nights. This kind of pro-active church swapping is proving a great way to share and exchange ideas and greetings throughout the UK. Links are currently being made with English speaking churches in Europe, so this brings an even wider dimension to the ven21 ture. They are currently building up a database of "interested" people. For more information, check out the Christian House and Church Swap UK website. A Pilgrmage Tour to the Biblical and Christian Sites in Egypt and the Sinai (December 2004 edition of the magazine) We were part of a small group from Derbyshire and St Albans, and flew from Heathrow, via Frankfurt to Alexandria. The following morning, we were driven through the city to St Mark's Anglican Church, part of the Diocese of Egypt and North Africa, for a traditional service of Holy Communion. Afterwards we looked round the church, saw their window depicting St Mark, and enjoyed coffee and biscuits with the small congregation. The new Christian faith is said to have been preached at Alexandria by Saint Mark, perhaps between AD 45 and 48. He is said to have died in the city on Easter Day in AD 62 or 68, lynched by worshippers of Serapis, a pagan god. Some of St Mark's remains are in the Roman Catholic Church in Cairo. On the second day, we visited the Museum and the Commonwealth War Graves at El Alamein and the new Library of Alexandria. On the third day, we took the desert road across the Wadi Natrum towards Cairo. Halfway along this road a sudden right turn took us to the Monastery of St. Bishoi, the official residence of the Coptic Patriarch, Pope Shenouda III. This ancient monastery was just one of a several such places belonging to the Coptic (Egyptian) Orthodox Church, whose number has now grown to approximately 15 million, in an otherwise Muslim country. The Copts trace their roots back to the earliest disciples, and the monks made us very welcome. Later we paid a short visit to the Pyramids before arriving at our hotel in Cairo. Next morning we visited Coptic Cairo including the 9th cent Church of the Virgin Mary, which contained their greatest treasures, and the nearby Church of Abu Serga where tradition says that the Holy Family took shelter after fleeing from King Herod. We visited the nearby Anglican run Bible Lands project for deaf children, where we saw all the stages of their rewarding work. In the afternoon, we visited the Egyptian Museum with all its wonderful treasures, including the famous death mask of Tutankhamen and mummy of King Rameses II, believed to be the King of Egypt in the time of Moses. This was of particular interest, as the next stage of our journey would be to follow the route taken by the Israelites as they escaped from Egypt on their way to the Promised Land. We would travel as far as Mount Sinai in the south. Although someone mentioned the site where Moses was thought to have been hidden in the bull rushes, the course of the Nile had changed somewhat since that time and we did not visit this site. Instead we crossed the desert as far as the Suez Canal, where to our surprise we entered a relatively new tunnel built by the Japanese under the canal, before emerging on the other side in Asia. We then turned south and drove along the coast road which followed the Gulf of Suez, stopping at a site known as Ein Musa (Moses Spring), a series of wells, where the Tribes of Israel had been provided with water, and where Miriam may have danced with her tambourine. About eighty miles further down the coast we came to a road junction and turned left heading straight for the Desert of Sin (named after an ancient moon god) and the Mountains of the Sinai Peninsula. After a while we stopped at Wadi Firan, formerly the site of a 4th cent Christian stronghold, and one of our leaders read the appropriate passage from the book of Exodus, i.e. 15, 27. The mountain peaks then began to get higher and higher until we reached the plain of Rephidim, set in the valley below Mount Sinai, where Moses received the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20). We saw the chapel built over the site where the Israelites made the Golden Calf. Further up the valley we could just see the Monastery of St Catherine, where we were to spend the next two nights in their guesthouse. The whole place seemed to have been especially designed to accommodate the events which had taken place there in Old Testament times. This was the living Bible at its very best. On the first evening in this Greek Orthodox monastery, Fr Justin showed us some of the great treasures of their Library. Next day, most of our party climbed the mountain, whilst the others attended afternoon vespers in the church, originally built by the Emperor Justinian in 527. We also read the passages from the book of Exodus about the history of the site, and it was possible to picture the tribes of Israel camped at the bottom of the valley whilst Moses, Aaron and the elders went up the mountain to meet the Lord seated on his sapphire throne (see Exodus 24,9.) Next day we were taken on the guided tour of the monastery, including a brief stop in the shade of the Burning Bush, where we had our group photograph taken. We saw the well where Moses had originally met his wife Zipporah, The church, contains the shrine of St Catherine, whose relics had been miraculously carried by angels from