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News www.manchestercathedral.org June 2016 Prayer / Worship / Music / Arts / Education / Heritage / Welcoming Photo by Sandy Sharples A Curate’s Florishing Together Somme 100 Contemplations Page 3 Pages 5 Pages 8-9 Dean’s Corner A Curate’s Contemplations The Cost of By The Revd Jane Walker Some time ago a friend surprised The Archbishop of Canterbury has me by suddenly announcing, made prayer one of the priorities of his “Jane, I don’t know how to ministry. He and the Archbishop of York Prejudice called for a special week of prayer in the pray!” That announcement ten days leading to Pentecost (8 – 15 made me wonder: how many May) and we have also seen the launch By The Dean people don’t know how to of the JustPray initiative. Go to www. pray or feel unable to? justpray.uk for some helpful resources for prayer. Such an emphasis on prayer With those thoughts in mind I was resonates strongly with me. I confess that delighted when the Dean invited me On Wednesday 4 May I had the Washington. This is an extensive I sometimes think the Church of England to lead the Cathedral Lent course this exhibition over many floors and it spends far too much time talking and great privilege of attending the year. Focussing on prayer, it provided provided me with another harrowing debating and not enough time praying! annual Holocaust Remembrance an opportunity for us to learn about, and and vivid experience of what took place Day organised by the Jewish explore, different ways of praying. It was in the Holocaust. It is worth a visit if Regular prayer is a habit worth Representative Council. It was a privilege to share this experience with a you happen to be in Washington. cultivating. It doesn’t have to involve also the 70th anniversary of gloriously diverse bunch of people, which words. We can simply take time to included both long-standing worshippers the Liberation of Auschwitz. The Holocaust and my own personal present ourselves before God and sit in and some who were newly baptized. More than one thousand members experience of blatant and (legalised) silence with Him. “In prayer it is better Covering topics as varied as Prayer and of the Jewish community attended racism in South Africa, my country to have a heart without words than Art, and Body Prayer—we even walked the commemoration at the of birth, brings home to me the cost words without a heart” (John Bunyan). the Cathedral’s new portable labyrinth of prejudice against people who are A.J. Bell Stadium in Eccles. (see picture)—we reflected on the different to us. Rwanda also experienced Let us all commit ourselves to regular importance of prayer and the extent to genocide when thousands were killed and extended periods of prayer, Some civic guests were present together which hectic 21st century lifestyles can because they belonged to different both individually and in community, with the Bishop of Salford and me. sacrifice prayer on the altar of busyness. We listened to harrowing accounts from tribes. Prejudice of any sort has the remembering that “Prayer can never potential to be transformed into acts be in excess!” (Charles Spurgeon). some of the survivors of the Holocaust Yet for the early church prayer was a of violence and murder. As Christians who have since made their homes in priority. Following Jesus’ ascension, we must not be silent in the face of Manchester. These are now aged men the first instinct of the church was to prejudice. We must combat prejudice and women with their own families, pray, and the disciples spent ten days wherever it is found, including in our life who are the next generation born in this praying together (Acts 1:12-14)! Prayer as a Cathedral community. Prejudicial country. As you will know more than six featured heavily during the rapid growth acts are sinful and will receive the million Jews perished in the Holocaust of early Christianity which followed. simply because they were Jews. judgement of God and the Church. Let us be humble. And let us also be bold, We are aware that a number of disabled Prayer should be our natural starting and eradicate acts of prejudice against people, homosexuals and black folks point. We sometimes feel a desperate people who are apparently different to us! were also killed by the Nazis as part need to be “doing” something of their ethnic cleansing programme. practical in crisis situations but in In Christ, fact “prayer is the greater work” In November last year I visited the (Oswald Chambers). John Wesley Rogers Govender National Holocaust Museum in said, “Prayer is where the action is.” Page 2 Cathedral News Page 3 Cathedral News Free Family Fun: Flourishing Together Time Travelling and By Cherry Vann, Archdeacon of Rochdale Singing with Mary Poppins and Bert! On Tuesday 26 January 2015, the