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Turn right out of the Church onto Church Lane, and stop facing Broomhaugh
School.
1 Pray for the children who attend the School, and all
who work there. Pray that they may be led to know God and to understand their
role in the environment.
Continue along Church Lane.
At junction with Millfield Road, the extended walk
goes straight ahead on Church Lane / Long Rigg.
At junction turn right onto Millfield Road. (Short
cut 1, continue along Millfield Road and cross the main road to pause point 5) Take next left into Marchburn
Lane; stop as you cross the March Burn
2 Consider the issues of flooding and drought in the world, and pray for areas
of the world that are affected by these.
Continue along Marchburn Lane, following around to the left, then turn right
onto the footpath between the drives of Marchburn and Treetops; follow this path
uphill.
3 Take a breath at the dividing point of the path:
God says 'I have set before you an open door' – what does
this mean for you / for the village?
At the top of the footpath turn left or right around
Sandy Bank crescent, and follow around until you come to 'The Nick',
a tarmac lane to the right of Garth House. Follow this down to Slaley Road and
cross the road, to the bench by the bus stop.
The extended walk rejoins the main walk at this point.
4 As you look across the farmland, pray for the farming community, and give thanks
for the abundance of food that we have. Pray that food may be provided without
harm to those who work to produce it, or to the earth.
Cross the road at the bus stop and turn right to walk
into the village. Continue down the main road and across the end of Station Close
to the bench at the crossroads beyond Bobby’s shop.
(Short cut 1 rejoins the route here)
5 Here is the heart of the community, at a point where you can see the village
shop where many of the needs of the community are met, the village pub, the Parish
Hall, and the notice-board describing the work of the Parish Council.
Pray for our community, and for yourself: Christ, let me see You in others.
Christ, let others see You in me.
Christ, let me see that
You are the other who comes to me.
Turn left into Dene Close. As you walk along by the wall of the Wellington, look
across the car park to the recycling facilities.
6 Pray forgiveness for the ways in which we exploit the earth,
and come to God in penitence – In dependence on the God of life, may we
use wisely the resources of our earth.
Fork right to the Railway Station. Cross the bridge to the bench on the Newcastle
platform.
7 Many in our community commute to Newcastle for work, reducing
their carbon footprint by using public transport, and sharing in the ‘train
community’.
Think of your own carbon footprints, of which travel may be the greatest part,
and how you can reduce it.
The station shelters are also used by the young people of the village as places
to gather. Pray for our young people, and all that lies ahead of them.
(Short cut 2, leave the platform at the eastern end and follow the path, 200
yards, to Broomhaugh; note that if the March Burn level is high, the Stepping
Stones on the main route may be difficult to cross.)
Follow the platform to the west, towards Hexham, to the kissing
gate onto the path into the woods.
Go through the gate, and follow the path towards the river, taking either of
the paths to the right.
Follow the path to the March Burn, and cross by the concrete Stepping Stones.
8 As you think of those who need help to cross the difficult
patches in their lives, pray for God’s presence in their lives, and that
you may be able to provide stepping stones and a helping hand to keep them from
stumbling. Pray for these people and for yourself:
God above us, God about us, God beneath us, God within us
Keep your hold on us when we stumble and fall
Uplift and support us when our faith wavers
In our darkest hour, Lord let your light surround us.
Continue along the footpath until the path is about to turn uphill, then pause
to look across and along the river. (From below the weir, water is pumped from
the river and purified to become our drinking water.)
9 As you marvel at the beauty of creation, thank God for water,
the river that is taken and purified to be returned to us to drink, and pray
for all who are thirsty – for physical water and for the spiritual water
of life.
Follow the footpath up to Broomhaugh. (Short
cut 2 rejoins the route half way along the road) Halt by the bus stop
at the main road.
10 Pray for those in our community who use the bus service (many young or elderly
people who do not have their own transport).
Cross the road and take the minor road opposite. Cross the railway line via
the bridge and turn left.
At Ashtree Cottage you can see solar panels installed on the roof on the south
side.
11 Consider your own use of fuel – is there an opportunity
to use more renewable fuel, to the benefit of our planet?
(Shortcut 3: retrace your steps to the point where you could have turned right
after the bridge, take the road to the main road, turn left then left into Whiteside
Bank. Cross the road to the Millennium Hall, pause point no 12)
Follow the road to the end, keep right and turn right up the path at the side
of the field. At the top, turn right onto the path that crosses the field. Look
down on Wentworth Grange and across the village.
12 Pray for the elderly and infirm who live in Wentworth Grange
and for those who care for them.
Continue diagonally across the field to the stile and follow the path through
the woods as it descends to Whiteside Bank; turn right, then left into Church
Lane, by the Millennium Hall. (Shortcut 3 rejoins)
13 Thank God for the many activities that happen in
the village - here, in the Church Cottage and in the Parish Hall. Some are social,
some have a specific purpose, such as the Fair Trade coffee at 1115 every first
Sunday of the month, others serve the spiritual needs of our community, such
as Sunday School every Sunday morning and Churches Together services. Pray for
those who lead these activities and for those who participate.
Continue along Church Lane, and go into the cemetery, opposite
St James’ Church.
Here, with the gravestone memorials of former Riding Mill residents, is the War
Memorial from World War II.
14 Remember those whom you have loved and lost. Thank God for
their lives and for their influence on your life and for the promise of resurrection.
Pray for peace in our troubled world.
Cross the road and re-enter the Church. Before you return this sheet to its
place by the font, take time to pray for all who have been baptised here, all
who worship in this Church each Sunday, and for yourself.
15 God of power, whose word gives life to heaven and earth,
pour your abundant gifts on all your creation,
that the blind may see, the fallen may be raised,
and your people find new tongues to confess your promises of a broken world made
new.
Father of life, make known your glory. Amen.
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