This is part of St Peter’s Church, in the village of Barton upon Humber, near Hull. A wonderful Anglo Saxon building that was closed for regular worship in 1972 and is now looked after by English Heritage. The first record of a church here, can be traced to the late 9th Century. There is another Church in the village which is open for worship.
I’d always wanted to visit this so called ‘redundant church’ and viewing it for the first time, took my breath away. It may be redundant, but it exudes spiritual power in a very gentle way. It was locked at the time of my visit, but the exterior was enought! The photograph shows a beautiful Saxon doorway.
Doors have always been a very powerful spiritual signpost in my life and this ‘redundant doorway’, spreaks to me of endless possibilities. It’s the sense of exploring what is beyond the doorway. As I mentioned, it was locked, but it still drew me spiritually to how I understand faith. We can all identify those moments of ‘crossroads’ when other paths can be taken, other doors are inviting us to be opened.
These moments are often times when we sense the gentle nudging of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit leads us from where we are, to where we might be. The choice whether to take that step, is entirely ours. There is no divne coercion; we are offered different paths, but never pushed.
St Peter’s Church is still a witness to the power of faith. The door in the photograph gives us a reminder of the doors that we meet daily, and perhaps moment by moment. The decsions we make and the whisper of the Holy Spirit in our hearts and souls, take us on our own unique pathways through life.
May your dayand your journey be truly blessed….
Musings 