About the Small Pilgrim Places Network
St Tecwyn’s Church, Llandecwyn
Writing to American friends in the year 2000 Jim Cotter described a project. “A small church in a small community in a small country on the north-western edges of Europe. A place that attracts pilgrims who maybe doubling as tourists, or indeed disguised as such.” He’d taken over the care of the little used St Tecwyn’s Church on the hills above Porthmadog on the west coast of Wales. His intention: to open it up and run it as a small pilgrim place.
“How can we change the glazed eyes of the tourist within each of us into the focussed eyes of the pilgrim?” Jim wondered. In practice he found that people of all faiths and none found their ways to Llandecwyn’s newly opened doors. The silence, stillness -the presence of the place - worked its miracle on many. It also deeply affected Jim and the volunteers that staffed the church during summer months. As they cleared away the pews and clutter they provided a prayerful presence at the site. Offering hospitality to those who lived near by as well as summer visitors, they found themselves earthed in the local community and woven into the fabric of the communion of saints.
It dawned on them that the insights and good practice they were developing at Llandecwyn were transferable to other situations. And that the world was blessed with many humble and holy places. Quiet places in a noisy world, places close to the still centre – spiritual oases, breathing spaces! The idea of a Small Pilgrim Place Network was born.
The Network was formally launched in Birmingham on 8 October 2005. The meeting adopted a provisional constitution and objectives, established the characteristics of small pilgrim places and a provisional good practice guide.
In 2006 Jim Cotter stood down leaving the care of the network in the hands of a committee. The year to October 2007 saw a modest increase in the number of SPPs on the Network. It also revealed the need to renew the website and organisation before the Network could comfortably grow. With the re-launch of the website in early 2008 an effort will be made to draw into the Network the many small pilgrim places that already exercise a ministry of welcome and increase the number of volunteers who support the work.