An Australian Reflection

Australia is a magical land, flush with natural splendour, acres of grapevines, sublime beaches, beautiful wildlife, majestic giant trees, epic distances. It is a prosperous, diverse and multicultural country.

As I travelled around Western Australia at the start of Pentecost 2010, familiar and traditional images associated with the season were to be seen and felt everywhere throughout the Large State - red fiery leaves on Autumnal trees, a gentle breeze which blew over Freemantle’s harbour, a thunder and lightning storm which raged around Busselton Bay, the silence of early morning dawn on Scarborough beach, Perth. Another image of Pentecost which came into my mind whilst on holiday, and which I have been exploring since my return is the Pentecost image of space for as I discovered Australia is a big country, epic distances with large spaces.

Space! Not the final frontier but the area or arena we occupy in our homes, our places of work and in the community. My professional life has been spent arranging and shaping urban and rural spaces in many of the County’s towns and villages. Space also occupies our churches, both inside and out. Over the years many of the Northern Synods listed church buildings and halls have had their internal space modified and altered to fit new worship patterns and community uses.

But why you might ask is space connected to Pentecost? Space is significant for Christians. Orthodox Christians believe that since God’s feet touched the earth following the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, the earth is considered a sacred and holy space. The Dean of Durham recently writing in “News from Durham Cathedral,” Summer 2010, suggests “that every church is a sacred space, a public sign of God’s presence in the world.”

During the last few weeks, ordination services have been held in churches up and down the land during which ordinands heard the customary and time-honoured lesson from the Old Testament, Isaiah 6. I was reminded at my ordination service that God’s presence is found not just in the sacred places of our churches and cathedrals (verse 1 tells us God’s train filled the temple), but in spaces outside the church where Christ was crucified, in an unfenced and unadorned place, the place where people like myself, self supporting minsters, ply their renewing ministerial craft. For it is in that place, outside the church, in the world, where God’s glory is to be found, as verse 3 from Isaiah 6 reminds us, not in church buildings. The poet Gerald Manley Hopkins affirms in his poem of the same name that “The world is charged with the grandeur of God.” And later he reminds us that “The Holy Spirit over the bent world broods with warm breast and with ah! Bright wings.”

This is where we find God, in the urban spaces around the church, he is around every corner, celebrating in the skill and daring of the kid on the skateboard, encouraged in the neighbourhood’s tenant’s meeting, crying with the abused child of the addict, dancing with the swaying crowds of Pentecostal choirs, saddened by the profligacy of city bankers. I discovered whilst working in Newcastle’s East End you don’t have to look hard to find God in the spaces of our inner city, in our urban areas. There he is in the face of the woman who patiently teaches local children to cook or draw, in a man who talks to hoodies on the bus or street pastors in the midst of the night time economy of the city centre. As Laurie Green stated in the edited book Crossover City – Resources for Urban Mission and Transformation, Continuum Press 2010,” glory is to be found in colour and mixity, vibrant money and music making, oppressive selfishness and dirt, chaotic order and summer tennis courts. As St Paul found out after his conversion, God is not always where you expect to find him. The Bishop of New Hampshire, Gene Robinson writing in his book In the eye of the Storm, Canterbury Press 2008, writes “God refuses to be contained in the little boxes of space we create for God to live in, safely confined to the careful boundaries we set for God’s Spirit. God just won’t stay put!”

So here is a new and different approach to consider this Pentecost. How does the work of the spirit affect the spaces which we occupy in our homes, our places of work, our community, our churches. In the large wilderness spaces of my Australian holiday I discovered that the season of Pentecost might be considered as the celebration of God-given space in which we can grow and flourish, where all of us collectively, can discover and live out our humanity.

The origins of Pentecost lie in one of Israel's agricultural festivals, the Feast of Weeks, when the first ripe grain was offered fifty days after the Passover. The feast in Old Testament times was related to the gift of a land, the gift of land or space which was given to the Jews to inhabit, settle and fertilise, a land that was well-watered, productive, as the familiar phrase goes - a land flowing with milk and honey. This land of safety, plenty and rest is a familiar Bible image of deliverance, recovery and liberation. But what is interesting to note about the language of ‘salvation' in Hebrew is that it is closely related to the idea of space, a space in which as individuals and communities we have room to grow, to flourish and be truly alive. The converse of that space is a restricted space, a space that does not lead to potential growth, but a space to be confined, hemmed in, imprisoned, where possibilities are closed off. In that sort of space we die.

