Making a connection …
One of the extraordinary ways that the Spirit has been at work through these pages over the last few months, is the way that people have made connections with one another, and with God.
Today’s begins with Reverend Eryl Parry after receiving an e-mail below from Jane Williams ….
‘I was so taken aback by an e-mail from one of our readers, that I couldn’t reply to it for a couple of hours. It’s the personal story of someone who experienced a deep sense of the love of God in a building where I had responsibility in the time period she describes. It was a time of huge change in the city of Liverpool and in the Cathedral itself. In responding missionally to all the opportunities, some of its activities were controversial – including the installation during Capital of Culture year, of the artwork Jane describes: ‘I felt you and I knew you loved me.’
In those crazy years of a huge number of concerts, events, exhibitions, tourism and outreach development – (and yes, services!), my prayer was always that those who came in would be touched by God – in just the way Tracey Emin described. ‘The Great Space’ – a title we used to help open the building to just those opportunities had been taken from the architect’s guiding concept – that the awesome nature of God, reflected in the Cathedral’s colossal dimensions, would also be able to be felt intimately. It was all about creating space for God to be at work. Jane will have had no idea when she sent her e-mail that without knowing her name, I had prayed for her. Today, too, I am touched beyond words.
Liverpool Cathedral
O Dduw, dŷn ni wedi bod yn myfyrio yn dy deml am dy ofal ffyddlon.
Salm 48: 9
We ponder your steadfast love, O God, in the midst of your temple.
Psalm 48: 9
Jane Williams writes:
I took 20 steps inside and stopped breathing. Literally. A sense of awe and wonder overcame me as I viewed ‘The Great Space’. I saw the pink neon ‘artwork’ and initially found it distasteful and out of keeping with the stonework.
Something kept pulling me back. I became a regular visitor and I attended occasional services travelling from my then home in Yorkshire. Over the years I grew to love both the Cathedral and the artwork and how it spoke to me. I had been a practising Christian in my youth but lapsed for most of my adult life. I don’t know what happened on that day but I felt something so powerful that it set me on a journey of exploration to rediscover my faith which I have been on ever since.
Since moving to Llanrhos I have visited several churches with a view to joining the congregation and I knew I had found the right place for me at St. Mary’s Conwy. I’m not sure if it was the music festival, the Christmas Tree Festival or the week there was no musical accompaniment and David managed to get everyone singing, but it just felt like my kind of place.
I don’t know how I found out about the Daily Reflections but I am so pleased I did, they have helped so much over the past weeks.
And somewhat surprisingly, during this dreadful time I have learned to pray again and have really felt God’s presence with me and know he loves me. As Tracy Emin’s statement artwork says ‘I felt you and I knew you loved me’.
Gweddi
Bydded i Dduw ddeffro ynoch ddoniau ei Ysbryd,
fel y gallwch dystiolaethu i Grist yr Arglwydd.
Bydded i Dduw y Drindod Sanctaidd eich cryfhau
mewn ffydd a chariad
a’ch arwain mewn gwirionedd a thangnefedd.
Amen.
Yr Eglwys yng Nghymru
Prayer
God stir up in you the gifts of his Spirit,
that you may witness to Christ the Lord.
God the Holy Trinity make you strong
in faith and love
and guide you in truth and peace.
Amen.
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caruconwy.com 
I too always thought of Liverpool cathedral as ugly, large and dirty. Then the church arranged a pilgrimage there and my feelings changed. Being allowed the freedom of the space, seeing the chapel dedicated to female saints old and new, the artwork. My favourite part was the whispering arch, If you sit at the base of a certain arch your whisper will be heard by a friend at the other side ,just as God hears our whispers to Him.
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