[Office of the Archbishop of York] The latest stop on the Lord’s Prayer tour of the north of England took place June 17 at Carlisle Cathedral. People gathered from across the Diocese of Carlisle to reflect on The Lord’s Prayer and its significance for today’s world.
The evening began with a showing of “Then as Now,” a short film by Oliver Murray that explores the enduring significance of the Lord’s Prayer.
Young people involved in a Wigton cell group, part of the Solway Network Youth Church, shared some of the things they had learned while looking more deeply into the words of The Lord’s Prayer. Lewis, one of the group’s members said, “When we studied The Lord’s Prayer we found that the prayer Jesus taught all those years ago is still relevant and has meaning today. Sometimes praying feels overwhelming, but the Lord’s Prayer feels like it’s relatable, like a life guide and role model.”
Following this, archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell shared the importance and relevance of The Lord’s Prayer to our world today. Those present were encouraged to pray and live by it as part of their daily missionary discipleship, using it as a pattern for living.
Theo Sheridan-Watts, program manager for Faith in the North, said, “It’s been great to be at Carlisle Cathedral and see people engage with The Lord’s Prayer in different ways. Listening to people talk with each other about what they find inspiring and challenging about the prayer shows that it is as relevant to us today as when Jesus taught it to his disciples. Our hope is that this will prompt further discussions and many will look afresh at this ancient prayer.”
Cottrell said, “I was delighted by the welcome we received in Carlisle today. People were open and willing to engage with the challenge of The Lord’s Prayer and think about how this can show us the way to live as disciples of Jesus Christ.”
The tour is part of the Faith in the North initiative that looks to encourage a movement of prayer, storytelling and church planting inspired by the northern saints. The focus for 2025 is the Lord’s Prayer; for 2026, pilgrimage; and in 2027, baptism.