I have learnt over the past four years to quietly dread the Maundy Thursday service at the Cathedral. Called the Chrism Service, it is when the clergy and the lay ministers of the Diocese renew their Ordination vows and commitment to their role.
I dread it because it has always been an important part of my ministry in the past but the liturgy here in Bradford Diocese has always been fairly dire - very self-conciously protestant and frankly rather unimaginative and to cap it all not feeling everso welcomed at the Cathedral.
So I set off today with no great hopes, a sense of obligation to respond to the episcopal three-line whip (yes its the sort of Diocese where the clergy need reminding that they are supposed to attend and it is important) and anticpating that it might be provide me with a good moan if not much inspiration.
How good it is to proved wrong!
Today was simply a delight a Eucharist led with relaxed ease by the new Dean of Bradford David Ison, with the Bishop fulilling his proper role as teacher and focus for unity within the Diocese.
More over the music was simply excellent as well - not the usual rather dull hymn sandwich - diversity seems to have arrived at the Cathedral - John Bell ( only four clergy in the Diocese knew his hymn " Take this moment" so we had to learn it) - settings from Bernadette Farrell and "Jones" Coventry led with consumate skill by a clergy cantor ( I did hear the comment afterwards from one of my brother clergy that it was Roman Catholic and therefore he was unsure it was actually "authorised"!)
I suppose my sense of relief only goes to emphasise how important the Cathedral is within the life of a Diocese - but only when it has the self-confidence and imagination to grasp that role.
So thank you to David and his team.
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