Walk to Church



Walking to Church is a 1952 painting by the American painter Norman Rockwell, painted for the cover of The Saturday Evening Post's April 4, 1953, issue.

Walk to church
"come ye, and let us walk in the light of the LORD,"

In former times believers walked to church. Perhaps on a shaded lane, or a busy city street, as captured here by Norman Rockwell's Walking to Church. Some walked as families, or with friends, or alone. Perhaps they encountered others on the way, and exchanged smiles and greetings.

There was time to leave the secular world behind, and prepare the heart to enter the sanctuary. There was time strengthen the bonds of fellowship, or create new ones.

All of this still occurs, of course, but diminished by traffic, parking, congested drop-off lanes, etc.

One British cleric reflected on some 'Good reasons to walk to church'.

Some congregants might enjoy walking. They could arrive at designated meeting places out in the neighborhood, a few or many blocks away, park there, and walk together to church.

Perhaps the neighbors of these meeting places could be approached and be given a heads up of this occasional parking. (Outreach opportunity). Perhaps the walking congregants would attract the attention and interest of the neighbors as they stroll by. (Another outreach opportunity!)


 * Walking to Church in Visalia, CA

Walk to school
A similar concept is walking to school: Walk Bike to School, is a national movement. It has guidance on safety, etc.

Walking to a sacred place
From time immemorial we humans have considered some places more sacred than others. We have walked to them; made pilgrimage to holy sites far and near.


 * A foundational work of English literature, 'The Canterbury Tales' tells of a group of pilgrims.
 * One of the earliest English settler groups in America came to be known as Pilgrims.
 * Thoughts of a Catholic num.
 * There are multiple pilgrim routes to Santiago de Compostela in northern Spain.
 * others to come ...

Walking to other places of worship

 * Walking to synagogue (or shul).
 * Walking to mosque