the scene of her martyrdom on a wheel in Alexandria to the top of a nearby mountain where they had been found six centuries later. We then stood in the chapel of the Burning Bush, where the Lord had told Moses to take off his sandals as he was standing on Holy Ground, (see Exodus 3,1-6.), before visiting the Museum, the treasures of which were almost indescribable. There were several encaustic icons dating back to the 5 th century, deeds of protection of the monastery signed by Mohammed and Napoleon Bonaparte, some very beautiful 17 th century embroideries from Crete and many more items. Never deserted, never attacked, St Catherine's is indeed a safe haven in which to store the treasures of Christianity. Unfortunately, it was then time to make our way back home! Peter and June Grayson Spring Harvest in the Vendee (October 2007 edition of the magazine)
So why go to the Spring Harvest site? We have camped in this region before, but we keep returning to this particular site because of the lovely mix of activities which nurture the body, mind and soul in a gentle, relaxing way that encourages rest and recuperation from the normal pace of life. The children are offered group activities every morning for 2 hours, which are led and focused on Christian teaching, whilst adults are offered a coffee and teaching session in the bar for 45 minutes or so. This year the first week we looked at the Beatitudes, and during the second week the Lord’s Prayer. There is also an evening worship event in the marquee every evening, and a family communion on a Sunday morning. Absolutely everything is optional (you can dip in an out of the bible studies just as you can dip in and out of the pool) and is low key, so nothing like the full programme of teaching and events that Spring Harvest UK is renowned for. We also enjoy mixing it up with other families from all over the UK and from different Christian denominations and traditions, and for our children some really deep friendships have been formed, which get renewed year on year! There is also fishing, quiz night, wine tasting, archery, football – not to mention fresh baked croissants and baguettes……only 49 weeks [as of the end of August] untill we go back – that says it all! The Lomas Family For more information about Spring Harvest Holidays go to www.springharvestholidays.com Visit to Iona (February 2008 edition of the magazine)
The approach to pilgrims is gentle and friendly. I felt at home there. The worship is accessible but not cosy, it demands commitment and your full attention. I travelled in a group of seventeen; we were fellow pilgrims from across England. Our journey together began in Durham, where most of us had time to visit the cathedral, one of the earliest cathedral buildings in England. This was a great place to begin our pilgrimage. The Abbey at Iona also has remnants of early beginnings and we were fed on the tales of these early Christian Celtic Saints who came over from Ireland to Scotland on small, frail craft through tempestuous seas. If you have ever been in a coracle you will know what this must have been like. They founded monasteries wherever they went. The Iona Community was founded by Saint Columba, who died in 597. It has remained a place of pilgrimage ever since, a holy and sacred site. These early missionaries challenged established authority as they saw fit. They were fearless and single minded and not always scrupulous about the sanctity of human life. However a Christian presence has prevailed over the centuries, although the Abbey buildings were in ruins for many years. It was in the early twentieth century that major restoration work began followed by the emergence of a new dynamic leader the Reverend George McLeoud, a minister in the Church of Scotland. He pioneered the work of establishing the present day modern community of Iona, which now has worldwide links. It became a thrusting, intrusive, ecumenical movement, which sought to establish a living faith that strives for peace and justice among all people. So Iona has gradually evolved into a mixed community of men and women, many of who are young adults. Some live on Iona but many live out their lives elsewhere, active in their local churches and who visit the Abbey when they can. The Abbey offers hospitality and opportunities for those who wish to learn more and to participate in the day to day life of the Community. The Abbey is a place that seeks a clear and disciplined approach to community life. But there is also a flexibility that is accepting. It is hard but easy, if you can accept the paradox. The Abbey exists within a small rural community. There are several hotels, guest houses and bed and breakfasts. There are small farms with livestock and a few shops, a Post Office, school and craft workshops, fishing boat trips plus the beautiful unspoilt countryside and sea scapes where the gannets ‘dive bomb’ into the ocean. In summer visitors come non-stop every day on the short ferry ride from Mull. It is a long way from home. Our leader on our trip was the Venerable Bob Fitzharris, the Archdeacon of Doncaster –a friendly companionable presence. We stayed in the Bishop’s House, the Retreat House for the Episcopalian Church in Scotland. It was warm and comfortable but the bedrooms were small and the bathrooms spartan. However the food was really good. There is also a lovely chapel. Jill Sargent Walsingham a Place of Pilgrimage (April 2008 edition of the magazine)
