We bring Good News
November 1999 No 107 Diocese of Oxford Reporter Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire
VV,llking for a change 'The first step was the worst' said Brian Wallis (centre, front row), a social worker from North Shields, who like Merryn (front row right) was one of 20 pilgrims who walked all the way from lona.They were photographed by Frank Blackwell on their way from Wolvercote on the edge of Oxford to the city centre.With them are local pilgrims like Hubert Allan (left of Brian) a member of the Oxford organising group and Walter Cheney (behind Merryn), a Church House staff member. (Below) The Deputy Mayor of Oxford greets the pilgrims watched by Jo Saunders, Board of Social Responsibility Officer who coordinated the pilgrimage in the Diocese.
Tired faces broke into smiles at the warmth of their welcome Jo Saunders, Diocesan Social Responsibility Officer and co-ordinator of pilgrimage events in the Diocese reflects on Church Action on Poverty's Long Walk
There was tingle of anticipation in Banbury on 7 October when we heard that the Pilgrimage had reached the outskirts of town. Weeks of preparation were rewarded as the tired faces of the walkers broke into smiles at the warmth of their welcome. It was an experience repeated in each host town in the eight days the pilgrims took to cross the Oxford Diocese. Six pilgrims left Iona on 15 August. Others, including a 72 year old man walked 'just from Glasgow, or Manchester'. At Banbury, Bicester, Oxford, Wallingford, Reading, Wokingham and Slough they were greeted by civic leaders and church people. In between many churches offered 'comfort' stops - all organised ecumenically. Many local people joined the walkers for a short way, others for a day or longer. Walter Cheney
from the Diocesan Board of Trustees walked with them for 28 miles from Banbury to Oxford. The weekend was spent in Oxford, giving time for local people to talk to the walkers, to reflect on their committed witness and to ponder on what response we can make locally. Over 60 people greeted the pilgrims at Wolvercote Village Hall, and 40 walked with them into Oxford for a welcome in Broad Street. On the Sunday, after attending local churches with their hosts, the pilgrims joined in a Festival Against Poverty at Blackbird Leys. Entertainment, exhibitions, discussions with young people, deep questioning of MPs and academics highlighted the issues for poor people and the strength of their will to make things better. The day culminated with vibrant multicultural worship at the Church of the Holy Family, attended by Church leaders, including the Bishop of Oxford. But the service was led by the people. The day belonged to them and to the pilgrims. The pilgrimage brought us face to face with the persistent poverty in the U.K, which leaves one in three children in poor families, many thousands of workless households and vulnerable, infirm people without their basic needs. The pilgrims were celebrating all that is
done to help those in need, much by the churches. They were also challenging the government to go beyond the small measures taken already to provide a minimum income for all to go beyond mere existence to a 'life in all its fullness'. Now it is up us to take up their challenge
The pilgrims left Slough on 15 October for London. There, on Sunday, 17 October, hundreds walked from Archbishop's Park, Lambeth to Trafalgar Square, banners flying, drums beating. After a reflection at the new statue of Christ crowned with thorns and a rally with speeches by Lord Judd, Kathleen Richardson, Moderator of the Free Church Council and Bob Holman, they packed St Martin-in-the-Fields for a service of worship and commitment to the Agenda for Change promoted by the pilgrimage and presented the next day to Gordon Brown, the Chancellor of the Exchequer. The people of the Oxford Diocese should feel proud of their support for the pilgrims. Now it is up to us to take up the challenge and do something positive about the poverty in our country which it is all to easy to More photos and reports on page 2. ignore.
inside The DOOR All this comes from One villa • Meeting God on a tractor page 5 • Finding faith in later life • Prisons on the inside
The place to shop for interiors • On the A44 in Woodstock Craft made articles for the home • From craftmakers' cooperatives
page 8
pages I0-13
• A place for the lonely
page 7
• Bellamy in Dorchester
page 20
The DOOR is now available on audiotape from Graham Winterbourne on 01884 840285.
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