A special Epiphany service to celebrate the faithful work and commitment of those in our Huddersfield Episcopal Area has taken place at Halifax Minster.
Church banners were displayed as Archdeacon of Halifax, Ven Bill Braviner presided over a well-attended service, despite the snow, where the Rt Revd Smitha Prasadam, Bishop of Huddersfield preached a message of God’s presence in life, mission and ministry.
Below are two personal reflections on the occasion by Revd Canon James Allison, St John’s, Coley and Revd Abbie Palmer, Priest in Charge, St Stephen’s, Lindley.
‘A cold coming we had of it,
Just the worst time of the year
For a journey, and such a long journey:
The ways deep and the weather sharp,
The very dead of winter.
So begins TS Elliot’s famous Epiphany poem, the Journey of the Magi. I thought of this poem as I struggled with a few from our parishes to get to the Huddersfield Episcopal Area Celebration of Epiphany.
My expectations were low….
We had spent the week struggling to cope with snow that turned into ice blocks, and roads virtually impassable in the Halifax area and most of Yorkshire as well. As requested we had tried to gather people, a cake and a banner to go to this new thing. We had just about managed a cake and a banner. It was Saturday afternoon, it was dark and it became clear as we entered the Minster that numbers were disappointing.
Then a miracle… beginning with a warm, but realistic welcome from the Minster. Then the carols of the Kings, led by a beautifully diverse choir, with hearty congregation warming to the worship… it felt like there were more of us. Then came the stories, three wise men bringing gifts of Slaithwaite stirrings and hope in Marsden, Rushbearing mysteries and the gold of encouragement in the story of a Christian refugee from Pakistan settling and transforming one our local parishes. A Bishop’s encouragement that God was at work, and the Annapurna Dance Company telling the story in dance. All of this drawing us in to the Epiphany, God made manifest in Jesus, in this diverse congregation of pilgrims. Prayers of young people fanned the flames of fellowship making it real. Warm now we gathered in bread wine and blessing. Then the sense of a party no longer strangers, we remembered we were friends and ate cake… a miracle, an Epiphany, wonderful, worship.
To quote Elliot’s poem: “Finding the place; it was (you may say) satisfactory.”
Can’t wait till next year… my expectations are very high indeed!
Revd Canon James Allison, St John’s Coley.
“It was a joy to witness the banners of many different churches from across our episcopal area processing down the aisle of Halifax Minster as we began our service to celebrate 10 years of the Diocese in the Huddersfield episcopal area. The church is the people of God, and they were colourfully and joyfully represented by those able to travel to the Minster across snow and ice to be a part of this service.
“We heard stories of God doing a new thing in churches across our area. Bishop Smitha preached on God made manifest, not just through the historic story of Epiphany but through the ministry and mission of our churches. As we celebrated Holy Communion together we were drawn together as one area within one diocese, lay and ordained, recognising the manifestation of God where we are. And then there was cake!”
Revd Abbie Palmer, Priest-in-Charge, St Stephen’s Lindley