Sadly many of our world conflicts have been driven and are still being driven by the acquisition of space, land-hunger, the competitive struggle for territory to occupy. Even in the Old Testament the occupation of land was often a matter of conquer, divide and rule – one tends to forget that there were already people living in the evocative land flowing with milk and honey. The 1984 Nobel Peace laureate, the irrepressible Archbishop Desmond Tutu, shortly to retire later this year, once said “When the missionaries came to Africa they had the Bible and we had the land. They said, “Let us pray.” We closed our eyes. When we opened them, we had the Bible and they had the land.”

In New Testament times the story of Pentecost is closely linked to the mission of the church. At Pentecost the disciples are in Jerusalem where the risen Jesus has told them to wait. But after the rush of wind and fire, they learn that they must take the gospel out of the city's confines. ‘Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria to the uttermost parts of the earth': those are the expanding circles of the gospel's influence that are acted out in the mission of the early church. The Book of Acts begins in Jerusalem and ends in Rome, as if to say: there is a new geography of the Spirit here, a new way of mapping the world. It is space for the gospel to occupy. It is claimed by the risen Jesus in the power of his Spirit. It is God's. So the urban (and rural) space, this contested space, is a good position to learn how to live in God’s bright new world of Spirit filled space, to learn the lesson of the risk of the cross and its promise of resurrection life.

We could say that the Spirit's activity is always the creation of space in which to grow. And we can see that happening in the very first story in the Bible. In the opening verses of Genesis, the spirit or wind of God moves over the face of the waters: the Hebrew word suggests a bird hovering over her nest. It is the beginning of a journey that will see the chaotic flood pushed back into a place from where it can no longer threaten to overwhelm the world. With the waters' boundaries set for ever, space is created for the dry land to appear, and an ordered, coherent universe can begin to teem with life. In Genesis, where the Spirit of God is at work, chaos is driven back, and pattern, order, structure, life and consciousness have room to emerge.

So it is for us this summer, for those who follow the way of Jesus Christ. As Matthew’s beatitudes have it – “Splendid are those who follow the ways of Christ, they too are citizens of a Bright New World” from John Henson, Good as New translation taken from chapter 1 the Reflective Disciple, Roger Walton, Epworth Press 2010. Here is space, Spirit filled space in which the boundless grace of God abounds without end.

This season of Pentecost then opens up a vision of broad, generous spaces we might inhabit as the Spirit makes a home amongst us. The traditional images of the Spirit all imply space: without it fire goes out, water stops flowing, wind ceases to blow. But as the Spirit prompts and propels us into inhabiting our salvation, occupying the space God gives us to grow in, in our homes, our places of work, our communities, are there any limits to what we could become in his service? With this vision the church is poised for new mission filled activities in the world, like the first Christians in the Book of Acts. In Northern Synod the Mission4Life Mission Fund, launched in October 2009 is encouraging and supporting partners in mission initiatives throughout the Synod. Partners already supported include Grindon CRCW, Newcastle City Centre Chaplaincy, North Northumberland Rural Adviser and St. Cuthbert's Centre Holy Island, church communities although small in number now on the cutting edge of mission.

Within our own denomination Vision4Life give us that opportunity to be transformed and renewed from within, galvanised by new reasons for occupying Spirit filled spaces as we live in God’s bright New World. Our society and our world freed from all that holds it in thrall to chaos and death, now begins to embrace the release and hope it longs for. Pentecost is our gateway to vast and generous spaces of an unprecedented experience of God-given life.

Revd Ray Anglesea

July 2010

Ray Anglesea is a self supporting minister in the Northern Synod

Rowena Sabbatical walk - 1 Whitby to Seaham

Week 1 of walking is complete and the dogs are whacked and so home is peaceful as it would take more energy than they have for a day or two to bark at every passer-by.

Over the week I have been reflecting on Proverbs and their exhortation to be disciplined or be a disciple rather than to go of into one’s own folly. Proverbs 16:3 has become an important text as I walk the length of the synod, ‘Commit to the Lord whatever you do and he will establish your plans.’ This is not simply in regard to Sabbatical plans but for future ministry. The plans to walk are to aid reflection for as the saying puts it ‘journeys are the midwives of our thoughts’.

The journey started on Saturday 10th July with the journey to Whitby with dogs on the metro and a car journey from Sunderland after a birthday tea that I was kindly welcomed to. On Sunday I worshipped at Trinity URC led by Revd Helen Drummond who with husband Ian hosted me. This gave opportunity later in the day to go around on the open air bus that Ian acts as tour guide on and to walk a section of the Cleveland Way South. This was a limbering up exercise for the week ahead.


