Faith Journeys Blog

When I lived in the United Kingdom I was blessed with the opportunity to work as first a Choral Scholar and later a Lay Clerk (pronounced “clark”). I’d like to share a bit about the British cathedral choirs and the buildings where they sing every day! 

Today, I’m trying an experiment to see if we can post a video onto our blog. We’ve created a short two minute video of scenes from the Holy Land. I hope you enjoy (and this work). 

Since 1989 my husband and I have led ten groups on religious tours, mostly to the Holy Land but also to Oberammergau, Italy, Greece and China.  Almost 300 people from our congregation and neighboring churches have traveled with us.   Pilgrimages are unlike any other travel experience, because you are there to deepen your faith and are carrying your mini-congregation with you to share that spiritual journey.                  

About an hour southwest of Oxford is a site called Avebury. You’ve probably never heard of it, and rightfully so. The Village of Avebury is very rural and has a population of about 500 inhabitants (with twice that many sheep)! It is a stunning site to visit and explore. 

Have you ever seen something that has mentally transported you to another place and time? There are so many famous sites around the world that I’ve seen in photos, movies and films that when I see them in person, I say to myself, “Oh, that looks exactly like I thought it would.” But, there are places that strike me with awe and exceed any expectation of what I thought they would look like. One of those places was when I visited Beit She’an in Israel. I’d like to share my experience with you.

Tucked away in the quiet Somerset region, Southwest of England, is the ancient city of Bath. From it’s Roman baths to Victorian spas, this city has been “on the map” since the 1st century! Join us today as we visit Bath and Bath Abbey.

Yesterday people from around the globe celebrated the Feast of the Ascension, the remembrance of Jesus ascending into heaven. Traditionally, the day is commemorated 40 days after Easter. And this year, those 40 days have seemed… well… to last a very long time, to say the least. I thought this a good day to visit the village of Bethany, located on the Eastern slope of the Mount of Olives (also known as Olivet), to the site of the miraculous event.

Most people who visit England seem to focus on London. They might want to see one of the ancient University towns of Oxford or Cambridge, but they don’t often stray too far from the capitol. Today, we’ll explore an area only 80 miles from London (and only 14 miles from Cambridge) that is full of history and legend, the Isle of Ely.