14 Blog September 16, 2024 “Flights and Boundaries”

We had stunning weather today. The skies were completely clear except for some fluffy little accent clouds and it was warm and beautiful, more like summer than fall. The goal—back to church!!! I know, some of you are thinking “Seriously?” But we hadn’t received communion yesterday and knew there was a noon service at the Minster and who wouldn’t want to have communion in one of the grandest Cathedrals in the world?

So we did. It was an abbreviated noon service, with tourists still flooding through the building and the sound of tour guides leading groups from statue to statue, explaining things in their proper British accents. And our priest was…American. An American woman to be precise. Just like last Sunday in Glasgow. Funny world that we travel in, going thousands of miles away from home to find yet more reminders of home.

After the service, we decided to climb the Tower of Minster, which meant paying somebody to allow us to climb nearly 300 spiral stone steps in order to see the view from the top, and it was absolutely worth it. These were the flights in our day today, in addition to the steps leading up to the medieval walls I’ll refer to later.

First of all, it felt great to be able to bound up those stairs with no problem. How long will that be true in my life? They read us a whole list of precautions before allowing us to go up, and it made me feel nervous, but it was no trouble at all.

Second—sometimes you need to have a bigger view of things, and this climb allowed us to see for miles and miles.

Third—sometimes you need to realize how small the world is even from that far up. I met a woman who works for Emory University at the top of the tower! It was great telling her that part of my motivation for the trip was getting my doctorate at Emory this past spring.

After that we had a series of charming adventures—buskers in the square who alternatively played piano, sang, juggled fire creatively, played American folk music. We went for high tea at Betty’s, a York institution, and I have officially claimed my new favorite tea which I hope I will be able to get online when I get home: China Rose Tea that I drank from proper Wedgewood China. We also had Fat Rascals—a fruit and nut scone—with gobs of cream, butter and jam.

Betty’s is located near the Shambles, a street near the Minster that inspired Harry Potter’s Diagon Alley, built in the 1600’s as a meat market, which now sells all things witchy and wizardy. York is a particularly magic-obsessed city, I have noticed. They refer to this as the most haunted city in the world, but the whole ghost thing doesn’t do much for me.

Then we hit the boundaries—the walls of York. Originally constructed in early 70 AD by the Romans, the current walls were mainly built in the 1600s to protect York against invasions of the Scots from the north. Remarkably, the majority of the walls have been preserved and are able to be used for recreation. While the space at the top is narrow, it is adequate for dog walkers, runners and others. (Yes, I did manage to do my run on the wall this evening!)

What I noticed as we walked is that the Minster is visible from EVERWHERE in the city. It is the thing that ties the entire city of York together, the spiritual and literal center of the culture and the society. The towers, which resemble the St. John’s tower to me, appear in almost every horizon as a touchstone image for the people of York because it is the tallest structure for miles.

I also got to spend time by the River Ouse (pronounced ooze), which sounds like an awful name for a river, but the word “ouse” is Celtic for water. So the name is really a very basic description—River Water.

And then a huge theme of the day has been---laundry, once again. It sounds so basic but we have to have clean clothes! Our Airbnb came with a washer/dryer combo and we cannot figure out how to use the dryer, so I’ll be sure to include a picture of what it looks like when travelers have to figure out how to have clean, dry clothes on the journey.

We are both so pleased we decided to stop here for two nights. York is a diverse and historically, visually and spiritually interesting city, and I knew literally nothing about it. Our next stop beginning tomorrow is to spend time with my brother David and his wife Chloe at their Little Cottage in the Woods (actual name, actual address!). I’ve packed some extra Fat Rascals to share with them, purchased some loose China Rose tea to brew, and we’ll head out for our next adventure, possible after checking out the Viking Museum here in York on our way out.

While I’ve been able to share these snippets of activity, what I know is that all this is woven through with God’s providence and generosity. I have been able to pray for friends and family in different church congregations and will continue to do so as we travel. I have felt cherished by God, as if all these adventures are gifts I get to unwrap, and I continue to be grateful.

As I sat in noon services today, I realized that worship is the same whether it takes place in a massive cathedral or in a small-town congregation. Faith is the same whether it’s being tested to the limit or it’s simply a quiet knowledge in daily life. God doesn’t honor one more than the other, or value one more than the other. Our relationship with God-- Creator, Redeemer and Spirit--is equally valued, whether with monarch or farmer, priest or ballet dancer, adult or child. That should nourish us all.

May you be nourished today, and may you nourish others with love.