In the last few weeks the British Legion have launched their poppy appeal. Every year we wear poppies to remember all those who have given their lives to keep us safe and to enable us to live in peace.
 
This year the British Legion are undertaking new and imaginative ways of selling poppies (www.britishlegion.org.uk). Poppies are an important symbol in the life of our nation. The reason poppies are used to remember those who have given their lives in battle is because they are the flowers that grew in the battlefields after World War One ended.
​
There are many different ways to remember those who have died and in the Church we spend quite a lot of time in November remembering. We begin on the first of November with all Saints Day, and then we move to All Souls’ Day on the second day of November.
 
This year All Souls’ Day is all the more poignant as we remember with thanksgiving and with sadness all those who have died from COVID 19. Amongst those who died will be saintly people: the nurse, the doctor the mum or dad, the friend all people who may have given unselfishly their lives for others.
 
So as we move towards this period of Remembering, light a candle at home or in the Cathedral for all the saints both past and present and remember with thanksgiving all who give their lives for others.

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.

It’s approaching that time of year when we remember to remember. Well, of course, remembering is something we can do any time. But the first half of November seems to have a concentration of prompts to remember. There is that certain ditty which gives us a clue: “Remember, remember the fifth of November…” and all that. Hard on its heals is Armistice Day and Remembrance Sunday, as we remember the sacrifice of countless men and women who, over the years have stepped up to the plate in the service of freedom and justice, and many paying the ultimate price in terms of their lives. The words of the Kohima Epitaph sum it up perfectly for me,  “When you go home, tell them of us and say, ‘For our tomorrow we gave our today.’”
 
The Church year also urges us towards remembrance. This Sunday is All Saints Day, and the following day is All Souls. On All Saints, we remember all those who have chosen to follow Jesus in their words and actions, in every time and place, those who have died and, crucially for me, all those who are still alive. Most, of course, are nameless – their words and works have been forgotten by us, but not by God. A few we do remember by name and they have their special ‘days’ throughout the year when we give thanks for them and celebrate their legacy. All Saints, though, is about everyone – all the saints! Being a saint doesn’t mean that we are perfect – far from it. We can see that very graphically illustrated in the lives of the saints – the hagiography – many of them most conspicuously had the proverbial ‘feet of clay’!
 
All Souls, though, is most definitely remembering all those who died, those whose faith was known to us, and those whose faith was known only to God. Those whom “we love but see no longer”, as the Funeral service puts it. This year, All Souls will, I imagine, be particularly poignant for many of us, as a great many families have lost someone special. I number myself among them, losing an uncle to Covid-19 and my father to cancer. I shall certainly be attending this Sunday’s ‘Special Memories’ service in the Cathedral at 3.00pm, which Canon Mike is organising; you can find more details and  book your place for the service on Eventbrite by following this link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/liverpool-cathedral-special-memories-service-sunday-1st-november-tickets-126087792983. For me, it will be an opportunity to pause, reflect and light a candle in memory of Keith and John. I have also brought into our house a sprig of rosemary – an ancient symbol of remembrance, with its evergreen foliage.
 
As Christians, we are about remembrance all year round, of course, as we celebrate the Eucharist or Holy Communion. “Do this in remembrance of me” commanded Jesus. For us, remembrance is not just about looking back, let alone nostalgia. It is looking back in order to look around and look ahead. The Eucharist is about us feeding in the here and now, receiving afresh the grace of God to strengthen our relationship with God and to equip us for our journey with God. It is also the “foretaste of the heavenly banquet” which reminds us that, one day, God will throw the party to end all parties - in heaven. No wonder we join together at every Communion in the ancient words, “Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again”!
 
So, may I invite you to remember to remember at this time? How we remember is individual and very personal. By all means make use of the opportunities that we offer at the Cathedral, both the special ones at this time of year, and those that come each and every day. Remembering well, paradoxically, helps us live better in the present and the future!
 
