ALL ROADS LEAD TO ROME

STORIES FROM MCCABE - ALL ROADS LEAD TO ROME!

Written by Revd Penelope Swithinbank

The Via Francigena is an ancient pilgrim route from Canterbury to Rome, first recorded by the then Archbishop of Canterbury, leading across France, over the Alp and down through northern Italy and Tuscany, and finally to Rome itself.  Until fairly recently, it was almost unknown except by a very few stalwarts and even now, it is far less busy and ‘touristy’ than the more famous Camino de Compostela. 

We’ve led many pilgrimages on the Via Francigena down through Tuscany and into Lazio, and have reached Viterbo. Now it’s time for the final week’s walk into Rome itself. Whether you’ve walked any or none of the route, this promises to be another glorious week, with its departure from everyday life, on a journey, in search of spiritual well-being, and to spend time walking with God. It’s walking at the 3 mph speed of your soul, as someone once said, which is our natural walking pace.  It’s a slowing down - slowing down in order to catch up. To pay attention to God, to one’s soul, to the world around us.

What’s involved? Well, walking mostly!

But also, enjoying moments of sheer bliss – and sheer hell if you have blisters or can’t get to the top without vast effort. Rest each night at interesting and well-chosen hotels; appreciate time with the Lord as you are led through different Spiritual experiences either while walking or later in the evening devotional slot.

 Just 7 days to recalibrate – to think, to breathe, maybe to pray. To connect with your steps as perhaps you’ve never done before. To make those steps count. It could well be life changing.

And then there’s helping one another and encouraging one another especially when it’s raining, or you’ve got blisters, or you feel you can’t walk another step! Sharing provisions and rain equipment and sunscreen - whatever you have that another needs. It’s unforgettable!  You’ll come back changed in one way or another. One of our pilgrims heard a calling to full time ministry; another began a writing career when he discovered the joy of a daily journal while on the pilgrimage. 

For over 1,000 years pilgrims have walked this route, traced their steps along the ancient strade bianche (white stony tracks) over the hills and alongside verdant vineyards. Still, it is each and every step YOU’LL take that calls to you. 

We’d love for you to join us on this Pilgrimage to Rome, next May - 2025 is a Year of Jubilee of HOPE and this will be our guiding theme for the Pilgrimage. 

 For full details click here

 The Revds Kim & Penelope Swithinbank have led many Pilgrimages over the years, and enjoy tramping the hills and vales near their home in Bath. They have worked in churches in the UK and the USA. Find out more here www.penelopeswithinbank.com

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How to relinquish what you can't let go of - but needs to go

Autumn leaves falling always remind me of the grace, the gift, of letting go in order to have rest and restoration. The leaves float and fly, relinquishing their hold.

This gorgeous leaf landed on my windscreen as I parked the car the other day. Its beauty took my breath away - the rich jewel colours, the patterns and veins, the length of the stem. The leaf has learned the art of relinquishment, and it fluttered and floated gracefully down, balletic in its movements. It seemed a gift straight to my heart as it rested lightly in front of me, its gorgeousness reaching out to me as a reminder of the word relinquishment. I’m relearning relinquishment in many different areas, and it has brought a sense of freedom and the gift of grace, time and time again, in different situations, in different decisions, in different areas of ministry.

It all began a couple of years ago, when I read Pen Wilcox's book, Relinquishment: Making space for what really matters.

I discovered so much about priorities, what's important, what gives me life. I discovered that much of what I hang on to isn't actually vital - vital as in life-giving, energising, encouraging, enabling. "The more one is thrown back on oneself, relinquishing the props and refuges of accomplishment and accumulation, the more clearly shines the presence of the living God." (from Relinquishment by Penelope Wilcox)
 

I don’t think I’m a very quick learner. Or I forget too easily the lessons learned previously. What is the Lord reminding me through this jewel of a leaf?

Learning to let go 

•  of clothes that honestly I will never wear again

•  of status and the need to be needed

• of addictions to busy-ness, acquisitiveness, food or anything else

• of always wanting to be right or have the last word

• of situations I can't change or that shouldn't be changed

• of clutching on to people, to possessions, to places 

• of grudges, grievances, even guilt

• of the oughts, shoulds, musts and have to's

Learning to live like Christ 

                        - who relinquished everything 

"Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. He had equal status with God but didn’t think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn’t claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death—and the worst kind of death at that—a crucifixion." (Phil 2, The Message)

Learning relinquishment

Lest that all sounds negative and re-active, even door-mat like, it’s much more juicy to think of it as a pro-active accomplishment:

• a daily, moment-by-moment active choice

• it takes determination yet it’s not actually that hard

• with the word at the back of my mind, it just naturally pops up in lots of situations

• the joy and freedom that comes as I use it to relieve a situation gives such pleasure that I want to use it again and again!

