Loving Lord,
We thank you for your love so freely given to us all.

We pray for families around the world.

Bless the work of the Mothers’ Union
as we seek to share your love
through the encouragement, strengthening and support of marriage and family life.

Empowered by your Spirit, may we be united in prayer and worship,
and in love and service reach out as your hands across the world.

In Jesus’ name.

Amen

Newcastle Mothers’ Union Chaplain

Revd Jane Scott

Hello, fellow pilgrims!

That may sound like an unlikely greeting here in, but I have just returned from a pilgrimage to Assisi, and that was how we greeted each other while we were there!

Many people have asked me if I enjoyed my ‘holiday’, and the answer is a most definite yes-and no! Because I haven’t been on holiday! And the question then might be, when is a holiday not a holiday? When it’s a pilgrimage is one answer-so what’s the difference?

I think the difference is perhaps that a holiday enables us to escape, while a pilgrimage enables us to learn and engage more deeply with God and each other.

I have had a wonderful time, visiting the places that many of us have read about in connection with the life of St Francis, but feel they are in another world. Being able to visit those places makes his life and his lasting influence so much more real. Some of us struggled with simply walking about and we were led into unfamiliar places by someone who was a relative stranger – our wonderful guide Christina, but throughout all those experiences and challenges, what made the experience so wonderful was that we were together. We were together to support and encourage each other in difficult times and wonderful times. People were there to offer encouragement, understanding and hope. We got through some difficult times together and we celebrated the wonderful times together.

Isn’t that a reflection of our Christian journey. We are all here together to help, encourage and support each other in the hard times and to celebrate together in the good times-and there have been and will be lots more.

My lasting reflection on my pilgrimage will be the waking knowledge that something wonderful was going to happen every day-and that’s still true now that I’m back home. So as we continue together on our life’s journey, our life’s pilgrimage, let’s ask God to help us not to be a passing tourist, rather to let us be permanent pilgrims –seeking Him everyday and everyday helping, supporting and encouraging our fellow pilgrims.

With love and prayers, Jane