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.

The synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) prepare for the Passion Narrative (the last supper, Jesus’ arrest, trial and crucifixion) by Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey and removing the money changers from the temple. Then while Jesus is teaching in the temple the local leaders try to entrap him with three clever questions. The first is a political question about paying taxes to the Roman occupation. The second is a theological question about the resurrection of the dead. The third is a legal question about identifying the most important commandment in the Law of Moses.
 
Today’s Gospel reading focuses on the third question: Which commandment in the law is the greatest? Jesus responds to that question by citing two passages from the Old Testament and gives us his well-known summary of the law:
            You shall love the Lord your God with all year heart,
            and with all your soul, and with all your mind.
This is the greatest and first commandment.
And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself’.
 
To prepare for this Sunday’s service I invited those of you who want to do some thinking beforehand to focus on the image of feeling loved. In today’s picture from his book The Windy Day, Teddy Horsley feels the Holy Spirit making him safe and loved.
 
Next week the image to help us prepare for participation in the Sunday service, whether offline in the cathedral or online at home, is Signposts. Next Sunday the cathedral is celebrating the Feast of All Souls when the Gospel reading is the beatitudes with which Matthew’s Gospel opens the Sermon on the Mount. The old law revealed on the mountain through Moses was a list of commandments, things to avoid. The new law revealed through Jesus is a list of blessings, things to embrace. The beatitudes are signposts in God’s kingdom. You can find out more about that theme here https://www.prayerforliverpool.org/prayer-resources.html. We would really appreciate you letting us know how you are using these materials. Please send us your ideas and photos of the things you may create; email them to [email protected].
 
If  you’d like to learn more about Teddy Horsley and his writings, visit his website: https://teddyhorsley.org/, or his page on the website of St. Mary’s Centre: http://www.st-marys-centre.org.uk/resources/TeddyHorsley.html.
 
We warmly invite you to join us in worship online here: 

There is one weekend in the year in the life of the Cathedral which is quite different from all the rest.

First there is the Annual Legal Service, taking the place of the Cathedral Eucharist. It is probably the most colourful service of the year with its processions, civic, academic, legal and judicial, with the judges ‘in full fig’ processing in their order.

The service is planned with help from a small working party, chaired by the High Sheriff. Early on we received strong advice to plan for a virtual service this year, months before there was any talk of 'tier 3'.

Since March we have become adept at producing recorded services, largely through the enthusiastic expertise of Dr Chris Newton. The various speakers were recorded one evening in the Cathedral and the music with the choir on another. The Bishop of Burnley sent us a recording of his thought-provoking sermon. Bishop Paul recorded the blessing, and Dean Sue the welcome and opening prayers.

Usually at the Legal Service, a guard of honour is formed by local uniformed organisations, and it was suggested that we might include promotional videos from the organisations, So, as the Cathedral choir sang the anthem, we were given a glimpse of the work of Scouts, Boys’ Brigade, Fire Service Cadets, and Guides.   

The service has been very well received and while everyone regrets very much not being able to come together in the Cathedral, we are glad that it has reached a whole new audience.

The second feature of this weekend is the Anniversary Organ Recital which takes place on the Saturday closest to 18th October, the day in 1926 when the Cathedral organ was dedicated. It is given by the Cathedral Organist, and this year it was decided to give it twice, on Saturday and Sunday afternoon, following Evensong. The second recital on Sunday 18th October happily co-incided with the fortieth anniversary of Ian Tracey’s appointment as Cathedral Organist, and we were delighted to commemorate this with thanksgiving during the prayers at Evensong.  Ian’s reputation as a recitalist is world class, and he continues to serve the Cathedral with great distinction. Ian is the driving force behind the appeal to restore the Grand Organ which began in 2007 and will hopefully be complete next Easter, after fourteen years of fundraising and hard work. Congratulations, Ian!

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.

