REV PAUL ARMSTEAD: Join us on our Walk of Witness

I have been enjoying a new programme on BBC2 about pilgrimage called The Road to Santiago. The second episode is on tonight.

The journey is along the Camino de Santiago, taking a group of celebrities from south west France along the coast to north west Spain following the path of St James.

Each person on the programme is doing this for differing reasons and with a searching, in most cases, for something that they cannot name, as yet.

For the most part they have an open mind as to what they may find.

Journeys of discovery can be made to enjoy all of this, to destinations near and far, places new and old.

Often, when we think we know what the end will be, something will catch us completely by surprise along the way.

For Christians the theme of journeys – or in particular one journey made by one man – dominates our thoughts, as we think of what was involved in the final weeks and days of the earthly journey of God’s Son, Jesus.

That is why people of all ages from all the many churches of the Milton, Eastney and Southsea area will be gathering at 10am on Good Friday at South Parade Pier.

They’ll be taking part in a Walk of Witness, which involves carrying a wooden cross, listening to the story of what happened to Jesus on that fateful day, singing songs and walking to Palmerston Road, finishing at 11am.

It is called a Walk of Witness because we are wanting others to witness – to see, join and, in our own small way make that walk with Jesus, as we give thanks for the ultimate price he paid for us with his life.

And the price that God paid in allowing his Son to die, that ultimate gift of love for each one of us.

We invite you to join us, to ask us about what and why we are doing it, to grasp a hint of what actually happened on that journey more than 2,000 years ago now.

A journey that changed the world for ever.