When I was an English ‘Bobby’, “On yer bike” meant something different to the advice I will be giving here. In my younger years when I was a police officer, I cycled some notable fundraisers but time passes, muscles get weaker and life takes over.
Any job, especially ordained ministry, can be all-consuming as can looking after a family and trying to survive. In early ordained ministry, I covered 7 villages and 3 churches, all 2 miles apart, and was Rural Dean for many more. Though a move to southern Saskatchewan, Canada – to a diocese the size of the British Isles, but with a population of 460,000 people – provided a different perspective on distance and space.
For a while I was the only paid priest and Archdeacon for the equivalent of an Archdeaconry of Wales and Scotland combined. Long days, overwork, stress and weight gain led to my needing a sextuple heart bypass and a serious re-evaluation of my life and ministry.
Greatly helped by one of the best heart rehabilitation centres in North America, and attending regularly a local retreat centre, I began to see the importance of tending to my physical, mental and spiritual health and to rely more on fasting and prayer than snacks. Purchasing a bicycle seemed to be an appropriate next step; scary and hard work at first, but I got used to cycling again and loved it.
It was whilst cycling that I began to lean into prayer in a new way. Trusting God for the journey; being attentive to and thankful for the beauty around me; using the contours of the road, or the weather, to guide my prayer – uphill and storms for those struggling with health, faith or life – downhill, wind at your back, and sunny days for those doing well, getting baptised, confirmed or married. And the flat for those I had just visited or those I’ll be meeting.
However, it wasn’t just prayerfulness whilst cycling, I began to learn the importance of stopping at cafes for ice cream or coffee, and being prayerfully attentive and neighbourly to everyone I met. Over time I developed a rhythm of tuning into the environment, to nature, to God and to life.
Cycling for me provides a visual metaphor for my spiritual journey, it encourages hospitality and community, as well as be a vehicle for evangelism.
As a bishop, I decided, each year I would cycle to visit churches to worship, dine, share faith stories and to pray. The first year I cycled 700kms visiting 19 churches. The 2nd year 1150kms visiting another 25 churches etc. Such missional journeys in Saskatchewan led to a call to cycle across Canada. A total of 7,500kms from Victoria on Vancouver Island to St John’s Newfoundland.
It was a prayer pilgrimage, a call to action and a journey of penance. The diocese of Qu’Appelle had the longest running Indian Residential School in Canada. Schools where countless First Nations children were taken away from their families to have ‘The Indian’ taken out of them. Horrific stories from survivors in many of these schools have been shared and recorded as a first step towards truth and reconciliation. I have certainly witnessed their considerable pain and anger.
Being a bishop of such a diocese, the purpose of this pilgrimage was not to raise funds, though much was raised, but to create awareness and to encourage every community to pray for unity, healing and reconciliation. Each of the 61 days involved community gatherings, forums, First Peoples gathering circles, TV, radio and newspaper coverage, church services, as well as cycling an average of 120kms or 75 miles a day. Some 200 people, of all ages, cycled with me, some for 500 kms, others for just 1 km but ride they did. Furthermore, we have witnessed many changes since on the greater ride towards unity healing and reconciliation since. Thanks be to God.
As I journeyed towards retirement, again instead of inviting people to one location burning up much fuel enroute, I cycled 2.800 kms with a small team of lay and ordained to each of the 54 churches in the diocese to pray, to break bread, and to say our farewells. It was, like the one across Canada, thoroughly exhausting; physically, spiritually and emotionally, but one I, and hopefully the diocese, will always remember.
Arriving here in the Highlands of Scotland cycling quickly enabled me to explore the Highlands both by road and by trail. I instantly engaged with the challenging contours and felt at home. The aroma, the air quality, the freshness after the rain, and the people.
Though frustratingly the past 2 years have been challenging health-wise, I have still had opportunities to encourage people on their journeys; sharing route advice and providing hospitality. Recently I have had a green light to cycle and get fit once more. To aid this I have an electric bike, as well as a road and trail bike so watch for me as new ventures are planned.
My advice for those thinking of buying a bike is to consider how and where you will ride it, and why. Start with short distances and build up so that you don’t get discouraged. Log your progress. And, if you can, take a friend, a journal, a camera or sketch book, and pause along the way to note, give thanks, remember and enjoy! And to churches… Please offer a pilgrimage rest stop for folks on ‘The Way’ and a safe place to park a bike for those wanting to cycle to church.
As we think of Net Zero initiatives here in Scotland I would certainly recommend cycling or walking as a way of reducing our carbon footprint and tuning in and appreciating more this beautiful world God has created and the people God has called to be our neighbours. May God bless your travels and the Scottish Episcopal Church’s journey towards Net Zero.
Rt Rev Rob Hardwick, St Ninian’s, Glen Urquhart
Edited by Bethany Nelson, Empowerment Coordinator
