Seiger Koder Today is Maundy Thursday. It is the day in the life of the Church when we thank God for the Last Supper, known to many of us as the Eucharist. The Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke all recount the Last Supper; John’s Gospel, however, tells the story of Jesus washing the disciple’s feet. The story from John’s Gospel is a story of humility, a story of love, a story of servanthood. As the disciples gather Jesus takes a towel wraps it around himself and pours water over tired and dirty feet. He kneels before his followers, washes their feet, and as their eyes meet, a moment of love passes between them. As I reflect on the reading from John’s Gospel I am struck by the parallels in our own time. As we know from Scripture Jesus moves from The Last Supper, The Washing of the Feet to his eventual death. A cruel death which has been seen as a sacrifice made for us, that we might live. As I walk around St James’ Garden I reflect on the sacrifice that so many people are making in our hospitals and in our care homes in order that people may live. I am sure there are moments when people’s hands and feet are washed, when that simple act of cleaning brings a moment of love to the human race. Those in the caring profession offer love and are making a sacrifice. As I continue to think, I read the grave stone of Catherine Wilkinson, known to many as Kitty Wilkinson. It reads: Catherine Wilkinson died 11 November 1860. Indefatigable and self-denying. She was the widow’s friend; the support of the orphan; the fearless and unwearied, nurse of the sick; the originator of baths and wash houses for the poor. Kitty worked to alleviate the suffering of the poor and sick and today many nurses, care-workers and doctors follow in her footstep, as they battle on the front line in our hospitals and homes with the Covid 19 virus. Today on this Maundy Thursday and everyday we pray for them, we give thanks for their selflessness and their sacrifice. Today, on this Maundy Thursday, when we remember that Jesus washed his disciples feet, I ask you that every-time you wash your hands or wash your feet you give thanks for the NHS and all care professionals, for their sacrifice of love and please pray for their safety. Loving God, As we remember Jesus’ command to love on another We pray for our NHS and for all care-workers. Give them strength and courage to face the future. Help them to know and feel supported by you at this difficult time. We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord who lived and died for us. Amen. Dean Sue While you're here: Why not prepare for next Sunday's worship? Our preparation sheet for adults and for children can be accessed by clicking on the Resources tab of this website: https://www.prayerforliverpool.org/prayer-resources.html. And check out the following calendar of services this Holy Week as well (Links will be provided once they are made available): Holy Week Reflections and Services Maundy Thursday: Service for Maundy Thursday Good Friday: Joint Good Friday Service between the two Cathedrals The Passion Gospel read by Precentors from Cathedrals around the Country Performance of Crucifixus by Cathedral Choir, sung remotely Holy Saturday: Vigil Prayers and Night Prayer by National Cathedral Precentors Easter Sunday: 10.30am Service for Easter Day, Bishop Paul preaching
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I continue to be so grateful for my daily walks around St. James’ Gardens, especially on those lovely calm sunny mornings when it’s not blowing a hooley. Each day, it seems that the place is greening up, and more flowers are appearing. The information board erected by the Council tells me that St. James’ Mount, at the southern end of the Gardens, was the first public park in Liverpool, created as long ago as 1767. So it’s been giving pleasure, for free, to many generations of local people. As I’ve been walking round, trying to chalk up my daily tally of ‘steps’ I was reminded of a talk I’d heard years ago which claimed that the main message of the Bible (the ‘meta-narrative’ if you want the posh word) can be summed up in ‘gardens’. The Bible starts in the Garden of Eden, and ends in the garden city of the new heaven and earth, with the river of life flowing down the centre, and trees producing fruit for the healing of the nations. In the heart of the Bible are two more gardens, the Garden of Gethsemane and the Garden of the Empty Tomb. Between these latter two is the Cross – the fulcrum of the whole of Scripture. On Easter morning, our focus will be on the garden in which Jesus revealed himself to Mary Magdalene, outside the empty tomb, from which he had just emerged. In this Holy Week, however, may I encourage you to dwell for a while in the Garden of Gethsemane? You can read of this in Matthew 26:36-46, Mark 14:32-42 or Luke 22:40-46. To begin to understand something of the significance of the moment, we should wind back the clock to the Garden of Eden. However we understand, in literary terms, the text of Genesis 3, it is obvious that human beings, in their decision to put themselves in the driving seat, set themselves on a collision course with God’s good purposes for them. Having eaten of the ‘Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil’, God could not let them eat of the ‘Tree of Life’; otherwise, his