British Cathedral Numbers Grow

From The Living Church-

English cathedrals are experiencing growth in people attending worship, according to a report by the Church of England’s Research and Statistics unit.

The report, “Church Statistics 2015” [PDF], reinforces conclusions drawn in a 2014 Church of England report, “From Anecdote to Evidence” [PDF].

“It would be wrong to think that the growth of cathedrals is happening at the expense of the rest of the Church; instead consider cathedrals as the vanguard of renewal,” said Becky Clark, senior cathedrals officer and deputy secretary of the Cathedrals Fabric Commission for England. “They have the locations, the leadership, the staff, and the confidence to be at the forefront of what an outward-looking, societally focused, just and fair church can be.”

More here-

http://livingchurch.org/british-cathedral-numbers-grow

What Makes A Church Beautiful?

From William Newton-

When I saw the plans released yesterday for the new Christ Cathedral in Orange County, California, I was put in mind of the so-called “graduation ceremony” in “Star Wars”.  You’ll recall that’s when Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, and Chewbacca received medals from Princess Leia for their services to the Rebel Alliance, inside a grand, but colorless ceremonial hall, like the one about to be foisted upon the good people of the Diocese of Orange County.  While seeing this animation of the completed building might make Seymour Skinner give out an award for best diorama, when it comes to ecclesiastical architecture, such an association is not an enviable one.  For it seems that, once again, the Church is not practicing what it preaches, when it comes to encouraging the beautiful in our contemporary society.

More here-

http://blogofthecourtier.com/2014/09/25/what-makes-a-church-beautiful/