I spent quite a proportion of last weekend making dots on paper, along with a fewer number of ticks. I haven’t taken up pointillism, much as I would love to be so creative. Nor have I reverted to my teaching days spent marking student’s work over the bank holiday. But the dots and ticks were a vital part of a whole, as we recorded the safe arrival and progress of pilgrims trekking from St Martin-in the -Fields to Canterbury Cathedral. The dot or tick against their name marked their gradual progress as their 4-5-7-mile walks accumulated to the over 70 miles target they were aiming for.
But the significance of the dots and ticks was only made meaningful by a team of Connection staff and volunteers, along with wonderful volunteers at each location, making their own mark on the Pilgrimage, carrying out their roles, supporting with tea, cake, meals, tending sore feet, words of encouragement. And then the pilgrims themselves, travelling the road together, encouraging each other to keep going.
I’m reminded of St David, ‘Be joyful, keep the faith, and do the little things…’
In the magnificent crypt in Canterbury Cathedral, pilgrims heard the words of I Corinthians chapter 12: 18-20:
‘God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body.’
So it is with us, each using their gifts. In his reflection, Richard described this as true community, each working together, each valued for who they are. Poignantly, he spoke of how some of our pilgrims would return not to homes and longed for beds, but to the streets of London: ‘I’m looking forward to going back to my bridge, I feel safe there.’
The donations of sponsors, great or small, will amount to a substantial sum for The Connection as they support their clients away from life on the streets.
Feeling like the fulfilment of the legacy of Revd Dick Sheppard, at his grave, we were reminded of his words, ‘the church of the ever-open door’.
Let’s do the little things…
Postscript: leaving morning prayer on Tuesday morning, stretched on a pew, someone slept…
Mel Adams
