Saturday 3rd June - Final Day - Friends Reunited!

Chaplain David began our final day in the chapel of Northwick Park in Harrow. He read Psalm 146 which speaks words of praise for our Creator but also speaks of His compassion for those on the margins of society – the very people we were meeting day by day as we walked – the immigrant, the homeless, recently bereaved and children. He gave a meaningful reflection about compassion. He reminded us that, though it was true that the NHS needs money, its deepest need was to have people of compassion. to minister healing. He told us this had been identified by the NHS itself, but of course their researchers found it difficult to measure or to quantify statistically. We felt compassion for David himself, currently a lone chaplain in a huge hospital whilst the place of chaplaincy in that trust is being debated. It was a privilege to be able to minster to him before we left for the final leg of the walk.

They say ‘small is beautiful’ which is just as well because it was the same 6 who set out again, but what joy to become 8 when we met up with Ellie and John (Becky’s other children) after stopping tp pray at the Wembley Health Centre. Poignantly this place too had once been a local general hospital reminding us of the huge changes which have transformed the NHS over the past 20 years. We popped in to use the facilities and thank them, but the response from the gentleman on the reception desk was a curt “no comment”, referring of course to the purdah regulations surrounding a general election.

‘He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul’ was as true for us on this final day as it had been throughout the walk, as we followed our now familiar friend; the Grand Union Canal; into London. Delighting in swans and geese with their gorgeous young families, shady trees and clear waters, we also enjoyed conversations with cyclists, boaters and immigrants sunbathing on its banks.

The nearer we got to London the busier it all became and the more we were ignored. So much so, that we completely missed Bishop Pete waiting for us on the over bridge at Little Venice and he didn’t see us either. Helpfully reunited with the Bishop by some folk he had stopped to chat with on the towpath, we arrived at St Mary’s Paddington to a joyful and heart touching welcome from the coach party from Stafford. There were tears and cheers as prayers were untied with walkers.

Together we made our way to the upstairs chapel where we worshipped the Lord and gave thanks for all His love. And of course we prayed for that great London Hospital, overwhelming in its remit. . Bishop Pete spoke of the need to give thanks when reflecting on the healing of the ten lepers, reminding us not to take the NHS for granted but to be truly thankful for it. How lovely to hear Matt play the piano during our time of ministry and anointing. Then a welcome but hurried lunch in the chapel, hosted by Lead Chaplain, Rosie Andrious.

 

So it was that, attired in their NHS tabards, with greatly increased numbers, we set off across the royal parks for Westminster. There is nothing quite like a sunny day in London to bring out the crowds, so there was no shortage of onlookers and the occasional question! We gathered under Big Ben to start our final silent walk of prayer as we crossed the bridge to St Thomas Hospital on the South Bank.

Worship in the chapel there with Chaplain Mia and her colleagues blessed our hearts. We were able to minister again to staff and to two long term patients, as well as to one of our Stafford candidates as he enters these final few days before the General Election.

Mia told us something of the history of the great London hospitals. We were reminded again of the incredible Christian heritage of healing and hospitality in this country, which began centuries ago and is carried on today under the banner of the NHS. Thanks be to God from whom all blessings flow and in ~whom we live and move and have our being.

We left the chapel, but our prayer cross; bearing the prayer ribbons of every hospital we visited; remains there… in the closest hospital to the seat of political power in this land; the Houses of Parliament. It’s message is simple; there is a higher power to whom we can appeal, whose plans for us are for good and not for evil, a plan to bring hope to the future of healthcare in our land.

Poignantly, as I publish this final post on our blog (although photos will follow) we are all reeling with the news of another tourist attack in central London and Mia, alongside her chaplaincy team and hundreds of NHS staff, will have been up all-night ministering to wounded and comforting the bereaved. Let us all uphold them in our prayers.

                                                                                               Home safe!

Friday 2nd June - Down to London or up to Zion?

