Capital Ideas Autumn 2005 Volume 1, Issue 2

Inside this issue: What a load of rubbish!

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‘Father’ Willis speaks again

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Churches on the tourist trail

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Celebrating Cardiff 2005

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Christian Adult Education in the city.

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Missionaries in Cardiff

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What it’s all about • An account made for the Church in Wales on mission in the capital’s city centre. • News and views on how the city runs. • Debate about values and principles which shape common life. • Another perspective on church and society today.

CONFERENCE PROBES CITY CHURCHES ROLE Cardiff University’s Aberdare Hall is welcoming theologians from around the country in the second week of September, to discuss the church’s role in city life. This is the first gathering of its kind for decades. The Lord Mayor, Cllr Freda Salway is giving a reception to welcome participants. In the early eighties, the Archbishop of Canterbury commissioned a report on the work of the churches in our cities, ‘Faith in the City’. This highlighted the looming problems of decay, violence, racism and poverty in urban residential districts. Riots in St Paul’s Bristol, Toxteth, and Brixton underlined a need for radical action to address concerns about poverty and injustice in districts designated as Urban Priority Areas. Attention was so strongly focussed by all denominations on this challenge, that the role

with the welfare of city workers, interested in the values and principles governing everyday life and work from a Christian point of view. Outreach has become a casualty of decline in church support.

of churches in low population city centre districts was neglected. In the fifties and sixties, many city centres had chaplains to local government, business and commercial sectors, concerned SYMPOSIUM SPEAKERS Revd. Donald Reeves, Founder ‘Soul of Europe’. Ex-Vicar St.James Piccaddilly

Revd. Dr Chris Baker William Temple Foundation

Revd. Geoff Cornell

However visible and oftvisited, a city church may be Christian ministry has little impact on the quality of life or the decisions made by people with power and responsibility in government, business or public service. Practitioners of city centre ministry believe they have a special contribution to make to the well-being of the city a voice worth being heard. This symposium is an opportunity for them to reflect upon their particular concern for all who spend a significant part of their lives working or at leisure in the heart of the city.

West London Methodist Mission

TABERNACL – A CAUTIONARY TALE Tabernacl Baptist Church on the Hayes will be seriously affected by street pedestrianisation plans. This will deny vehicle access to the church car park for people coming in to worship in the town centre. ‘Tab’ as it’s affectionately called, runs a programme of cultural and social activities also affected by this change. Despite negotiations, church protest against loss of access

was poorly received by city government and planners, determined to stick to agreed proposals for the environment of the St David’s II centre. Sadly, city centre churches have absented themselves for years from debate on the strategic vision which shapes the city’s future. Public policy plans and even the official publicity promoting Cardiff to the world reveal how little

interest is taken, or value given to our deep religious and spiritual heritage. Why? Churches are now less interested in influencing public affairs, and more preoccupied with their own survival. In a secular society, recognition of the proper place of religion cannot be presumed, it must be claimed by participation. If we don’t use our right to be included, we get left out.

What a load of rubbish! On Grand Slam weekend, the amount of rubbish cleared from city centre streets increased from four to forty tons. Within 24 hours the place was back to normal again. Re-cycling points are slowly appearing in public spaces all over Cardiff, although we still have a lot to do to catch up the well organised and very tidy Swiss. As prolific consumers of retail goods, that small country creates a lot of rubbish to dispose of. But, they invest well in discreet clean street corner facilities and equipment to manage cans, bottles, plastic, paper and clothes to help keep the country fresh and beautiful. It’s amazing just how clean and tidy the well-trained users maintain these sites. Some of our re-cycling facilities suffer from abuse, even vandalism, showing how much environmental re-education is needed in this country.

Environmentally friendly policy receved a stylish thumbs-up when Queen Street got a make-over early this year. New street furniture includes chrome bins with places for bottles, separate from paper and plastic rubbish. How can a large proportion of the population be re-trained not to drop litter whenever and wherever it pleases - to take it home if there’s no bin to hand?

If a Swiss inspirational trip is not on., the next best thing is a visit to the nicely engineered Wedal Road ’dump’ to see what you can do with your dead telly, garden rubbish or old fridge. Only cars carrying stuff for disposal are allowed on site. It’s a model of both good organisation and helpful friendly staff.

The August Big Weekend fun fair in Cathays Park was made into an alcohol free zone. There were big wheelie bins for plastic soft drinks bottles in the zone. Result? Much less rubbish dangerously underfoot. Bins were used – safer for everyone to walk without slipping or turning an ankle on a discarded bottle, and fewer cut feet. A nicer place to take the kids, if you can stand the noise!

‘Father’ Willis speaks again at St John’s After a fifteen month programme of restoration to its original condition, the St. John's 1894 'Father Willis' organ is once more sounding the way its maker intended. It’s now in full use at regular services, special events, recitals, and concerts.

American Historical Organ Society, and the British Institute of Organ Studies. A measure of the interest the instrument is generating now it has been restored.