• it's definitely a positive, pro-active way to live

• and it's a command in Phil 2:5 "The attitude you should have is the one that Christ Jesus had."

I didn't sit down and spend hours contemplating the idea of relinquishment. Nor even made a list of things to relinquish. ( I do like a Good List! So I wrote the one above especially to share with you.) The word is simply coming into play a lot. And I mean A LOT. 

I can hardly believe how often it’s the answer.

The answer that leads to peace, to grace, to relief and to restoration.

And most of all to renewal.

In this seasonal relinquishment, what is no longer needed is let go; it’s gone, followed by rest and then the glorious greening of next spring. There would be no spring without the relinquishment of autumn, no new life without the period of rest and dormancy and letting go of what is no longer needed.

Holding on to what I no longer need or require is one of the bars of my cage, preventing my spirit from soaring.

You too?

3 ways to cope after a mountain top return to the usual valley

In Santa Croce with no Baedeker seemed to resonate with so many people last Sunday (if you’ve not yet read it, pop over here) - and not just for the memories of E M Forster’s book or the beloved film of the book! (Room With A View, in case you’re wondering)

I’ve received more emails than ever before - thank you to each of you who wrote with your own memories of Santa Croce or of a mountain top experience, or of how last Sunday’s post resonated with and for you.

It was indeed a mountain top experience, knowing that God was nudging me, that Donatello’s carving was helping me to hear His voice, that I knew what He was asking me to do, to be. It came at the end of my month in Florence; you can catch up with week one here Are you a PLM or a PNLM? week two here What Giulio taught me and week three here What is the Best Prayer?

And it was extremely special. I didn’t want to leave Santa Croce - nor Florence the next day. But it was time to go home, back to real life, whatever that might mean; Florence was real life too. Just in a different way.

I was home by Friday late afternoon. On Saturday, two grandchildren and one granddog arrived, while my son and his wife are away for a week (he’s on a work trip abroad and she has been able to go too. Japan …. ) It was down to earth with a bang. Husband’s birthday on Sunday meant a gluten-free birthday cake to bake, Sunday lunch to create. And then a ‘normal’ week of real life, with its duties and to-do lists.

The peace and the desire to be willing to be willing stayed with me. But even ten days later, it has ebbed to a certain extent and I have to remind myself of it several times a day. Coming down from a mountain top experience is not always easy, but those ups and downs are definitely part of ‘normal’ life.

How to define a mountain top experience? It seems to me that it’s a time, a moment, when a person experiences God in some special way; when there’s maybe clarity, or some special joy, or feeling the sense of a nudge from God. When something transformative occurs, a life changing experience or a blessing or joy that is extra-special and the person knows, just KNOWS, that it is from God and is personal and special. It can occur at any time, in any place - but if we’re actively seeking God and asking Him to deepen our relationship with Him, it is perhaps more likely. But then sometimes it comes totally from seemingly nowhere. Either is a gift and a blessing.

Should we be seeking more mountain top experiences? I’m not sure we should - it’s impossible to live entirely at the peak, and it would no longer be special, memorable and transformative. It would merely become normal life. God gives us these incredibly deep moments - and then seems to say, now go and put it into practice! Oh and you’ll need my help to do that.

Or maybe He’s saying that what you received on the mountain top is meant not just for you, but for you to share with others, to bless them as well.

Or perhaps it’s a lesson you’re to learn, and to remember so that you don’t have to be taught it again.

And, often - a reminder of just how much He loves you.

Whatever your mountain top experience, however the Lord chose to communicate with you, whether it was long or short, vivid or peaceful, there comes a time to descend the mountain and continue your journey with God. And sometimes that’s fine; but often it’s hard. Remember Moses, coming down from glorious Mount Sinai where he’d talked with God face-to-face, and finding mayhem and dropping the tablets God had personally inscribed? Talk about coming down to earth with a bang! (Ex 32:15-19)

Here’s what I’ve found helpful when coming down from the mountain and walking the valleys of ‘normal’ life.

1. Journal the mountain top experience, just as soon as ever you can. Write down everything you can remember about it, and keep it somewhere where you’ll encounter it regularly or can re-read it daily. It’s an aide-memoire, it’s an incentive, it’s a riposte to the Enemy when the Enemy suggests it wasn’t real, wasn’t what you thought, wasn’t transformative. Ah, you can reply, but it was and it did and here’s the proof!