plan to send his Son as the perfect human to die for the mess we’d made of the world could not be enacted. Humans would have been immortal. So Adam and Eve are driven from the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:22-24), in a gesture which some theologians refer to as a ‘severe mercy’. It sounds most harsh for God to do that, but it was the way in which God would ultimately demonstrate his merciful love for all humanity. As we trace the path from Eden through the Old Testament, we read of a ‘Messiah’ – God’s anointed one, who would come to drink the cup of suffering. Psalm 102 is one of the set Psalms for Holy Week, and I believe that verse 9 looks ahead to Christ’s prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, “For I eat ashes like bread, and mingle tears with my drink.” So it was, that just after Jesus had shared the Last Supper with his disciples, including the ‘cup of remembrance’ of the Passover, he prayed earnestly to God in the Garden, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me, yet not what I want but what you want” (Matthew 29:39). Humanly, Jesus blanched at the thought of what was set before him – he didn’t want to go through with it. It is interesting that Jesus distanced himself from his disciples in order to pray, and was completely isolated in his dialogue with God; for only he could do this. But there, in the Garden of Gethsemane, the ‘garden of tears’ (as Graham Kendrick refers to it in his hymn ‘The Servant King’) became the garden of decision. Without it, the Garden of the Empty Tomb, the Easter Garden, would not have been possible. So let us, in this Holy Week, dwell with Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, not ‘falling asleep’ spiritually, as did the disciples physically on that momentous evening. May we quietly give thanks to Jesus that he was prepared to drink that cup of suffering, right to the bottom, and that he did it for the love of you and me. There in the garden of tears, my heavy load he chose to bear. His heart with sorrow was torn, “Yet not my will, but yours” he said. This is our God, the Servant King. He calls us now to follow him. To bring our lives, as a daily offering of worship to the Servant King. Canon Neal While you're here: Why not prepare for next Sunday's worship? Our preparation sheet for adults and for children can be accessed by clicking on the Resources tab of this website: https://www.prayerforliverpool.org/prayer-resources.html. And check out the following calendar of services this Holy Week as well (Links will be provided once they are made available): Holy Week Reflections and Services Maundy Thursday: Service for Maundy Thursday Good Friday: Joint Good Friday Service between the two Cathedrals The Passion Gospel read by Precentors from Cathedrals around the Country Performance of Crucifixus by Cathedral Choir, sung remotely Holy Saturday: Vigil Prayers and Night Prayer by National Cathedral Precentors Easter Sunday: 10.30am Service for Easter Day, Bishop Paul preaching It is now seven years since we first experienced the Liverpool Passion Plays in the Cathedral. They were written and produced by an in-house team: Daniel Bishop, Mark Lovelady and Nick Basson, and came about with a veritable army of talented helpers. Originally there were three acts, designed to be performed in the Great Space of the Cathedral on the Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings of Holy Week, shortly after Evensong. The original plan was for adult members of the Cathedral Company to take part as the actors, but in the event, sufficient adult volunteers were not forthcoming. Instead a host of younger people of the Cathedral Company, members of Cross Guild and the Overcrofters, the choristers and other young friends, were the ones who stepped up to the plate. Any misgivings about the maturity of the young people to enter into the story of the Passion disappeared completely on that first Monday evening. Their professionalism was remarkable and exemplary. And there was an unexpected bonus: the young players and singers brought their families with them, and their friends too, so that by the Wednesday evening the audience in the Cathedral was close to 500 people. The whole Cathedral was used for the Passion Plays. The Well was used for the opening scenes, moving from the childhood of Jesus to overturning the tables of the money-changers. The Baptistery and Western Crossing were the scene for the plotting and scheming of the religious leaders, ending with Judas Iscariot’s dark decision to betray. On Tuesday the procession into Jerusalem made its joyful way from the Scott Memorial to the Chancel Step before everyone moved to the darkness of the Presbytery for the Last Supper which took place around the High Altar. The final scene moved the audience to the Derby Transept, close to Lutyens’ ‘Outraged Christ’ for Christ’s agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, the false kiss of Judas and the violence of the arrest. On Wednesday, the Bishop’s Cathedra became the focus for the trial, and Pontius Pilate sentencing the Lord to death. The Crucifixion itself was depicted on the Dulverton Bridge, with the people standing below. My abiding memory is of the first Wednesday evening. At the end, everyone had the opportunity to lay a flower beneath the Bridge, as at