These are but the first steps in developing the role of St John's church organ as one of Wales' premier concert, and liturgical instruments. In planning for later in the year is an Organ Open Day for enthusiasts to visit and learn all about the unique features of the instrument.

On the church's Patronal Festival, 24th June, the Feast of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, Assistant Bishop of Llandaff the Rt. Revd. David Yeoman, led the congregation and guests in prayer to re-dedicate the organ, during a Sung Eucharist, with special music for the occasion. For Bishop David, it was a happy homecoming, as he served his first curacy in the Parish. An inaugural concert on Monday 22nd August was given before an audience of 350 by Thomas Trotter, one of Britan’s leading recitalists. He is Organist of St Margaret’s Westminster and of the City of Birmingham. He played a varied programme of music chosen to demonstrate the full range and variety of this outstanding instrument. In the days either side of the concert, St John’s welcomed gatherings of the Page 2

Lunchtime organ concerts start again in October, on Wednesdays 5th, 12th and 19th, 1.05—1.55 pm. Entrance is free, but there’ll be a retiring collection towards expenses.

A day for school visits will also be arranged, to enable children to learn how an organ works and is played. A keen eye is being kept on encouraging young recruits, offering them an opportunity to start learning to play.

On Monday, September 12th at 8.00pm, a performance of Duruflé’s Requiem, and some of his liturgical motets by local choir Cantemus, organ accompaniment by Huw Tregelles Williams takes place.

All this is possible, thanks to generous funding from Heritage Lottery, and all the hard work and devoted support of a host of individuals, inspired by our Organist, Organ Curator and enthusiast, Philip Thomas. He has been running organ concerts at city venues for more than a decade. Capital Ideas

Churches on the tourist trail The Churches Tourism Network Wales (CTNW), is an ecumenical organisation which fosters initiatives made by churches across the Principality to give access and welcome visitors to their places of worship.

CTNW encourages and advises churches in how to do this. It devises ways to promote interest in the heritage of particular areas, or religious tradi-

Five churches were identified. Each makes a vital contribution to the Christian history and the architectural treasures of South East Wales. Each is within easy reach of other local churches and places of interest, whether in Cardiff or around the Vale of Glamorgan.

Wales nowadays receives hundreds of thousands of visitors from home and abroad every year. Many people want to discover our historic buildings, castles, mansions and our ancient churches and cathedrals. The curious can find that an experience of peace and the beauty of holiness in a sacred place turns visitors into pilgrims. Attendance at regular church services may be at a low ebb, yet in a 2003 survey four out of five people claimed to have visited a church in the previous year. The threat of theft and vandalism means that many buildings stay closed to visitors outside service times. A special effort is needed by a congregation to ensure somebody will be there while their church is open, not only to keep an eye on the place, but to welcome visitors, give them a guided tour or ensure there is suitable literature to introduce them to the building and its treasures.

time to spend here and may wish to visit some key historic church sites within easy reach of the city by car or pubic transport.

Together, the five churches promoted are called the Beacon Churches of South Wales. They are Llandaff Cathedral, Ewenny Priory, St Illtud's Llantwit Major, Margam Abbey, and our own city centre Parish Church of St John the Baptist. Leaflets are free and available at the churches in question, and at tourist offices. Hundreds have been taken from St John’s in the five months since its launch. tions. After two years of preparation, it has published a special leaflet of relevance to tourists arriving in Cardiff. Some visitors may only have a short

An experience of peace and the beauty of holiness turns visitors into pilgrims.

Celebrating Cardiff 2005 Centenary year has seen the return of a Lord Mayor’s St David’s Day service to St John’s followed by a uniformed organisations’ parade. As it was held the Saturday before, shoppers and tourists lined the route to cheer on the marchers.

centre of government, leisure and upmarket dwellings. Again, there are lots of short video documentaries, of interviews with former dockyard employees, and an impressive step-by-step account of building the barrage.

The Old Library has two exhibitions running concurrently. One celebrates the city’s hundred years of history and its cultural diversity, with photographs, displays & interviews with Cardiffians reminiscing.

There’s evidence here of highly professional contributions by the Association of Port Authorities, and the Institute of Civil Engineers. There’s so much to see and hear, it’s worth several visits. Hopefully this will become a centrepiece around which an eventual Museum of Cardiff will develop.

