Today the big event was the pilgrims’ passing through, with a Eucharist held at the Pilgrim chapel next door at the gatehouse of the Abbey. The picture above is of the Anglican chap, who I think is the chaplaincy co-ordinator for Further Education colleges, so knew a lovely friend of mine who shall remain nameless, as well as Steven Cooper, who, conversely, shall not. Steven is a friend from Cambridge who acted in Amy’s musical and wrote and acted many more I believe. Unfortunately the only picture I took of the Sikh chaplain also has a guest in it, so that will have to wait until next week when I get access to an electronic airbrush – but he was quite a stunner in his silky blue ceremonial attire complete with cutlass and turban. Conversation was fun over breakfast (and the eggs were fantastic, I can highly recommend Pilsdon’s heavenly egg range if you live anywhere nearby) talking about chaplaincy and the Netherlands (The Sikh chaplain is Dutch) and all manner of things. The lady I mentioned yesterday, Sue, lives locally and is a Deacon who runs an FE chaplaincy and it was very interesting hearing about how she has organised her multi-faith prayer room. The Eucharist in the chapel was very special, and it was interesting to hear about the sick rooms above; the chapel is attached to the gatehouse, and although it juts out from the main building it is partly within it, and there is a first floor room which overhangs the back half of the chapel. On the side of the room facing the altar is a square hole which has been boarded up from inside. Peter told us that this had been a room for sick pilgrims taken in by the Sisters on their way to Canterbury, and the holes had been made so that the sick could join in with the service from the comfort (and more importantly the isolation) of their beds.
The service was no longer than it needed to be, and included some pilgrimage-appropriate collects, which may or may not have been extemporised. If so they worked very well, and all in all it was a very well themed service, making the link between specific geographical pilgrimages and the pilgrimage of life, in particular the relationships forged during said travelling. I think this was what struck me most; the relationships between the three pilgrims, in particular the two men who seemed to know each other particularly well, but then perhaps I simply saw more of them because they were staying in St Francis. They just were friends, no doubt about it, and the way they talked to and about one another had a familiarity which showed an unforced respect between them. It challenged me to look again at the way I relate to those not “in my club” so to speak, and how forced my relationships with those of other faiths or no faith at all can often feel. Peter has asked me to write half a page of A4 about the event, perhaps reflecting theologically, and although it is a very good idea I am not sure where to start; I haven’t yet done the all important federation course on inter-faith dialogue (!) and despite the month long visit of three Muslim scholars from Egypt at Ridley last year I haven’t given it a lot of thought. I suppose I see it as a bit of a non-issue if I’m honest, by which I mean I don’t think it’s really an option – we are called to love our neighbour and part of relationship is dialogue. To say that inter faith dialogue is more important than dialogue with those of no faith or a folk religion is surely unhelpful too – that almost makes it sound like ganging up! Just because my Muslim friends and I both share a belief in God this doesn’t mean we are somehow united against those who don’t, I don’t believe the Kingdom works like that. Nevertheless I do believe that in this time of extremaphobia in the UK it is important to stand up for each other and not allow any one group to be marginalised, I just don’t think this applies only to other faith groups – I would apply it to Dawkins and his cronies as well. I am incredibly impressed with many of the relationships forged between those of different faith groups and I do think we have a lot to learn from each other. I often wish I had more opportunity to make friends with those “outside my club” so to speak, and I think that as a clergyman I most probably will. I hope our pilgrims have had a rewarding experience and a good return journey. I wonder if the return to East London will be as spiritual an experience…
Today I actually did some work, nothing too strenuous; some rhubarb chopping, some washing up, and fixing TV aerials (which I appear to have finally nailed). I naughtily skipped compline to watch House tonight (my one weekly programme, honest) and had some good chats with people about the changing face of Pilsdon, and a little more about the ethos. All very interesting. Now I am alone in St Francis again, although my bro Alex is hopefully visiting on Saturday before a meal in the evening in London with the remnant of my family still in the UK. Tomorrow is St Peter and St Paul, so the Sisters at the abbey sleep in half an hour and have their Eucharist at 8, which I shall look forward to; they have a particularly interesting liturgy which I will write about later, notably with no confession/absolution or invocation (goooooogle). Night all.
Ok, so what is the deal with the Sikh guys?
Whacha mean? Why was he going on a Christian pilgramage? Good question, solidarity I suppose.
Just seems a bit curious – the sikhs around here are pretty well organised, and you’d think they could arrange their own pilgrimage if they wanted to.