Christ centred Outward focused Vol.29 No.1 February 2024
Newspaper of the Anglican Diocese of Southwark The Bishop’s Lent Call See page 3
Advent roundup Nine Elms Arts Ministry commissioned mural
All roads lead to Southwark! An ecumenical Journey See pages 6–7
See page 4
‘Seeing Through Our Eyes’ Last year saw the launch of ‘Seeing Through Our Eyes’ – a stained glass art project on the theme of serious youth violence. The project was a partnership between The Worshipful Company of Glaziers, Southwark Diocesan Board of Education, charity Operation Forgiveness and Southwark Cathedral. Elizabeth James, Learning Centre Volunteer at Southwark Cathedral, writes: The ‘eyes’ in question are those of 30 Year-9 students from two diocesan secondary schools – Bacon’s College, Rotherhithe and Christ’s School, Richmond. The process of designing an imaginative response to the challenging issue of serious youth violence started with students’ exposure to a presentation by Operation Forgiveness. They heard about the devastating impact that youth violence has on a whole community, learning the story of a boy called Zac, who at aged 15 was stabbed to death outside his school by a group of boys he didn’t know. The students heard from Sarah, Zac’s mother, and Tayo, his sister, as they gave emotive
Installation of new Dean of Southwark
accounts of their journey from the shock and grief to forgiveness and reconciliation. In creating their design, the students moved away from stereotypical imagery, to being able to connect with their own feelings about how the ripple effects of serious youth violence might be transformed by forgiveness. Their understanding and creativity were further enriched by a guided visit to the extraordinary glass artworks in the Victoria and Albert Museum, representing the violence of some biblical imagery, such as the Massacre of the Innocents. As a result, they developed a deeper, more abstract and symbolic visual language – and having been introduced to the John Reyntiens’ Glass Studio method of using collage and charcoal in an artistically expressive way to create designs for stained glass – they were then able to work with more freedom and risk. At a reception held in the Retro Choir of Southwark Cathedral last November, the stained glass was unveiled to an invited audience including the Mayor of Southwark. John Reyntiens, the Glass Artist, complimented the students and said that he no longer viewed them as secondary school students, but as artists.
Mark Oakley. © Tom Bradley
The stained glass pane in Southwark Cathedral, designed by Diocesan secondary school students from Bacon’s College, Rotherhithe and Christ’s School, Richmond.
The work they created can be seen, synthesised in the stunning pane of stained glass now, fittingly, in the Chapel of Reconciliation – close to the altar bearing the Cross of Nails. Southwark Cathedral is part of the community of Christian organisations who are members of the
Community of the Cross of Nails, sharing a network of common commitment to work and pray for peace, justice and reconciliation by healing the wounds of history, learning to live with difference, celebrating diversity, and building a culture of peace.
On Advent Sunday (3 December), The Very Revd Dr Mark Oakley was installed as Dean of Southwark by the Bishop of Southwark, the Right Revd Christopher Chessun, in a special service of choral evensong at Southwark Cathedral.
Rector of the Actors’ Church in Covent Garden. He has subsequently served as an archdeacon in the Diocese in Europe, Chancellor of St Paul’s Cathedral and more recently was Dean of St John’s College, Cambridge.
Ordained at St Paul’s cathedral in 1993, Mark served his curacy at St John’s Wood Church in London Diocese. He was later appointed Chaplain to the Bishop of London and after four years was made
Read more stories at southwark.anglican.org/blog or find us on social media @SouthwarkCofE
During the service Bishop Christopher said, “Southwark Cathedral is a foundation with an ancient history and the mother church of this Diocese. It functions both as a parish church to serve the communities in its immediate vicinity. Continued on page 3