A Fresh Expression Rooted in Rural Norfolk
Tucked between Norfolk and Suffolk in the Waveney Valley, a fresh expression is quietly growing—one shaped not by a building, but by ancient pathways, shared silence, and the gentle rhythm of walking.
A Community Formed Through Pilgrimage
Pilgrims is a Christian community that gathers through day-long pilgrimages, drawing people into spiritual reflection through movement, stillness, and open space. Each walk explores one of seven guiding principles—freedom, simplicity, sharing, and others—woven into a route that begins with prayer, holds silence and group reflection, and ends with a simple blessing:
“Lord, show us the way and make us ready to follow it.”
Emerging from the Church of England Parish Context
This expression has grown from within the Church of England’s Earsham Benefice—a group of eight rural parishes where the land itself holds deep spiritual resonance. The Pilgrims community is based in the grounds of a former Anglican convent in Ditchingham, surrounded by pilgrimage paths that pass through many of the benefice’s churches.
A Community Shaped by Place, Not Programmes
Though the ministry is led by curate James Shelton, Pilgrims isn’t built around personality. It’s shaped by context—its geography, its history, and the people who show up. Each time, the group is different. Strangers become companions. Conversations emerge that often go deeper than those found in Sunday services.
No Building. No Budget. Just Walking with God.
Pilgrims requires no building, budget, or formal structure. It began by walking—and continues through curiosity, attentiveness to place, and trust in the Spirit’s leading. James is now developing resources to help others—especially in rural benefices—host similar expressions, adapted to their local context.
Pilgrimage as an Invitation to Deeper Faith
For those listening closely to the land and longing for new ways to walk with God and others, Pilgrims offers this quiet invitation:
Start with what’s already there. Then walk—openly, prayerfully, together.
Explore Further
Learn more about the Pilgrims community: https://www.earshambenefice.org.uk/pilgrims
