At one of our sessions a young Scottish Baptist Minister shared something of his journey with us. In terms of delivery and humour he has more than a touch of Billy Connolly abut him - which made him a delight to listen to. He told us of his journey in and out of faith, his left of centre political activism both at home and in South America, and his times of ministry both as a seminary teacher overseas and in a local pastorate at home.
He finished by asking us to join him in a mental exercise. We pictured ourselves on a walk and he suggested that, in our mind's eye, as we journeyed, people from our past would join us along the way.
I closed my eyes and set off along a path I often use in London's Green Park. I imagined formative figures from my childhood sharing the walk with me, a minute later good friends from my young adult years joined, my early family were also present, then lecturers and fellow students from college years came along followed by people from the five churches in which I've served. And throughout the second half of this stroll through Green Park those I've been closest to - my immediate family - shared the steps with me.
By the time we got to the kiosk and station at the top of Green Park I looked around and saw, (this is just in my mind's eye!), a procession of faces that made me feel immense, almost overwhelming, gratitude. The possession was so much longer than I had anticipated and from the front I could hardly see my beloved Sunday School teachers at the back.
Our speaker called us back out of silence. My eyes were misty with tears. We are not alone. We are travelling through life with others. The gift of friendship is a blessing and a touch of God upon our lives.
There were so many good things at this week's convocation, but none more precious than those ten minutes spent on an imaginary walk through Green Park with friends who have blessed my life simply by their companionship and presence on the journey.
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