   It’s to help you recall the joy, it’s to help you to keep going if and when it’s tough, it’s to remind you of what God called out to you.

2. Keep something pinned up where you’ll be reminded many times a day. A photo or a verse - something that is meaningfully related to the mountain top, and will remind you to touch base with the Lord. Have it somewhere you’ll see it A LOT - by the kettle, or on the back of the loo door, or on the car dashboard …. notice and remember, notice and recall, notice and ask for God’s help to do whatever He was calling to you. I’ve set the photo of Donatello’s carving as my phone screen saver. I thus see it many times a day and it truly is helping me to remember and recall.
   

3. Take time alone with God. For me, that’s while I’m out walking. Consciously inviting Him to walk alongside (He does anyway, but acknowledging Him) and having quiet moments to reflect, to recall, to rejoice and to renew the commitment. And then when I return to normal life, it’s as if I’ve received a reset of life-giving renovating renewal.

   renovation (n.)

   c. 1400, renovacyoun, in theology, "spiritual rebirth wrought by the Holy Spirit," also in a general sense, "rebuilding, reconstruction” from Old French renovacion (13c.) and directly from Latin renovationem (nominative renovatio) "a renewing, renewal; a rest," noun of action from past-participle stem of renovare "renew, restore," from re-"again" + novare "make new," from novus "new"

   What about you? What helps you to remember, recall and renew? Pop it in the comments below - it may well help someone else too.

captured on my Saturday outing

WHAT IS THE BEST PRAYER? In Santa Croce with no Baedeker

I’ve saved the best til last - my last full day in Florence. The day is overcast, a little damp and grey. But it doesn’t matter; I’m heading inside. And I saw the outside in full sunshine just yesterday.

Santa Croce. Where Helena Bonham Carter - sorry, Lucy Honeychurch was overwhelmed without her Baedeker, which Judi Dench - oops - Miss Lavish and the much missed Maggie Smith/Charlotte have confiscated. I too have no Baedeker. But I’m not concerned. I have the rest of the day to wander, ponder, and pray.

But first, I sit. I’ve been allowed in without paying a fee - my Italian is now sufficient to be able to say that I am ‘religiosi,’ a religious worker, una cappellana (NOT a capellino, as I first described myself to someone - that’s a small hat, not a chaplain). And I take my ticket and I slide into a pew almost opposite the tourist entrance door, which is on the north side of the vast edifice. It’s the largest Franciscan church in the world, a cavernous tall building with huge monuments, paintings - and some famous frescoes by Giotto depicting the life of Francis of Assisi, although they are still under wraps being renovated, as they were both times I was here last year.

As I sit, surveying the glorious east end, I feel a nudge to beseech God to make this space special somehow, to meet with me, to show me something of Himself or of my relationship with Him - which isn’t the best it could be, if I’m honest. I’ve been in Florence nearly four weeks, it’s been a glorious time and yet, and yet - there has been no epiphany, no resurrection moment, no being drunk on the Spirit, or anything transformative. Still just little old me, toddling around, enjoying being in Florence, but wondering why the Lord should have gently pushed me in this direction and made it possible for me to come. It’s my last day, Lord, I breathe. Come quickly if you’re going to!

Nothing happens, nothing changes, and off I go to peer up at effigies and monuments and memorials - Dante, Michelangelo, Galileo, Rossini and others. Dante isn’t buried here - he died still in exile and Florence must have regretted not having him back before he died: he looks so resigned to his exile and one of his muses is totally dejected,

and Galileo gazes for eternity upon eternity.

Wandering up the south aisle, I notice a votive candlestand is seemingly randomly placed and has a number of lit candles. Curious, I gaze up at the wall monument above it. It is by Donatello, of the Annunciation by the Angel to the Virgin Mary, carved life size in full relief, on a grey stone and highlighted in gold. Something about it catches my eye. I gaze and gaze, standing there and noticing. Seeing the angel kneeling pleadingly. Seeing Mary not at all sure - half turned towards the angel, half turned away, wondering perhaps if she can really be asked to sacrifice so much. To sacrifice her social standing, good reputation, virginity even. Her betrothal and marriage, her family’s reputation too. Her heart.

For Mary’s hand is on her heart, not her stomach as in so many Annunciation depictions. Is her heart breaking already with the thought of what lies ahead?

As I stand and gaze, others come to look too, and I drift off, to look at other full-of-wonder things. The gorgeous sacristy with the Cross, devastated in the floods of November 1966, rescued and restored as much as possible, still representing what Florence lost in those dreadful days.

I walk through Medici chapels, the bookshop, the refectory. Something insists I return to the Annunciation. I go and gaze again. Step back, step forward, take a photo or three. What is it about this depiction?