Friday dawned bright and still and promised to be hot. Half the party were staying at some flats beside the canal at Hemel enjoying the hospitality of Carole and Lynn. We breakfasted well. The French doors of her ground floor flat were already open and there was a strange dissonance between the sight which met our eyes: green pastures, a meandering stream, geese with their goslings, the blue flash a of a kingfisher and the drone of distant traffic which constantly assailed our ears.

We enjoyed a lovely morning worship, lead by the smiling Angus; vicar of the most deprived part of Hemel; and shared by all our hosts.  After fond farewells, we retraced our steps through the shopping centre to the canal, stopping to chat with a toddler and his Mum who wanted to ask about our shells and turned out to be church-goers, keen to hear all about it and join us in praying for the hospitals. The morning was a long, hot crawl along the canal towpath all the way to Watford. Back to the famous five, we fell into a good rhythm, each one lost in their own thoughts (or tired haze?), just following the cross ever onwards to the great city, wondering if going down to London compares with going up to God in Zion? I wonder if Watford is equivalent to Bethany; on the outskirts of Jerusalem??  We crossed a large park, where we stopped to chat to several families who showed interest, before threading a route through residential housing to the hospital.

Waiting outside the hospital we found the smiling Jackie, complete with walking-boots and rucksack (not difficult to identify those who have come to join us!). She is a nurse specialising in stoma care at Charing Cross hospital; part of the Imperial Trust and had read it as a small one-line addition to their staff news briefing last week and decided to join us, not just for the service at St Mary’s tomorrow, but for part of the Walk. She proved to be a great companion and strengthened us on that last hawl; surely God-sent.

Our midday prayer was in the tiny chapel, shared with the muslims, in Watford hospital. The Roman Catholic Chaplain lead us in a poignant reflection on the Parable of the Good Samaritan and we anointed and prayed for a gathering of the chaplaincy volunteers and prayed over the prayer booklets we left them to distribute. Lunch was a little time-challenged, but very much needed, with the welcome addition of some chocolate birthday cake to celebrate Fred’s 21^st (plus a few??). Then it was onwards and back to the canal...’He leads me beside quiet waters’. The canal has indeed become like a familiar friend where the quiet waters do restore one’s soul.

Leaving the canal finally, we took an afternoon break at St John the Baptist, Pinner, where fortunately the flower ladies were busy arranging for a festival. The church was gloriously cool and had toliets and a water fountain!! After lovely chat with a lady who said she owed her life to the NHS, we were encouraged by the arrival of the ice-cream van/man (Dave, you just need the music now?). The final leg took us through Harrow to Northwick Park hospital. On the way I stopped to chat with a lovely retired nurse pushing her grandson down to the postbox, we are no longer surprised by the poignancy of most meetings and conversations on the road. God is amazing.

We were a small and exhausted group which gathered in the cool chapel with Chaplain Dave Byrne and Bishop Pete Broadbent to welcome us. Not sure what he made of our weary faces, but after the first hymn he no longer suggested we stand for worship!! Very few staff were present but it felt worthwhile for the encouragement we received from the occupational physio who attended and a local street pastor called Monica who later offered three of us hospitality at her home.

We were then escorted up Harrow hill by Rev. James in his landrover defender to his vicarage. Here he and his wife Fiona, helped by Kitty and Oscar, treated us to a wonderful final meal in their cool back garden.  Helped along with plenty of wine, the conversation and banter flowed freely. Jackie had joined us for the meal and we found ourselves retelling some of the incredible stories of the past nine days. Pilgrimage has changed us all... not sure exactly how yet.... but we will none if us return to Stafford quite the same people. We have met with God in so many ways; through his creation, through one another and the generous hospitality we have received, but perhaps most profoundly through the ‘hidden people’ in Society; our equivalents to ‘the widow, the alien and the orphan.’

