We want you to encounter God and to develop your understanding of faith and how a strong faith can support you in your day to day life. So we have a range of ways to help you with that encounter.
‘Supper with the Scriptures’
On most Monday evenings, from 7 pm - 8.15 pm, this group meets on Zoom. It is informal and friendly, and we take a short passage of scripture to consider for that day. Everyone is welcome, and each week is standalone. Currently, we are working our way through the ‘Acts of the Apostles’ for a series called ‘Acting on Acts’. The next group of sessions will run 21st June to 26th July and will study Acts Chapters 12 to 15.
If you would like to join in, then please email Canon Neal on neal.barnes@liverpoolcathedral.org.uk or text to 07496 737320 and he will send you the Zoom link. Please contact Canon Neal if you wish to know more.
Alpha On-line
Alpha On-line is a great way to explore the Christian faith either for the first time or as a refresher. The sessions are informal, friendly and unpressurised. No question is off-limits! Our next Alpha On-line will start towards the end of September 2021. It will take place via Zoom, on Thursday evenings, 7.00 - 8.15pm. More details to follow soon.
Please contact Canon Neal if you wish to know more.
Confirmation
Confirmation is what it says on the tin - us as adults confirming the promises made for us at Baptism, which for some of us was as babies or children. Confirmation can be relevant at any time in our adult lives. It helps us to dig deeper into what it means to follow Jesus, looking at such issues as being a Christian seven days a week, why we worship, reading the Bible and prayer, and the work of the Holy Spirit. We aim to run courses a couple of times a year and, as we emerge from the pandemic, we are looking to run some later this year, and to arrange with the Bishops for a Confirmation service in the Cathedral.
Please contact Canon Neal if you wish to know more.
‘Encountering Faith’
Through the year, we will be running several series of sessions where we will aim to study the Bible at a deeper level, seeking to understand it in its context and to apply it to our lives today. At present, these are all offered on Zoom. The next series, offered from July onwards, will be studying the last book of the Bible, Revelation.
"Revelation revealed"
This will be offered weekly 7.00 - 8.15 pm from Thursday 1st July 2021. The book of Revelation sparks different reactions amongst Christians. Some are fascinated, others wary and still others bamboozled by its colourful and at times seemingly baffling language. Our studies in Revelation will take us on mnay occasions back into the Old Testament, to help us unlock the imagery that spoke so powerfully to its first readers, understand their context, and seek to discover what the text is saying to us today. Come with us on a roller-coaster ride through this unique and powerful book! Handouts will be provided. We look forward to welcoming you.
If you would like to join in, then please email Canon Neal on neal.barnes@liverpoolcathedral.org.uk or text to 07496 737320 and he will send you the Zoom link.
Christian Meditation
Christian meditation is the practice of the prayer of silence and stillness to get close to God. It is as old as Christianity itself, rooted in the prayer life of Jesus who, we are told in the gospels, regularly took himself off to places of quiet in order to pray.
Christian meditation aims to still the mind from its endless chatter in order to meet the God within, who is closer to us than we are to ourselves. It is about letting go of words, thoughts, and images in an act of simply letting go into God. It does not replace other forms of prayer but complements them. At a certain point and after some practice, meditation gives way to contemplation, when we may be aware of a sense of strong union with God.
No previous experience is necessary to join our sessions as direction will be given. Unfortunately, we are unable to offer the weekly Wednesday meditation session at present, however, an online offer from the World Community for Christian Meditation is available at
Weekdays from 1.00 - 1.30 pm.
There is also a free World Community for Christian Meditation Lent course 'Introduction to Christian Meditation' which may be found at:
https://io-wccm.org/civicrm/event/info?id=361&reset=1
Centering Prayer
Centering Prayer is one particular way of doing Christian meditation which uses a prayer word as a way of anchoring yourself when your thoughts begin to stray. It is based on the teaching of the anonymous 14th century spiritual classic The Cloud of Unknowing. It is a very simple but effective way of beginning to use silence in prayer. We meet on Zoom on Wednesdays from 6.00 - 6.45 pm. The sessions include some conversation about the practice, a way of supporting each other, and a 20 minute time of silence. The sessions are led by Revd Mark Waters who is a trained presenter of Centering Prayer. Please contact Mark for details of the Zoom link at marko.waters@gmail.com or 07795 822193