A series of chapels were also built along the ancient Pilgrims' Way, which started at Kings Lynn. The most famous of these chapels was the Slipper Chapel built in about 1350 just over a mile away from the village of Little Walsingham, at Houghton St Giles. The chapel took its name from the place where the ancient pilgrims left their shoes and walked barefoot to the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham, which was, at that time, in the Abbey grounds. For almost 500 years, the shrine was one of the main centres of European Pilgrimage and English Christianity, until Henry VIII ordered its demolition in 1539. However, in spite of Little Walsingham returning to the status of a quiet English village for the following three hundred years, it was to become a centre of Christian pilgrimage once again. The Church of England revival has it roots in 1887. A new church was built at Buxted in Sussex and its Lady Chapel was built to the same design as the former Mary’s House at Walsingham. A young man Alfred Hope Patten, who lived in Buxted, was then inspired to build another house based on the image seen by Lady Richeldis in Walsingham. He became a priest and in 1921 became the Vicar of Walsingham, where he was able to achieve his ambition. Firstly, Father Patten commissioned a statue of Mary and Jesus. It was based on the ancient seal of the Abbey of Walsingham, preserved in the British Museum. This statue was placed in the parish church of All Souls, now St Mary’s and All Saints, in 1922. From the very first night, people began to gather around the carving, to pray and ask for healing. A variety of people came from many different places and the modern era of pilgrimage to Walsingham had begun. As the numbers increased, Father Patten became even more convinced that he should rebuild the house which Mary had shown to Lady Richeldis. Not in wood this time, but in brick and stone. In 1931 his opportunity arrived. He was able to buy some land just across the road from the site where Mary had appeared to Lady Richeldis, and the building of the modern house began.
Today the National Pilgrimage to Walsingham for all denominations is held each year on Spring Bank Holiday Monday. Peter and June Grayson You can find out more about Walsingham and the Community of the Resurrection at www.walsingham.org.uk/ and www.mirfieldcommunity.org.uk/ respectively. Walking the Cumbria Way -John Small (December 2008 edition of the magazine)
Amongst the unusual things found on the way; -A museum to Laurel and Hardy; -A museum of pencils; -Sculptures of wood and fabric in woods, lakes and open countryside, to fit in with the environment; -A stone for school children to spit at as it is said to keep the worst of the winter away; -One of the most visited tarns in the Lake District that is entirely man made and did not exist before 1914! -A pool in a fast following river for baptising converts to Christianity; About half the population of Carlisle do not believe there is a Market Cross in the town! Time for reflection allows for an appreciation of the wonders of creation. I believe this shows us much about the Heart of God. Time also is used for considering my own values and place in the grander scheme of things. Perhaps I’m not as important as I would like to think! But perhaps things that are very important are glossed over in the business of a working life and the demands we seek to impose on ourselves. These things need time to be digested and reflected on, so more of that another time. The sponsorship drove me on and when I wanted to give up I was determined to complete the course. Many thanks to all of you who sponsored me, over £400 was raised for the Development Project. I also learnt that individual raindrops when brought together lead to great lakes and also a good soaking for me! John Small A Pilgrims Progress -Rector and his team on retreat (June 2009 edition of the magazine)
Eleanor’s Trip to Australia! (August 2010 edition of the magazine)
I personally have always wanted to return to Australia (after spending 5 weeks exploring with my family when I was twelve) but never knew how to do it. A relaxing holiday would be amazing but that is only a dream for now! I have also always planned to have a gap year and whilst looking at Christian gap year organizations (probably when I was meant to be revising for some exam over the past three years) I came across the YWAM Reef to Outback website and the DTS course. As I read about the course, what I would be doing, how I would be learning and what experiences I would have, I felt my heart start racing with excitement and certainty that this is what I should do in my gap year. However life goes on and I put going to Australia to the back of my mind and focused on other things including exams and friends. It was only in February 2010 that my excitement of YWAM DTS was rekindled and e-mails flew back and forth between me and the organisers about when to apply. After downloading a sixteen page application form it sat nicely on my desk for a few weeks before I came to face the mammoth task of filling all the necessary details out. I sent it off half way round the world and awaited a reply of acceptance or not. The