So, what does Nottingham Forest have in common with the Pilgrims? The answer: Scrooby, England.
For those of you that immediately think of Robin Hood when you see the word “Nottingham”, you are not alone. But now it can ring a bell for you in regards to our journey to Thanksgiving. Here’s the scoop.
During the 1500s, the Catholic Church was at war with those who were protesting the Catholic religion (The Protestants). Apparently, a few extremists, or rebels, up in Scrooby, (Nottingham area) were fed up with the new Church of England. And they decided it was time to leave. They wanted to worship the Lord their way. Not the way the State demanded and ordered. To them, religion was between a man and his God. Not a government mandate. (sound eerily familiar?)
In their first attempt to slip out of the country, they were arrested. At that time, people who rebelled against the church were’nt allowed to leave the country. Finally, in about 1608 A.D., a merry band of “brothers” managed to escape over to Holland. But in time, the poverty, the Dutch culture their children were absorbing, and other political pressures had them thinking that this new world was not their final destination.
In time, they connected with a company that was looking for settlers willing to trek to the New World (America). It wasn’t part of the original plan of these pilgrims from Nottingham, but after careful thought and much prayer, they began to look at another new land and a new life.
And thus began the journey that truly led to the first Thanksgiving. Stay with us…there’s more to come!
Thankfully,
S.