Whitby to Staithes

At 9am on Monday the dogs and I set out along the Cleveland Way coast path to Staithes. It drizzled on and off all day. The tide was out so we went along the beach to Sandsend where after 35 minutes walking I stopped for a cappuccino; who knows when further sustenance would be available. Then up on to the cliffs and along a disused railway to Kettleness, before dropping down once more to the sands. Rabbits were a great attraction for the dogs all week. We traipsed across the sands again to lunch in Runswick Bay near the lifeboat. Then there was a steep climb out of the village to continue along the Cleveland Way to Port Mulgrave, round Old Nab to Staithes. I arrived with plenty of time to wander around the life boat station, the harbour, the co-operative craft fair before arriving with two wet dogs at Brooklyn B&B. Here towels were needed and it was all hands on deck to rub the dogs dry. Later in the evening a meal at ‘The Cod and Lobster’ overlooking the harbour sealed a good day. The pub had been restored in the 50’s following its fourth time of being substantially carried off by the sea. This has happened to whole villages such as Kettleness, on the coast walked today which is one of the stretches that is being eroded at the greatest speed around the UK.

Staithes to Redcar

Stuffed with a generous full English breakfast we were seen off the B&B premises by a flustered herring gull protecting its two young chicks. These were hatched on the roof of the house on the neighbouring street and so found its nest and chicks on a level with the front door steps of the B&B so one was only a metre away at eye level.

The Cleveland Way wound across the cliff tops. This area has been a centre for Alum Quarries. We crossed Rookcliffe the highest point on the North East coast and on this walk. Skinnygrove down in a river access that thrived in the days of the iron and steel works now had the air of a ghost village. This stretch had a rich industrial heritage but was older than what was to come in the next couple of days; symbolised by the Guibal Fan House maintained as an ancient monument now but that was used to ventilate the nearby mine from 1872-1906. Although quiet the villages did not show signs of devastation and destruction of the like of what was to come in later walk days.

This area of geological significance with loads of fossils, one of which I brought home as a treasure, is also marked by a series of sculptures by Richard Farrington, including one called ‘The Charm Bracelet’ that was well worth seeing.

A late lunch in Saltburn was followed by a hike over the sands (that was hard going) to the start of the Southern end of Redcar Promenade and along the front towards Coatham where Colin Offor kindly picked us up and along with wife Patti hosted us over night. It was good to share conversation and to tell dog stories in advance of a new four legged member of their family being adopted the next day.

Redcar to Cowpen Bewley
The next two days walking were the ones that proved most problematic to work out a route for. I am grateful to Henry Gowland for an initial draft route, to Alan my husband for scanning maps, to Ken Harris for inquiries made about the best way round Seal Sands and to Colin Offor for his knowledge of cycle routes north of the Tees. Indeed the route I took proved fascinating and not as difficult as envisaged.

From Coatham I went the long way round the golf course – something I did several times on route rather than face the ire of golfers. I followed the boundary of the steel works and then crossed Coatham Marsh. This led to the most challenging part of the walk for the dogs. A high footbridge across the railway line with gridded metal steps up both sides – not designed for paws either in size or sharpness. With coaxing, lying flat on their bellies I enticed them up; but no way were they going to go down. So they had to be carried in turn.

I now joined the end of the Teesdale way and much of today followed this path. At the Corus roundabout on the A1085 a gaggle of geese had somehow got themselves stranded on the roundabout. Their leader frog-marched them around and then decided they would have to go for it and in single file they strode across the road. A police car gave way and a back log of traffic built up to let them pass unharmed.

Then for five miles it was the’ Black Path’ something I was looking forward to walking as an experience. With pipe lines on one side and railway servicing industry, with freight trains passing up and down on the other; this path is sometimes open and sometimes closed in with fence on either side sometimes being only 2-3 metres wide. Yet in this spitting pipes and hooting, clashing industrial environment, reed beds and wild flowers, brambles and birdsong abound.

I came out at the Navigation Pub for lunch where the locals looked after the dogs with water. Then it was over to the Riverside Stadium where I paid homage on behalf of my brother-in-law and over the dock. The new Temenos sculpture by Anish Kapoor and Cecil Balmond was impressive and a highlight. It was good to see this that only opened in June this year. It is difficult to describe. The best I can do is a big bird net with a twist and aesthetically pleasing.

