St John's
UNITED REFORMED CHURCH
ST JOHN'S
UNITED REFORMED CHURCH
Uniting churches of Ponteland
and Wideopen
Sunday Morning Service
21st April 2024
Christian Aid Week
2024
Walk across the sands to Lindisfarne
Tuesday 28th May 2024
(Supporting Christian Aid Week)
Lindisfarne is a special place as it was the cradle of Christianity in the North of England. The Irish monk Aidan was invited to set up a monastery there by King Oswald of Northumbria in 634AD and the church of St Mary on the island contains some of this building. After the Council of Whitby in 664 the church in England agreed to accept Roman Church practices. Cuthbert was the bishop of Lindisfarne in the 680’s and after his death his body was taken to Durham to avoid Viking raids. Many pilgrims then visited Lindisfarne after Cuthbert was made a saint. The island was a very important cultural centre and the Lindisfarne Gospels were created there in the early 700’s. The Vikings sacked the monastery and a new Abbey was built after the Norman Conquest.
The traditional way of reaching the Island was across the sands and that route is marked by a line of posts which takes one across the sands and mudflats. The modern vehicle causeway is quite recent.
We plan to walk across sands on the Pilgrim Route on Tuesday 28th May. We shall meet at the church at 9.00am. We shall go by car to the island. Ron Forster and I did the walk when the crossing times were the same as those in May. We parked in the Snook on the W of the island and walked back down the causeway to the line of poles. We then followed the poles to the island. It was mostly sandy underfoot although there was some mud. The deepest channel we crossed had water up to mid calf height. Although the water might not be quite as deep when we walk it is best to go barefoot or in wellingtons. On reaching the island we walked into the village then through the fields towards the North of the Island. We then turned W and when we reached the causeway we followed it back to the Snook.This circuit was about 8 miles.
The walk across the sands is about 2.5 miles and it should be possible for people to do this if some drivers are prepared to take people to the island and back after they have had some time to explore the island.
We hope that people will be willing to sponsor us for Christian Aid. Please use link provided above to donate
Many thanks for your support
John Whiteman
St John's Singers
New members very welcome. You don't need previous experience of singing, just willingness to have a go and a sense of humour. Some learn by listening, some by following music, most with a little bit of both.
St John's Singers begin meeting again on FRIDAY 12th January at 7.15pm, and each Friday after that.
Inside our worship area
“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6)
WELCOME TO ST JOHN'S URC
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