2019 - Part 2 Day 9

I am very sorry that this late. I had every intention of writing it when I arrived home but fell asleep for two hours and then had to leave for Rob Montgomery’s Celebration of New Ministry in Gondola Point. I think age may be catching up with me.

Sunday was another good day. The weather was almost perfect and all three services were a blessing to be at. The walk was fairly short along the Sussex trails from St. Mark to Trinity. In the photographs you can see three of us looking upwards. We are not seeking divine inspiration, rather there was a woodpecker hammering away at the topmost branch of one of the trees.

During my time in Sussex I was able to visit the Anglican Church Homes. These were originally conceived during the 1960s as places for clergy and/or their spouses to retire to. Over the years more have been built and a small gathering space has been created. Today fewer clerics need a place for retirement and the scope has been broadened to include others. The homes are overseen by volunteers and I am grateful that they are willing to undertake this ministry.

This allied to the project in Hampton which I mentioned earlier in the week has continued to spark a thought in my head. Once again, the question has arisen for me: how do we enable people in rural areas to remain in their communities as they age? It is a particular issue for this Province where we have massive swathes of sparsely populated regions. For people to have to uproot themselves in old age, after many years of living in an area is not ideal. What role can we, the Church, play with other organizations to help with this?

Changing gears again, I want to thank everyone for their welcome and hospitality this week. Just over 100 miles were covered. I trust that everyone will have a blessed Fall. Next Spring we walk in the Fredericton area. See you then.