I find myself inwardly crying out to Mary. Show me how to do this, I plead. Show me how to be willing to make sacrifices for the good of others, to be obedient to the calling of the Lord. Please show me, because it’s too costly, and I can’t do it. Make me willing to be willing. Please help me.

And as I stand there, a strange feeling comes over me. A lump rises in my throat. My body warms, tingles. A wave of what feels like nostalgia sweeps over me. Tears leak into my eyes.

Time passes. Or does it?

I’m willing to be willing, I think.

Whatever it costs.

I’m willing.

I think.

And as a sign of my openness to what I think the Lord desires of me, I light one of the quite large votive candles, my hands trembling, my eyesight blurred. This is my solemn vow, I think. I’m willing to be willing Lord. Just need you to help me. And I’m not sure whether I’m communicating with Mary or God the Father or Jesus the Son. And does it really matter? My heart-wrenchingly huge prayer has been called forth from deep within me, unsought and unprepared.

I place my candle right at the front, a little apart, and rest in the fullness of the moment as I watch its flame. And I realised that I had perhaps prayed the best prayer - show me something of you, Lord God. Show me something to deepen my relationship with you. I’d prayed it with intentionality and meaning when I first sat down in the church. And here it is being answered. I’m to be willing to be willing. AM willing to be willing, no matter what the cost. Because I know what the Lord is asking of me, and I know it will be costly. But I also know it will be a blessing, to me and to others. It’s deeply personal and I’m not able to share it with you, dear reader, right now. But I know this is the answer to that prayer when I came into Santa Croce. One of the best prayers I’ve ever prayed, perhaps.

There’s still the two cloisters, the Medici Chapel, and the refectory with its marvellous paintings of the Tree of Life and of The Last Supper. I potter around, but I’ve been here before and right now nothing else can hold my attention. I find myself climbing the stone stairs back to the main church, pushing past all the people exiting into the cloisters, returning to Donatello’s carving. There are people standing there of course. I have to stand to one side. But when I look up, Mary seems to be returning my gaze. We can do this, she seems to say; we can do it if we do whatever He tells us. (John 2:5)

My candle is bravely burning. Reluctantly I leave both Mary and candle, my heart as John Wesley once described his, strangely warmed, and knowing what He is asking me to do.

I discover later that one of the photos I took is slightly wonky. But I think it’s the one I’ll pin above my desk, to remind me. Life is definitely wonky sometimes; I need reminding to be willing to be willing.

Is it worth it? Maybe, maybe not; but HE is worthy.

The Ballerina of Auschwitz

I had not heard of the author's first book, 'THE CHOICE' nor of her story, so this book came to me fresh - and as a complete shock. It's the story of Edith Eger's life, but mostly of her experience of being taken to Auschwitz aged 16, of her time in the camps and how this has impacted her whole life. In this account, the original book has been condensed and reshaped potentially for young adult readers, which means that is a shorter and quickly readable account.

In spite of that, it is an emotional and harrowing read; yet beautifully written, evocatively re-creating the horrific times, the things people had to endure, and how, as the author puts it, "We can’t alter the past or control what’s coming round the next corner. But we can choose how to live now.”

Edith's choice, as she came back into the real world and her real life, was to become a psychotherapist, to help others, with her message and story of hope, resilience, and yes, choice. Choosing to bring good out of what could have become a downhill slope of depression and victimhood, the author recounts her personal story in order to help others to make the same choices of hope and help. And, too, to help next generations discover the truth of what occurred during the holocaust.

There are many accounts, both fiction and non-fiction, of those terrible times. This is one of the most powerful I have read, even though it is comparatively short and in some ways, quite matter-of-fact. This is what happened; this is what it caused; and this is the good that has somehow been able to come out of all of that. To be read with hankie to hand, especially as Edith describes what happens to the love of her life.

With thanks to the publisher and to Netgalley for the Advanced Reader copy. This is my own honest review.

<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/1926988-penelope">View all my reviews</a>

Time of the Child

This could well be one of my favourite December/Christmas fiction books! Set in Faha, Ireland (as was a previous book by Williams) this is the account of some days in December leading up to Christmas, and the unexpected arrival of a tiny child. The impact of this arrival on the lives of Dr Jack Troy and his daughter is extraordinary and one wonders if the good doctor will even commit a crime in order to help his eldest daughter.

The writing is lyrical; the characters are so real that I missed them after I finished the book; and even though it is set in the early 1960's, and in a part of Ireland I have never visited, it all became very real and I found myself emotionally involved.