the foot of the Cross. That evening Dean Pete and I had to leave the Cathedral promptly, as we were expected to robe and process at a service at the Metropolitan Cathedral to bid farewell to Archbishop Patrick Kelly. We walked together along Hope Street, but neither of us felt it right to speak. The experience of the plays, and especially the depiction of the crucifixion , had been too profound for conversation. We had been brought to stand at the foot of the Cross, and it was so profound that the youngest members of our Company were those who made this happen. It remains an unforgettable moment in my years at the Cathedral. This Holy Week will be quite unlike any other, I suspect. To journey to the Cross and the new life of Easter without setting foot in the Cathedral is going to be very strange for us. Seven years ago, my encounter pf surprise was how wondrously ‘the old, old story of Jesus and his love’ came alive through the commitment, talent and professionalism of the Cathedral’s young people. Who knows? It may be that the ‘God of surprises’ has something unforgettable awaiting us this year too! Canon Myles While you're here: Why not prepare for next Sunday's worship? Our preparation sheet for adults and for children can be accessed by clicking on the Resources tab of this website: https://www.prayerforliverpool.org/prayer-resources.html. And check out the following calendar of services this Holy Week as well (Links will be provided once they are made available): Holy Week Reflections and Services Maundy Thursday: Service for Maundy Thursday Good Friday: Joint Good Friday Service between the two Cathedrals. The Passion Gospel read by Precentors from Cathedrals around the Country Performance of Crucifixus by Cathedral Choir, sung remotely Holy Saturday: Vigil Prayers and Night Prayer by National Cathedral Precentors Easter Sunday: 10.30am Service for Easter Day, +Paul preaching Today would have been the day we hosted clergy, readers and others from across our diocese for our annual Chrism Eucharist. Instead we have a videoed service of the word with a renewal of commitment to ministry. You can watch this via the link below. Renewal of Commitment service One of the biggest things I missed when the Coronavirus restrictions first came in, was not being able to shake hands with people. Many of you will know that I love greeting people (friends and newcomers alike) with a smile and a handshake…..its the way I am and part of the good manners which was instilled in me from a young age by my dear mother and father. But it is interesting that even in that short period between the first restrictions and our current lockdown, I was able to find other ways to greet – through smiles, through words, through gestures, through eyes. I often imagine that Jesus too was a wonderfully tactile person – his gentleness of touch brought miraculous healing and comfort to many. But even he could touch people in different ways – by his own looks and smiles, no doubt; the pure love that people would have seen just in his eyes and face, that made you trust; the words that brought such teaching and gentle understanding but with such authority too. His voice which would bring miracles to bear – without the need for touch. And as did his mere presence, even down to the fibre of his clothing, for those reaching out with such deep faith. Yesterday was Palm Sunday – the joyous remembering of Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem; no doubt himself touched by the people themselves also in different ways – from those who would have reached out to physically touch him, or his donkey, as he rode passed. And who knows what miracles may have happened through their own faith when they did that – reaching out to the one they had heard so much about and what his touch, his words, his very presence brought to the lives of many. He would have been touched too by their own faces and smiles and shouts of triumph – the vision of the crowd waving palm branches and proclaiming ‘Hosanna, Hosanna!’; touched by what he saw, touched by what he heard. Although we know, at the start of this Great Week, the joy some would have experienced would have felt short lived given what happens later in the week; but the joys brought turned to eternal ones through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, by overcoming death through the triumph of the resurrection. And even in this strange period we are in now, we ourselves can touch the lives of many throughout this Great Week – without the need for physical contact. By the wonderful expressions of appreciation and support for all ‘frontline’ workers; by the expressions of grief – in abeyance, as such, until we may grieve properly and in fulness; by the joy brought with contacts long since lost – new words and new conversations; by the hearts touched by the unexpected email, text, phone call or videocall. We can still touch the lives of many this Holy Week and the weeks to come, so that the way that Jesus himself touched the lives of others, might be manifest in our own ways throughout this difficult time. With my love and prayers for you all; stay safe…. Canon Mike While you're here: Why not prepare for next Sunday's worship? Our preparation sheet for adults and for children can be accessed by clicking on the Resources tab of this website: