TheWay The FREE newspaper of the Church in Cumbria – Spring 2020 In the footsteps Mother tells of of Saint Kentigern heroin tragedy PAGE 3 PAGE 6 PRAYER FOR ALL As we come together across Cumbria to face the coronavirus pandemic, so you are encouraged to hold the prayer below in your hearts... Loving God, as your Son healed the sick And brought good news to the needy Be with us this day. Loving Jesus as you taught us to ‘Do unto others as you would have them do to you’ Be with all the medical staff this day. Loving spirit, your gift is healing, Bring your healing fire to P I our homes, our hospitals and C T U our county, R E : But most of all, be with us J O this day. Amen N N Y CUMBRIA ECUMENICAL G I SPIRITUALITY GROUP O S 2 The Way, Spring2020 www.carlislediocese.org.uk INSIDE THIS EDITION Messages of hope For the first time ever, and in response to national guidance relating to coronavirus, this edition of The POLITICIAN Way will not be printed; instead, it is being offered as an online edition only. Please encourage as MP Tim many people as possible to visit the link to read the stories contained in these pages. As this edition was Farron completed, so the situation around the pandemic remained a fast-changing one. Some of the dates for on faith advertised events and courses may understandably change. PAGE 7 This page contains messages from all four of the county’s partnered ecumenical leaders as churches GLOBAL REACH face up to an unprecedented national and international crisis... Local roles in international The Rt Rev James Newcome, charity The Bishop of Carlisle PAGE 12 THE coronavirus pandemic is in one sense a Rev Martyn Coe, disaster. It has led to a climate of uncertainty, Co-ordinator: confusion and fear unprecedented in my lifetime, United Reformed COMMUNITY and has already caused many to lose their jobs, their homes – and even their lives. Church Cumbria Chaplains But, at the same time, it has prompted an outpouring of care, compassion and creativity on Partnership on the a scale which I have found deeply impressive streets and heartening. Churches all over this county A GOD of the good times have been working on ways of ‘doing church would be like a fair-weather PAGE 13 differently’ now that (for the moment) public friend. worship has ceased, and on-line communication Psalm 93 reminds us that has really come into its own. (I do recommend for ‘key workers’ as well as those most at risk from God is ever present. CONTACT US the ‘Fresh Expressions Cumbria’ Facebook the virus. I suggest too that many who would not “It is good to give thanks to page for ideas.) call themselves ‘Christian’ are being challenged to the LORD, think carefully about their priorities – their purpose – EDITOR & They have also been developing ways of to sing praises to your name, and what really matters most in life. ADVERTISING: caring for and supporting the most vulnerable O Most High; Dave Roberts members of our society, and showing that the So, please keep on praying – caring – and to declare your steadfast Church is still at the heart of the communities we meeting ‘virtually’ while this pandemic continues: love in the morning, Tel: 01768 807764 are there to serve. and perhaps re-read Romans 8.35-39 which and your faithfulness by Mobile: 07469 153658 In particular, churches across Cumbria are speaks powerfully to the situation in which we night.” Email: communications@ praying for the sick and lonely, for NHS staff and find ourselves. God is with us even in the carlislediocese.org.uk hardest of times. In Jesus, Godself lived on earth and so The Way is the newspaper of the Church in understands joy and love, Cumbria. It is produced in partnership between the Church of England Diocese of Major Roger Batt, The Rev Dr James Tebbutt, grief, confusion, sadness and Carlisle, the Methodist District of even anger. Cumbria, the United Reformed Church in Divisional Commander of the Chair of the Cumbria District In these changeable, even Cumbria and Churches Together in Cumbria. Through Churches Together in Salvation Army of the Methodist Church scary times, may we find the Cumbria, we ensure coverage of and strength and resolve to praise distribution to the Roman Catholic, God, and care for one another Salvation Army, Quakers and independent THE sudden, RIGHT now we are extensive, and never in the knowledge that God churches. The editorial team is made up hearing from all kinds of representatives from across the really expected understands and loves us. of people such phrases denominations. disruption of the Let us praise God for all The purpose of The Way is to reflect the as: ‘We are facing