I recently received an email which kindly recounted the effects our words can have on people, in so many different ways.  We have a very privileged position in that we have the opportunity to share our prayerful thoughts, reflections and our considerations of God’s Holy Word with you all, in public.  With that comes great responsibility – a responsibility which is revealed on the occasions we do get feedback on what we say.  Sometimes that feedback takes us by surprise, in ways which make our hearts glow and sadly sometimes in ways which don’t.  But God is good in all things, and the grace offered within the recent email was received gladly.  My heart glowed indeed – but just as much in humility that God has called me to be in such a position to serve others…..that is the greatest responsibility, the most wonderful of honours, for which I am truly humbled.

I got another response, from an individual I am not very familiar with, when I signed off a recent email with the phrase above – take care….and go gently.  It is not a phrase I use often; and I have to confess straight away that it isn’t of my own invention.  But it struck a chord with the recipient – one whose current life seemed just as hectic as mine, if not more so.  Such a chord that instead of trying to do everything, she did just that…go gently, and have some much-needed time to herself.  And just that response made me look again at the phrase; look into myself why I might have used it at this particular time.

Last week was in some ways the busiest of the last few for me – it included three consecutive afternoons of virtual, online conferences when I was either organising, introducing, chairing, speaking…..or actually doing all of those things!  As well as the current full online world of teaching and everything else.  It was busy for me, but given the current climate and shifting sands we continually have to navigate, I will admit in an instant, not nearly as busy, anxious or worrying as others are experiencing right now.  Although not as adept at the technique as I used to be, in the earlier part of my career, times like that when the pressure mounts, triggers a professional reaction within me which I learned in the first few weeks of my professional career. 

I may have shared this with you before, but soon after I started my first clinical post, I was called to an incident as the duty radiotherapy physicist.  I was unfamiliar with the background or even the detail of what was going on or, at that time, what had gone wrong.  But many had begun to let the stress of the situation get on top of them.  My response was to help establish a safe point, first and foremost, but then to try to bring calm to the pressured situation; a calm that would allow all of us to think more clearly and think through the problem.  The gentleness, the calm helped and all things worked well for the situation and, more importantly, for the patient.  Those moments live with you forever, and it’s something I’ve tried to exercise in the numerous extreme situations which have happened in my clinical career since then.

And perhaps I used it recently because that’s how I felt I needed to be, during that pressured week.  A constant gathering around just one computer screen with nobody else physically around, can feel very remote, detached, alone.  To go gently was what was needed, to bring calm and peace, to myself in order to continue through the week.  They are also perhaps attributes that we all need right now, I feel, when we are surrounded by the complexities of this pandemic and its effect on our lives.  Our prayers at our public services are often for wisdom in leadership – but they also acknowledge how incredibly difficult the decisions must be.  As a scientist, the first thing I know is that science is never as clear cut, decisive, or obvious as some may think.  Often there are a range of answers, a range of possibilities, understanding the uncertainty in our theories, measurements and conclusions, is the bedrock of good science.  Translating that into praxis which is multifactorial is immensely difficult, especially where lives and livelihoods lie so much in the balance.  Our prayers are therefore also for understanding, for the people whom all our leaders actually serve, for a calmness and gentleness to help to think more clearly, but with sensitivity too.  The equation which underlies the current situation has no definitive, single number as its result, so we too must apply that gentleness in reaction, and pass that on to others, through our faith, together with our care and outstretched hands.

So why the picture of the chapel of the holy spirit?  That answer is a simpler one – I like it!  It is a place where we conduct prayer, take the eucharist, reserve the sacrament, meditate, pray in silence, with music together or alone; a place where encounters have been had with individuals in really difficult situations – ones where gentleness in trying to understand how to serve and to help is much needed.  It perhaps gives an image of gentleness and peace that the Holy Spirit can bring, when it is needed most – like in these present times.  It personifies a calmness, a compassion, a love that I firmly believe Jesus brought through all his ministry – when he held out his hand to bring peace, to heal, to recognise, to love….to ultimately show in complete reality, that the Kingdom of God does indeed come near, when we are like that with others.  So may we, in these coming weeks, for the care and love of others, go gently….in Jesus’ name. 
 