https://www.prayerforliverpool.org/prayer-resources.html. Today in the life of the Church is Palm Sunday, the day when we remember Jesus’ journey into Jerusalem on a donkey. The mood, as Jesus journeys into Jerusalem, is one of praise as people shout their hosannas. The mood, however, quickly changes and, as we journey through this coming week, Holy Week, we observe that final week in the life of Jesus, this is a time that is full of emotion as we see Jesus suffer betrayal, torture, crucifixion and eventually death. As we observe and engage with Jesus in his last week, we see the fickleness of people and the human heart, but we also see the love of God. We invite you to join in worship for Palm Sunday with us here: There is also the opportunity to engage with today’s Psalm through Breakfast and the Bible in this document:
If you want to continue to reflect on today’s themes, then please do use ‘Exploring the Sunday Gospel at Home.’ The aim of ‘Exploring the Sunday Gospel at Home’ is for people and families to look at the Sunday Gospel in advance of Sundays and to prepare themselves for the coming Sunday worship. So do please look out for next Sunday’s material from Tuesday onwards. You’ll find the “Exploring the Sunday Gospel at Home” documents on the “Prayer Resources” page and under the “Worship” column: https://www.prayerforliverpool.org/prayer-resources.html. You will also find Children’s activities from the Cathedral Education Team on the “Prayer Resources” page of this website under the “Education” column: https://www.prayerforliverpool.org/prayer-resources.html. Also, read this excellent reflection about Palm Sunday during these present times from one of our Chapter members, Canon Andrew Holroyd:
If you wish to journey with us through Holy Week, then please do continue to read the blog and use the various worship and reflective services that will be on the web-site from tomorrow. Apart from Tuesday we are hoping to have a form of worship and Prayer everyday as we journey towards Good Friday and Easter Day. Have a good Palm Sunday. Dean Sue Today I would like us to pray for the Tsedaqah Community which is based in a house by Liverpool Cathedral (https://tsedaqahhouse.wordpress.com/
Tsedaqah is a Hebrew word which means ‘to do justice’. Tsedaqah is the reason why this missional community was formed. Young people from around the world become members as they seek to act justly, to love mercy and to walk humbly with their God (based on Micah 6:8). For periods of up to a year, they serve in a variety of ministries across the Diocese of Liverpool. Currently, the residents in the house by Liverpool Cathedral are: Nelson Pike https://nelsoninliverpool.com/ Nelson is from the state of Massachusetts, in the US. He is an assistant to the Dean of Liverpool at the Cathedral, and also works with Micah and in the Cathedral’s music department. Jen Williams https://jenwilliams.home.blog/ Jen is from Crosby. She works in the Social Justice Department at the Diocese of Liverpool and has been working on a number of projects particularly leading on our anti-modern slavery and human trafficking work. Jen also supports Micah food bank, which operates from the Cathedral, and she also looks after Open Table and Centering Prayer congregations in her home parish. There are also a number of past residents and non-resident community members, including myself, who try to live out active Tsedaqah – the living out of justice and fairness. The last few weeks we have not been able to meet in person for our weekly community meal and prayers so we have been sharing time using zoom having our tea in our own homes ‘together’. This has been a surprisingly entertaining and a community building experience. Even in these times there is no need for us to break all our routines. We are finding new ways to be community, to discuss the new work that is starting to happen and share how we are living our lives in these strange times. For me this virtual weekly get together has been life-giving and joyous. We are learning how to get through these isolation days as a community and as friends. Please do pray particularly for Nelson and Jen – but also for Mal, Debra, David, Tabitha, Mike, Kate, Emily, Emma, Sam, Felicity and Madeline and myself (the Tsedaqah community in our diocese, Ghana and the USA). @TsedaqahDioLiv The Tsedaqah Prayer: Circle us, O loving Father, with your hope, that we may do justice. Circle us, O Christ our Saviour, with your hope, that we may love mercy. Circle us, O Holy Spirit, with your hope, that we may walk humbly with you. Amen. I noticed on Twitter recently that one of my clergy colleagues from my Hull days had undergone a bit of a makeover. During his seven years with working with me his hair had gone from a rich dark black to grey – make of that what you will! His bored twin daughters had decided that he is now looking ‘too much like an old man’ so decided that it was time for a hefty dose of hair dye. So he is back to having a handsome mop of black hair – at least for the moment. Quite what he will look like as the hair grows on I have no idea. It was certainly a brave and trusting move on Matt’s part, to let them loose on his hair. I don’t think he trusted them enough to try cutting it though. I’ve seen some ‘interesting’ attempts at self-service DIY haircuts on the internet in recent days.
