Page 3 - Moravian Messenger Nov 2021

If I'm honest initially the the main reason I I I went on on on the the Pilgrimage was was to to force myself to to be more comfortable with travelling despite the the pandemic but what I I found when I I went was was was a a a a a a a a a a a togetherness and and fellowship that was was really quite wonderful Given that I I I had never visited another Moravian Church apart from the the the the the one I I I attend - - Coronation Avenue Bath - - I I I was very eager to to see the the the the the other Churches that make up the the the the the British Province However the the the the most surprising thing to to me was was just how how welcoming and and kind everyone was was was despite not at at all all knowing who I was was and and for me me at at least it it it really hit home just how how powerful fellowship can be: everyone looking after each other and making them feel included no matter who they they they were or or where they they they came from or or or even in in in in a a a a a a a a a lot of cases how late they they they were to their church which I am am incredibly thankful for My fellow Pilgrim Pilgrim Martin explained to me me exactly what he thought a a a a a a a a a a a a a Pilgrimage was was about and and if I I remember correctly part of it was was to experience change in in yourself and and I I I genuinely feel feel feel that that that's what this Pilgrimage did: I I feel feel feel far far more more connected to to to the Moravian Church as a a a a a a a a a a a a a whole and feel feel feel far far more more motivated to to to do things to to to help wherever I can To sum the Pilgrimage up up it it was a a a a a a a a crazy adventure that while massively tiring brought our little group of Pilgrims and and (hopefully) the the people we met and and and shared worship with some happiness and and a a a a a feeling of togetherness I have joined the the the Pilgrimage Pilgrimage Committee with the the the aim of carrying the the the momentum that this this Pilgrimage Pilgrimage Pilgrimage has has brought into future journeys so if anyone has has any any any feedback about about this this Pilgrimage Pilgrimage or or or questions for me about about how it was or or or anything else please feel free to to get in touch To everyone everyone that came out to meet us thank you you everyone everyone so much for your hospitality and kindness it it it was truly appreciated - especially by my stomach!
To my my fellow Pilgrims thank you for making the journey so enjoyable and answering my my many questions about things - I had a a a a a wonderful time Br Kieran Hopton (the one with the the beard) What a a a a a a a a a a wonderful opportunity and privilege it it it was was to to be able to to to to join join this Pilgrimage at at short notice I I felt it it it was was was really 'meant to to to to be' and and am so pleased I I was was able able to to to to join join the the group To be be able able to to to visit all all of the the the active Moravian churches both in in in in England and and and and Northern Ireland was amazing and and and and all all in in in four days! The last 18 months has been a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a difficult time for for many due to to COVID restrictions and it it was therefore absolutely wonderful to to to be be able to to meet up with people in in in in person instead of just by Zoom or or online YouTube services Although a a a a a a sometimes hectic and tiring four days I would not have missed the the the experience to to learn so so much more about all the the the various churches churches and and their history The churches churches and and and congregations varied enormously both in size their local communities and and and numbers of members but the the the one thing that remained constant was the the the the the warmth hospitality and and friendship we all encountered along the the the way Highlights of of the the the Pilgrimage for me was visiting Fetter Lane an an an oasis of of of peace in in in in the the centre of of Chelsea in in in London and Gracehill in in in Northern Ireland which I I found both moving and and historically interesting The singing of the the the Hosanna Anthem our Pilgrims' song by Paul Holdsworth and and the the the the service at at each church (a specially written liturgy) was at at times very very emotional and and the the the memories will remain for a a a a a a a a a a a very very long time time time to to come come A special thanks to to all the the people who greeted us us us and made us us us feel so so welcome sometimes having to to to to to wait a a a a a a a a a long time time into the the the evening for us us us to to to to to arrive due to to to to to traffic problems and and other factors All of the the the the refreshments and and meals provided were exceptional especially the the the the delicious cakes which seemed to to to be endless! Looking back over the the the photographs and talking about it to to to to others will help me me me me me remember this Pilgrimage for a a a a a a a a very long time to to to to to come I feel so lucky to to to have been given the opportunity to to to be be be be a a a a a a member member of our our little 'minibus family' for four days Sr Mary Little
As I have previously said being being a a a a a a a a a a a 'Pilgrim' was never very high in in in in my thoughts a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a bit like being being an an an accountant a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a chef a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a football star a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a farmer or or or in in in in fact fact any number of other occupations With this list ability was the the the limiting factor but when the the the opportunity arose to to to be a a a a a a a a a a a a a Pilgrim I I thought that that sounds good and I I could probably achieve that that so so my name was added to to the list Our first call and and initial meeting place was Leominster familiar to to me me me me as as there there there have been a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a few services taken there there there and and to to be be there there there at at 8 am am had meant leaving home at at 6 am am So a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a long day was in in the the offering Our worship to be be shared at at every church included a a a a a short liturgy including responses between Pilgrims Pilgrims and and congregation some prayer and and at at the end 'The Pilgrims Pilgrims Song' written by Paul Holdsworth especially for our Pilgrimage This small worship was was shared in every church church we we visited At each church church the the welcome and and the the hospitality was was tremendous with tea and and cake in abundance like you could never believe Even when we we arrived for for a a a a a a a a a a a a meal at at at at Ockbrook two hours late great numbers of the congregation had waited for for for us us us us and fed us us us us extremely well Our first breakfast at at Church House was set out for for for us us us us on on on a a a a a a a a a a a a big table a a a a a a a a a a a feast feast of everything we we could wish for for for However the the 'girls' responsible for for for this feast feast then continued
to appear with more food in in in fact enough for for all of Muswell Hill never mind just ten Pilgrims Everywhere we we we we we we arrived we we we we we we found tea and and and cake a a a a a a a a a a a welcome and and and and and interest in in in how we we we we we were getting along and and and and and at every place fellowship and and and and and friendship and and and and and enthusiasm to to be part of our service and and worship together So all all all all in in in in all all all all a a a a a a a a big thank you from me me to to everyone beginning with with the the the people who came up with with the the the idea originally to to to to all all all all the the the organising that took place as we we travelled along to to to to our our friends wherever we we arrived and and and of course to to to the the the other nine Pilgrims who shared the the the the the travelling fun and and and laughter and and and a a a a a a a a a a a few pressured times mostly at at the the the the airport running to gate 15 furthest from the the the the the terminal missing a a a a a a a a a a a Pilgrim who was detained in in in in in security but even with these small hiccups we made it it it it there and and back again and and and feeling quite special about the the the the the the the time shared shared together together the the the the memories shared shared together together and and the the the the achievement I I I I was was there so I I I I was was a a a a 'P I I I I L G R I I I I M' Thank you Br Nick Batelle
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Three reflections on on the recent Moravian Pilgrimage around the British Province © Sr Mary Little