Then the dogs and I walked up the road to the Transporter bridge for our first experience of crossing it. I was excited but Colin had warned me at breakfast that it was not that special. If truth is told, I was disappointed as there was not a sense of being suspended and the bridge looks more imposing from further afield.
Then it was up the road through Port Clarance and High Clarance revealing the contrast between burnt out and boarded up houses amongst homes and yet green open spaces and trees. These communities tell the story through their presence of the industrial decline on Teesside.

A rest on waste land in Haverton Hill prepared me for a nasty piece of road walking up Cowpen Bewley Road with no verge or pavement and heavy vehicles passing. I should not moan as I thought I might have to do many miles like this rather than only one or two. Then I had a coffee at the pub and wrote up my reflections on the day until Colin was free to pick me up and willingly hosted me for a second night.

Colin and Pattie had collected their new Border Collie adoptee that afternoon so settling her in with my two dogs Toby and Molly as guests in the house led to a wonderful evening of eating and fussing dogs.

Cowpen Bewley to Hartlepool

On Colin’s advice I followed cycle route 14 through Cowpen Country Park and then footpaths into Greatham where there is a Hospital Estate and chapel originally set up for the poor as well as an ancient Parish Church. They were beautiful but not accessible at the time I passed through.

I then used footpaths across fields and alongside the railway, between the oil storage and other works. This brought me down past a chicken battery farm and onto Graythorp Industrial estate. Only a short distance along the main road, that interestingly gave views of the ghost ships in the shipyard, before I turned down the access road to the power station. A short walk across the nature reserve brought me to the North Gare breakwater path that I followed and went out on in spite of the danger signs. As I had not risked going out on South Gare the other side of the Tees, (as it is not encouraged and it would have been a significant detour) I felt it important to see the Tees from this angle. Cruise and container ships were busily entering the docks.

Then we did another extensive beach walk along Seaton Sands to Seaton Carew where I had a very welcome lunch on sheltered decking, as it was a windy day, at the Staincliffe Hotel – a beautiful parsnip and apple soup. Food seems to taste so much more, when walking indeed when on Sabbatical than when working when it so much more functional. Another beach walk to Hartlepool. Here I wandered around the Old Town, Historic Dock and Marina before Val Towler, my host for the next two nights, picked me up. It was good to have time to talk.

Hartlepool to Eastington Colliery

On this day, I spent an interesting hour or more on the Headlands of Hartlepool, the old medieval city having walked out along the main road in the company of an unemployed guy walking his terrier. The fish quays, St Hilda’s church and Andy Capp statue were absorbing but took time out from walking the route.

Durham County Council in the last decade has developed a coastal walk from Crimdon to Seaham Hall Beach. It is beautiful and I would strongly recommend it. While it is well signposted from car parks assuming people will walk to the coast and wander back or at most will do a small circular ramble; it is not well signposted for walkers along the whole route. When crossing a gill it is not clear whether it is best to go down onto the beach and up again or up to the railway and road. I suspect I ended up doing extra miles in and out and so for the first time I did not make my aimed for destination.

This area was a centre of mining. Its villages of Blackhill Colliery, Hordon and Eastington Colliery that at points I walked through showed that history. Val picked me up at Easington Colliery.

Easington Colliery to Seaham

It has been a good week but I and the dogs are tiring. Next week there is space in the walking schedule. So I made the decision to only walk for a half day to Seaham and get the train home.

Much of the route followed the railway or cliffs. At Hawthorn Hive, I went further inland than necessary but the ancient woodland was stunning. Then past Beacon Hill (I did not climb it), and Nose’s Point. If you are into wild flowers then the Magnesian Limestone cliffs in this area are a feast to behold with orchids, ox eye daisies, ferns and gorses. The dogs loved this terrain and its smells. The colours and variety were wonderful.

Then down into Seaham with its harbour and superstore Asda opposite. Then I went up through the main shopping street with its charity shops and cheaper end of the market retailers. There I stopped for lunch at a cafe and watched the world go by before walking to the railway station and catching the 1.15pm back to Newcastle and walking home across the Town Moor.



The first weeks walk has been easier route wise than anticipated and has been very satisfing, enjoyable and fascinating in the variety of landscapes walked through. It is helping me to get a better picture of parts of the synod and is indeed a journey that is a midwife to thoughts. I pray these thoughts will be fruitful and helpful in the months and years to come.




Rowena