On day 18 of the End to End, somewhere in Devon, a number of things were not very clear. It was Good Friday in 2019 and what was not very clear was what a Good Friday Fun Fair would actually be like. I made up a lot of songs on LEJOG so it seemed a good time to make up one about the crucifixion of Jesus with a fun fair theme:
Let’s have fun crucifying Jesus:
I’ll bang the nails in, you throw the dice.
Let’s have fun crucifying Jesus,
On a day like this that would be nice.
Additionally there was a disused railway route that might or might not have been a public path: I used it anyway. Somewhere along it I crossed from Devon into Somerset but that wasn’t very clear either. Eventually we emerged at Dulverton for a cream tea with some of Bob’s family. Bob claims to have put the ‘Dull in Dulverton’ in 2003 when he passed through. Anyone who knows him will know this is nonsense but it does allow all sorts of other place name games. Who, I wonder, put the Wig into Wigan or more obscurely the Sed into Sedbergh, although putting the Tea into Teabay (sic) is clearly very welcome (but much later on in the route!).
Back in 2020 now, it’s Low Sunday and plenty of people are feeling low. I wonder if we will all forget about mental health again after lock down ends or will we be brave enough to change our ways and keep it out in the open, a social priority rather than last on the list.
Friends called and described the current ministry of their church in a comfortable part of Cheshire. The ‘Private Church Users Only’ car park was now being used by visitors to the community pharmacy who needed to pick up their prescriptions and keep to social distancing. Jesus Christ is waiting, waiting in the car park…. join in if you know it!
From the remembered gospel
Jesus came in and said ‘Peace be with you’
Once you were out, Tomb Quitter, I thought you’d stay out.
But no, you were soon back in again,
showing people your wounds and passing the Peace.
We, your wounded people fear all kinds of spaces,
closed or open, far or near.
Please make things clear to us as we look out
on your locked down world.
Help us to pass the peace
into closed rooms or across car parks.
JAL 19.04.2020 in Longdendale.