As a local expression of a national Young Christian Climate Network pilgrimage from Truro to Glasgow, local Anglicans, Quakers and others are facilitating a multifaith expedition across Norfolk, joining with others walking towards Glasgow, where the COP26 climate summit will take place in November.
The pilgrimage is planned as a relay from church to church or Quaker meeting house to meeting house, starting from Great Yarmouth on Saturday 21 August and following the Cross-Norfolk Trail, through Norwich on Tuesday 24, before arriving in King’s Lynn on Sunday 29 August.
At King’s Lynn the pilgrims will hopefully ‘pass on the baton’ to another group in the next county, as part of other pilgrimages that are taking place across the country. The idea is that anyone can participate by walking, riding a bike or even getting a bus or train. Other groups will start from different locations and act as tributaries to the main route joining at convenient points.
The journey is being faithfully organised by individuals who are keen to raise awareness of the climate crisis and they welcome all those of faith or none to join together to express their urgent concern that COP26 produces realistic commitments to the radical changes needed to save the planet from ecological disaster. Quaker organiser, Peter Belton said, “With this year’s UN climate talks being hosted by our government, this is a key moment for people across the UK to come together and call for the radical action needed to prevent ecological disaster and mass suffering. We hope that this pilgrimage will demonstrate the strength of feeling in our communities and pressure the UK and other governments to make realistic commitments at COP26.”
“It is incredible that young people have been inspired to organise a relay from the G7 meeting in Cornwall to November’s COP26 in Glasgow. We need to hear their prophetic voices and enable them to convert the Church and society as a whole to engage much more with climate change,” said the Rt Revd Graham Usher, Bishop of Norwich.
He continued, “This ‘tributary’ of the main Youth Climate Change Network pilgrimage offers a great opportunity for young Christians from across Norfolk and Waveney to call for the crucial action needed to act on climate change. God bless them on their journey to bring change.”
The pilgrimage welcomes all those of faith or none to join together to express their urgent concern that COP26 produces realistic commitments to the radical changes needed to save the planet from ecological disaster. Accompanied youth groups, young people, and families are actively encouraged to take up the mantle for securing these commitments for their future by participating.
All are welcome to be involved by:
- walking part or all the route with the group
- writing a prayer and leaving it at one of the ‘waystation’ churches or meeting houses to be carried by the pilgrims to King’s Lynn
- writing a letter to the Prime Minister and leaving it at one of the ‘waystations’, to be posted together with others from King’s Lynn.
The Revd David Longe, Rector of the Matlaske Benefice and Chair of the Diocesan Environmental Working Group concludes, “Our hope is that through participating in this pilgrimage (whether through walking it, writing letters, or praying) that we are all led to care for God’s creation. In creating a relay and encouraging local ‘tributaries’, Young Christian Climate Network is showing that the calling to be a good and trustworthy steward of God’s creation is central to Christian discipleship. Engaging in this route will, I pray, deepen people’s awareness that we are not isolated from creation but through our ignorance threaten our beautiful single island planet that God formed. This we must now urgently respond to.”
To get involved, or find out more, visit www.multifaithpilgrimage.org or contact COP26relay@gmail.com.
You can find out about the other pilgrimages around the country at:
Young Christians https://www.yccn.uk/relay
XRUK Faith Bridge Camino https://caminotocop.com
Dunbar to Glasgow https://artandecology.earth/pilgrimage-for-cop26/