With my love and prayers for you all, as always; take care….and go gently
 
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.

This Sunday the cathedral celebrates the Feast of St Luke the Evangelist. Unlike the other two synoptic Gospels (Matthew and Mark), Luke’s Gospel does not stop with the empty tomb or with the days immediately after the resurrection. Luke’s Gospel occupies not one book, but two. We know the second book as the Acts of the Apostles. For Luke the Ascension of Jesus acts as the hinge that holds the two books together. The distinctive message of Luke’s Gospel is that the good news about Jesus brings salvation to Jews and to Gentiles. The theme is set out clearly at the beginning of Luke’s Gospel in the Nunc Dimittis, the Song of Simeon when the infant Jesus is greeted.
To be a light to lighten the Gentiles:
and to be the glory of thy people Israel.
The theme is concluded in the Acts of the Apostles when Paul brings the Gospel to Rome at the centre of the known world.
 
This week the Gospel reading is Luke’s account of Jesus sending out the seventy to proclaim that the Reign of God has come near. For Luke the number seventy carried symbolic power as representing one messenger for each of the seventy nations of the world. To prepare for this Sunday’s service I invited those of you who want to do something beforehand to focus on the image of messengers. In today’s picture from The Lord is Here! Teddy Horsley and his young friends have settled down to explore the messages about the Reign of God.
 
Next week the image to help us prepare for participation in the Sunday service, whether offline in the cathedral or online at home, is feeling loved. The Gospel reading concerns Jesus’ summary of the law:
You shall love the Lord your God
You shall love your neighbour as yourself.
You can find out more about that theme here https://www.prayerforliverpool.org/prayer-resources.html. We would really appreciate you letting us know how you are using these materials. Please send us your ideas and photos of the things you may create; email them to [email protected].
 
If  you’d like to learn more about Teddy Horsley and his writings, visit his website: https://teddyhorsley.org/, or his page on the website of St. Mary’s Centre: http://www.st-marys-centre.org.uk/resources/TeddyHorsley.html.
 
We warmly invite you to join us in worship online here: 

Teddy Horsley sends his Sunday greetings to all.

Canon Leslie
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On Wednesday the Cathedral tweeted out the following message: 

Moving into Tier 3 of COVID lockdown sets many emotions running: fear, anxiety, helplessness and hopelessness.   

Liverpool Cathedral, part of Liverpool City and region, was built by the people for the people. It is your Cathedral and it is a place of sanctuary for you the people of this city and region.  

As a place of sanctuary the Cathedral offers you space to come and reflect, to light a candle and to have a coffee in our beautiful new café in the Well of Liverpool Cathedral. 

As we move through these challenging times come and experience the peace of your Cathedral and as we look towards Christmas come and experience some comfort and joy. 

As I try to build on that statement and as I try to continue to reflect on the present situation and what the Cathedral can offer as a safe space, I am reminded that we are fragile human beings. I can only speak for myself, but this past week has brought me both joys and sorrows. I have found my mood go up and down and I have been aware of others around me doing the same thing. 

In a recent staff meeting I spoke to the staff about accommodating each other. We spoke about recognising that people’s mental health may well be all suffering at this particular time and consequently we need to look out for each other and support one another. 

One of the challenges of this pandemic is not to focus too inwardly, but to try and focus outwardly. I have tried to use the concrete image of masks to do this. I wear a mask to protect you and you wear a mask to protect me. Wearing a mask is not all about me, it is about us caring and looking out for each other. 

Liverpool Cathedral has a reputation for looking out for others. Our Micah charity is a good example of this. Also the whole vision of Liverpool Cathedral being a place of encounter is about looking outwards and welcoming the stranger.  

