A warm welcome to Pathhead Parish Church which meets at 11am each Sunday. On regular Sundays, we offer online worship via Zoom for those who cannot be physically present and this can be arranged by contacting the church office. Whichever way you meet us, welcome! At 6pm most Sunday evenings we have an online meeting for those wishing to look at a Bible passage, chat about it and pray. Just contact myself to get on the email distribution list for the Zoom link. I can be contacted at minister@pathheadparishchurch.co.uk
We also offer Messy Church once a month and there is a Messy Church page on this website where you can find more details of its activities.
To the Cross and beyond
As we journey through the season of Lent, our thoughts naturally begin to turn toward the events of Holy Week, the sorrow of the cross, and the joy and hope of Easter morning. Lent itself is something like a pilgrimage: a purposeful journey of reflection, prayer, and renewal that leads us step by step toward the empty tomb.
In recent years pilgrimage has captured the imagination of many people who might not normally describe themselves as religious. Television programmes featuring well-known personalities walking ancient routes such as the Camino de Santiago or travelling historic Christian paths have shown that the practice of pilgrimage still speaks deeply to the human spirit. Viewers have watched actors, comedians, musicians, and broadcasters discover something profound along the way. Even those who begin the journey simply out of curiosity often find that walking together, sharing stories, and reflecting on life’s deeper questions opens their hearts in unexpected ways.
Pilgrimage has always been an important part of Christian faith. For centuries believers have travelled to places of spiritual significance, but the deeper meaning of pilgrimage is not really about geography. It is about movement of the heart. It is about stepping away from the noise of everyday life in order to listen more carefully for the voice of God.
In many ways the whole of the Christian life is a pilgrimage. We walk through seasons of joy and sorrow, certainty and doubt, companionship and loneliness. At times the road seems smooth and hopeful; at other times it is steep and difficult. The events of Holy Week remind us that Jesus himself walked such a road.
The journey to the cross was painful and lonely. There was the betrayal of Judas, the denial of Peter, and the scattering of the disciples who had once promised to follow faithfully. The road led through suffering, injustice, and the darkness of the crucifixion. Yet this was not the end of the story.
Easter morning tells us that the final destination of Christ’s journey was not defeat but triumph. The cross was followed by resurrection; sorrow was transformed into joy; despair gave way to hope. Life proved stronger than death.
One of the most beautiful resurrection stories reminds us again of the theme of pilgrimage. On the very day of the resurrection, two disciples were walking along the road to Emmaus. Their hearts were heavy with disappointment and confusion. As they walked, the risen Christ drew alongside them, though at first they did not recognise him. He listened to their story, explained the Scriptures to them, and walked with them along the road.
Only when they reached the end of their journey, and Jesus broke bread with them, were their eyes opened. In that simple, sacred moment they realised that the risen Lord had been with them all along.
This story reminds us that pilgrimage is not simply about the destination; it is about discovering God’s presence along the road. Often we recognise that presence only in hindsight, when we look back and realise that Christ has been walking beside us through every step, every question, every struggle.
As we continue our Lenten journey toward Holy Week and Easter, perhaps we might think of our own lives as a pilgrimage of faith. Whether our steps are taken along ancient paths, quiet country roads, or simply through the routines of everyday life, we walk as people who follow the risen Christ.
And like those first disciples on the Emmaus road, we may yet discover that the Lord who once walked to the cross now walks beside us still, opening the Scriptures, sharing the bread, and leading us onward with hope toward the life that is to come.
Every blessing,
Andrew Donald
Minister
It will be a great pleasure to welcome everyone back to worship but for those not able to join us, we shall continue with the Zoom facility so that people can join us from home. Our 6pm Sunday Bible Study will continue on Zoom and if you wish to join the regulars you can find the details along with those of the morning Zoom meeting which is sent out by email.
