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Ten Ways to look for God in Sheffield Cathedral

1. Stand at the door

The door of the Cathedral is a threshold into sacred space. It opens wide to invite all into this ancient place of worship and pilgrimage. God does not compel us to come to him, but gently invites us into his presence.

One of the first things you will see is the box for offerings of money. The Cathedral cannot survive as an open place of quiet refuge without the money visitors bring. But do not feel you have to pay to come in. Sheffield Cathedral is a place for all people, whatever their circumstances.

2. Look at the people

Cathedrals can be busy places. You will see Cathedral staff: guides and welcomers, vergers, clergy; and you will see visitors: people with cameras, people praying, people sitting quietly, people sleeping. Remember that all these people are made in the image of God, and look for God in them, in the variety of faces, the variety of needs. See yourself as one of them, and remember that you too reflect the face of God. Talk to a guide, welcomer or verger. Let them tell you about their Cathedral. They are there because they love it, and you may find their enthusiasm infectious.

3. Listen to the stones

Sit down and listen carefully. What can you hear? The voices of visitors, perhaps speaking many different languages. The sound of the tram outside. Footsteps on the stone floor. An organist practising.

Imagine you can hear the stones of the building speaking to you. Think of all they have heard and known over the centuries, the music and prayer and preaching they have absorbed, the joys and tragedies they have witnessed. Remember the people who have been there before you and rejoice to be part of an ancient tradition of belief stretching back through the centuries.

4. Find the Bishop’s throne

What distinguishes a cathedral from a parish church is its role as the seat of the Bishop. You will find the Bishop’s throne near the main altar. What does it say to you? Does its grandeur speak of ecclesiastical power? Perhaps you feel uncomfortable with such a reminder of the power of the Bishop, and need to remember that a bishop’s primary role is as shepherd of Christ’s flock. But think too of what the Bishop represents: an unbroken line of succession taking the history of our faith back to Jesus and the apostles. Pray for the Bishop of Sheffield, who has a very difficult job in an increasingly hostile culture.

5. Look at the windows

Look at the stained glass. See what it does to the light. If the sun is shining, see the play of coloured light on the floor from the lantern near the main door. Remember that Jesus is described as the light of the world, and notice how beautiful and colourful light can be.

Look at the pictures in the windows. As well as letting in the light, they were designed to tell stories. See if you can read the stories they tell, perhaps with the help of the guide book. Look for characters from the Bible, and people from Sheffield’s history. Find the angels – many of them have brightly coloured or striped wings. Find a window that speaks to you of God’s love.

6. Find a dark corner

If you go into one of the side chapels, or downstairs into the Chapel of the Holy Spirit or the Crypt, you can find a corner which is dark and quiet. Sit here, breathe slowly and relax. Feel the peace of a place where God has met people again and again down the centuries. Let the gloom remind you that God is more mysterious and more terrifying than our wildest imaginings, but yet comes to us in a human person we can understand.

Remember that God meets people in the dark places of their lives, and pray for those who need to feel the presence of God beside them in the dark.

7. Look for the service books

Near the main altar in the canons’ stalls, and in the Chapel of the Holy Spirit, books are set out ready for worship. You might recognise some of the prayers and hymns in them. Remember that this is not just a heritage site, but a place of living worship and contemporary worshippers.

On some of the prayer desks and on the main notice boards there are lists of services; look to see when the next one is, and perhaps stay to hear the beautiful singing of the choir at Evensong. Pray for the Dean, Peter, and for the canons, Simon, Joanne and Chris. Pray for the choir, and all others who lead worship in the Cathedral, and for the regular congregation. Give thanks to God for the faithfulness of those who keep the Cathedral alive as more than a museum.

8. Stand in the nave

Stand in the largest space in the cathedral, the nave. The word ‘nave’ means ‘ship’ – it holds people who are on a voyage towards God. Imagine yourself in a boat, rocked on the waters of life, but sailing ever nearer to the safe haven that is God’s kingdom.

9. Light a candle

From ancient times, lighting a candle has been a way of offering a prayer to God. It can be difficult to know how to pray, especially if we are not used to talking to God. Perhaps there is someone in particular who is in need? Or a situation that concerns you? Say it quietly as you light your candle, then sit for a moment and know that God has heard the concerns of your heart. Let the light and the warmth of the flame speak to you of God’s love for his world and for all his children.

10. Honour the dead

The Cathedral is a place of living worship which also houses the ashes and the memory of many people of the past. St George’s Chapel honours the men of the York and Lancaster Regiment, many of whose names are listed in the books of remembrance because they died fighting for their country. Downstairs, the walls of the Crypt Chapel contain the ashes of cathedral worshippers. Look for a Dean, a Bishop, and a Head Verger, but also the ordinary people who have worshipped God here and whose memory is cherished. Their memory encourages us, not to hanker for the past, but to look to the future.