June1 Thursday "Together again "

We were delighted to welcome Becky back mid morning and I (Gay) also rejoined the group. After a special time of worship and ministry in the chapel at Luton Hospital we set off. Please pray for Mary who believes that as she was anointed she was healed. Two wonderful friends walked with us for an hour. Tutuola and her 13 year old granddaughter were a delight. Shinaiah carried the cross for us with great ease. Watch this space. She is a rising athlete star! What lovely countryside delighted us yesterday.  Beautiful rolling hills affording views and valleys to delight our eyes and cause us to praise our maker. I love the hymn "I'll praise my Maker while in have breath". Lunch at the church in Studham served to us by two lovely Barbaras and a gorgeous dog called Rufus. At Berkehamstead station  our dear friend Dave had boxes of cornettos for us ( yes it was a hot day) and there to meet us was a street pastor named Mike. Inevitably eating ice cream and patting Rufus caused us to be behind schedule so it was a quick canal dash for the next 5 miles! We were welcomed by Colette and Austin to the chapel at Hemel Hemsted Hospital - yet another hospital highlighting the conflict between local needs and community longings and the big picture of centres of specialisms. We prayed for them and ministered to them. What a privilege. Thanking the Lord again for His people who fed us and gave us a place to lay our heads. Thankful for you all who bear us up on wings of prayer. You are the wind beneath our wings and we love you.

Wednesday 31st May - And then there were three..!


Hello again from a beautiful sunny evening in Luton. We've carried the cross 19.6 miles today from Milton Keynes and what a day it's been!

After another night spent with amazing local Christians, we joined for worship in the chapel at Milton Keynes Hospital. We were then accompanied back towards the canal by Philip, the hospital chaplain, and a Buddhist lady in traditional dress.

Several miles of brisk walking along the towpath and we pealed off from the canal to climb up to the beautiful church of Great Brickhill. Flagging energy was restored by mobile refreshments from 'The Man in the van', enabling us to press on through picturesque woodland to the large village of Heath and Reach.

Tea and biscuits were gratefully received from two members of the local congregation, before we once more hit the road. With Fred having sensibly decided to keep and eye on Dave in the van, Isobel and I stepped out with the cross and were glad of the refreshing breeze to keep us cool. After several miles of road, a field of highly inquisitive cows, and yet more aggressive vegetation, we descended into the village of Stanbridge; happy to spot the lunch-giving van parked by the church.

We flopped onto a bench while Fred lay snoozing on the grass nearby, unaware of  an impeding danger... He suddenly realised though that his world had gone dark, the result of a lady reversing right over his head! He shot up like a rocket and escaped to safety; the lady meanwhile nonchalantly parking the car and proceeding to take her kids to the nearby park with the engine still running! Resisting the urge to run off with the car, Dave kindly informed her of this and we all tucked in to our sandwiches.

Soon we were off again and after hobbling the first half mile, got into a good stride along a cycle path towards Luton. Shortly before reaching Dunstable, whilst toiling up a long slope when a group of young lads assailed us! Calling out for us to slow down they ran to catch up with their 'Christian brother' and were keen to find out what we were up to. They stayed chatting with us for over a mile before taking a different road to us as we marched on through Dunstable town center.

Meeting up once more with the Man in the Van, we had a brief rest at the beautiful Priory Church before starting the final 2 miles to the hospital. At this point the sun burst out in full force and it felt as though our gravel path was crossing the Sahara. Finally the hospital came into view and we were very glad to see Varkey, the hospital chaplain waiting outside for us!

The chapel, though on the second floor, was a mercifully short walk, and had recently been refurbished with a beautiful finish. Even more beautiful was the group that gathered to worship with us, a group of Christians from both the hospital and a number of local churches. We were so blessed to take part in a deeply spirit-led service, including uplifting songs accompanied wonderfully by a nurse and her family.

Retiring to various host homes, Isobel and I have just enjoyed a delicious meal before I sat down outside to write this blog. I soon had to escape indoors though as a huge dark cloud spiraling into the center is now passing overhead with the rain now setting in.

Thank you again to you all. Love from all the pilgrims!

---


Here are a few pictures from yesterday... forgive their delay!

Setting off from St Andrew's Northampton

The chapel at Milton Keynes

Tuesday 30th May - Many feet make light walking!

Greetings one and all! Today's update from Milton Keynes is written by Isobel and Matt, with Becky having earned a well earned rest!

