Levi Phillips, Creative Lead for Capital Youth, tells us about the special Eucharist held in the capital’s cathedral, where young people committed to shine brightly for Christ.
As part of our goal to commission 100,000 Ambassadors for Christ by 2020, St Paul’s Cathedral hosted a service where young people could join in the service and be commissioned during the Eucharist on 24 September.
Over 150 young people turned up with youth leaders to join in the service, which had a twist on normal proceedings. The service was led by Rt Revd Rob Wickham, Bishop of Edmonton and included special guests Mr Ekow, Prince Laryea and Anna McGarahan contributing several different items to the service before young people stood to receive a commission from the bishop.
Amongst the young people was a youth group from Christ Church W4 in Chiswick, who had a great time at the event:
“The service at St Paul’s was amazing, I really enjoyed it.” Adjoa, age 12
“They loved the grand atmosphere of St Paul’s juxtaposed by the humour and immanence of Prince’s message. They were wow-ed by the music, engaged thoughtfully in the liturgy, and proudly stood to be commissioned as Ambassadors for Christ. It was a special moment for me as a youth worker, hearing them affirm their desire to be a light to their friends and stand up for their faith.” Zoe, Youth Worker
Mr Ekow performed a spoken word piece that captivated those under the dome:
“My task was to interpret the Beatitudes into my own piece, for a congregation of young believers. I always take it as a privilege to minister to the next generation, knowing how much was sowed into me growing up in Church. It was incredible to see so many people, young and old, dedicated to serving God and each other. I left encouraged to continue serving God and hope my interpretation of the Beatitudes was able to do the same for others.”
Here’s a snippet of his piece:
“Your tears will turn to crowns.
You may not know it now,
But those down-n-out moments where your opponent seems to be life itself,
Are actually stealth opportunities for grace to show its wealth.
You see it’s when you get to the end of yourself that you realise that’s where faith begins.
Stepping into grace to sustain your weary limbs.”
Prince delivered an inspiring address in a dramatic fashion, focusing on how we can all shine brightly for Christ and why it’s important for young people to bold and courageous in sharing their faith. He said:
“I loved taking part in the event – in such an iconic location, with such fantastic support, it sends a message to both young people and leaders across the Diocese. Nurturing faith in the next generation is of paramount importance. It was great to speak from Matthew 5 on the beatitudes and Jesus instruction, ‘You are the salt of the earth…the light of the world.’ This instruction, this power, belongs to young people as much as their seniors. If ever the world needed light and hope, surely now is that time.”
After the address, Anna McGarahan performed Arms of Grace by Beth Croft, which led us wonderfully into communion, before young people stood to receive a commissioning from the bishop to shine brightly for Christ.
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