Is it a pilgrimage?

And so, back to the question at the start of the blog - is it a pilgrimage?
Although it wasn't planned in this way, it does seem as though all of my preparation to walk, the walk itself and the few days that there have been since my return have all been pointing towards this morning when I was collated and inducted as Vicar of St Francis and St Mary's churches in West Wickham.  I didn't think that this would make any difference to me, and practically, I don't think that it will.  However, I have a real sense that it was in that service, which began at St Mary's and continued at St Francis', that God was there confirming what I had reflected on at the start of my walk: that in giving myself up to God's grace and the peace that Jesus brings, all things are possible.

Two things seem to have been important throughout:
Peace (which reminds me of the prayer of St Francis - Lord, make me a channel of your peace ...).
Trust in God (which reminds me of the conversation between the Angel Gabriel and Mary, when she committed herself to serving God - Luke 1:37-38 : '… nothing is impossible with God.' Then Mary said 'Here am I, the servant of the Lord ...')

So, I believe that my pilgrimage started in a sacred place: St Mary and St Francis' churches, and it finished in the same sacred place, but the pictures now are of the insides, rather than the outsides of those buildings.

Here am I

Isaiah 6:8 - ... the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" And I said "Here am I; send me!"
During the week I went to the photographic exhibition by Jim Grover celebrating 25years of ordination of women to the priesthood. 

https://www.here-am-i.com/
Reflecting on the sacrifices that have been made by the 12 women whose stories are told in the exhibition and the way in which God provides all that's needed, in seemingly impossible situations, is a good reminder to me before my Collation and Induction tomorrow, that all will be well. All I need to do is to discern God's will through prayer and then join in with whatever he's doing.

Feeling blessed

Numbers 6:24-26.
Reading through my journal from the past few days makes me recognise how much of God was in the walking and finding the right places and times for rest. Each time I remembered this I felt the inner peace and calm that only God can bring, even in difficult times. And so it becomes possible to find a positive side to the situation whenever we turn towards him and let his light shine.

Thank you everyone

It's been great to have so much encouragement.  Before I left, as I've walked and on my return too.  Thanks for all those messages sent, prayers said and posts shared, as well as cards and other things sent to spur me on.
Particular thanks to John and Olivia for visiting me on Monday.  I kept it a secret at the time, but I had a lift in the car from Southease to Alfriston (approx. 8 miles), as well as a lovely afternoon with family.  It obviously took its toll on John!

As well as giving my feet a rest, I gave them some weight from the rucksack (the laundry).  I don't think I could have done the following day (climbing over 2,500 feet) without their help.

Walking finished

Great to have completed the South Downs Way. Relaxing in Eastbourne at the moment.
Pilgrimage not yet complete though, as there's much to reflect on.

Current location

Lunch at the top of the Seven Sisters.

God is here

Matthew 18:20 Where two or three gather in my name, there I am with them.
There are so many places along the way where God is present to those who know him. But even for non-Christians a place can speak of God, such as all the churches that I have visited. I am now connected with each of these in some way - by writing a prayer to be said, signing a visitor book, lighting a candle, or speaking to someone I meet there.

I'm also connected to other communities where I've met someone and shared something about who I am and what I'm doing.
And my prayer is that through this blog, I can be connected with still more people. All it needs is a comment about what I've been reflecting on and God can be brought into a situation. Let's leave his mark in more places along our journey of life.
Off to the pub now to see if I can leave a mark there ...

Tough day

Hebrews 12:1 Let us run with perseverance the race set before us.
I started well on Sunday with an early breakfast. Applying a new blister plaster at my first stop really helped.
And then I stopped again a couple of times, so soon found that I still had 9 miles to walk and it was 2pm. No problem - just need to focus on the task in hand.
As a result points of interest didn't get looked at and I kept going. The last push was a particularly tough climb. The cloud was down on the top and route finding was much harder, so I didn't make it to the B&B until 730pm. 

Promise to self: no more than 12 miles a day in the future.

Saturday - Youth Hostel tonight

The Truleigh Hill youth hostel is right on the South Downs Way, so staying here seemed like a good idea at the time I booked it.
I'm exhausted and plan to have an early night and allow my feet to recover. I only hope those coming in from the Big Church Day Out, which is happening nearby don't wake me at midnight or later when they get back here.

Scene from above the Big Church Day Out:

I could hear them playing the Hillsong version of 'Hosanna in the Highest' from Chanctonbury Ring at the top of the Downs:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NoM0AT8fBvs

Friday - Modern parable of the lost sheep

Luke 15:6
Things have obviously changed since Jesus' day. I found a lost sheep today out on the downs. I called the RSPCA, but got stuck on hold (busy with other more deserving cases).  I rang the B&B where I'd been staying but got a voicemail (probably serving customers in their café).  Finally I got to speak to someone at a local estate office who knew the farmer using that field. Wasn't that great how God put in place obstacles to prevent me from speaking to people who'd have difficulty helping me and put me in touch with exactly the right person?
The farmer had moved the flock of sheep on Tuesday afternoon, but hadn't missed the lost lamb. Thankfully he's now been reunited with his mother, but there didn't seem to be much rejoicing happening, except on my part.

I wonder what would have happened to the poor thing if I hadn't been there. And listening to the conversations going on around me in the pub at the moment, there's a deficit of joy in many of these too.
Even though the walking is proving to be a bit of an endurance test, I like to think that I can still find the joy in it, like my first proper view of the sea today over Chichester - wonderful.

