Two SEI ordinands are due to visit the Holy Land over the summer. The first to travel will be Eilidh Proudfoot, Diocese of Edinburgh, who will leave on 20 June with a party from New College where she is studying in tandem with her SEI formation. The pilgrimage, which takes place every three years, will be led by the Revd Dr Alison Jack, Senior Lecturer in Bible and Literature and Assistant Principal of New College, and will encompass time staying in Tiberias and Jerusalem. ‘Each day’, writes Eilidh, ‘is packed full with site visits to Capernaum, Bethlehem, Qumran and the like, all these place names I have read so much about. We will also be meeting with people who represent various projects the Church of Scotland work with and in the evenings we will be hearing from some speakers to give us a real flavour of the many communities existing in this part of the world.’
Looking ahead to the trip Eilidh said: “I confess to being nervous about the expedition! It’s been a long time since most of us have had use of our passports and dusting mine down has felt a little daunting. However, I am conscious that this is such a fantastic opportunity and I feel very privileged to be able to go. I’m also looking forward to feeling warm (hot?!) after the variable weather we’ve been experiencing recently!’
From 20 July to 3 August, Ross Stirling-Young, Mixed Mode candidate from the Diocese of St Andrews, Dunkeld and Dunblane, will participate in the St George’s College Jerusalem Ordinands’ Course, the first SEI student to be so selected. This annual study pilgrimage aims to contribute to ordinands’ spiritual growth and preparation for ministry by means of reflective learning and worship at key biblical sites. The group will also visit two parishes belonging to the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem in order to gain insight into the missional and pastoral issues faced by the Church in Israel and Palestine, and the Jerusalem Princess Basma Centre for Children with Disabilities in order to understand better the social context in East Jerusalem.
Ross is not only going to the Holy Land to ‘walk in the footsteps of Jesus’ but will follow a rich, centuries-old tradition of going to the Holy Land for prayer and reflection and for the diligent study of scripture and the Christian life. As part of this, Ross will prepare a short reflection on one of the sites visited and present this to staff and fellow pilgrims.
Looking ahead to the trip Ross said: ‘I’m looking forward to what I consider to be a trip of a lifetime. I feel grateful to have been selected to attend the course at St. George’s and to represent the SEI and SEC within the wider Anglican Communion. The experience will enrich my future ministry in many ways. I’ve already started to prepare myself spiritually for the pilgrimage and look forward to the ways in which God may speak to me during this rich and rewarding experience’. Accounts of their travels will feature on this site over the summer.