As stated in the tweet, Liverpool Cathedral is the people’s Cathedral. It is a big open safe place for people to come and encounter a sanctuary in these difficult times. It is a place to allow your mind to rest a while. It is a place to think of the other as well as oneself.  

It is a place for you. 

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.

God is the God of creation. Our God is a creator God, and God has fashioned us to be creative. The arts: visual, dramatic, musical, written – are ways we express beauty and joy. Whether we are the creators or receivers of art and culture this work enhances our lives, gives it colour, inspires hope and draws us into something of the very nature of God. Jesus was a teller of stories - a great gatherer of people in the creative endeavour of public speaking. I believe the creative work of the Holy Spirit keeps weaving beauty into our hearts and inspires us to seek splendour in the everyday.

I have missed going to exhibitions and the theatre, hearing live music, watching live comedy, seeing people dressed up and the visual excitement of street theatre and carnivals that usually are part of Liverpool life. Mark and I are still pretty much shielding and as such even the creative events that have opened up for many have not been possible for us. But, the written word, particularly poetry, has been a vital source of creativity for me during this time of uncertainty.

This poem is featured in the book that I have just launched. 12 Rules for Christian Activists: A Toolkit for Massive Change was written before covid-19. In it I explore what it means to be an activist – collaborating with a number of people from the Diocese of Liverpool, South Africa, USA and all over the UK. One of the chapters is about how we need to go gently though the world and tread lightly on the earth - being mindful of creation and the part we play in the ongoing gift of creativity. I wanted to share this poem by Wendell Berry with you this week.

I will be praying that each of us finds a small but significant times to enjoy being creative – times to take in the splendour of the God and of our wonderful ability to shape beauty. Also that there will be times when each of us can participate in the creative endeavour of God (even if we think we are not very good at it, or that it will never be shared with an audience).
  
How to be a Poet
(to remind myself)
Make a place to sit down.
Sit down. Be quiet.
You must depend upon
affection, reading, knowledge,
skill — more of each
than you have — inspiration,
work, growing older, patience,
for patience joins time
to eternity. Any readers 
who like your poems,
doubt their judgment.
Breathe with unconditional breath
the unconditioned air.
Shun electric wire.
Communicate slowly. Live
a three-dimensioned life;
stay away from screens.
Stay away from anything
that obscures the place it is in.
There are no unsacred places;
there are only sacred places
and desecrated places.
Accept what comes from silence.
Make the best you can of it.
Of the little words that come
out of the silence, like prayers
prayed back to the one who prays,
make a poem that does not disturb
the silence from which it came.
Wendell Berry
 
Canon Ellen
 
12 Rules for Christian Activists: A Toolkit for Massive Change is available in the Liverpool Cathedral bookshop – and you will get p&p free!
https://liverpool-cathedral.myshopify.com/products/4539843379309?variant=32084353908845

The Gospel for this Sunday follows on directly from last week’s reading from Matthew 21: 33-46. This week we focus on Matthew 22: 1-14. The context was set by Jesus’ teaching in the temple immediately after he had ridden into Jerusalem on a donkey on Palm Sunday and had cleared the money changers from their work. The chief priests and elders of the people are still feeling angry and Jesus’ arrest and crucifixion are only a few days away. Last week the parable of the vineyard drew on established biblical imagery that sees Israel as God’s vineyard. Last week Jesus was challenging his listeners to take care of that vineyard, or else to see it handed over to new management.
 
This week the parable of the invitations to the wedding feast uses established biblical imagery that sees the feast prepared for God’s people to welcome God’s Messiah. This week Jesus is challenging his listeners to respond to God’s invitation to recognise the Messiah or else to see the Messianic feast opened up to other guests. To prepare for this Sunday’s service I invited those of you who want to do something beforehand to focus on the image of party invitations. In today’s picture from The Lord is Here!, Teddy Horsley has accepted the invitation to feast with God’s people.
 
