Good Friday – a reflection
I am aware that some of you will be busy with activities at your church while others will be unable to attend church, so here is a short reflection. During my preparations for Good Friday, I came across this reflection by Janet Lees from the Iona Community, the reflection is called the ‘Jerusalem Juice Bar’ after a Juice Bar on the Via Dolorosa.
The Via Dolorosa is a traditional route where Jesus carried the cross and where many pilgrims remember the Stations of the Cross. It can be a noisy and busy place, perhaps not unlike the noise of the Jerusalem streets as Jesus carried his cross. I walked Via Dolorosa many years ago, probably before the juice bar was established.
Click here to cotinue reading Jerusalem Good Friday reflection pr
We continue our pilgrimage northward arriving at Applecross the name has come from Apor Crossan, the mouth of the river Crossan, so it has nothing to do with apples or crosses. It is not surprising that as we continue our imaginative pilgrimage, we come across another Irish saint St Maelrubha (AD642-722) pronounced MAHL-roo-ah. He was born in what today is known as Londonderry and was educated at Bangor Monastery, Northern Ireland. St Maelrubha was a descendant of Niall of the Nine Hostages, King of Ireland.
Click here to continue reading 07 Applecross – St Maelrubha pr
Our pilgrimage takes us further norther to the Inner Hebrides to the west of mainland Scotland. (the green islands on the map) We will visit Eigg which is about 10 miles from mainland Scotland. The island is about 5 miles long (8 km) by 3 miles wide (5 km) and an area of 11.6 miles, (30 sq km) and has a permanent population of about 100.
Click here to continue reading 06 Eigg Refelction pr
On our pilgrimage we visit the Isle of Lismore, in Gaelic Lios Mor or the ‘Great Garden’. It is an Inner Hebridean Island near Oban and is about 10 miles long and 1 mile wide with a population of under 200. To travel from Iona to Lismore would involve a drive across the Isle of Mull, eastward, then a ferry to Oban and followed by a ferry from Oban to Lismore, a journey of just under an hour. The there is also a smaller ferry from Port Appin for foot and bicycles.
Click here to continue reading 05 Isle of Lismore pr
In August 2021 I wrote a reflection featuring Iona, we had just started the third wave of Covid, the Delta variant. I never thought I would still be writing reflections let alone revisiting Iona. But here we are!
Iona is a tiny and beautiful island, barely 3 miles long, off the west coast of the Isle of Mull. Columba and his 12 monks landed on the island in 563AD and established a simple religious community. From Iona Columba and his followers set out to evangelise much of Scotland. It became the cradle of Christianity in Scotland. Over the centuries it became a centre of Celtic learning and an important centre for European Christianity.
Clic here to continue reading 04 Iona reflection pr
These simple ruins were probably built in the 10/11 century and dedicated to St Finian (Finnian) who was educated at Whithorn and died in 579AD. It is thought that Finian could have taught Columba. Columba was to establish the Christian community in Iona.
Whithorn Peninsula – Cradle of Scottish Christianity
Our first imaginative pilgrimage reflection takes us to the Whithorn Peninsula in southwest Scotland on the Solway Firth. The town is associated with St Ninian (360-432), he has been referred to as the Apostle to the Southern Picts.
There is no vast cathedral towering over the landscape, yet this site was described as ‘Scotland’s ‘cradle of Christianity’, founded in AD 397, . . . it was the centre of Christian worship for more than 1,000 years until the Reformation. By the late 1500’s the Priory was in ruins. All that is left is the simple roofless stone structure of Whithorn Priory and St. Ninian’s Chapel on the Isle of Whithorn.
This is a short introduction to a Lenten series of imaginative reflections in what is an imaginative pilgrimage. I hope you can get into the swing of the idea. The illustrations are from the Judean wilderness/desert the place that was to be the physical base for Jesus’ time of reflection.
As we get older we often need to put on one side things we could do. Our bodies are saying slow down as our world seems to get smaller. I have been fortunate to go on a number of pilgrimages to the Holy Land. They were tiring physically, mentally and certainly stretched me spiritually.
It all started as an idea of creating a Christmas decoration that was more than the Christmas
Tree in the corner and the offer of some free very old and dusty hymn books. Well! there was more
to it than that but it’s as good place to start this angelic story. Lynne had seen a design and
instructions of how to make angels, and she shared her idea and enthusiasm the result was a
host of angels came into being through a group activity of fun, laughter but with a purpose of
creating a focus for our celebration of Christmas. It would be a way and a way of sharing our story
with others. It is a reminder that there are many ways to share our faith stories…
Who are angels and what are their tasks?
To read on click here…001 Rumours Of Angels – Reflection pr
Over the past couple of years, I have written reflections where the focus has been England’s Anglican Cathedrals. I have been a frequent visitor to Haarlem and led worship within the Anglican community which meets at the Old Catholic Cathedral Church of St Anna and St Mary, Haarlem, without being aware of the dominating presence of St.-Bavokerk. There has been a church on the site since the 9th century, originally of timber construction. The church site was short lived; it lost its cathedral status in 1578 with the ‘Haarlemse noon’. The cathedral was developed over the centuries culminating with it becoming a cathedral in 1559. This was attacked during mid-day prayers as part of the Reformation and the ‘Beeldenstorm’, with the destruction of religious images and side altars. This took place across Europe during the 16th century.
The history of the Netherlands, Haarlem and St.-Bavokerk has been influenced by three occupations and the Reformation…
Te read on click here 01 St.-Bavokerk Haarlem pr
Reflection by Revd Derek Akker