Walking Group

Everybody is welcome to come along on any of our walks.

If you would like further information, please speak to Ralph or Geoff or email enquires@ccwalmersleybury.org.uk or check out the magazine to see what has been happening

BENEFICE WALK 2018

The first Saturday in May is now established as Benefice boundary walk day. Over the last couple of years we have also linked this in with the ‘Thy Kingdom Come’ global prayer initiative, which encourages Christians to come and pray together with the whole family of God and to come to know Jesus.

The tradition of this walk originated from ‘Beating the Bounds’ when parishioners, ministers, wardens and choir would walk around the boundary of the Parish and pray for its protection over the coming year. This walk would take place on Rogation Sunday (before Ascension) and this year’s walk on 5th May happened to fall on the eve of Rogation Sunday.

This year, Paul used liturgy from the Northumbria Community Daily Office to guide us along. We began at Christ Church at 9.00am with our morning prayer and walked down Walmersley Road to St. John with St. Mark for 9.30am. At each of the points we prayed for each Church, ministers and parishioners and those who were unwell.

At various places on our 13 mile route we stopped and reflected on the surrounding areas and for things that were significant to the location. We said prayers at the fire station for the fire service and emergency workers; we remembered other Churches of all denominations in the Benefice at the site of the former Brunswick Methodist Church on Tesco car park, said prayers for farming and countryside at Buckhurst when we paused for lunch and gave thanks for revitalised communities near the Waterside Bridge in Summerseat. We recited the Lords Prayer together at some of these intervals.

Our walk covered the usual locations including Burrs Country Park, Woodhill Road, The Rock shopping complex, Freetown, Walkers Field, Walmersley Golf Club, Scotland Lane, Nangreaves, Summerseat Garden Centre and the Brown Cow, where we enjoyed refreshment at the end of the day, finishing around 4.30pm.

It was an extremely enjoyable day and the weather became very warm during the afternoon. We had a good number of people, some of whom did the whole thing, and others who joined or left us at various locations. Here’s to next year.

We are currently unable to plan a walk for June due to the Summer Fair at St. John with St. Mark and the flower festival at St. Stephen’s. However Paul has an idea for Saturday 7th July, so please watch this space.  

David Robinson