phone call of acceptance came on a Wednesday morning at the end of May and I was (and still am) very excited about the prospect of this trip of a lifetime. It was only after I read the information pack thoroughly (with the help of the parents) that I realised how much it was going to cost. The course itself is £2,000 but other costs such as flights, insurance, a visa and living expenses will be on top of this. I aim to raise as much as possible by increasing the hours I work at my current Saturday job. However I am well aware that there are not enough hours in the day for me to raise this money on my own. I am planning to run a variety of fundraising events over the next six months to help raise the extra I need. I would greatly appreciate it if you were to make a donation or sponsor me when I decide what hard/embarrassing tasks to do. However if you do not feel that you can then no worries; I appreciate that you have taken the time to read this article. God bless Eleanor Lomas Listen to Eleanor talking about the course here For more information about YWAM DTS go to www.ywamrto.org/page/discipleship-training-schools Eleanor is in Australia! (February 2011 edition of the magazine)
Jesus Woz ‘Ere (April 2011 edition of the magazine)
Ruth Turner Ruth adds as a postscript The basilica was placed on the 2008 Watch List of the 100 Most Endangered Sites by the World Monuments Fund. wmf.org/watch The present state of the church is worrying. Many roof timbers are rotting, and have not been replaced since the 19th Century. The rainwater that seeps into the building not only accelerates the rotting of the wood and damages the structural integrity of the building, but also damages the 12th century wall mosaics and paintings. The influx of water also means that there is an ever present chance of an electrical fire. If another earthquake were to occur on the scale of the one of 1834, the result would most likely be catastrophic. It is hoped that the listing will encourage its preservation, including getting the three custodians of the church, the Greek Orthodox, the Armenian Orthodox and the Franciscan Order, to work together, which has not happened for hundreds of years. The Israeli government and the Palestinian authority would also have to work together to protect it. What I hate about Camping (April 2011 edition of the magazine) leanor Lomas is on a discipleship course with YWAM in Australia. She has just spent two weeks camping in Hidden Valley. This is an edited version of her blog . Eleanor sets out ten reasons for not going camping again.
Emma and I both got diarrhoea. Picture it: one man tent, two mattresses, wet gear and two people with exploding poo! On second thoughts, don’t picture it! Emma got an in-growing toe nail and my back started hurting. The sewerage system was a small stream that flowed through the campsite and you had to be careful where you walked. Emma didn’t and ended up with her legs stuck in 'Poo Creek’. There were 2 showers and 4 toilets for 60 people for the first two days. Then 2 showers and 4 toilets for 200 people as more campers arrived. And the toilets wouldn’t flush. My mug got a hole in it so there was no more hot chocolate for me. Finally Emma got shingles and left early. At least I had more space -but no one to complain to. Believe it or not, despite everything, I actually had an fantastic time in Hidden Valley and would love to go again. The scenery was awesome, the company was great, I loved the swimming hole, food ruled and the campfire was the bomb. As you read this I am doing my first outreach in a school in a place called Gladstone. You can keep up with how I get on via my blog st-thomas-brampton.org/blogs.html Love you all! Peace out. Eleanor Eleanor Lomas is home from Australia (August 2011 edition of the magazine)
Spiritual Refreshment on the Autobahn (August 2011 edition of the magazine)
The Strohofers decided to build their motorway church after Manuela's brother Anton was killed in a road accident. "Our church has a motto," says Manuela. "It's from Matthew chapter 11:28 where Jesus says 'Come to me, all of you. You're tired from carrying heavy loads and I will give you rest'." In Manuela's church, which backs on to the motel, there is a little water fountain and peaceful music to help people relax. Lorry driver Wolfgang Schuck was there lighting a candle. "It's a stressful job driving trucks," Wolfgang said. "I'm on the road all week. You've got to find time to relax so I try to come to this church once a month to help find inner peace and to escape the craziness of daily life." There are thirty-three Autobahnkirche. The first one was built in 1958. More than one million drivers visit them every year. One pastor admitted that many of the visitors to his church came to use the toilet facilities. Did he mind? "No, there are many ways to God", he replied, smiling. Eleanor Lomas, YWAM in Australia (October 2011 edition of the magazine) In the last edition of Ploughshare we reported that Eleanor had returned from Australia having completed her six month YWAM discipleship course. As promised she gives us a report of her time there. It’s strange to think that I spent six months travelling the coast of a different country, but I guess if God calls, you must go! That’s exactly what I did; I packed up and travelled down under!
