The Revd David Owen shares what happened:
‘The itinerary for the day began with breakfast at Stoke Holy Cross, before travelling to the Community Centre in Poringland. Attached to the Community Centre is the local Police Station where Bishop Jonathan prayed with those on duty and blessed the Police Station.
We called into the local EACH shop before getting into a 1928 Chevrolet for the journey through Poringland to Alpington and Bergh Apton Primary School. Bishop Jonathan prayed with the children and blessed the school community.
After visiting Green Pastures Garden Centre, Farm Shop and Restaurant, a quick car journey took us to Chedgrave where we then walked through Chedgrave and Loddon to Loddon Junior School. At the school Bishop Jonathan joined the Lunch Club where Year 6 children host senior citizens to lunch and afterwards enjoy conversation whilst playing a game or two.
From there it was a rural route to Clinks Care Farm in Toft Monks. Those who help and those who attend the farm shared in the pilgrimage through the farm seeing what is grown – flowers and vegetables – plus the husbandry of goats, chickens, sheep and pigs.
The final part of the “travelling” pilgrimage took us to the far south east of the deanery to the Waveney River Centre. Here it is only a stone’s throw from Lothingland Deanery and the Diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich – both on the other bank of the river Waveney.
Returning to Loddon for the evening, the Pilgrimage came to a close for the day with an act of Evening Prayer to which people from across the Deanery brought something that represented their parish. These played a part in our prayers of Thanksgiving and Intercession.