Talking about Christ as we walk

We had a pleasant day half-day's walk in the environs of Poole in Wharfedale yesterday, which is just about a quarter of an hour's drive from Leeds Trinity. Eight students and a Religious Studies lecturer joined me in tramping across six-and-a-half miles of snow-covered fields, our feet breaking through the thin ice and squelching into the thick mud beneath. We saw a hare haring across a distant slope and an unidentified bird of prey wheeling above us. People toppled over, got temporarily stuck on tricky stiles; and we all laughed at each other's misfortunes. One young woman had bought some wellington boots for the occasion, discovered that they were both for the left foot, but pressed on uncomplainingly regardless! Everybody was just pleased to be out in the open air with a gang of friendly people and to have the opportunity to relax. As a priest these are golden moments: you have good conversations, one after another, building up relationships. Often the fact that you are facing the same way as your interlocutor helps enormously. Stuff gets sorted as you tramp along. At one point we saw the picturesque Almscliff Crag in the distance where, I understand, some local churches have a dawn service on Easter morning before heading off to have separate services in their own buildings. I read once, I believe, that John Wesley preached to a large group of people from that crag. At least one of our party yesterday was a Methodist. Just about all of us were Christians, it turned out. It occurrred to me as we pressed on good humouredly that the continuation of the faith in this island, claimed for Christ by Columba and Augustine, is not really in jeopardy. Many young people believe in Christ. Some are keeping their heads down, nervous of being accused of being bigots by their contemporaries. That's what made yesterday so delightful: students could refer to their Christian faith now and again as the conversations progressed unselfconsciously. Sometimes it's good to be yeast in the world; but at other times we need simply to be together, drawing strength from each other. The day ended with hot chocolate in a pub and then cups of tea back and Jaffa Cakes in the Chaplaincy Lounge. It's impossible to calculate the blessings of such shared time.

Here is a picture of us all taking a pause at a farm.