YES is 5!

It’s always nice when friends get together to mark a birthday, and the birthday party at Newport Cathedral on 22nd February was particularly special. YES (Youth Eucharistic Service) was 5 years old and we were going to celebrate in style. As always preparations began months in advance of the event. Music was chosen – some familiar classics and some new material, readings were selected, and the liturgy prepared.

With so much to get through, rehearsal time flew by. Sarah Faulkner and the two Mikes led our music and the inimitable Jenny Hood put us through our paces in drama, readings and choral speaking. Before we knew it, the day had arrived. An email from Pam the day before told us that Revd Peter Ball, Youth Advisor to the Church of England, was going to be there ... no pressure then!

Before the service, the Cathedral bells were rung by members of the Llandaff and Monmouth Kids Ring Out group, which celebrated its own 5th birthday on January 1st. Following some words of welcome, all the Guides and Scouts, past and present, marked 'thinking day' by renewing their promises. Later, all baptised Christians were invited to renew their baptismal promises.

A stirring rendition of One Church, One Faith, One Lord brought the Cathedral alive and got YES 20: the 5th birthday underway. Bishop Dominic presided at the Eucharist. The worship leader was Isaac Pritchard from Abergavenny. In a former YES guise he’d made a very convincing Satan – proof that we can all change. Sarah’s sermon was just as a sermon should be - long enough to cover everything, but short enough to maintain interest. Communion time moved very efficiently, and at this time people were invited to dip their fingers in seven bowls of water, symbolically cleansing themselves of prejudice, cynicism, expectations, grudges, guilt, pride, gossip, reminiscent of Naaman washing himself seven times in the Jordan, to be cured of leprosy which had been the subject of the drama. There was also an opportunity to receive anointing.

All too soon, the service was drawing to a close. Six cakes were brought forward charting the history of YES, with a special one for the cathedral, the candles (conventional and roman) were lit and Happy Birthday was sung. We also officially welcomed Bishop Dominic to the YES team, presenting him with his own hoodie.

A wide range of musical styles had been used in the service, from the rousing to the more contemplative; the last three songs however were completely different. We all know that the Cathedral is in need of a new roof, and these songs were designed to help take the old one off! Shackles, This Day was made by the Lord, and I’m Trading my Sorrows resounded around that building in which people had been worshipping for 1000 years – the atmosphere, which had been electric throughout the service, was just indescribable by that point.

There are so many people that need to be thanked it’s not possible to do it justice here; the technical team, the music and drama tutors and the young people themselves all worked together to produce a fabulous event – which we hope went some way to reminding everyone that:
GOD IS GOOD – ALL THE TIME : AND ALL THE TIME - GOD IS GOOD!

Nick Jones