The third leg of our UK pilgrimage takes us by car from Edinburgh to Lindisfarne (Holy Island) and on to Durham.  In 635AD, in response to the request of King Oswald of Northumbria that missionaries be sent to bring the Christian gospel to his people, St. Aiden was sent from Iona to establish an Abbey on what would later become known as the Holy Isle of Lindisfarne.  We’ll spend one night on the island, timing their arrival and departure to the rhythm of the tides.  Then it’s on to Durham, where the bones of another Holy Island saint – Cuthbert – were finally laid to rest after a long and storied journey.  [Eldon Olson, retired (but not tired) pastor and member of Peace, spent two years with Marcia and family in Durham completing his doctorate.  He’s an excellent source of more of the rich history of this era in Northumberland’s history and the characters that make up the drama.]

Along the way we hope to connect with the Northumbria Community, a contemporary Christian community that’s part of the new monastic movement, whose motherhouse is located between Holy Island and Durham.  Finally, we head south via train to the home of our friends the Gaultneys, who live in Thame, outside of London.