Leaving Iona: Living with new invitations from God

A group from Christos completed its pilgrimage to Iona on July 4, grateful for new experiences, encounters with the sacred, and with each other. A few thoughts from Christos Executive Director Heidi Lender, who is participating on the trip:

On one of the days of the pilgrimage, we spent the day in silence with God. One of the best things about Christos is the beautiful thing that happens when we are in silence and prayer in community. There is a deep knowing that though we are each on our own journey with God, trying to answer our own questions, we are still in it together. We are not alone on this journey. We are together and God is meeting each person where they are at and giving them what they need on this beautiful island of Iona.

“We are leaving the things we tossed out to sea that we don’t want to take with us anymore. We are taking back a new way of being and new invitations from God to live out our true selves and embrace the people we were created to be. ”

July 1 – We took a boat and explored the Island of Staffa today. This is where there are sea caves and where the puffins have their nests. The caves are where Mendelssohn used the acoustics and wrote the Hebrides Overture. Our pilgrims used the caves’ acoustics to sing the doxology!  This island is amazing. Its rock structures are unique. It’s definitely a place to experience God in the beauty and awesomeness of his creation.

July 2 - As we savor our last day on the beautiful isle of Iona, I am thinking about all the gifts I have received here. The gift of being present to the Spirit, to each other, and to ourselves. The gift of silence, to listen to God through nature and each other.

At the beginning of the trip, we were asked to listen for a new name that we might be given by God. One of us shared that it is dear one; for me it was beloved. We are leaving the things we tossed out to sea that we don’t want to take with us anymore. In return, we are taking back a new way of being and new invitations from God to live out our true selves and embrace the people we were created to be. I will miss this place and mostly its people. We were welcomed here by name and we are leaving with our hearts full of love for the people of Iona.