Weekly Reflection – Our Corporate Identity

Father Tim

I’ve been thinking recently about what makes up our corporate identity at the cathedral, and the variety of things that we do on Sundays and throughout the week that makes us who we are.

This week the cathedral hosted a Leavers service for five local schools that our Education Officer Gillian Bunn works with throughout the year. The school children who attended are about to move onto secondary education. It was a service that aimed at celebrating the memories made with classmates and teachers and also to look forward to the next big step in their young lives. The service was tremendous fun, the schools had made banners, they lead prayers, read the Bible and were enthusiastic about being in the cathedral. It highlighted to me the excellent work Gillian does throughout the week with young people in the community and other children’s work like initiatives like Messy Cathedral (which actually is happening this weekend, all families are welcome!). Young people bring energy and vitality to our diverse community.

In Paul’s letters he uses such metaphors as the body of Christ, the household of God and the living temple to help new church congregations construct their corporate identity and see diversity as a strength not a weakness. The work with our choir children, school work and children’s worship isn’t a side show in the life of the cathedral, but a dynamic worshipping element that brings life to all.

I also recently visited a member of our congregation who is currently unable to make it to the cathedral for health reasons. She hasn’t been since lockdown. It was a special time chatting, getting to know her and hearing about her life and her time volunteering at the cathedral. We shared communion with each other in her living room, which of course is a central symbol of our community life as the body of Christ. Along with the work with young people, this home visit has reinforced to me that our life as a community extends beyond our Sunday services. I could name many more examples of how this is the case.

So, let’s cherish and recognise the diversity amongst us and celebrate the variety of people and different activities that happen throughout the week that express who we are as the body of Christ here in West Yorkshire.

With prayers and best wishes
Father Tim