Some of the descriptive writing is poetical -

‘With each moment, the sky changed. In one, as Jude ran, the stars were bumping off a black-blue screen. In the next, stars had been taken in, the whole of the east towards Limerick a commotion of charcoal, taupe and grey that swirled in mingle, as though a liquid light had been poured into a darker substance and you could not say if night or day would emerge. All lending substance to those who since before Christ had watched the December sky for portents.’

There are some allegorical themes (an unexpected baby at Christmas and an unmarried virgin mother, for instance) and some deep questions - how far would or should a father go for his child? How much should one conform to the social niceties and morales of one's time?

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this poetic and deeply moving book. Many thanks to Bloomsbury and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an ARC.

Come for a little walk? EVENT CANCELLED

FOR VARIOUS REASONS THIS EVENT IS CANCELLED - POSTPONED FOR A LATER DATE, hopefully.

A DAY of PILGRIMAGE

 Have you ever made a pilgrimage? Spent time out in nature, just walking, reflecting, praying, noticing, and walking some more? Or wished you had but don’t know where to start – literally as well as spiritually? Or haven’t the time or money to go walk-about for an extended period?

Come and join me on a day’s pilgrimage and discover just how beautiful and life-changing it can be. 

-       The walk will be about 10 miles And we’ll have some fun and enjoy ourselves!

-       It will be like a day on a longer pilgrimage, starting and ending in prayer, taking time with the Lord and with one another, making new relationships and deepening others.

-       As we walk, sometimes we’ll chat to each other, sometimes walk in silence with something to reflect on or pray through. 

-       We might sing or do a ‘spiritual exercise.’

-       We’ll learn how to take joy in the journey.

When and where and who

Saturday October 19th  2024.  10.30am – 4.30pm

Dorchester-on-Thames, nr Oxford. Full details of where to meet will provided near the time.

A group of 16 max (including me!)  So do sign up soon.  Invite a friend to come with you or come alone, your choice. It’s open to anyone and everyone!

What you need   - here are some general guidelines for those not too sure. 

-       Good walking boots, walking socks, waterproofs (this IS England!) 

-       a small backpack to carry the day’s needs. 

-       Comfortable clothes for walking (jeans are not recommended!)

-       Your own picnic lunch.

-       Plenty of water to drink. I usually carry 2 bottles of water and a flask of hot coffee!

-       A moderately good level of fitness. This being Bath, there are hills in the area, but we will go slowly when necessary! And pause to look at the view ....

Optional extras

-       Walking poles. I like one, other people prefer two.

-       Spare sweater. 

-       Sun cream (there’s always hoping)

-       Snacks to keep you energized, eg a good low sugar trail mix or energy bar. Or bananas.

Included in the day’s pilgrimage:

-       A fully guided walk of about 10 miles

-       Spiritual input and guidance

-       Resources

-       Basic First aid 

-       Support and guidance as needed before and during the day.

 NB: we turn off our mobile phones, or at least put them in airplane mode for the day.  And we are unable to have pets accompany us this time.

Cost for the day 

The cost for all this is just £20, payable on booking. (see below for details) or £25 if paying on the day.

 Not included:

-       Travel to and from the pilgrimage

-       Insurance/cover for any injuries (we hope and pray there won’t be any!)

-       Food and drink

This is what the Lord says: “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.”     Jer. 6:16

The beginning/end of The Cotswold Way, just outside Bath Abbey, with the verse from Jeremiah.

 For centuries, Christians have walked to special places, to take time to be with God and allow God the time and space to work in their lives. A pilgrimage is a setting aside of one’s normal routine, and taking time to reflect on what the Lord is saying, and allowing the rhythm of the walk to give mental and spiritual refreshment. It is a physical expression of our spiritual journey with God; it is a time to enjoy the beauty of God’s creation in the company of others; and it is a desire to spend quality time with God in a new way.

It is a walk with a difference.

 To book your place and be sent details of how to book and pay, please email me:  penelope@ministriesbydesign.org 

Looking forward to walking with you!

May you take joy in your  journey as you walk with Him

Do pop over to my website and buy a signed copy of a book. You might especially enjoy ‘Walking Back to Happiness’ - the story of backpacking right across France from the Med to the Atlantic.

Join me for a day of pilgrimage Sat Oct 19th 2024

Have you ever made a pilgrimage? Spent time out in nature, just walking, reflecting, praying, noticing, and walking some more? Or wished you had but don’t know where to start – literally as well as spiritually? Or haven’t the time or money to go walk-about for an extended period?

Join me on a day’s pilgrimage and discover just how beautiful and life changing it can be.

-       The walk will be about 10 miles And we’ll have some fun and enjoy ourselves!

