Sometimes the Holy Spirit pours his truth into our lives like a flowing stream. That's exactly what happened to me recently as I visited Coventry. I went because he told me to go and said that he would speak to me there. But he did even more than he promised. Isn't that just typical of his grace?
As I was preparing to visit Coventry, the Holy Spirit began surprising me with thoughts and I started to write them down. There was more revelation as I visited the old and new cathedrals; much that I saw prompted further thoughts. And finally, after I arrived home there was a third flow of spiritual truth.The major themes I have identified are...
- The centrality of Christ, his majesty and glory.
- Oneness with Jesus and in church life, reconciliation.
- New and old in terms of church. They are connected. We need to remember the old but live in the new.
- The old was brought down by intense fire.
- The new is a different kind of structure.
- Jesus expresses himself through the new.
- The new touches the world and should transform it.
What follows is taken from the notes I made on the day. The notes themselves are in italics, the rest is comment added later. I have not expanded all of the notes, there is simply too much for one article. I may revisit these notes, perhaps under the seven headings listed above.
Before the journey to Coventry
The contribution you can make to one church is to encourage people in having good, welcoming attitudes to all believers.
The idea that there is only one church has been much on my mind, and it was immensely helpful to have this guidance. It's not for me to demand or build unity. Instead, I must encourage everyone to accept others with different understandings and vision. Oneness is not about everyone being the same, it's about hearts of love touching through the differences.
Remind them that we're all brothers and sisters.
Even the emblem I gave you speaks of unity. There's a centre where all the spokes meet, and the periphery is held in place by every spoke. I AM the centre. My people are the spokes, each of them in contact with me. The periphery is out there in the world, far from me, their only connection to the centre is through you. Pray that they, too, will become spokes.Read more about the 'wheel' emblem and its origin. There's a call to prayer here too; that's something I must not ignore or forget. Father, remind me - often.
My expectation had been clear. The Lord would speak to me when I reached Coventry, but at this point I was still at home and he was already pouring out so much. I was astonished!
In the old cathedral
The old still remains, but it's empty.
The pillars have all gone.
There is no roof, no protection.
The windows are empty.
This is a place of memories, but few people are here to remember. Most of them are here to look.
The architect says that the new should grow out of the old.
In the new cathedral
A canopy connects the old and the new.
The new west front reflects the old cathedral in its expanse of glass.
The old is clearly visible throughout the new, it is not forgettable and not forgotten.
The view is very different depending whether you are looking towards me or away from me.
I am far more weighty than you might think.
The cathedral has an enormous tapestry portraying Christ, it is so large that it weighs more than a tonne. It's hard to imagine a tapestry being so heavy, and it is even harder to imagine the full majesty and glory of Christ himself. I think he wants me to focus both on his nature and on my inability to comprehend his nature.
This building speaks of life, a progression from the cradle. It's all about reconciliation and has contributions from people of all faiths.
This is an echo of what he showed me before I left home. Reconciliation is a prerequisite for unity. Jesus is our reconciliation, not only with the Father but also with one another. Oneness with the Most High and oneness with one another both depend on the reconciliation that only Jesus can bring. We cannot do without Christ, yet we need nothing more.
Back at home
The old building was brought down by the intense heat of the fire. It cracked and flaked stone, melted lead and glass, and consumed timber.
Fragments of the old stained glass remain.
The old and familiar, the very things we lean upon and think we need, these are all burned up by the intense fire of the Spirit. The old must make way for the new. Yet the old is still more than just a memory. Parts of it remain lest we forget.
Everywhere in the new are expressions of his love, glory, grace, peace, presence, and oneness.
There's a strong theme of reconciliation throughout both old and new.
Old and new are intimately connected.
These seem to be important ideas and should not be forgotten.
The old was brought down by an act of war, but the war was external - it was not a war between old and new.
The inner roof is not attached to the walls.
The technologies of old and new are quite different.
The builders of the old would have found the new literally incredible.
They would have been astonished and unable to comprehend how it could have been achieved.
There's an emphasis in some of the memorials on working selflessly together for a greater good.
There is a swastika on the bronze effigy. See how visitors have polished the swastika and the nose by touching them. Touch is so important.
Touch is transforming, turning dullness to brilliance. We need to touch Christ, we also need to touch one another.
The old cathedral is part of an old town and an old society, now gone apart from a few buildings. The new cathedral is part of a new town and a new city - the university, the shopping centre and so on.
The new fabric is already showing evidence of decay and shabbiness - especially outside.
Although there is a new move of the Spirit coming in church life, the new will go the way of the old unless there is maintenance and repair. It will be needed continuously.
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