Finding Refuge – an article from Marion Bryans
This article was published first by the International Anglican Family Network
Glasgow is Scotland’s largest city. For 20 years, it has welcomed asylum-seekers arriving in the UK. During this time, many different agencies – Government, charities, church and community groups – have been set up to support the thousands of asylum-seekers from all over the world arriving in the city. Despite this, many experience destitution and desperation in the hostile environment created by British Government policy. This is the story about how one woman, living comfortably in retirement, first became aware and involved.
Some years ago, I was shocked to read in the newspaper about a young man, an asylum-seeker, who had sewn his lips together to draw attention to his plight. He lived near me! How could I ignore what was happening on my doorstep? My husband and I got involved as volunteers in a church-run night -shelter for destitute asylum-seekers. I also volunteered as a holiday host for the charity Freedom from Torture, offering week-long holiday- and respite-breaks for asylum-seekers from elsewhere in the UK.
My husband and I were part of a large congregation at St Mary’s Cathedral, with its ‘Open, Inclusive & Welcoming’ slogan. A discussion about asylum-seekers after a Sunday service raised interest and concern about what could be done to help. Knowing how lonely and isolated the men from the night-shelter were, I suggested we might start by individuals meeting with one or two of them after church for a cup of tea and a walk to explore the sights of Glasgow. The first to volunteer was a 90-year old woman who invited two of the men to lunch with her family at home. The idea snowballed and more became involved, socialising and sharing a wide variety of activities and, in turn, learning first-hand of the difficulties and struggles people have in our country and about the cultures and circumstances from which they had fled. For some, it resulted in lasting friendships and support.
Other members of the congregation came up with more ideas. We already had a weekly ‘open house’ where volunteers showed any visitors around the church, with leaflets for them to take away. Sometimes, homeless people or asylum-seekers popped in and asked for help. As well as a cup of tea and a listening ear, we wanted to do more for them. A leaflet was prepared listing places in the city where people could get free meals, clothes, showers, support for their asylum claim and charities offering support and advice. This proved very useful and also educated the wider congregation on how to help such people whom they might meet on the bus or in the street.
As Christmas approached one year, we used our pew leaflet to ask for people to donate £5 to provide a voucher for a meal and overnight stay for an asylum-seeker in the night shelter. This proved an attractive Christmas gift and stocking-filler and led to many wanting to know more and to offer continuing financial support to the shelter.
The Cathedral Provost, who already had a range of badges for sale at the back of the church, decided to make one saying ‘Refugees Welcome’. This proved a huge success, with many of the congregation wearing them and reporting interest from passers-by. As well as ‘thumbs up’ support from passing strangers and enquiries about where the badges could be obtained, it led to many discussions sharing information about supporting refugees in Glasgow and refuting negative myths.
An English priest referred an Iranian asylum-seeking family moving to Glasgow, asking if we could welcome and support them. We visited them on arrival and helped with clothes, bedding and children’s toys. We also helped them liaise with various agencies and become familiar with the city. They were warmly welcomed at our Sunday services, and afterwards, with their young daughter readily making friends in the Young Church group and quickly learning English through playing with other children. Initially, the parents’ English was very limited so we guided them to join language classes. Strong friendships developed leading to letters of support to the British Government Home Office and giving evidence in support of the family at their immigration court hearings.
Other Iranian asylum-seeking families started attending St Mary’s and were warmly welcomed. Some asked to be baptised, confirmed and married. The Bishop also became involved with the Cathedral leadership and congregation in representations to the Home Office and immigration courts. Pew sheets were used to inform, update and inspire members to request positive action on behalf of asylum-seekers and refugees by writing to their Members of Parliament and the Home Office Minister.
The wider congregation continued to donate bedding, clothing, household goods and baby equipment for free distribution to refugees setting up their own homes, having obtained official ‘Leave to Remain’. Some members learnt to teach English for Speakers of Other Languages in order to offer classes in the church.