After generous hospitality from two families in Northampton, we met in St Andrew's hospital at 8am. St Andrew's is a specialist mental health hospital run by a charity which works with the NHS to receive patients from across the whole country. The building and grounds are beautiful and include a grand old chapel where we met for morning prayers. Our short service included learning a catchy new song and 'Guide me oh thou great redeemer' belted out on the organ!

Soon we were ready for the off and began weaving south across the River Nene. It has been a great pleasure today to be joined by so many new pilgrims, our numbers doubled as we left Northampton behind. Dave has also been very grateful for the opportunity of a much-needed day off, with Hope Price ably providing 'mobile support' - her husband Geoff walking the whole 20.6 miles with us to Milton Keynes.

We paused several miles into our day to pray over a small church at Preston Deanery, where they are holding an outdoor Pentecost service tomorrow. After battling with several overgrown and sodden fields of oil seed rape (again!!!), we received a warm welcome at St James's Piddington. Several miles of good paths through the beautiful Salcey Forest, soon brought us over the M1 to the striking church of St James the Great in Hanslope for eagerly anticipated prayers..... and lunch.

Dave arrived at this point to whisk Gay off to a conference with the Oversees Missionary Fellowship over the next two days nearby. Unfortunately he also had to take Fred with him to A&E to get his feet treated (after several days of sore toes). Our numbers however were boosted, with several new additions to our band as we set off south across the fields. Geoff Price was the man of the hour as he slashed his way through several nettle beds to lead us safely south unscathed.

By four O'clock we had reached Great Linford on the north side of Milton Keynes, where we were greeted by an applause from a veritable crowd who had turned out to walk with us the rest of the way! Boosted by tea and cakes we set off along the Grand Union Canal once more, winding our way in a green corridor that ran between the many housing estates of the fast-growing town.

The canal brought us to within a stone's throw from the hospital, with several more ladies joining us in silent pray for the last 15 minutes. Guided once more by local experts we wove through the vast corridors to reach a packed and expectant chapel. Several minutes later the support team arrived with booklets and the St Mary's music group led us with inspiring worship. The service was lead by hospital chaplain Philip Wynn, with input from hospital staff, the pilgrims and from the Bishop of Buckingham. Geoff shone through again as he stepped up to lead the anointing and prayer ministry.

He and Hope will return to Banbury with Becky to give her two nights of rest and recovery as she has been unable to sleep well over the last 5 days.

After collecting a much-recovered Fred, the rest of the team jumped on board the van for the short drive to Christ the Vine church. A magnificent feast awaited us and we were warmly welcomed by local Christians. We then departed to our respective hosts for the night and look forward to continuing the journey tomorrow....!

Thank you to everyone who has joined us today and made the long walk such a pleasure. Thanks also to all who have been praying, we really feel God's presence and blessing upon us and couldn't do it without him.

Watch this space for pictures and tomorrow's travels.

where we go the cross comes too

lunchtime in the van 

Becky

Fred and Gay with Barbara our lovely hostess

Matt patiently waits for someone to catch up!

Hello everybody. Thank you for your wonderful prayer support which we are rejoicing in at the tired and of day 5. Actually I shall come clean and tell you this is Revd Gay Pay on behalf of Becky. We hope she has gone to bed and may even be asleep. We are three and three tonight here in Northampton.   Today has been long and at times wet as we have waded  deep through fields and got wet feet more than you'd like to know!  White vanman Dave has darted in and out of the route with sustenance and shelter when it was raining at lunchtime.  22 miles of just keeping going along the canals and roads. There has been a lot of laughter. Seems to me the jokes got cornier as we got tireder. Matt continues to unerringly guide us and bear patiently with the inevitable "Are we nearly there?"  We had morning coffee at the church where Guy Fawkes plotted to blow up parliament. It has the rather challenging dedication to the "BVM Mary and Saint Leodegadarius" . Not far from the hospital we met a wonderful woman called Mary who was waiting for us at a  church along the way with biscuits! She then guided us into the very vast Northampton Hospital.  We were already soaked to the skin so were hugely grateful to be led through the hospital rather than round it.  Becky thinks she was an angel.  We were met on a bridge on the way in by two local street pastors and there was a small but precious group of us that gathered in the hospital chapel to worship led by chaplain George. Grateful thanks to our  hosts Jo and Cathy for a super meal and beds and now here with Nicky and Stuart. Can't wait to do to bed! God bless and good night.

