Pilgrim Door

Just finished reading Through the Pilgrim Door, an account of a journey in Pioneer Ministry by Michael Volland, who blogs here. It's a book you will want to zip through and then return to from time to time, filled as it is with rich nuggets of wisdom, humour and grace.

I first "encountered" Michael a couple of years back when I was going through a particularly dark time in ministry. I stumbled across his blog on Fresh Expressions in Gloucester (feig) and was buoyed up by the hope that, even in the institutional church, there are alternatives, that church doesn't have to be a place of hurt and longing but can be loving, affirming, organic and exciting, a roller coaster journey fueled by God. To read his story of an adventure with God, arising out of a very traditional setting where imagination and creativity were allowed to flourish really is a story of hope for our times and a real encouragement for those of us who seek to be involved in alternatives alongside traditional church. Michael has moved on, interestingly, to be involved at Cranmer, a college where ordinands are formed. That has to be good news for the C of E and, of course, students of any denomination who study at Cranmer. Feig also continues to develop and grow.