Virginia Episcopalian Magazine Fall 2012 Issue | Page 26

New Friendships Forged from Youth Pilgrimage Stuart Haynes, Director of Communications, Diocese of Liverpool Young people from the Diocese of Liverpool and the Diocese Virginia are celebrating new friendships as they reflect on time together as part of a unique, two-year-long pilgrimage. It all began 12 months ago when both dioceses established similar groups who have kept in touch, prayed for each other and planned the pilgrimage using social networking. Most recently, youth from Grace & Holy Trinity, Richmond and Immanuel Old Church, Mechanicsville visited Liverpool for a week of spiritual, practical and social engagements, including: • Visits to the Liverpool Cathedral,  St. Asaph Cathedral and Westminster Abbey; • Planning and delivering assemblies in  both primary and secondary schools; • Community mission projects including  speaking at a lunch club and organizing a “Swap Day” (a partnership between the church and the local authority aimed at reducing landfill). Leaders reported a real mix between the English and American young people as the week progressed and the group became really unified. Leaders also witnessed significant spiritual growth in the pilgrims as the time progressed. “This was no holiday or even an exchange visit,” said the Rev. Malcolm Rogers of Liverpool, one of the trip’s organizers. The pilgrims have had an intense and, at times, demanding journey working and worshipping together, growing in their understanding of each other’s walk with God and how that relates to their own. Nowhere did we see this more than in the final worship with queues of people wanting to share their reflections during an open mic session.” Rogers’ comments were echoed in the reflections of the young people. “I was given the chance to meet new 24 Virginia Episcopalian / Fall 2012 Members of the group from Virginia make a visit to Westminster Abbey, along with host the Rev. Malcolm Rogers, back row far right. people and to share my faith with others. When anyone asked what we were doing, we had a chance to speak about God,” said one participant. Another added, “I feel like I’ve been on a journey exploring my faith.” One of the American staff leaders noted, “It was great to visit you, experience new forms of worship, meet new people and make new friends. I felt God was present in all that we did.” The young pilgrims have grown in confidence as they worked on various community projects and were challenged to design and deliver assemblies on themes such as selfawareness and anti-bullying. “They really excelled and surprised themselves” said Rogers. “Before the pilgrimage, some would hardly say a word and they ended up sharing stories with hundreds in an assembly.” In her journal one pilgrim added ‘I feel like for the first time I have discovered my true self before God’, another said ‘I don’t know how to describe this but I feel better about myself, about life and about God.’ Rogers and his team are now hard at work raising money for the return leg to Virginia. There, all 44 pilgrims will experience a visit to the White House, and meet some of the US decision makers, as well as working in a soup kitchen before finally joining other youth at the diocesan camps at Shrine Mont. The pilgrims are doing a lot of work to raise the $50,000-plus needed for this trip with a range of creative fundraising ideas, including a plan to cycle the equivalent distance between Liverpool and Richmond, Va. Clergy and other adults from around the area are abseiling down the Cathedral whilst others still are baking, organizing concerts and prayerfully giving what they can. “This is a tremendous, once-in-alifetime opportunity for these young people to grow emotionally, spiritually and in their understanding of the world,” said Rogers. “I am delighted we have had a successful trip and pray that we raise enough for what promises to be a wonderful second part of the pilgrimage.” t