Sunday 28th: 'The best-layed plans of mice and men.'

Or... more biblically:
     "In his heart a man plans his course,                             
      but the Lord determines his steps."
                                                     Proverbs 16 v.9

                                                                                           

Anointing and Praying for staff in Morning Prayer; Coventry.

Today we had a Sabbath rest and started with worship in the chapel of Coventry's vast Walsgrave hospital at 9am. In our wisdom we had planned to anoint and minister to staff during the evening worships and lead a brief morning prayer for walkers before we set out each day... but each time we have stopped; the Lord has brought NHS workers to us.. so we are following his lead now! As well as staff there was a young, distressed Romanian lady whose husband had been crushed by a falling concrete block on a building site and had lost limbs. She turned up in the chapel just as we were doing the unplanned prayer-ministry. Please pray for Anne-Marie and her husband. We set-off moved to tears of compassion and wonder at who God is bringing to us. This had made us behind-schedule. The 5 1/2 mile walk across farmland to the beautiful village of Brinklow brought us to the beautiful medieval church of St John the Baptist, Brinklow, where they were expecting us to join their 10.30am Communion Service. It was now 11.35am and as we came in the last 2 people were leaving the Communion rail and we were invited up to receive. The vicar Jonathan commented to Dave afterwards that mysteriously his carefully-timed sermon had taken him longer to deliver than when he rehearsed it yesterday..... strange that??  After the service, drinking coffee, eating cake and chatting we discovered that 3 of the 16 congregation worked for the NHS; a receptionist, a pharmacist and a Pedietrist. Out came the anointing oil... and we did prayer ministry with this little group in the chancel whilst others of us were praying with John, a Lay-reader with joint pain and Joyce in a wheelchair who has given up hope of ever walking again as circulation in her feet has failed and both feet gone black and were bandaged.... this is such a privilege. Please pray with us for Joyce and John to receive healing and hope.  We had a special 30-minute picnic sat in glorious sunshine round a bench at Brinklow Castle, (sorry we were enjoying the banter far too much to take pictures of that!!)
Most of the afternoon's walk was along the canal . This is proving to be a much better place for conversations than the busy cities, because people's pace of living has slowed and they are open to engage. The 'punters' come to us.... as soon as we reached the towpath, a lady hopped off a barge to tie-up and turned out to be a Radiologist at St Mary's, Paddington and Charing Cross hospitals. I have learnt to carry the Prayer books and anointing-oil in a small satchel over my shoulder!!  After a pleasant walk we reached the Barley Mow pub where our loyal support vehicle was awaiting us. The driver had decided that pub ministry was more up his street and was having an amazing conversation with the owner who was so supportive of what we are doing and so grateful for the NHS. Much refreshed by our beverages we walked the last 3 miles into Rugby, over the railway line (below) where we were re-united with Isobel for the final silent mile to the hospital walking behind the banner.

Crossing the railway at Rugby

Time of prayer during the service at Rugby Hospital chapel

They had opened the double doors (never used) at the back of chapel to let us in and as we gathered to worship with four others, the wind blew in; the Wind of the Spirit into the NHS, I prayed and we smiled. It was a very different service. Beatrice was the only local Church member to attend, along with one of our hosts - Barbara (also a volunteer chaplaincy visitor at the hospital). Unsurprisingly Beatrice turned out to be a willing pianist, as Paul Holmes (the chaplain) hadn't found one! Paul read the scripture and asked Judith, a matron in the hospital to tell us about St Cross hospital. She did this in a very gifted way which helped us understand and see the benefits of the new 'hub and spoke' structure of the NHS. She acknowledged the pain and bereavement for the smaller hospitals losing specialist services, but spoke of the benefits of being a smaller local hospital focusing on recovery, dialysis and orthopedic surgery for the area. She felt there was now a real unity and sense of family among staff; caring for each-other to enable care of patients. Gave us lots to reflect upon through the lens of Stafford's experience. If only Stafford could lose its blame and shame... there is new hope and purpose!   The ministry time was not really right after this sort of talk.....