-       It will be like a day on a longer pilgrimage, starting and ending in prayer, taking time with the Lord and with one another, making new relationships and deepening others.

-       As we walk, sometimes we’ll chat to each other, sometimes walk in silence with something to reflect on or pray through.

-       We might sing or do a ‘spiritual exercise.’

-       We’ll learn how to take joy in the journey.

When and where and who

Saturday October 19th 2024. 

10.30am – 4.30pm

Dorchester-on-Thames, just south of Oxford

Full details of where to meet will provided nearer the time. It is a circular walk and there is plenty of parking where we start/end. It’s 10 miles - my mileage in the photo above included a small errand earlier in the day!

There are two or three places en route where you could opt out and call a taxi if needed (but we really hope that won’t be necessary!). You need the security of knowing that, however.

A group of 16 max (including me!)  So do sign up soon.  Invite a friend to come with you or come alone, your choice.

What you need   - here are some general guidelines for those not too sure.

-       Good walking boots or shoes, walking socks, waterproofs (this IS England!)

-       a small backpack to carry the day’s needs.

-       Comfortable clothes for walking (jeans are not recommended!)

-       Your own picnic lunch.

-       Plenty of water to drink. I usually carry 2 bottles of water and a flask of hot coffee!

-       A moderately good level of fitness. There are a couple of gradual climbs /hills, but we will go slowly when necessary! And pause to look at the view ....

Optional extras

-       Walking poles. I like one, other people prefer two.

-       Spare sweater.

-       Sun cream (there’s always hoping)

-       Snacks to keep you energized, eg a good low sugar trail mix or energy bar. Or bananas.

Included in the day’s pilgrimage:

-       A fully guided walk of about 10 miles

-       Spiritual input and guidance

-       Any resources that will be required

-       Basic First aid

-       Support and guidance as needed before and during the day.

NB: we turn off our mobile phones, or at least put them in airplane mode for the day. And apologies, but no pets this time.

Cost for the day

The cost for all this is just £20, payable in advance; or £25 if paid on the day.

Not included:

-       Travel to and from the pilgrimage

-       Insurance/cover for any injuries (we hope and pray there won’t be any!)

-       Food and drink

This is what the Lord says: “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.”     Jer. 6:16

For centuries, Christians have walked to special places, to take time to be with God and allow God the time and space to work in their lives. A pilgrimage is a setting aside of one’s normal routine, and taking time to reflect on what the Lord is saying, and allowing the rhythm of the walk to give mental and spiritual refreshment. It is a physical expression of our spiritual journey with God; it is a time to enjoy the beauty of God’s creation in the company of others; and it is a desire to spend quality time with God in a new way.

It is a walk with a difference.

Winchester Cathedral to Canterbury Cathedral, September 2021

I’m used to walking!

The booking form is below.   Copy/paste, to email your completed booking form to me here

To pay: £20    Please quote your name as reference Thank you.

 BACS payment

Sort Code: 09-01-28    A/C name: Rev P J Swithinbank     A/c no: 77218204

Paypal friends and family:  penelope@ministriesbydesign.org

Credit Card: https://penelopeswithinbank.com/orders (please note there is a small admin fee added)

AND - advanced notice and an invitation:

If you enjoy walking on pilgrimage, my husband and I will be leading TWO pilgrimages in 2025.

May - the last week of the Via Francigena into Rome, organised with McCabe Pilgrimages. About 60 miles, plus two days in Rome.

We will be walking from Viterbo to Rome

September - a week walking in the Austrian Alps, in the Pitzal area, organised with McCabe Pilgrimages. About 10 miles each day, returning to a lovely hotel where we stay.

Brochures will be out this September, very soon, so let me know if you’d be interested to see them.

A DAY of PILGRIMAGE

Booking  Form

Name     _________________________________________________________

Address _________________________________________________________

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Post code ___________     

Home Telephone ___________________   Mobile _______________________

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Next of kin to contact in case of emergencies

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Please briefly describe any other retreats or Pilgrimages you have been on

Please briefly describe why you would like to come on the Day of Pilgrimage

Looking forward to walking with you!

The simple rules of (most) self-help books - and there are only 10

Here are the first five:

I was reading a self-help book. Entitled ‘From Success to Significance,’ it had me in its grip. There I was, in Columbus Ohio, sitting in the autumn sunshine in the garden of the house-swop holiday (vacation) home in German Village. I felt free, able to achieve anything, longing to know how to spend the second half of what was, to all intents and purposes, the second half of my adult working life. My husband and I were on a sabbatical, the only one we’ve ever had; just over three months to BE and observe in a different church, to switch off from everyday life at home, to be revived and refreshed. The weather was glorious that Fall; we walked miles, went on outings, enjoyed new American friends, discovered that generally speaking it takes a lot less water to make a good cup of coffee than most people realise.

