On Saturday eight of us walked 13.2 miles in preparation for our coming chapel Mary Jones “pilgrimage” in Wales on April 1. As we live in South Gloucestershire (William Tyndale country) we took the opportunity to use two locations as natural bookends. We began at St. Adeline’s Church where Tyndale pastored from 1521-23 and closed our walk at the Tyndale monument which stands above the community in which he was born in 1494. The monument also commemorates his martyrdom on October 6, 1536, outside Brussels where he was burned alive so that the English plough boy might find salvation through the Word of God.

Over the course of our walk we reflected upon these words from Psalm 19:

[7] The law of the LORD is perfect,
reviving the soul;
the testimony of the LORD is sure,
making wise the simple;
[8] the precepts of the LORD are right,
rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the LORD is pure,
enlightening the eyes;
[9] the fear of the LORD is clean,
enduring forever;
the rules of the LORD are true,
and righteous altogether.
[10] More to be desired are they than gold,
even much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey
and drippings of the honeycomb.
[11] Moreover, by them is your servant warned;
in keeping them there is great reward.

Verse 10 helpfully captures how Tyndale and Mary Jones valued God’s word. They were both willing to go to great lengths to obtain something beyond value. Our physical perseverance helped focus our attention on that lesson.

Once at the monument we concluded with a short, albeit windy, service. We read Matthew 7:24-29 from Tyndale’s 1526 New Testament and concluded with this prayer:

Give to your people, O God, grace to hear and keep your word, that, after the example of your servant, William Tyndale, we may not only profess your gospel, but also be ready to suffer and die for it, to the honour of your name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN!

We had some other chapel folk join us for the end.

On our coming Mary Jones walk we will be reflecting upon Psalm 119.