The Dead Sea… is it an angel or a cloud overhead? Rev’d Sue Martin
A sense of adventure and an abiding faith have led me to many different places. Journeys beyond home beckon with intrigue and desire. Travelling across borders, known and unknown are full of awe and wonder.
Plans are developing to bring those pilgrimages into homes, a ‘sofa pilgrimage’.
In the meantime take a look at the Walkabout pages to get a sense of my journeys.
Rev’d Sue Martin
Basilica of St Francis of Assisi
On Maundy Thursday our benefice in rural Norfolk has two groups of pilgrims walking through on their way to Walsingham, an ancient site of pilgrimage. There they join the other groups, called legs, to take part in worship at Easter.
This year I joined the Northern Leg from Nottingham at St Botolph’s Church Grimston for sausage rolls and worship and then at St Nicholas Gayton with the Ely Leg, from Ely, for tea and worship.
A real joy for me was to follow them on the walk for some time across the Norfolk countryside. It was a beautiful warm April day and we shared songs and conversations before they went on their way to Harpley for the night before the final journey on Good Friday to the Shrine at Walsingham.
Rev’d Sue Martin
A trip of a lifetime ! In search of tidewater glaciers.I have been interested in glaciology since I studied geography and geomorphology as a student.
On a visit to Vancouver to see the sights and meet with cousins and friends, it seemed the perfect time to add on a 3 hour flight north to Alaska. On August 27th 2024, Emily and I flew first to Vancouver and then onto Anchorage, Alaska on 30th August.
In Anchorage we joined the Alaska Railroad train to Whittier, Prince William Sound on a scenic route along the coast and into the mountains.
At Whittier we embarked on a smallish boat with 80 other people and sped along College Sound until we came in sight of hanging glaciers and then the tidewater glacier of Harvard Glacier.
Amazing sight, had everyone in silence as we gazed in awe at the sight of this spectacular glacier, blue ,white and grey, serene and full of power.
Harvard Glacier is 20 miles long, 200 ft tall at the waters edge and over 30,000 years old.
As we gazed in silence we heard the sounds of the ice groaning or like a gun shot as the ice then fell into the sea.This glacier is still advancing and gaining in its size unlike so many.
More to follow….
Rev’d Sue Martin
Bread is a basis of the food that we need, it is a staple ingredient to keep ourselves healthy. It is like a mainstay to making sure that the morning starts well or at some time in the day we are provided for. Think of all the times you eat bread….
In the gospel of John for todays readings on 11th Sunday in Trinity Jesus says;
‘I am the bread of life’ ‘whoever comes to me will never go hungry and whoever believes in me will never go thirsty’.
I’ve just retuned from a holiday in Croatia and every morning it was my job to cycle the mile along the edge of the Adriatic to buy the bread and croissants. Not too hard a job!
Every day we shared the bread as a provision, it gave us all joy and a chance to talk together… read more on sermons.
Rev’d Sue Martin
St Anne’s Church Stanley
Between the bus station and Stanley Market lies the Catholic Church of St Anne’s. It’s a place I have often visited and in April this year I walked into this beautiful church.
The way in or entrance, is through a door on the left of the nave, which is close to the offices, so you are unaware of the peace to be found as you enter the nave.
The artwork above the altar is stunning, set against a backdrop of cobalt blue.
Once I had sat down and given myself time for the heat to leave my body it was a real joy to spend time in this place once again, and bring all that lies heavily on my shoulders.
I returned to the apartment on the red double decker no 6X bus, feeling refreshed and happy, or should that mean blessed?
Rev’d Sue Martin
Ma Hang Park to Stanley, Hong Kong Island
My favourite walk from Ma Hang Park, site of the original village, into Stanley on Hong Kong Island. Really peaceful and passed a Buddhist monastery on the way. It’s well fenced off as there are wild boars and dangerous snakes in the scrub.
Hong Kong is such a place of contrasts. If I had travelled by bus the other way I would have been in the centre of Hong Kong, with the most enormous skyscrapers.
Rev’d Sue Martin
On Maundy Thursday we have two legs of the Pilgrim Cross who stop for refreshments and rest on their walk to The Shrine of Our Lady at Walsingham(Anglican).
At At St Botolph’s Church in Grimston we had the Northern Leg, and at St Nicholas Church in Gayton the Ely Leg arrived. They had been in a rain storm for the last hour, cold, damp and hungry, but in such good spirits. After a brief stay, sausage rolls and cakes were eaten, prayers said and a welcome warm under the heaters, they set off for a further two hours before stopping overnight at Harpley.
The next day they would all journey on to Walsingham and meet with many other pilgrims at the end of their pilgrimage.
Rev’d Sue Martin
In a tiny and beautfiul corner of West Norfolk lies one of our benefice churches, St Mary’s East Walton. Every year on Palm Sunday we gather at the farm, and walk behind the donkeys Jimmy and Timmy into church.
This year we were joined by some keen young people, parents and friends, from one of our church schools. They led us with the readings and prayers and were a joy to have.
Farmer Bill returned with the donkeys and a small carriage and the children rode back in style.
The next day in our larger church at St Nicholas, Gayton we had two church schools into church for their end of term services. Delighted to see so many parents, 500 people in church that Monday!!
What a great start to Holy Week!
Rev’d Sue Martin
Ten years ago I went to Papua New Guinea on a pilgrimage with the Diocese of Norwich.
Since then I continue to be active in supporting projects to help people in that country. In 2024 we are hoping to raise enough money to supply water tanks for the student accommodation at Newton Theological College. This will bring then freshwater and enable sanitation too.
A great project and to get the appeal started, three of the committee at the Diocese of Norwich PNG Link group, including myself, are presenting a series of talks at Norwich Cathedral Library this Saturday morning.
More info will be posted Saturday afternoon.
Rev’d Sue Martin
View of Korcula and St Mark’s Cathedral image Sue Martin
In the summer of 2022, I took a ferry from Split to Korcula. In the steamy heat of a Croatian July day,the ferry docked at this beautiful place in the midst of the Adriatic. A small island with lots of history and a maze of tiny streets.
From the tower of St Mark’s Cathedral I gazed across the deep blues seas, and wondered at the beauty and splendour in our world.
St Mark’s Cathedral was built in the 15th Century, in Gothic-Renaissance style and has two Tintoretto paintings.
Journeying alone can be fun and gives me time to let the day wander into my mind through the sights in front of me and a real sense of place and the history of days gone by.
Rev’d Sue Martin
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