And play. We re-learned what it means to play - crazy golf, date nights, movie theaters, breakfast out, friends over for coffee and dessert …… not much of any of this had been a part of routine church life at home. Sundays were a great source of inspiration as the church where we were observing went through a series of hugely impactful sermons on God’s Extravagant Grace. I still often recall those heady days of healings, miracles, community and grace.

I was 45; I had been working, at different things and in different jobs, since I was 22. If I were to plan for retirement at 70, I was roughly half way through my working career. What came next? Should I carry on working part time whilst helping unpaid in most areas in the church?

I wanted to do something with significance, not just pootling generally, but doing something to help others, something that would increase the Kingdom, something that was meaningful and fulfilling. And - there was usually too much month left at the end of the money and it would help enormously with our three teenagers if I could contribute more to the family kitty.

Self-help books abound in the USA. They didn’t so much in the UK thirty years ago, but everywhere in the USA there were fascinating books to help you on your journey. You could pick them up with the groceries at the grocery store, at every good or perhaps not-so-good book store, even at church. Often beautiful produced, seductive in their cover or their blurb, designed to be the one book you HAD to have to solve all your problems. I bought, and read, a number of them. Including ‘From Success to Significance,’ Bob Buford’s book aimed mostly at men, mostly at Christian business men, who were looking for significance in the second half of life. Then there were Steven Covey’s successful Seven Habits, and Jim Collins moving from Good to Great. And many, many others.

Long story short - as a result of my reading and praying, during those sabbatical months, I was strongly called by God into full time ordained ministry. And ended up in Northern Virginia for my first ordained post. What a joy and a privilege to have the Revd John Yates, and his wife Susan, as my Training Incumbent and wife!

But here’s the thing. I discovered through all that reading that most self-help books rely on the same basic principles. And they set the spirit free to soar! Here’s what I realised - there are 10 simple ‘rules’ to a rhythm of life that is truly life-giving and joy-filling. It seems to me that when I follow these, the joy floods back and my spirit soars. And when I DON’T remember them, the opposite is, of course, true.

“I like living. I have sometimes been wildly, despairingly, acutely miserable, racked with sorrow; but through it all I still know quite certainly that just to be alive is a grand thing.” - Agatha Christie

• Everything works better after it’s been turned off and back on again. Including me. Often when I’m irritable, unable to cope, feeling stressed and miserable, it’s my body telling me it’s time to switch off. Time to take a rest. God rested after being incredibly creative (Gen. ) and He gives His beloved rest. And alongside rest goes eating well and exercising properly. For me, that means far less sugar and a daily long walk. You?

• Play. Just enjoy playing. What did you enjoy when about 10 or 11? Do you still do that? And who cares what others think - life’s too short not to have fun, playful moments. I love little pots of bubbles to blow (and had a very special time with God a few years ago, when blowing bubbles in a walled garden on a 10 day silent retreat - maybe I’ll tell you more another time!) Experts say that cultivating your quirks, having fun and taking time to play is a big key to creativity. It also aids rest (see above) and can build relationships with others.

  "You often feel tired, not because you've done too much, but because you've done too little of what sparks a light in you.” - Alexander Den Heijer

• Write down everything - your goals, your plans, your rhythms of life, your gratitudes. Make a list and hone it, even if the very idea makes you cringe. We are far more likely to achieve anything if we write it down and make it visible to ourselves. A mental goal or plan is nothing like as strong to our minds as writing something down and revisiting it regularly. Try it and discover the difference it makes. My gratitude list is only 3 or 4 things a day - but writing them down is immensely satisfying. And yes, I admit to being one of those daft people who have a daily list, enjoy ticking things off when done and will also add something that wasn’t on the list but which is done, just for the pleasure of then crossing it out and marking it done!

• Take one small flutter of your wings. (if you’re following my “Soaring series” - see below) or that first tiny step. It doesn’t have to be huge or momentous. Just one small flutter, one small step, done daily and that habit becomes a key to improvement. Then take the second flutter …. Now you’re on your way! This time next year you’ll be so glad you started now.

• Just do it! Don’t procrastinate. I’m exceedingly good at thinking ‘I’ll start on Monday, always a good day to begin’ or, ‘I’ll get going when things are better/I’ve lost weight/the mornings are lighter ….. or or or’ and I rarely do. Waiting for the perfect timing to begin is mere procrastination. Perfectionism is a killer for improvement. Just take a little flutter of your wings. There! you did it. Doesn’t that feel better already?

