It has been quite a process to arrive here in Glasgow,
Scotland, and I’m not even arrived at my final destination yet! Visa troubles,
saying goodbye to friends, changing flights, attending (and missing) some
weddings, and visiting family who I haven’t seen in years were all part of the
exciting and tiring lead up to finally boarding a plane on Sunday night, July
14, and flying across the Atlantic to land in Glasgow. The weather here is cool
and the accents are infinitely intriguing.
For those who don’t know or for those who need a brief
recap, here’s a short summary of the reason for my seven week visit to
Scotland. Christian community and Christian spirituality have long been two
interrelated things which have interested me, and so I am always on the lookout
for where I can learn and grow in those areas. The Iona Community, on a tiny isle
in the far west side of Scotland, is a place which explores both in an ancient
and sacred location, a monastery built well over 1000 years ago. Over the past
ten years or so I have had lots of interaction with the Iona community from
back home in Canada; I’ve sung lots of Iona worship music, I’ve heard one of their
community members, John Bell, speak and lead worship many times, my parents
went for a weeklong visit, and my Opa was a volunteer there for several months
three times. All that immersion continued to catch my interest and so, in
preparation for graduating from university and moving on to a new stage of
life, I applied to be a volunteer this past winter and I was accepted! So here
I am! I’ll be assisting with the music and worship service leading which takes
place every night at the Abby. The rest of the day is spent preparing food,
cleaning and washing, exploring the Island, and getting to know the pilgrims
and visitors who come seeking experiences of relationship with people and with
God.
So this is the beginning of my own pilgrimage. I head into
this short but immensely intriguing journey with the hope that I will be
transformed by the beauty of the location, by the relationships I develop, by
the people I meet, by the words I will read/speak, and by the music I will sing,
all through the power of God. Not knowing exactly what this experience will
lead to is, I hope, a way for me to release control and truly allow the true
God to transform me. I’m ready for excitement, joy, worship, and challenge. I
am less ready but will accept the more unattractive things we all encounter in
life such as boredom, meaninglessness, and doubt. For now I will enjoy the city
of Glasgow and pray that I begin to encounter God here in transformative ways
that will be a part of me for the rest of my life.
God’s Peace be with you.
Ethan
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