un- Church in Cumbria to itself and to our coronavirus pan- those who continue to work precedented days’, demic has affected communities more widely. ‘We are navigating our keeping society going and We do not seek to promote any and constrained us particular theological viewpoint, but rather way through uncharted caring for those who are ill. all, reminding us that May God’s peace be with aim to stimulate debate by featuring writers waters’, ‘We are facing our lives and usual from a variety of church traditions and from a time of great concern you, and may you be a bless- society more widely. assumptions are ing to friend and neighbour. While we are happy to consider and uncertainty’. more precarious unsolicited submissions, we operate All these outpourings than we like to largely on a system of commissions and do come from the heart remember. not guarantee to publish any materials and we all need to received. The crisis can The views and opinions of contributors engage with the reality reveal the worst in each of us (the selfish and advertisers do not necessarily reflect and consequences of such utterings. the views and opinions of the partners. panic buy), but also the best, as recent But as a Church right now we need to be divisions pale in a shared concern to take The publisher takes no responsibility heard uttering – no, I should say actually for losses arising from information in care for and of one another. Not least, we advertisements in The Way. declaring – the authority of God’s Word over our deeply appreciate those who are doing their communities. best for us. Words such as this from Psalm 23 (The Pas- In it all, faith again finds its place, that trust sion Paraphrase): “Even when your path takes in the God who loves all, who is at the me through the valley of deepest darkness, fear bedside of the one struggling to breath; who The Way will never conquer me, for you already have weeps when we weep; who knows our fear me! and our frustration; who holds us all, longing “You remain close to me and lead me for us to come through and to flourish, more Newspaper of through it all the way. Your authority is my kindly, more lovingly, more fairly, more strength and my peace. The comfort of your united than we were before. May God be love takes away my fear. I’ll never be lonely, for with us all. the Church you are near.” in Cumbria www.carlislediocese.org.uk The Way, Spring2020 3 SAINT LEADS THE WAY n Minister maps out new pilgrims’ route linking churches that honour Kentigern By Dave Roberts IT WAS a crisp winter’s day when the Rev Prof Stephen Wright stepped out on the first leg of a new pilgrimage he’d felt called to map out in honour of Cumbria’s ‘pa- tron saint’ St Kentigern. Setting off from Mungrisdale parish church he couldn’t help but notice the small robin which hopped along beside him for a few seconds. It was a fitting walking companion. Stephen, who is an inter-faith minister, laughs: “The robin is a symbol of St Kentigern and so I thought to myself, ‘Well, someone is clearly speaking to Stephen Wright: ‘I became almost obsessed with Kentigern’ PICTURES: DAVE ROBERTS me here’.” The pilgrimage around of Carlisle and the Cumbria Cumbria’s northern fells is the coast so it covers all kinds of subject of Stephen’s new book terrain. TheKentigernWay,ALifeand “It’s been wonderful to be LakelandPilgrimage. able to create this pilgrimage, It takes readers along a route one which, although based connecting churches named in around Christian sacred sites, is honour of the sixth-century open to people of all faiths and saint while also providing an none to walk and explore the historical backdrop to both the countryside and their own rydal hall saint and the region, and spirituality.” hospitality | tranquility | spirituality exploring what pilgrimage is. The book and pilgrimage Prayers and reflections are also complement Stephen’s provided throughout each work as founder of the stage. Kentigern School, which “Ever since I moved to supports those people who Cumbria, I’ve been fascinated are interested in exploring by Kentigern,” Stephen the contemplative way and explains. their relationship with God. “His story grabbed hold of He explains: “The pilgrimage me, and I became very aware of very much fits in with the his influence here in Cumbria. contemplative way. He’s as close to being our patron saint as anybody. “Contemplatives are people who tend not to cluster, who “I had no interest in Chris- enjoy solitude. tianity when I first moved here Tranquil: The church at in 1996 and I didn’t start going Mungrisdale is one of “They’re looking for that to church until 2004.