As the congregation had members from a wide variety of professional backgrounds, we recognised that we were wellplaced to offer one-to-one mentoring to asylum-seekers and refugees who already had some fluency in English and were seeking to gain UK-recognised professional qualifications. Many already had such qualifications and experience in their country of origin. When COVID-19 happened we had to develop new ways of continuing support during lockdowns and church closures.
Now in my 70s, life is so much richer and heart-warming than I ever envisaged. I continue to learn so much about courage, resilience, compassion and forgiveness because of my asylumseeking friends and my growing ‘family’. My husband and I now have an Iranian ‘son and daughter-in-law’ and I am ‘grandma’ to children from Sierra Leone, Gambia and Iran.
Online Worship – 25 April 2021
Worship for the Fourth Sunday of Easter takes place both in church and online.
Seats for the worship taking place in church can be booked at https://www.thedatabase.thecathedral.org.uk/
This week the online worship consists of:
- A Sung Eucharist from St Mary’s Cathedral
- A hymn – ‘The King of love my Shepherd is’
- A video for Young Church members and their households
The Provost leads this service from the Cathedral. The Rev Canon Prof John Riches is the preacher. Pat Bennett leads the Intercessions, Mimi White leads some of the prayers and the Gospel is read by Robert Elliott. Shae Weir sings the mass setting (Mass of St Thomas by David Thorne). Justine and Fergus Inns sings the anthem at Communion (‘The Lord’s My Shepherd’). They are both accompanied by Frikki Walker, piano. At the end of the service, the voluntary is the Trio Sonata VI (movement i) by JS Bach played by Steven McIntyre on the organ of Dunblane Cathedral. The hymn is sung by Justine Inns accompanied by Frikki Walker.
The video of the Sung Eucharist will also be available on Facebook and YouTube. The YouTube video might suit those who prefer to watch on a smart TV.
Download a transcript of the service here: Online Worship – 25 April 2021
Sung Eucharist
Hymn – ‘The King of Love my Shepherd is’
Young Church
This video is for members of the Young Church and their households this week. The next Young Church meeting in zoom takes place next week.
The following days will be the days for zoom sessions for Young Church:
2, 16 & 30 May | 13 & 27 June
10:30 – 11:00 am
Donate to St Mary’s
If you would like to make a financial contribution to enable the ministry of St Mary’s Cathedral, please do so.
To give to St Mary’s directly from your bank account, please set up payments to the Clydesdale Bank, sort code 82-20-00 account number 30185232, account name “Cathedral Church of St Mary the Virgin”.
To set up a standing order, please fill in a Bank Standing Order and send it to your bank. If you are a UK tax payer, please also fill in a Gift Aid Declaration as it enables the Cathedral to claim back the tax that you have already paid on the money that you are giving.
You can give by PayPal directly through this website by going to the Paypal Giving Page.
If it is possible for you to do so, please use a form of payment directly to the Cathedral bank account in order to avoid payment fees on PayPal.
If you would like details of how to give by other methods, please contact the Cathedral Office to be put in touch with the Gift Aid Recorder, Alan McCulloch.
Thank you for your offering. If you usually put cash on the plate, please, if you can, find a way of giving electronically at this time to enable the ministry of the Cathedral to continue.
Welcome card and feedback
If you are finding a way into this congregation and would like to make contact, please use the Welcome Card which can be found online here:
https://thecathedral.org.uk/welcome-card/
If you would like to contact the Provost and the Vice Provost to give feedback on this worship or for any other reason, please use the following form.
If you wish to join the cathedral electronic mailing list to receive further details about the online worship please do so at this sign-up page:
http://phplist.thecathedral.org.uk/?p=subscribe&id=3
Please share this page and these resources widely on social media and in any other ways you can think of.
Good Friday
This page contains the resources that are provided to help mark Good Friday 2021.
Some people will use them at a time to suit themselves. Others will wish to use them to mark the time between 12 noon and 3 pm when we remember Jesus on the cross.