Why not pass this on to a friend who might enjoy it too?

How to set your spirit free to soar

If you missed the earlier chapters on Setting Your Spirit Free to Soar, you can find them here:

What keeps you pinned to your perch?

PENELOPE SWITHINBANK

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30 JUN

The birdcage is beautiful: an old-fashioned domed one made of brass bars. It’s sitting in the window of an antique-y sort of junk shop, still intact and complete with a single static perch stretching across its width. Sitting on the perch is a stuffed bird, of faded blue/black foliage, dark of beak and beady of eye, its head drooping and desolate. Poo…

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7 ways to be Fully Alive

PENELOPE SWITHINBANK

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23 JUN

Don't we all long for a sense of vitality and presence in our everyday lives? In today's fast-paced world, feeling truly alive can often seem like a distant dream. We go through the motions, ticking off to-do lists, meeting deadlines, and fulfilling obligations, but rarely do we stop to reflect on what it means to live fully.

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What's your biggest fear?

PENELOPE SWITHINBANK

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16 JUN

OK, so I’m afraid of water. Can’t swim, never have liked water in my eyes and ears and up my nose. Whether that’s in the shower or the pool. I think it’s a fear inherited from my mother, who couldn’t swim, didn’t like the ocean, and sat on the beach while my father, a champion swimmer for his county, tried to teach me to swim. I was terrified as he held…

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The Birdcage and metathesiophobia

PENELOPE SWITHINBANK

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9 JUN

It was a startling image. An old fashioned birdcage, the door wide open; and a little bird sitting mournfully on its perch, not daring to escape and soar free. And I could sense that it’s me. Perhaps you too. Of course it is! Held in our own cages, our spirits downcast, wanting to be free to soar - yet something is holding us back. The bars of the cage …

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Have you ever blown bubbles?

For the full story, click here

Walk into Rome with us in the Jubilee Year of 2025

a very special pilgrimage

Walk into Rome, on pilgrimage, in the Year of Jubilee 2025

 Pope Francis has declared 2025 as a year of Jubilee * with the theme of Hope

 Join us on pilgrimage, walking from Viterbo into Rome, some 60 miles, followed by time in Rome itself.  It will be organized for us by McCabe Pilgrimages   https://www.mccabe-travel.co.uk

and the Revds Kim and Penelope Swithinbank will be your pilgrimage leaders.

 We will be walking the final 60 miles of the Via Francigena, the ancient pilgrimage route from Canterbury to Rome, on the Via Cassia through the Lazio area, in late spring. Etruscan roads and Roman roads, strade bianche (white farm tracks) and footpaths, followed by the unavoidable walk through the outskirts of Rome .... and then the amazing crossing of the Tiber and into St Peter’s Square.

Walking on Roman roads!

This diagram is taken from ATG; our walk will be different but with the same route and (a few) ups and (some) downs and the flat stretch into Rome itself and then – the fabulous walk across the Tiber to St Peter’s Square.

Our theme will of course be HOPE. The jubilee year already has lots of preparations in place; there is a Jubilee hymn, prayer, and Pilgrimage Card. It’s all very exciting as we think about the HOPE we have in the Lord.

Places are limited to 25, and we don’t want you to miss out on this very special opportunity, so pop over to the McCabe website and book now! We’d love to have you join us.

Hope to see you in Viterbo and on to Rome!

I run on coffee….

there’s always time for a gelato for him…. but our favourite one is in the Trastavere in Rome!

*“Jubilee” is the name given to a particular year; the name comes from the instrument used to mark its launch. In this case, the instrument in question is the yobel, the ram's horn, used to proclaim the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). This (Jewish) holiday occurs every year, but it takes on special significance when it marks the beginning of a Jubilee year. We can find an early indication of it in the Bible: a Jubilee year was to be marked every 50 years, since this would be an “extra” year, one which would happen every seven weeks of seven years, i.e., every 49 years (cf. Leviticus 25:8-13). Even though it wasn’t easy to organise, it was intended to be marked as a time to re-establish a proper relationship with God, with one another, and with all of creation, and involved the forgiveness of debts, the return of misappropriated land, and a fallow period for the fields.

Quoting the prophet Isaiah, the Gospel of Luke describes Jesus’ mission in this way: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord,” (Luke 4:18-19; cf. Isaiah 61:1-2). Jesus lives out these words in his daily life, in his encounters with others and in his relationships, all of which bring about liberation and conversion.

In 1300, Pope Boniface VIII called the first Jubilee, also known as a “Holy Year,” since it is a time in which God's holiness transforms us.