In my last two blogs, I’ve encouraged you to celebrate both the creativity of the Creator in giving us a world full of natural treasures, and the creativity of human beings who, by being made in God’s image, are intrinsically creative themselves. Indeed, at times of great adversity, that creativity is blossoming and bringing both pleasure to ourselves and others. God, however, did not just leave his good creation to its own devices – he didn’t simply wind up the clockwork toy and set it off, not caring whether it careered off its path and off the edge of the table. No, when he saw that ‘there may be trouble ahead’ as humans decided to put themselves in the place of God, his creativity came up with a plan for a makeover of all humanity. This would be a plan for re-creation. And it wouldn’t be merely skin deep, or temporary, like hair dye. It all began with the angel Gabriel appearing to Mary, as we celebrated on the 25th March, when he announced to her that she would bear God’s son, Jesus – a name which means ‘God saves’. Jesus duly arrived that first Christmas and, around the age of 30, began his ministry of preaching and teaching, healing, and declaring that the Kingdom of God was coming near. After his initial ministry in Galilee and the lands around it, he sets his face towards Jerusalem, and the action shifted towards the real reason for his coming to earth, namely to give his life for the re-creation of the world, and to become ‘the firstborn from the dead’ (Colossians 1:18). Through him, we are all given the opportunity to be caught up in his resurrection and to be re-created: “So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see everything has become new!” (2 Corinthians 5:17). Remarkably, as humanity experiences God’s heavenly make-over, creation itself will be re-created: “For creation itself waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God; for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God” (Romans 8:19-20). Wow – that is deep stuff. And it reminds us that, as we are so concerned about our own short-term survival as humans, we must not forget the long-term well-being of the natural world around us. For it and we are interdependent – neither can flourish without the well-being of the other. We are about to enter into the solemn remembrance of the events of that first Holy Week, as we recall Jesus’ journey from the Entry into Jerusalem to his hanging on the cross of Golgotha. It is more than a recalling, though; it is an invitation to enter into those momentous events – a conscious placing of ourselves into that story, as if we were there. We will, indeed, be standing and walking on holy ground. As we do so, and as we see creation coming to life around us and human creativity blossoming too, may we give thanks to God that his creativity continued with a cosmic plan for our re-creation and for the renewal of his good creation. God brought new life out of what appeared to be the signed and sealed certainty of death. This is truly mind-blowing; but the joy of it all is that God invites us to play our part in his on-going work of re-creation – for we too are caught up in his divine makeover. Remarkably, a bit like my friend having the courage to let his daughters loose with the black hair dye, God takes the risk with us by letting us have a go. I, for one, am delighted that he does. Canon Neal While you're here: Why not prepare for next Sunday's worship? Our preparation sheet for adults and for children can be accessed by clicking on the Resources tab of this website: https://www.prayerforliverpool.org/prayer-resources.html. It is now over a week since we have been ‘locked down.’ It still feels strange to communicate with people via a screen. Although I talk to people and say prayers with the team ‘virtually,’ I have also valued my early morning walks, more and more.
