Being new to blogging the first questions  are what and how to share? Seems too mundane just to report miles walked, pounds lost or fears confronted and mountaintops ascended. Why would anyone read such? What benefit would be there be for others? Who would care?

So I've decided to organize the next few months musings within the context of preparing to prepare a proposal for a Lilly Clergy Renewal Grant to fund the actual walking El Camino de Santiago in 2016. Google Lilly Clergy Renewal Grant program for details. The proposal is a joint effort between myself and the church I serve Epworth UMC, Indianapolis, IN. The grant proposal must be submitted to Lilly by early 2015 for them to make a decision in late summer 2015 for us to make the pilgrimage in 2016.

To organize my thoughts and reflections these next few months, I'll use Joyce Rupp's book, Walking In  A Relaxed Manner:Life Lessons from the Camino as a beginning point. Joyce and her walking companion and friend, Tom Pfleffer drafted the following prayer and prayed it daily as they experienced a pilgrimage along El Camino a few years ago: The Pilgrim Prayer   Guardian of my soul, guide me on my way this day. Keep me safe from harm. Deepen my relationship with you, your Earth, and all your family. Strengthen your love within me that I may be a presence of your peace in our world. Amen.

Joyce notes the descriptions of Joseph Campbell of a mythic hero "as someone who ends a journey with one of two kinds of heroic acts: a physical act in which the individual gives his or her life in sacrifice for others, or a spiritual act, in which the hero returns to share an extraordinary experience, and thus deeply benefits the community."  While I'm no mythic hero, sharing with the community(s) that have shaped, molded, nurtured, taught, prayed and journeyed with me for six decades brings consolation. The calling is similar to what I experienced when I hiked the Maryland portion of theAppalachian  Trail in memory of my father who worked on the AT during the Great Depression as a member of the Civilian Conservation Corps. The communities include Epworth UMC, the church I serve now, my covenant group, family, friends, clergy colleagues.

What if I could return with new insights with my lessons learned on the camino regarding church leadership in the 21st century? How could life as a pilgrim influence the church as pilgrim? Could there be new expressions of what it would be like to intentionally be a "pilgrim people?" Could there be new expressions of living generously, simply, with a sense of adventure and faith, purpose, companionship, trust and courage? Could we share our perspectives about the how of living life vs living life doing what? Let's see.

Vaya con Dios pilgrims