Three photographers across our diocese have winning entries in national competition
Back in August, the Church Times, together with ChurchCare launched a photo competition – ‘Life and Soul'. They asked people to send in photographs of the people and activities that take place in and around our churches. There were three categories: Worship and Prayer, Community Activities and ‘the Chelfie’.
Photographers from across our diocese succeeded in submitting more winning entries than any other:
Harriet Evans, volunteer and member of Wakefield Cathedral won the Community Activities section with a photograph of dancing in Wakefield Cathedral.
The judges said: "The picture has both architectural style and human interaction in spades. Many picture editors might crop out the figure on the extreme right, but it populates the foreground, draws down the colour of the chancel ceiling, and, in any case, when was there ever a dance without somebody looking on longingly?"
Harriet was thrilled to have won.
She said, “The judges rightly pointed out that the winning photo wasn’t compositionally perfect, but they seem to have found both the beautiful, re-developed nave and the wonderful Cathedral community irresistible, as I do myself.
“I think the win was most definitely a team effort by the Cathedral community as a whole. All I did was press the shutter button, I didn’t make the nave beautiful nor do any of the organising behind the scenes, nor play in the band, nor did I dance! I am delighted to see the Cathedral and its community show-cased in this way and I hope lots more people will come and see us."
In 2013, the nave of Wakefield Cathedral was transformed. The pews were removed to create a more flexible space for worship, public gatherings, celebrations and other community uses. The lighting, flooring, heating and sound systems were all improved. The ceilidh captured in the photograph was one of the first occasions the new space was used.
Gillian Lunn, a member of St Mary the Virgin in Richmond North Yorkshire entered a photograph taken at Fun-Key Church @ St Mary's during a part of the service when people are invited to take part in different activities.
Gillian explained, “This was a space where people were encouraged to share thoughts on the theme of the day – I think it was either journeying or joy. It just happened that it was a group of all men who gathered, and interestingly, they all commented later how much they enjoyed just chatting and sharing and that perhaps they didn't do this kind of thing often enough.”
Gillian’s photograph, also in the Community Activities section, was commended.
Fun-Key Church is held on the last Sunday of the month at 4pm and is for all ages. It aims to make coming to church an easier experience, particularly for those not used to church. Find out more.
Rupert Martin, Vicar of Sandal Magna in Wakefield also had a photograph commended. His photo, which he called ‘Preach it Sister’, was submitted in the Worship and Prayer section. It was taken at a monthly Families@4 service – a creative service for families which begins at 4pm with tea.
ChurchCare supports more than 16,000 parish churches and 42 cathedrals, helping them care for buildings today to ensure they are there for future generations to enjoy. The policy underlying their activities is to keep church buildings open, serving the worshipping community and wider society.
With such imaginative and varied use of church buildings, each of these pictures shows the Life and Soul of our churches to be fascinating, creative and in good heart.