ABOUT 1000 large cubes were sent to congregations and church
schools all over Wales early last month, and people were asked to
tell their stories of faith by decorating each of the six sides
with words, pictures, photographs, or collages.
The results were many and various: some had local themes; others
were personal, and very touching. Several cubes were cut to give
the effect of stained-glass panels. One came back decorated in
Braille, and one school used a cube to collect memories of a child
who had died.
They were destined to be taken later in the month to the
conference "The Time is Now", to be held at Llandudno, in
Bangor diocese. But, the week before, about 40
were brought to a special 2020 Vision service in Llandaff
Cathedral. One of those included a photograph of one of the most
famous former choir-girls from Wales, Katherine Jenkins, who still
returns to St Davids when she is at home in Neath.
Others featured pictures and collages of parish and community
events, foodbanks, prayers, and even a jellyfish.
The cubes had been developed at the St Giles's RE and Faith
Development Centre, Wrexham, taking seven themes from the life of
Jesus: beginnings, growing, miracles/surprises, new beginnings,
healing, farewells, and resurrection/hopes for the future. The
chaplain at St Joseph's Anglican and Catholic School, Canon Mary
Stallard, who organised the event, said: "Stories are at the heart
of our faith. The themes of 2020 Vision invite us to look at our
own faith stories: the ways in which we have grown, changed, and
learned, and the hopes that God has given us for the future."
Thirty cubes from each of the six Welsh dioceses were taken to
Llandudno for the conference, and built into an altar. Held at
Venue Cymru, the conference brought 200 people from all over Wales
together with the Archbishop of Wales and all the bishops.