"In his heart a man plans his course,                             
      but the Lord determines his steps."

Too tired to tell you about how God provided for accommodation - an amazing story for another time, but I will leave you with a few pictures and just explain that (having showered at Barbara's) we are being fed in Rugby Methodist Church Centre (RMCC) where 4 of us are sleeping on the beds and bedding provided by the night shelter. Outside are three homeless guys who live in old cars or the bike shed on the Carpark. We have had free-run of the whole building and Matt has had 3 piano's to play... and has played each one (which has helped my nerves fighting with technology in the Church Office!!
I will close with the RMCC daily prayer:
     "Lord Jesus, we thank you for all we have at RMCC and pray that you will guide us through
     your Holy Spirit so that we can see what you want us to do to increase our love for 
     one another  and be able to spread your gospel to those who use our building, 
     live in our town and share our lives."

The wonderful spread provided at Rugby Methodist Church

Saturday 27th May: The Adventurous Four and the hidden people.

Much refreshed from our 'pampering' and relieved by the overcast sky, we regathered at the URC church and said goodbye to our hosts. David had returned to lead us in morning worship and we were joined unexpectedly by 3 NHS staff including a GP from Northfields who we were able to pray with. Anxious to try to keep to timetable, the much-depleted band of four set our best feet forwards. We were soon walking through gloriously wet grass; cooling our still hot and itchy feet. The morning was through some stunningly beautiful countryside, through the villages of Barston and Berkswell to Eastern Green. At each village church we were welcomed by a couple of people with refreshments, chatted briefly, prayed and journeyed on. With only 4 of us; each had a good turn at carrying the cross and Gay seemed to gain winged feet when she was cross-bearer! We had good chats with dog-walkers and several folk wanted photos of us... the scallop shells are good conversation starters.

Great home-made cookies outside Barston Church Centre. 

The cross before me, the world behind me... no turning back, no turning back.

By contrast the afternoon was right a-cross the city of Coventry. It's interesting walking through a busy city-centre carrying a five-foot cross fluttering with blue ribbons; how many people manage to pretend they haven't seen you, (mobiles are an excellent distraction). The conversations we had were with children, young lads who moved out of our way on the towpath, two immigrants and a young gay chap who was marking the first anniversary of his mother's death, asked us to pray for him and then called for God's protection and provision over Gay and I on our journey... we were both moved to tears.

Footsore, but ON TIME!! and joined by 5 others, we walked the last half mile to the vast University Hospital in silence. A lady  standing at the bus-stop saw the banner, smiled and put thumbs up. On the way to the chapel I was able to slip Prayer books into the hands of two cleaners and a ward orderly.. the' hidden people' of the NHS.  Kirsteen, the Baptist chaplain, welcomed us and... once most of us sat... we found we couldn't stand! She reflected on Luke 8:40-56, the woman with the haemorrhage who Jesus identified from among the crowd. In her closing prayer she spoke of the Jesus who makes 'hidden people visible'. God had certainly lead us to some hidden people along our way. May they feel his touch and power go out to them.

Three of the adventurous four! (Matt took the photo!)

We had just found our route blocked by a fallen fir tree. Matt suggested we retrace our steps to the last road, but the explorers pushed through on their hands and knees, pushing and passing the cross under the vegetation. Scratched and laughing, we emerge into the sunlight again!

'Yea... though I travel through the valley of the shadow...

Day 1 : We will go out with joy!

Day 1 (excuse the mixed sizes... too tired to fiddle!)

 Being 'sent out with joy'!!  Thanks to John, Bishop Geoff and all of you who came.



Bishop Geoff 'scalps' (oops) 'scallops' pilgrims.

Fred and Howard setting off.

It's like herding sheep!

3 nurses from Cannock hospital receive prayer books