21 people from across the Diocese were confirmed in the Cathedral on Easter Eve, with one person also being baptised.
The confirmations took place as part of the Easter vigil, with the congregation starting outside to light the Paschal Candle from a fire pit in college yard. They then followed the candle into the Cathedral in darkness for the first part of the service, before the lights were switched on and a joyful noise made to welcome in Easter.
Those being baptised came from the parishes of Clifton upon Teme, Barbourne in Worcester, Bewdley, Bromsgrove, Dudley, Norton in Stourbridge and the Cathedral. They were baptised and confirmed by Bishop Hugh.
Bianca Cullis from St Kenelm’s Church in Clifton upon Teme was baptised and also confirmed alongside her husband James and Mother-in-law Jayne. She said:
“We were married in church and had our children baptised, which really renewed our faith and ignited our fire. We have been attending Praise for All in Clifton and decided it was important to make a personal and public declaration of our faith. We are grateful for God’s presence in our lives, and being baptised and confirmed felt like the right thing to do.”
The Penny family are members of the Cathedral’s congregation and wanted to be confirmed together. Mum Claire, Dad Malcolm and their three children, Alice aged 8, Jack aged 13 and Mathilda aged 17. Malcolm said:
“Jack has been a chorister for the last six years and Easter Sunday will be his final two services. We’ve been attending the cathedral for a while, and it felt right to be confirmed. We’re a close family and try to do things together whenever possible, and this was no exception.”
Ruby Cruz is a member of St Stephen in Barbourne, Worcester. She spoke in the service saying:
“My journey to confirmation has not been simple, but it has been meaningful. God has always been there through all my troubles and the difficult parts of my life and I feel he’s been a guiding light for me.”
Bishop Hugh preached during the service. He said:
“Jesus’ resurrection turns the normal way of things upside down. That leaves all of us with a clear calling and if you haven’t made that decision yet, then the invitation is made to you, to follow Jesus in his upside down, right way up world! Together we can show the rest of the world what Jesus came to show us all – that much of what we are told is normal, isn’t. Jesus shows us a better way.”
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