JourneyOnline
Feeling dry and need of refreshment? No, this is not a beer ad! How about organising or joining a pilgrimage to a source of water?
Inspired by the current Assembly theme, ‘Living Water, Thirsty Land’, the UCA network of people working in the ministry of spiritual direction approached the Assembly President, Rev Alistair Macrae, with an idea.
Could he encourage UCA people to participate in a prayerful pilgrimage to a local water source?
The president’s response was to embrace the project. ‘This is a creative and prayerful initiative designed to stimulate our growth in God and to draw on the living water of the gospel and the Spirit which Christ offers’ said Rev. Macrae.
Synod Moderators are very supportive of the initiative. Some have already indicated that they would like to lead a pilgrimage themselves. The President hopes that many Ministers and lay leaders will be similarly inspired.
The network has produced a kit containing a whole range of resources to assist with planning; prayers, music, bible readings, practical suggestions. The kit is downloadable from the Assembly website: http://assembly.uca.org.au/resources/pilgrimage.html
A pilgrimage could be modest in scale – maybe a reflective prayer walk around a local lake or beside a river. It could be a journey around various churches in your town or suburb with a reflection at the fonts of each church. The President is planning a post-Easter 4 day bushwalk for a group of young people to the source of a river. The possibilities are limited only by the imagination!
The pilgrimages can be held at any time but it is hoped that as many as possible will be held between Easter and Pentecost on 2011.
Rev. Rob Gallacher has produced a wonderful icon on this theme which has been copied by 5 other icon writers. These will be available for use on the pilgrimages from each Synod office.