Follow in my steps

I went to Morning Prayer this morning in East Meon. Since then I have been reflecting on 1 Peter 2:21: Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.
Yesterday I was really feeling as though I was suffering - my feet and legs were sore and my rucksack was hurting my back, my shoulders and my hips. My reflection today was about how Christ's suffering was so much more and it was all for me - so that I have the opportunity to walk and see all the great things that I have done today. There are also others who suffer far more for their faith in countries where Christians are persecuted. I also met the vicar at East Meon who is walking the South Downs Way this weekend in 36hours, starting at 5am on Saturday and finishing in Eastbourne on Sunday morning. She too will suffer more than I. Here's a link to her fundraising page: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/jane-ball9. Do support her.
I walked with a much lighter step today.  Not quite as light as a feather, but this seemed to reflect my mood.  And haven't minded so much the fact that downs always mean there's an uphill bit coming.

Current location

Queen Elizabeth Country Park next to the A3. Coffee and cake stop.

Abide with me

John 15:5.  Today was my first day of walking alone. The reading at communion in the cathedral was about abiding in Christ and bearing fruit  This is exactly what I'll be doing over the next few days - abiding in Christ. But what about bearing fruit?  

For a vine such as this, it's not until later in the year, once lots of sun has shone on the plant, that fruit will start to be seen.  For us too, it's not just about brief moments abiding in Christ - it's a lifestyle.

My reflection for today was about how abiding in Christ and bearing fruit is particularly difficult when it comes to loving others. Yes, I spoke if spoken to, but the depth of conversation today was very thin. Even more difficult if it's someone you know you find annoying. And yet, abiding in Christ would mean seeing everyone as loved by God and therefore someone that we should love too in whatever way is possible. (The sun shines on the whole of the vine. It doesn't miss out any bits.) When we abide with Christ, it's like we're trying to get close to all others. I wonder if we really do this? I know I could do better.

Going with the flow

John 14:27 My peace I give you ... not as the world gives.
Reflecting on this verse today, I was reminded how I tried to give up being busy for Lent but failed so miserably. Maybe it's not about doing less but about trusting in God and letting Jesus' peace rule. Today was driven by meetings and journeys already booked, so little chance of doing less, but I did manage to catch myself in amongst the busyness of Waterloo Station and spend some time drawing on that peace.

Walking backwards

Today I did a final practice walk from home, through Keston to High Elms Country Park and then to the Princess Royal University Hospital on the London Loop, following the route in the opposite direction to the guide book, since that is what I'll be doing on the South Downs Way.  The guidebook explains the route from Eastbourne, but I'm walking from Winchester, so that the wind is normally at my back rather than in my face.  This blessing from Richard's home group seems to be very appropriate:

May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back. 
May the sun shine warm upon your face; 
and until we meet again, 
may God hold you in the palm of His hand.

It was interesting to find two places associated with environmental and social issues: Keston Bog, which is being returned to its original state, when Charles Darwin studied insectivorous plants there and the Wilberforce Oak where William Wilberforce discussed his plan to end slavery with William Pitt.

I have also been packing and trying to travel light.  I thought that this was a good image from my walk today to keep in mind:

Tomorrow I am planning to leave all the stresses of day to day life behind so that I can concentrate on the walking, the prayer and all those things that God will reveal.

First steps of preparation

So, it's beginning to be real now and telling others about this blog will help me to reflect on what happens as I walk.
Today Lola was baptised at St Francis. Very fitting then that I start my walk at the same time as she starts her journey of faith.  It has helped me to think about committing myself into God's hands for the duration of the time that I am away, rather than thinking that I can control it all myself.  The weather, the train journey there - they are all in God's hands.
This was a photo from a practice walk last week that I shared with Lola's parents, thinking about how they are helping her to take her first steps of faith.  When the path is so clearly marked out for you, as it is here to cross the stream, it's easy to take that first step, even if it is a bit scary.  Problems come when there are a number of different paths that can be taken.  My prayer today is that Lola's parents will be shown a clear path by God over the next months and years and that I too will find a clear path in my continued preparations for the walk.

Why the domain name?

I've done pilgrimages before - on my own, with others and leading a group.  There has always been an understanding in my mind that it's a meaningful journey to a sacred place, although many different things can make a journey meaningful and a place sacred.
This journey on the South Downs Way is different though.  Yes, I know it will be meaningful - I have already spent some time in prayer and reading to make myself open to what it is that God will show me as I walk.  However, the route isn't recognised as a pilgrimage and walking from Winchester to Eastbourne means that I'm going away from a cathedral city, not towards one.  Never having been to Eastbourne, I really don't know what I'll find there.
It is clearly the right thing for me to be doing at this time.  I had set the time aside in my diary some time ago, not recognising that it would end just 4 days before my Collation and Induction as vicar at St Francis and St Mary's churches in West Wickham.  And finding that two other people in the congregations were doing long walks for different reasons meant that we were able to widen out the discussion of walking challenges and linking this with pilgrimage.  This is not just for the fit and able, but for those who might want to join in from an armchair.
Hence the start of a blog.  This is an opportunity for others to follow me over the next couple of weeks as I finish my preparation, walk the 100 miles and then return to West Wickham.  Maybe that's where the sacred space is - right here where I am now.  I'll let you know.