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1100th Anniversary > Youth Pilgrimage
As part of the celebrations, we are going to recreate the journey of the founding Bishop and in Holy Week 2009 (5 – 9 April) walk from Sherborne Abbey in Dorset to Crediton, the original home of the Diocese.

We are going to leave Sherborne Abbey on Palm Sunday after a joint service of commissioning and celebration with young people from Bath and Wells Diocese and Salisbury Diocese, then bus down to the south coast to walk the glorious South-West Coastal Path. We’ll be covering roughly 9 miles a day, with plenty of time for conversation and spiritual reflection along the way. Our final destination will be Crediton Parish Church, where on Maundy Thursday we’ll hold our final service together in the evening.

Although this is the only pilgrimage that the Diocese will be organising, other areas may wish to organise a pilgrimage from their part of the Diocese. Imagine groups travelling from all over the place! If you would like to do this we’d encourage you to think about arriving at Crediton Parish Church on Maundy Thursday with us for the service of celebration.

It may not be possible for many of you to get to East Devon to walk with us – but we would most certainly value your prayers as we journey. We have a core pilgrimage group of 7 young adults who will be exploring their spiritual journey together with Bishop John, Dean Jonathan, Katherine Lyddon (Children’s Work Adviser) and Martin Thompson (Youth Work Adviser). If you want to encourage your parishioners to join us please remember that they will need to bring their own food/drink and sort out their own transport. The following list gives you an idea of where we will be and when.

Monday – leaving from Lyme Regis at 9.30am, picnic lunch en-route and finishing in Seaton
Tuesday – leaving from Seaton Parish Church at 8.30am, lunch in Branscombe at 12.30-1.30, finishing in Sidmouth
Wednesday – leaving from All Saints Sidmouth at 8.30am, lunch in Budleigh Salterton at St Peters at 12.30-1.30, finishing in Exmouth
Thursday – leaving from Holy Trinity Exmouth at 7.00am, (train from Lympstone to Topsham) arriving in Exeter for Diocesan Chrism Mass at 11am, leaving for Crediton on the 2.17 train to Newton St Cyre’s from Exeter Central Station. Leaving Newton St Cyre’s station at 2.40pm, arriving at Crediton Parish Church. Evening Maundy Thursday Service at 7.30pm.

If anyone is planning to join us please ask them to contact Martin Thompson on 07834 907435 so that we can be on top of any potential logistical issues. Any groups of young people (under 18) need to be accompanied by a responsible adult throughout. Again, please highlight that they will need to bring their own food and drink as host parishes are only providing for the core pilgrimage group.

For more information about the Youth Pilgrimage please contact Martin Thompson, Diocesan Youth Work Adviser on 01392 294932 or at martin.thompson@exeter.anglican.org.