Like Canon Neal I am using St James’ Gardens as my ‘playground’ and I am so grateful to the Friends of St James’ Gardens for their hard work over the years in keeping the gardens as a public space for all. St James’ Gardens is wonderfully laid out. As you can see from the picture, there is one path through the garden, but there are two separate spurs that take you off the main path. As you walk the spur, however, you eventually return to the main path. Life feels a bit like this. We were walking down the main path of our lives and all of a sudden we have been led down a side-track, a spur, called Coronavirus. We have no idea how long we need to walk the side-track, the spur before we can re-join the main path, but what I know is that God is walking with us. God is guiding us into new ways of communicating with each other. God is calling us to find new ways of supporting and caring for one another. I have hope that we will eventually re-join the main path and that the God who knows and loves us will journey with us on the spur, the side-track, so that when we re-join the main path of our lives we may be ready to greet each other with joy and a greater understanding of what it means to be us. Dean Sue While you're here: Why not prepare for next Sunday's worship? Our preparation sheet for adults and for children can be accessed by clicking on the Resources tab of this website: https://www.prayerforliverpool.org/prayer-resources.html. The Canadian psychologist Professor Paul T.P Wong said, “Adversity is an opportunity for creativity, because is forces us to dig deeper and discover something new about oneself.” Which is, I suppose, a more eloquent way of saying that ‘Necessity is the Mother of Invention’. Well, just at the moment, many of us are surely putting those proverbs to the test! In all sorts of ways. New talents are emerging. For example, one of our Zone 2 café-style church members evidently has a gift for joinery. As part of the Zone 2 service screened for last Sunday (29th March) we see Pete making a wonderful vegetable planter from bits of old decking. If you don’t believe me, have a look on the prayerforliverpool.org website and you will see the link to the service. I’ve heard of people starting to send poems to each other, after years of not writing any. Others are spending time making music, others in the garden, and still others joining in with on-line dance and exercise classes. My wife and I have benefitted from the culinary creativity of our neighbours in bread and cake – thank you folks! Some enterprising person posted on the Zone 2 WhatsApp group last week a quiz of Merseyside place names, ‘spelt’ with emojis! I’ve put them at the end of this blog for you to have a go at. Some of them are very tenuous – you have to think a bit laterally and loosely! But it’s all good fun. Many of the Cathedral clergy are having to upgrade our on-line creative abilities, by learning how to make little videos to upload to our new website https://www.prayerforliverpool.org/ Last week, I wrote about appreciating the wonder of God’s creation around about us, and taking time – perhaps on our daily exercise - to savour the natural delights of this unfolding season of spring. The Bible tells us that we are made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26) and one of the ways in which all of us bear the imprint of God is being, by nature, creative. Many of us adults bury our creativity – that may be the result of our schooling, sadly. My mother tells me that I used to write wonderfully creative stories as a youngster – apparently the saga of ‘The Roaring Lion’ (written when I was about 7) gave great enjoyment to quite a few members of my family. (Alas the manuscript has been lost to posterity!) Somewhere along the line, that aptitude seems to have been lost and, by the time I reached the age of 16, the crowning achievement of my literary ‘career’ was to achieve an ‘unclassified’ in English Literature O-level. I hear many people saying that they are not creative but it’s there in all of us, and may need a bit of encouraging out and nurturing. Now may be a good time to do that – both for the enjoyment of others, and also to help us maintain good mental health. Maybe a very positive thing we can do is to encourage each other in this endeavour. In our chatting over the phone, texting, and communicating on-line, is there someone this week that you can encourage to draw out their creative gifts and help them gain the confidence to share them with others, either now, or when things return to something like normality? Prof. Wong says that, by digging deeper, we will discover new things about ourselves. I strongly suspect that he is right. There is, I am persuaded, something even deeper going on in these creative processes, be they existing or newly discovered; something spiritual, in fact. I am reminded of the story in Exodus 35 of the people of God in the wilderness after their release from slavery in Egypt. The desert life was certainly a place of significant adversity and yet God was with them, and had given them, through Moses, the Ten Commandments. God commanded them to fashion the Tabernacle, a large and colourful tent, in which the Law of God could be housed. Everyone brought items from their own possessions to contribute to this great collective endeavour. Bezalel and Oholiab, along with other skilled people, were tasked with gathering all these offerings into a final design. We are told that God, “filled them with skill to do every kind of work done by an artisan or by a designer or by an embroiderer in blue, purple, and crimson yarns, and in fine linen, or by a weaver – by any sort of artisan or skilled designer.” Bezalel himself was “filled with the divine spirit” so that his natural skills were amplified and applied by God’s Holy Spirit, the same spirit who had moved over the face of the waters at creation, no less. So God’s talents, skills and gifts of creativity are surely part of our spiritual life, and indeed can form part of our very worship of God. Like any good parent, God delights to see us ‘having a go’ and encouraging us to develop our aptitude. Can I even sense him chuckling about my ‘U’ in English Lit. and prodding me not to use that as an excuse never to try writing poetry again? In these days, when we are stymied in our opportunities for offering worship in a service in church, maybe, just maybe, God will show us new ways to worship him. Will we allow God to journey with us to discover more of his creative image in each one of us? Happy inventing! And, as promised, here’s the emoji quiz of places in Merseyside. Can you guess where they are?
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supporting you during these uncertain times AuthorLiverpool Cathedral is a place of encounter. Built by the people, for the people, to the Glory of God Archives
September 2022
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Prayer for Liverpool
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Liverpool Cathedral is a place of encounter.
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