Bamburgh, beloved of rock poolers, beach combers and pilgrims, has become the well-established home of a monthly service based around that of the Iona Community these past eighteen months.
St Aidan’s Church, built where St Aidan breathed his last, has soaked up the worship of the Christian faithful for many centuries, and it is in the chancel, candle-lit and steeped in the celtic Christian heritage of Northumberland that a gathered congregation worships 6pm the last Sunday of each month.
The worship is both planned and led ecumenically by the vicar of Bamburgh and Ellingham, Revd Eileen Mclean, and her United Reformed Church colleague, Revd David Herbert, who is minister of the joint pastorate of Erskine United Reformed Church in Belford and St Cuthbert’s United Reformed Church in North Sunderland, Seahouses. Eileen has special responsibility regarding the church and tourism: how the Church can best welcome her visitors. David is researching rural mission and outdoor spirituality with a special focus on St Cuthbert’s Way.
Music is provided by a variety of musicians and instruments ranging from synthesisers to Northumbrian pipes. It is not unusual for singing to be unaccompanied.
Everyday objects, candles and the natural elements of stone, earth and water are images used in worship to reflect upon, to handle and to inspire. The worship embraces the celtic tradition of reverence of the everyday and the images of nature.
The gathered congregation travels along the footpaths of Bamburgh, through the country lanes of Northumberland , or pound up and down the A1 as part of a days escape from the city: mingling tourists, locals and pilgrims for an hour of connectedness with ancient spiritual forces.
Dave Herbert says, “We have created an opportunity to share a quality of experience which our environment and traditions have created, many people have been touched and moved by the experience. The evenings have enriched the breadth of approaches to Christian worship in Northumberland which is of benefit to both visitors and the local community”.
The peace of evening worship has a special quality. In a scattered rural community, individual churches are limited in the breadth of style of services we can offer. The Celtic liturgies based upon Iona worship is an excellent example of how by working together different denominations can create new and refreshing ways of worship.”
Further details: email Dave Herbert