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Article for Pax April 2007

Jesus said I am the way, the truth, the life.
In early times Christians were known as people of 'The Way', I wondered why this was so. One answer is that as Christians we know we are all on a journey and the time when we are most aware of this in the Church, is the season of Lent, Holy Week and Easter.
Our journey through Lent takes us 40 days ( well slightly more actually, because Sundays are not counted!), when we are called to examine 'our way' of life. Our hope is that as we journey through Lent, 'Our Way' becomes more like 'Jesus' Way'.
Pilgrimages became popular in the early centuries, people wished to visit the Holy places associated with the last few days of Jesus' life. Over time it became the done thing to visit these sites on the anniversary of the actual day and this still happens today. And so people visit the Garden of Gethsemane on Maundy Thursday, they walk 'The Way' of the Cross on Good Friday. On Easter day pilgrims visit the Church of Resurrection and the garden remembering the wonderful account of the appearance of the risen Christ to Mary Magdala.
For a great many Christians the journey to Israel was not a possibility, and so the Churches back home began to offer people the opportunity to go on pilgrimage using the services held in church during the last few days of Holy week and Easter. < br> So once again I invite you to come along with me on pilgrimage on 'THE WAY', this Holy Week. To be a pilgrim in your heart and mind and follow the journey of Jesus, from the garden of Gethsemane to the garden of Resurrection. It is the most intense few days of the church's year, culminating in the service of The Easter Liturgy, on Easter Eve. If you have never been to this service before I invite to join us as we acknowledge 'THE TRUTH', that darkness will never overcome the Light, and as we celebrate 'THE LIFE' of the Risen Christ.
The nature of walking pilgrimages is that they change people, various events happen along 'the way', fellow pilgrims become friends, we realise we are tired and yet become all the more determined to complete the distance. But what joy there is at the end.
Phew! may be the word we would use at the end of a long walk. At the end of our journey through Lent, Holy Week and Easter ALLELUIA! is the word we will use, and how joyfully we will sing it. So do come along and join us along THE WAY, ponder on THE TRUTH and celebrate THE LIFE. The experience will change you and me, I know, just as any pilgrimage changes you. We will arrive to greet the Day of all Days, Easter Day, tired but happy. For once more we will realise that we are an Easter people and ALLELUIA is our song.
As your fellow pilgrim along 'THE WAY', may I wish you all a Happy Easter.

Reverend Ann

 

Article for Pax April 2007

I invite you all to come on pilgrimage with me. Hardly any walking involved so probably no blisters will occur, I can reassure you that at the end you will agree that it will all have been worth it and a new day will have dawned. Interested? Then read on.... We are coming up to the week of weeks and day of days in the Christian calendar. This year Palm Sunday is on 1st April and over the following 7 days I invite you to come on pilgrimage with me through Holy week and Easter day. There will be 20 services that I shall be going to, that is not to show off but just to show you how many opportunities will come your way when you could come and join me. Holy Week has two stages really, the first three days, Monday to Wednesday there is a quiet time of reflection of what has happened on Palm Sunday when we remember Jesus riding into Jerusalem and being hailed by the people as 'King of Kings' and then there comes the great remembrance of the Last Supper on Maundy Thursday, when we not only remember the meal and the significance of the words ' this is my body and this is my blood' but also when we hear again of the new commandment Jesus gave us that we should love one another as he has loved us. Then the mood changes and we begin the 'Three days', the TRIDEUM , beginning with the betrayal of Jesus in the garden as we hear at the end of the service on Thursday evening, the account of the walk to the cross and crucifixion on Good Friday (- such a strange name for such a day, Good, - how hard it must have seemed for his disciples to see their friend die on a cross), and then the joy of Easter Day, when we celebrate that death is not the end, for Jesus rose from the dead and was seen by many of his disciples in such a way that they just had to tell everyone about it - eventually, - but more about that at Whitsun. Just as at Christmas when the anticipation of the feast day builds up and up, so it is at Easter and on Easter Eve, Saturday 7th April at 8pm our celebrations will come to a climax when we celebrate the Easter Ceremonies, this service is full of drama, darkness and light, readings and song, and will end with the first Eucharist of Easter, followed by champagne and simnel cake, this service is unique in the church's year, it will last about an hour and a half, if you have never been before come along, it really is quite something. If you have never been on a walking pilgrimage before then I encourage you to come with me this Holy Week, no walking boots are needed just a prayerful heart and a desire to enter into this most Holy week, at the end we will be tired but happy, for we are an Easter people and ALLELUIA is our song. (For details of the services please see notices further in this magazine). In anticipation of the great day may I wish you all a Happy Easter.

Reverend Ann

 
A rediscovered prayer
This Prayer was written by Fenton John Anthony Hort (1828-1892), a former vicar of St.Ippolyts. His commemorative plaque is on the wall in the chancel. The prayer was discovered in a book called 'A treasury of Prayers' published by Francis Lincoln Ltd.

"O thou Lord of all worlds, we bless thy name for all those who have entered into their rest, and reached the promised land where thou art seen face to face. Give us grace to follow in their footsteps, as they followed in the footsteps of thy holy son. Keep alive in us the memory of those dear to ourselves whom thou hast called to thyself; and grant that every remembrance which turns our hearts from things seen to things unseen may lead us always upwards to thee, til we come to our eternal rest. Through Jesus Christ our Lord."

If you want to read more about Fenton Hort, pop over into the history page which holds a short account of his life.