us much about the love of God which Church of England consecrated transcends human difference and disagreement. As a result, we have By Pam Elliott its first woman bishop, Libby Lane, as Bishop of Stockport. begun to glimpse what mutual flourishing Education Officer can look like in practice. We are very A week later, Philip North grateful to Manchester Cathedral for became the first traditionalist agreeing to host this event on Thursday bishop to be consecrated as As part of the Manchester On Friday 3 June 10.30-12.30 and 9 June 2016 which aims to celebrate Histories Festival (3-12 June 14.00-15.30 we shall be running two Time Bishop of Burnley under the new our diversity and is an opportunity for 2016) the Manchester Cathedral Travelling family learning sessions. In arrangements passed by the us to recommit ourselves to working Education Department will be these free events, children will have the General Synod in July 2014. for one another’s mutual flourishing. offering a number of family events. chance to uncover some of the stories written in stone, wood and glass in the Colleagues and friends from neighbouring The ten day Manchester Histories Integral to these arrangements is the Cathedral, such as an Anglo-Saxon dioceses will join us to hear Bishops festival celebrates the familiar and concept of mutual flourishing. See angel, some medieval beasts, dragons https://goo.gl/a7RS64. The Five Guiding Libby and Philip reflect on their own reveals new and hidden histories and a phoenix. These will be brought to Principles set out the framework for personal journeys on mutual flourishing life through drama and craft activities. from across Greater Manchester. living together with the highest possible within the Church of England and on degree of communion across the their hopes for the future. There will be And, back by popular demand, on Saturday opportunity to ask them questions as well 4 June 12.30–13.30 and 15.00-16.00 spectrum of views within the Church of as to hear their stories and reflections we shall be running Sing the Cathedral: England. It goes without saying that this and to share in prayer and fellowship Disney and friends! Led by Pam Elliott mutual flourishing will not happen simply and Charlie Corkin (aka Mary Poppins and because the guiding principles have been over lunch. Please do join us for this Bert), we will be exploring the Cathedral adopted. It requires a continuing and unique and important occasion. and singing songs from the musicals intentional commitment to it at every level Frozen, The Lion King and many more, of the Church’s life to ensure that we are as we go on this musical adventure. Fun doing all we can to affirm our unity and for all the family; people of all ages and common life in Christ and to witness to it. every musical ability are welcome. These events are free, but must be booked in For the last twenty years or more, advance on Eventbrite. They are proving members of the Society (formerly very popular and tickets are going fast. Forward in Faith) Chapter and the If you are unable to get tickets for these Women’s Chapter have been meeting dates, look out on Eventbrite for more in for prayer, shared meals and dialogue. the future! http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/ Our journey together through some manchester-cathedral-7097457847 difficult and challenging times has There will also be more Terrific Tuesdays deepened our fellowship and taught run by the Cathedral Education Department during the Summer holidays. Look out for news of these also on Eventbrite and in next month’s Cathedral News. Page 4 Cathedral News Page 5 Cathedral News Why Not Invest in Cleaner Looking for an A Poem Air and ‘Greener’ Children? ordination gift? Manchester Cathedral By Ali Abbas, Director, Greater Manchester Community Renewables has a range of 925 sterling silver jewellery with cross pendants Befriending reminiscent of (i.m. of Ian) the Jesus Chapel Cross at Manchester By Eve Jackson Cathedral. These high quality products come with a choice of 18, 20, or We offered to carry his coffin, 22-inch sterling silver chain with a though no-one really knew him; miniature Manchester Cathedral met on the streets at night, Shield pendant attached. asked where he was sleeping. We also have a sterling silver clean, green electricity in the first year, Hugs, handshakes, prayers Greater Manchester Community Cathedral Shield Lapel Pin on sale. Renewables (GMCR) was saving approximately 50 tonnes of and sweets given freely. Refused water, carbon dioxide, as well as combined founded last year by a group We have recently made some changes energy bill savings of just under told us our silver blankets of passionate volunteers with to the online payment system for the £50,000 and a Community Fund of over were useless to hide away in.