The Reading of the Passion
The reading of the Passion according to John is something that we use on Good Friday. This is available at this link: http://bible.oremus.org/?ql=282326310
This is a text which needs to be read carefully and thoughtfully. The term ‘the Jews’ in John’s Gospel applies to particular individuals and not to the whole Jewish people. Insofar as we ourselves turn against Christ, we are responsible for his death. The words which are translated as “the Jews” could also be translated as “the Judeans”.
Members of the congregation are invited to read the text for themselves at some point on Good Friday.
Sermons and Music
It is usually our custom to mark the time between 12 noon and 3 pm on Good Friday with a series of sermons and thoughtful music from the cathedral musicians. This year the sermons and the music are all available here on this page.
In the year that is past, the development of Online Worship has meant that the visual resources of the cathedral have been particularly important, perhaps especially important during times of lockdown, when no access to the building has been possible.
In this series of meditations, the cathedral clergy reflect on the experience of six images of people featured in either the murals or the stained glass, who were present during Christ’s passion. The eyes of these images have looked down on a silent cathedral in Glasgow for much of the last year. The eyes of these same people saw the events of the first Good Friday. These meditations take us into their experience.
Mary, Mother of the Lord
Transcript: Kelvin Holdsworth – Mary, Mother of the Lord
Peter
Transcript: Sister Helena OSB – Peter
The Soldiers
Transcript: Oliver Brewer-Lennon – The Soldiers
John
Transcript: John Riches – John
Mary Magdalene
Transcript: Bishop Kevin – Mary Magdalene
Jospeh of Arimathea
Transcript: Audrey O’Brien Stewart – Jospeh of Arimathea
Other Music for Good Friday
Sermon preached for 21 March 2021 by John Riches
Guild of Bellringers
The Bellringers meet on Tuesday evenings each week to practise and also ring before Sunday services.
Practices are currently being held online using an innovative piece of software called Ringing Room which allows people to practice ringing bells in a virtual space.
For more information about the guild, go to this page:
https://thecathedral.org.uk/activities/guild-of-bellringers/
Choir
The choir meets to practise on Thursday evenings and is currently meeting on Zoom.
To enquire about joining the choir as an adult or to discuss a young person becoming a chorister, please fill out the form below.
St Mary’s Cathedral Choir is recruiting boys and girls aged between 7 and 14 to join the hugely successful ranks of young choristers. Trebles usually sing one Sunday morning and one Sunday evening each month, and concerts, broadcasts and recordings.
Online Worship – 7 March 2021
Worship for Sunday 7 March 2021 takes place online. This consists this week of:
- A video that forms a service of Holy Communion
- A hymn (‘Jesus Christ is Waiting’)
- A Young Church zoom for members of the Young Church and their households
The Provost leads this service from the Cathedral. The Canon Missioner, the Rev Canon Audrey O’Brien Stewart is the preacher. The Vice Provost is the cantor for the mass setting. Franny Mawditt leads some of the prayers, Robert Mawditt leads the Intercessions, and John Urquhart reads the Gospel which is the story of Jesus turning over the tables of the moneychangers in the Temple. The music at Communion, is a hymn by Charles Wesley – Author of Life Divine and is sung by Magnus Walker accompanied by Frikki Walker at the organ. Frikki also plays the voluntary at the end of this service, Rhosymedre by Ralph Vaughan Williams.
The video of the service of Holy Communion will also be available on Facebook and YouTube.
The YouTube video might suit those who prefer to watch on a smart TV.
Download a PDF transcript of the service here:
Online Worship – 7 March 2021 – Lent 3
Holy Communion
Jesus Christ is Waiting
John Bell and Graham Maule – © 1988 WGRG / The Iona Community
Young Church
The Young Church meets on Zoom from 10:30 to 11:00 am on 7 March 2021 for some more music-making. Any members of the congregation are welcome to join and share Zoom details with young people no matter where they are. Anyone attending might like to have a couple of paper plates so they can take part in the Russian Dance from The Nuctcracker.
