A year ago, I was selected as one of 13 clergy in the Western North Carolina Conference of The United Methodist Church to participate in preparation for a pilgrimage along St. Cuthbert’s way in Scotland, UK. This group has become very close with one another through learning about one another and about pilgrimage beginning this time last year at Mt. Shepherd Retreat Center with Rev. Josh Brittain; gathering along Lake Norman during a rare cold and rainy two-days growing in peace and conflict resolution with the Lombard Mennonite Peace Center; spending another cold and rainy few days in Pawley’s Island to talk all things General Conference 2019 and ways to continued connectivity with Rev. Jeremy Troxler; and finally gathering in one of the most beautiful places in western North Carolina at the Kanuga Conference Center to hear from Rev. Lillian Daniel. After a year of preparation, we were ready to go on our way to Scotland this past Wednesday.
However, after all of this preparation, our true pilgrimage would emerge … maybe I can’t speak for everyone on this journey, but for me it has become a pilgrimage to begin a pilgrimage. Sunday evening, after enjoying a nice warm cup of coffee and a pop tart on the front porch, I leaned over to lay my head on the dog’s stomach. But, the dog didn’t care much for how I laid down on him … after a loud yelp, and in the span of less than a second, I was holding my right ear to the side of my head. Rascal had snapped back and essentially split my ear in two. Thus, my pilgrimage began. After spending the next five hours in the ER, the nurse practitioner and the awesome staff sewed my ear back together with 17 stitches. Good thing I had planned earlier about my packing for the trek to Scotland, and was able to rest the next few days, as well as to get more comfortable with cleaning my ear and following the appropriate regimen for healing.
Moving through the replaying of the event of Sunday evening, I was able to be in a peaceful place to gather with my pilgrim partners at CLT Wednesday afternoon to depart for Philadelphia. We were scheduled to depart Philly for Edinburgh around 9pm Wednesday night. We loaded onto the plane, ready to go, only to de-plane about 45 minutes later due to a mechanical issue (air conditioning). After two delays, we were told a second plane would arrive and we would depart around 2:30am. The plane arrived … only to be told around 3:30am that there was a tire issue, and it would not be possibly to use the plane, as it takes an hour-and-a-half to change a tire. So, finally after the great maneuvering by our group leaders, we were given two-nights hotel, and meal vouchers.
Yes, my friends, we were stuck in Philly till Friday night, 10pm. As I write this, I am still confused as to what day it is, as it has been a continuing pilgrimage of road-blocks, closures, and winding trails.
To make a long story short, we finally boarded a plane and departed for our new destination of London on Friday night at 10pm. That brings me to today – sitting in the London-Heathrow airport waiting for the final flight to leave around 4pm (11am, EST) for Edinburgh. We are tired, confused, stinky, and frustrated. But, I can attest, we have grown together, we have weathered this storm together, and most of all I believe we are learning more about pilgrimage through this experience prior to what we pray is a calming pastoral presence along the route in Scotland.
Magic Gardens 
Of course I could take Rocky! 
And had to try a Cheesesteak. 
Reading Terminal Market
From the ear being practically being bitten off, to being stuck in airport terminals, walking a city that is named for brotherly love (mostly in name only – haha), to walking airport concourses to find the family bathrooms to spread out my medical and cleaning supplies to keep my ear infection-free … this has certainly already been a pilgrimage to find God’s peace and grace in the midst of chaos (and it is in the chaos where we most fully find God’s presence). Here’s to many more God moments I will be sharing over the next few days during our condensed trek to the Holy Island of Lindisfarne (not Linda’s Farm, Sarah!).
Grace & Peace,
Juston
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