CAPTION: The new Shepherd's Way pilgrimage highlights the sheep on show at the Westpoint showground
Pop-Up Pilgrimage Route Based on Psalm 23 Launched at Devon County Show
A new ‘pop-up’ pilgrimage route has been launched at this year’s Devon County Show.
The Shepherd’s Way is a walking route around the Westpoint Showground, with a number of clues to find along the way and a prize for anyone who completes it.
It’s based on Psalm 23: The Lord’s My Shepherd, which is this year’s theme for the Devon Churches area at the show.
Sarah Charker said Psalm 23 is still relevant today
The Shepherd’s Way is part of the Diocese of Exeter’s Devon Pilgrim project.
It was devised by Sarah Charker, the diocese’s Creation Care Officer, who is used to raising sheep on her family’s smallholding near Okehampton.
Sarah said “Around the showground there are verses from Psalm 23 dotted around, so people can walk around while meditating on the psalm and enjoying the sights of the Devon County Show.
“We have a lot of farmers, sheep and shepherds at the show and the psalm is still hugely relevant.
“The way farmers look after their sheep is the way Jesus looks after us.”
The Bishop of Plymouth, the Rt. Rev’d James Grier, spent Thursday touring the show, which is one of the largest annual gatherings of people from across Devon and a highlight in the agricultural calendar.
The Bishop of Plymouth said the show demonstrates the best of Devon life
He said “Devon is a rural county and the show expresses something of the wonder of rural Devon, with our farmers, with our livestock, but also with our talents and gifts – the creativity, the craft, our businesses and entrepreneurship – everything is represented here in this showground, and (as always in Devon) it’s sunny!”
As well as the pop-up pilgrimage there is a Shepherd’s Tent in the churches area, where people can find some shade and ‘rest for their souls’, with straw bales to sit on, contemplative artwork, wool spinning, felting and crafting activities and free bottles of water.
The Rev’d Jeremy Putnam, Mission Enabler for the Church of England in Devon, said he had been able to talk to lots of visitors to the show and pray with some of them.
There are a also number of volunteer Show Chaplains on patrol around the showground. They include local members of clergy and lay ministers.
The Churches Together area also includes a families tent with activities for children, a pay-what-you-can café and displays by a number of church organisations and the Diocese of Exeter Education Team.