Young persons must be accompanied by an adult, who must remain online at all times. Join the meeting from a public room in the house (no bedrooms, please) and get ready to samba.
Young Church Zoom Dates and Details
7 March 2021
10:30 – 11:00 am
Meeting ID: 860 5486 4041
Passcode: 005922
Donate to St Mary’s
If you would like to make a financial contribution to enable the ministry of St Mary’s Cathedral, please do so.
To give to St Mary’s directly from your bank account, please set up payments to the Clydesdale Bank, sort code 82-20-00 account number 30185232, account name “Cathedral Church of St Mary the Virgin”.
To set up a standing order, please fill in a Bank Standing Order and send it to your bank. If you are a UK tax payer, please also fill in a Gift Aid Declaration as it enables the Cathedral to claim back the tax that you have already paid on the money that you are giving.
You can give by PayPal directly through this website by going to the Paypal Giving Page.
If it is possible for you to do so, please use a form of payment directly to the Cathedral bank account in order to avoid payment fees on PayPal.
If you would like details of how to give by other methods, please contact the Cathedral Office to be put in touch with the Gift Aid Recorder, Alan McCulloch.
Thank you for your offering. If you usually put cash on the plate, please, if you can, find a way of giving electronically at this time to enable the ministry of the Cathedral to continue.
Welcome card and feedback
If you are finding a way into this congregation and would like to make contact, please use the Welcome Card which can be found online here:
https://thecathedral.org.uk/welcome-card/
If you would like to contact the Provost and the Vice Provost to give feedback on this worship or for any other reason, please use the following form.
If you wish to join the cathedral electronic mailing list to receive further details about the online worship please do so at this sign-up page:
http://phplist.thecathedral.org.uk/?p=subscribe&id=3
Please share this page and these resources widely on social media and in any other ways you can think of.
LGBT History Month – #28 – Open, Inclusive, Welcoming and Proud
This badge was one of the first that was produced and was made for Glasgow Pride in 2015. It is one that is often worn by members of St Mary’s Cathedral on Pride marches.
St Mary’s is a diverse congregation in Glasow that proclaims itself to be open, inclusive, and welcoming.
We march at Pride each year as part of a group drawn from the whole of the Scottish Episcopal Church, and we meet people every year who are surprised and delighted to see that a church has come out to be with them. They see a priest carrying a rainbow umbrella. They see another one waving a couple of placards as he bops along to Dancing Queen. Our group is made up of clergy and laity, of the old and the young, of people drawn from all over the Diocese and from all over the world, of our LGBT members and our straight allies. As our banner makes its way through the streets of the city centre, the people in the crowd nudge each other, smiling and pointing.
“Look,” they say to one another. “Look! The Scottish Episcopal Church Welcomes You!”
This is our strapline, our shibboleth, and the way we try to live.
We are open. We are inclusive. We are welcoming. We are very, very proud.
LGBT History Month – #27 – Annoy The Powers That Be
This badge acknowledges that change does not simply come about on its own but comes about because people work for it. The act of challenging conformity is intrinsic to the struggle for justice in the world. The various movements that have led to the freedoms that LGBT people enjoy are intrinsically connected to other movements for justice and progressive change.
Often change happens because a very small number of people believe something to be right and start to annoy the powers that be.
When a very small number of activists started gathering signatures for the petition on equal marriage (many of which were gathered by members of St Mary’s Cathedral, Glasgow) they were simply doing what people who want change have always done – organising, dreaming, gathering and worrying away at the problem, refusing to let it go.
It is very much the case that when the equal marriage movement was beginning, several of the activists involved did not believe that they would see the change that they were hoping for happen within their lifetimes.
Change happened because people were prepared to ask what the next small step would be towards the final goal and then taking that step. Sometimes people got annoyed. In the end, everything changed.
The fact of that change is now a challenge. If such a change could come about within only a few years, what else could be changed for good in society by a small group of dreamers?