Given St. John’s civic role it’s surprising there’s no photograph of the church, or of any event hosted there, as if the meaning of ‘city’ wasn’t fully thought through. However, some of the old aerial photographs are a fascinating guide to city growth, and the exhibition is worth a visit for these alone. Far superior is the exhibition of the history of Cardiff Bay’s development as a port, and then its re-development as a Volume 1, Issue 2

Saturday September 11th, is St John’s Open Day in conjunction with Euro-

pean Heritage Day. More ambitious than previous years, in addition to tower climbing, organ recitals, and a choir recital/rehearsal, the Glamorgan Family History Society is mounting a display, and the archive of church records is open for examination. SPCK is running a bookstall. South Wales

Arts Society displaying city centre paintings. A unique contribution is the city centenary at project ‘Drawing the City’s treasures’. Six items of finest church silver on display (well guarded) for artists of all abilities to spend time drawing or painting, this day, also the Monday and Tuesday after. Setting St John’s heritage in context, the city planning conservation team, is mounting an exhibition inviting the public to consult with officers about the St. Mary Street conservation area. It’s Cardiff’s oldest byway, also one of the city’s most architecturally diverse streets, and still changing. Planners are soliciting views about what should be preserved, improved, or allowed to evolve with new building usage. This exhibiton runs from Saturday to the following Friday, staffed until Wednesday, 10.00am - 4.00pm. Page 3

Christian Adult Education in the city C.A.C.E.C., Cardiff Adult Christian Education Centre, is an ecumenical project under the patronage of the Heads of the Denominations in Wales, an associated Body of CYTUN - "Christians together in Wales". Its base is at the City United Reformed Church, Windsor Place, just off Queen Street. It exists to provide Christian education at a level not normally available in local churches.

Two kinds of courses are arranged. Firstly introductions to Biblical Studies and Doctrine, validated by Cardiff University permitting the option of course credit awards enabling the student to continue courses giving access to a full time undergraduate study. Students need no previous qualifications to join in. Currently, courses include the Christian Doctrine of Salvation, Pastoral Care and Counseling, and a History of Christian Spirituality. The second type of course is sponsored by the Workers Educational Association. These are shorter than the University validated courses and have cover such subjects as the Book of Ezekiel, Seasoning the Faith (about hymns and devotional poetry) and Welsh for beginners. The Centre also arranges seminars and lectures relating to contemporary issues or specialized studies. The current year has seen a public lecture by Bishop Nazir-Ali on The International Situation and Inter-Faith Dialogue", a one-day Seminar on Godly Play, a Welsh language seminar on "Hanes Howell Harris a'r Broffwydes", and this year the William Hodgkins Lec-

A new missionary in Cardiff Thursday September 1st, City Hall embraced over 500 for an evening of inspiration. In an unprecedented event, Muslim community members from Cardiff and elsewhere, plus people of Christian, and other faiths, assembled in an unique act of solidarity against violence resolving human problems. This was stimulated by the presence of a Pakistani Sufi Muslim leader, with five million disciples worldwide - Muhammad Azmat-Ullah-Shah, on a pastoral mission to Britain after recent bombings. He reminds Muslim communities of Qu’ranic teaching on the sacredness of life and the need to deal respectfully and lovingly with one another. His message, drawn from the depths of his scholarship of Muslim sacred texts, is addressed to all people of faith He was joined by representatives of the British Muslim community. Some had challenging things to say to fellow believers about justice and equality. There were Christian, Hindu, Jewish, and Sikh community representatives, the deputy

Lord Mayor, Assembly Member Jenny Randerson and other local politicians present. They referred positively to Cardiff’s long history of multi-cultural harmony and tolerance, something oft-celebrated in this centenary year. Consistency and harmony of intention was expressed in the evening’s dozen speeches, expressing abhorrence of acts which terrorise and victimise others, both at a domestic and social level. A universal regard for others, created in, or reflecting the image of the divine, found expression in what many participants said. It was an evening in which nobody was embarrassed to own a religious faith, for once. Time-keeping owed more to oriental convention than modern expectation, but hospitality was warm, generous, and well organised for all. Proceedings ended with a delicious curry being served. Organisers had no idea of how many would turn up, given just a week’s notice. That so many were fed with food and inspiration is a miracle of hospitality and hope, full of promise for the future.

ture (in memory of CACEP’s founder) by Christian Aid’s Director, Dr Daleep Mukarji, on "Christian Aid in the 21st Century". Over the years the Centre has attracted a solid nucleus of regular students for its courses and reaches out to encourage newcomers to benefit from this unique ecumenical activity. The Centre is sponsored by a grant from City U.R. Church but has an independent management committee with representatives of the main denominations in this part of Wales. David S Lee (Chairman of CACEC and a former Archdeacon of Llandaff) To find out more about CACEC and City URC, visit their website : LOOK OUT!!

Radical U.S: Episcopalian Bishop Jack Spong, is speaking at Citychurch on Tuesday 20th September at 7.30pm Tom Arthur (below) is Minister of City United Reformed Church, born and bred in the American mid-West, he was a city pastor in Chicago before coming to Britain as a missionary 25 years ago. He worked in Ely, then in Selly Oak Birmingham before returning to Cardiff in 2001. He is especially interested in Church reform and renewal - how congregations adapt in response to ever-changing situations.

Capital Ideas is published by the Revd. Keith Kimber 16 Queen Anne Square Cardiff CF10 3ED 029 2022 0375.