We also did sports evangelism on the beaches of the Gold Coast and free BBQs on the beaches of the Sunshine Coast, Melon Bowling in schools at Gladstone and day seminars in schools in Sarina. Good bye Australia And so it Ended. I graduated from the Discipleship Training School with a certificate and cake and started the hard goodbyes and the long trip home. To sum up my time away I experienced five natural disasters: flooding, cyclone Yasi, an earthquake, a tsunami warning and the ash cloud with grounded thousands of flights at the end of June (including mine!) I went away not knowing who I was, what I was meant to do and where I was meant to go. I’ve come back knowing who I am, what I’m doing and where! God is good! What’s next? When you read this I will be studying for a Youth Work and Theology degree at St John’s College Nottingham but living and working as a trainee Youth Worker with a group of churches in the Dore and Totley area of Sheffield. My dream after the course is to work with a church providing a place for young people to be themselves and learn more about God. And of course I would love to go back to Australia for another adventure. Eleanor Lomas Australian Reflections (April 2012 edition of the magazine) At the beginning of this year Robin and Val Dawson visited Val’s daughter in Australia. Robin reflects on a couple of things they experienced when they were there.
It has similarities with St Thomas’ in that there are two large lively morning congregations attended by different age groups. The form of worship is a bit ‘higher’ with everybody up the front wearing cassock albs (white dressing gowns with hoods) and lots of servers and deacons taking part in the service. The rector, Father Richard, who will soon be retiring, has a lively church and preaches a good sermon with great illustrations. 26 January is Australia Day. Val and I decided to see what went on at the ecumenical service held at St Mark’s to celebrate the day. The date is the anniversary of the landing of the First Fleet at Sydney in 1788 with the first cargoes of (convict) settlers. While most Australians see no problem about celebrating this day there is a group who see it as ‘invasion day’. The rights of the indigenous inhabitants and their loss have become an issue over the last few decades. A similar issue is the rights of refugees (often boat people) who have been given asylum in Australia. Some wag pointed out that Australia Day could be seen as a commemoration of the arrival of the first boat people.
We had a homily from the Rev ‘Aunty’ Jenny Thompson. This lady was a 67 year old deacon in the Anglican Church and an aboriginal. She told us about how her grandfather taught her how to play safely in the bush and how she, as a child, was segregated in the inland town where she lived. She talked about The Dreaming (Australian Aboriginal mythical theology) and how it was a complete philosophical and ethical system. And she told us that aboriginal people had a lesson for Australians, which was the value of waiting and contemplation. The pace of development in this part of Australia is very high. The country is digging itself up and sending iron ore and coal in vast quantities to China, so there is quite a lot of money to spend on infrastructure in Queensland. There seems to be little contemplation going on. The service had a creed for us to recite and then a list of things we didn’t believe in that the service leader recited. In the creed they recited that they believed in Australians and, amongst other things, a spirit of perseverance and hard work, and were in search of their identity. It seemed to us that in the generality Australians are no more or less hard working than their British cousins (except when the surf is up). They are certainly still searching for identity as a nation. We followed with interest correspondence in the local daily complaining about the number of pommie programmes on the TV. The national anthem, ‘Advance Australia Fair’, was sung as part of the service. We didn’t sing it. After the service the lady sitting next to us said that she had noticed that we had not sung it. Did we have a problem with it? We explained that we had not sung it because we were not Australians. She said that she had a problem with it, and that a lot of Australians didn’t like it. Quite a lot of people object to the line ‘our home is girt by sea’, on the basis that nobody uses the word girt. I noticed that the pastor of the local community church who took part in the service did so wearing a cassock alb. After the service I asked him why he, a free church pastor, was wearing the angel gear. He told me that he did it out of respect to Father Richard. The pastor told us that his father was an Anglican clergyman in Cornwall. At the end we went out into the steamy warmth of Queensland quite admiring the Australians. Here is a nation founded by another nation as a way to get rid of its criminals. They have to live with the consequences. Many modern nations have societies where the immigrants outnumber and have dispossessed the original inhabitants. I believe that Australia has gone the greatest distance in acknowledging wrongdoing in the past. The consequences will live on through the generations. Robin Dawson Girt means ‘surrounded by’ so the line ‘our home is girt by sea’ has the meaning ‘our home is an island surrounded by the sea’.-Editor |
