It was cold and sunny today which made it great for walking and cappuccinos.

The day started with Morning Prayer followed by Holy Communion at the parish church, St. Mary’s, and ended back there for Evening Prayer. The worship concluded with a procession outside to the statute of St. Aidan where we closed our prayers. The walk back to my Bed and Breakfast was along the causeway as the sun set.

I spent time this afternoon walking around the ruins of the Benedictine Priory. I was thoughtful about the many ruins of once vital Christian communities I’ve visited on my Sabbatical. Although the buildings no longer stand, I believe that the effects of the people’s prayers and worship and acts of service continue to be alive and bear fruit. I believe our lives are better because of their anonymous and hidden faithful acts.

I pray the same for what we do.

All connections neatly made, I’m now in England on Lindisfarne, after waiting nearly thirty years to arrive The church my family attended for many years was St. Cuthbert in Houston, and I have longed to come to this place he called home.

An Iona connection is that St. Aidan, who founded the monastery here on Holy Island, came as a missionary from Iona. Cuthbert followed him years later as Prior and then Bishop.

Another interesting tidbit is that Christianity came to Scotland from Ireland via St. Columba at Iona thirty or so years before St. Augustine came to Canterbury and founded a monastery there.

Bittersweet leaving of Iona this new day. I’m off to another Holy Island in another country, Lindisfarne, a place to whence (love using the Brit words) I’ve wanted to pilgrimage for nearly thirty years.

So I’ll have one last bowl of porridge, then take a ferry, drive across Mull Island to take another ferry to Oban, then drive across Scotland to England, timing our drive to cross the causeway to Lindisfarne with the low tide or there will be a long wait till the next low tide.

For whatever God has next in store.

Except they call it the Harvest Festival
here.

Anyway. This Sunday morning, the whole island, including all houses of worship and the school children, celebrated the harvest with worship at the Abbey.

This is my last full day on Iona, and I’m a bit sad to be leaving. It was lovely to wake up today without an alarm, have a leisurely breakfast, and to walk by the sea to worship where my only responsibility was to worship.

My friend and I like to arrive early, and this morning there was a cheerful, excited hubbub before worship as all the participants made final preparations. I decided to go sit in the side chapel, the Quiet Corner, for my own preparations. It was sweet to remember all I love and light candles for them, resting in the still place within my heart, as those gathering to worship made their own joyful getting ready sounds.