People spent the morning of Friday, January 30 learning about how pilgrimages can help them engage with their communities and beyond at a Pilgrimages Day at Ripon Cathedral.
Organised in collaboration with Faith in the North, the morning event offered a chance to hear from churches that are already using pilgrimage routes to build relationships, as well as learning about the Pilgrim Places initiative and the resources available to support pilgrimage.
The morning began with input from people at Ripon Cathedral and from Faith in the North, before participants heard from representatives from churches in Kirby Malhamdale, Arkengarthdale and the Fountains benefice about their experiences using pilgrimage in their contexts.
People from Kirby Malhamdale spoke about getting going with pilgrimages, while people from the Fountains benefice spoke about having good route design.
People from Arkengarthdale spoke about how to champion pilgrimages in their communities and beyond.
Following this there was an introduction to the Faith in the North Pilgrim Places resources, which included information from the Arthur Rank Centre.
The Revd Caroline Pinchbeck, Diocesan Rural Change Enabler, said: “Pilgrim Places is really important resource and network provided by Faith in the North.
“For our small rural churches, it adds to the many ways in which we can extend our welcome to enable pilgrims and visitors to encounter God and deepen their own spirituality.”
Pilgrim Places is Faith in the North’s initiative to encourage people to become pilgrims exploring churches as special places, taking time to pause, reflect and find peace, hope, comfort, and understanding to take back into the everyday pilgrim journey of life.
Any church, in any context, can become a ‘Pilgrim Place’ – somewhere welcoming, and peaceful which offers time to relax and reflect.
The Pilgrim Places resources, including trails, prayer cards, signage and toolkits, are designed to support all churches, whether on an existing pilgrimage route or walking trail; looking to develop their own trails; or just wanting to find fresh ways to welcome visitors and local people.
Find out more about Pilgrim Places here.
The morning ended with the launching of the Rural Missioner’s Guild, a new ecumenical fellowship created to support, connect and encourage those involved in rural mission and ministry across the UK.
The Guild has been jointly developed by The Arthur Rank Centre and the Diocese of Leeds to offers a simple but purposeful way for people serving in rural contexts to feel sustained, recognised and held in prayer.
The Guild is open to anyone with a heart for rural mission, whether lay or ordained, and from any Christian denomination or tradition.
The Rt Revd Anna Eltringham, Bishop of Ripon, is the Patron of the Guild, and was at its launch.
At the core of the Rural Missioner’s Guild is a shared commitment to prayer and mutual encouragement.
Rural mission can often feel isolating, with leaders and volunteers stretched across wide geographies and complex responsibilities.
The Guild exists to remind those serving in these places that they are not alone, and that their calling is shared by others across the countryside.
Membership of the Guild draws people into a prayerful network that values faithfulness, attentiveness to place and the slow, steady work of presence that characterises much rural ministry.
Members receive a Guild prayer card and pin badge as tangible signs of belonging, and an annual contribution of only £10 helps sustain the life and work of the Guild.
The Rural Missioner’s Guild will also offer small seed-corn grants of up to £200, designed to support local grassroots ideas and initiatives.
These grants are intended to encourage creativity and experimentation, helping new expressions of mission and community engagement to take root in rural settings.
Find out more about the Rural Missioner's Guild here.