Next week the image to help us prepare for participation in the Sunday service, whether offline in the cathedral or online at home is messengers. Next Sunday we keep the Feast of St Luke the Evangelist. The Gospel reading is Luke’s account of Jesus sending out the seventy to proclaim that the Kingdom of God has come near. You can find out more about that theme here https://www.prayerforliverpool.org/prayer-resources.html. We would really appreciate you letting us know how you are using these materials. Please send us your ideas and photos of the things you may create; email them to [email protected].
 
If you’d like to learn more about Teddy Horsley and his writings, visit his website: https://teddyhorsley.org/, or his page on the website of St. Mary’s Centre: http://www.st-marys-centre.org.uk/resources/TeddyHorsley.html.
 
We warmly invite you to join us in worship online here: 
​

Before the pandemic I worked in the Cathedral Archives with a team of Volunteers. We catalogued and organised documents, photographs and artefacts charting the building and the people who have contributed to the life of the cathedral. Since lockdown things have changed, I have only recently been able to return to the Archives in person. The team will not be back for some time.

During my absence from the cathedral I have continued to receive enquiries. People have taken the opportunity to spend time researching their family history. This can be helpful to the cathedral if the relative has been involved in the building of the cathedral – stone masons, carpenters, sculptors. Many of the enquiries relate to the Choir. A recent request was for a photograph of a chorister who held open the door of the Rankin Porch at the visit of Princess Elizabeth. We were able to provide a copy of the original photograph. Requests such as this add vital personal information to our Archives.

Recently Pat Starkey, a member of the team and I have been working remotely with a Postgraduate from Liverpool University via zoom to look at a future project with other students to complete an oral history of the cathedral with the University “ Making Liverpool Cathedral” which will look at interviewing builders, musicians, clergy, congregation, staff and  volunteers. It is an exciting project and will be a valuable resource for future research as we move towards the centenary of the consecration of our cathedral in 2024.

One of our largest collections in the Archives consist of paper copies of service sheets dating back to the consecration of the cathedral in 1904, the consecration of the Lady Chapel in 1910 and many other special occasions. We are grateful to those who had the foresight to start this collection and continue to keep copies of our present-day services. Over the years, styles have changed from simple typed sheets to ornate service sheets with designs by Edward Carter Preston. This affirms the vital place of worship in the life of the cathedral.

As we began to close our activities it was important to continue a pattern of worship in a new way. The Chapter began to embrace the use of technology to provide worship and met remotely via Microsoft teams – staying safely at home but still able to share the experience daily with colleagues. Members of the team learnt new skills as they moved forward. It was good to keep up the connections and see people daily on screen. Each meeting ended with a friendly wave to each other. A new tradition was born.

Moving forward the Prayer for Liverpool website was introduced with daily reflections from the Chapter. Services were extended to being streamed daily as well as the Sunday Eucharist so that our congregation and other supporters could join us at home. It has been such a blessing to be able to reconnect with all those who were missing their regular contact with the cathedral, the clergy, and friends. We have learnt new skills to make this possible and are grateful to those who already had I T skills.

As the lockdown was extended Cathedral Archivists across the country wondered how to record the events that were taking place in our cathedrals at this difficult time. Future generations will look back at 2020 and wish to know how we overcame the difficulties of continuing to provide worship during the pandemic. To provide this information a Digital Vault is being set up and each cathedral will have the opportunity to store their digital services and other items such as the Prayer for Liverpool reflections. I am very grateful to Chris Newton for helping me to Archive all the digital material from Liverpool and to all those who have contributed to services and reflections. Our record will be added to the National Archives at Kew and the North West Film Archive in Manchester for future researchers to access and we can continue to build up the Archives for future generations.

I wonder what enquiries will come to the Archive team in the future in relation to our activities in 2020. 

Canon Val

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.