EPIPHANY 2022Rooted in our primary purpose to worship, the Cathedral’s vision ‘to be an inclusive, faithful, and holy community rooted in the active love of God, his creation, and our neighbours through prayer, fellowship, and service’ is printed on our service booklets. It serves as a reminder of our calling by God. The Cathedral is a sacred space that is much loved by us all, and those who live and serve in our Diocese. The Cathedral’s values are to be ‘inclusive, generous, compassionate, and joyful’. Through precarious and anxious pandemic, we have lived out this call faithfully together. I look forward to working with and chairing the newly constituted Chapter. We will meet in February for the first time. The new Chapter now has four lay members, two male and two female, giving a better representation since it was established in 1923. Yet, the ministry and witness of the Cathedral has never stood still. It has evolved and changed to become what we are today. Our common life will continue to evolve as we faithfully proclaim the gospel afresh in this new generation. I hope and pray that you will all join me in rededicating ourselves to the opportunities and challenges that are set before us.I am delighted to say we appointed three new staff members in the autumn. Shane Healey is our new Facilities Manager, following Richard’s retirement. Jo Burges is our new Cathedral verger, following Jan’s death in 2020; and Julie Morgan is our new Cathedral and Tithebarn cleaner. Please note that Karen continues to work from home. She only visits the Cathedral office once a week to open the post and pick up answerphone messages.Advent and Christmas services we were joyful, albeit with the challenge of managing limited numbers due to social distancing. You will know that even though restrictions were lifted, we have maintained good practices throughout, social distancing, track and trace and wearing masks throughout. This limited numbers attending services was/remains 65. Thank you for the continuing commitment of the Stewards who sympathetically ensures all attending can have confidence in our Covid procedures. I know many who usually attend at Christmas were very disappointed they were unable to reserve seats due to high demand. We offered the congregations first opportunity to reserve seats for Christmas services for two weeks before opening invitations to the public. Thank you to those of you who were understanding.The 200 Club draws took place on 12 December, with six lucky winners awarded a nice ‘Christmas surprise’. My thanks to the Chapter Clerk for organising it. The Cathedral Christmas Concert was also a great success on 16 December, when our choirs were joined by the Prince of Wales military band. My thanks to the Director of Music and Assistant Organist for organising it. Finally, the craft fayre in the Cathedral close on 21 December was also a very successful family event, with craft stalls, refreshments, cakes, beer and live music from soloist, duets, and choirs. My thanks to the Facilities Manager for organising it.On the Diocesan and Provincial level, the Bench of Bishops appointed the Venerable John Lomas as the next Bishop of Swansea & Brecon. He will be consecrated in February in Bangor Cathedral, shortly followed by his enthronement in Brecon Cathedral. Dates have yet to be decided. Bishop Andy John, the Bishop of Bangor has been elected Archbishop of Wales. The date of his enthronement in Bangor is yet to be decided.We received more good news in the autumn, after 18 months of working with our consultants, researching, and preparing the National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF) Expression of Interest. The NLHF have granted approval for us to submit our grant application. We have been working on the grant application that will be submitted in February. You will know this is our third application in four years, with the previous two not being successful. There will be several stages to go through if we are successful this time. We will invite the NLHF to fund 59% of the costs at £1.571 million. The total cost of the urgent and critical repairs and reordering is £2,606 million. We plan to do work on a West entrance, roofs, internal reordering and the Tithebarn. We get to do the roof works (allowing 100% replacement tiles) to the South Transept, North Transept, Chancel/Organ Chamber and Harvard Chapel. We leave for a subsequent phase the Nave, north and south aisles and St Laurence Chapel/Sacristy roofs.There is a history of change and revision to liturgical layouts in the Cathedral, even relatively recently so, we must consider what will work best for Brecon. The position of the choir stalls has been raised as a concern as their current location within the Crossing means that sound escapes into the Transepts instead of being reflected around the Cathedral. The choir stalls were designed by Gilbert Scott and relocated in 1941. There would have been no seating in the Nave in the Middle Ages, other than a few benches. There was a decorative timber screen between the Chancel and the Crossing. After the Reformation, the church fell into disrepair. Thomas Henry Wyatt was the architect for a major alteration in 1836. A new glazed timber screen was inserted under the western arch of the Tower, apparently incorporating some old joinery, to close off the eastern part of the church, thereby making the Nave the main space, with improved seating. Following the church’s elevation to Cathedral status in 1923, W.D. Caroe rebuilt the St. Lawrence Chapel, adding the vestry and organ loft in 1929-30. His last major work was the Chancel reredos – a major work of 1937, which was slightly smaller in execution than the original plans. This historical information has been set out by the Cathedral Architect and the detailed document can be obtained from me. He presented the paper to the Cathedral Friends and congregation in 2017 (Stephen Oliver, Conservation Architect, Brecon Cathedral: Note 1650). So, we should not be alarmed by new work proposed for reordering the Cathedral. This is an essential aspect of our engagement with the communities we serve and for our ministry together. Over several centuries there has been a history of changes to the building and layouts in the Cathedral, even relatively recently. We have been considering all options of what will work best for Brecon Cathedral now, and into the next century. This leads me to the entrances and exits.How many of you are cautious of entering the Cathedral, particularly through the North door? Have you seen how many people struggle with the five steps? Many have fallen down the steps causing injury, putting the Cathedral at risk of significant accident claims. They are dangerous. Some struggle also at the South exit, with only two steps. Again, some have fallen. The lift, which cost in the region of £26,000 seven years ago has never been fit for purpose. Ask those who try to use it. This year alone, the stairlift has cost the Cathedral £1,851 in repair and service costs, which is paid for through congregation giving. I am aware that a few people are not pleased at the thought of a West entrance as part of the project, but even at this most basic health and safety risk, it is the only option. Many options have been considered and exhausted. This option makes the most sense. It also meets the NHLF grant requirements for community and disability access to a heritage building. I write this to bring reassurance to the few who are anxious about it. I hope the rationale helps a better-informed understanding of the challenges and proposals, I have enclosed a copy of the text from the Expression of Interest sent to NLHF, which also provides more detail on the crisis and challenges, but also the hope and vision of what is possible to ensure the Cathedral is here to serve future generations long after we have gone.Be assured of my continued prayers that you have a safe and healthy 2022. Thank you for your continued support, generosity, and commitment to the CathedralThe Very Revd Dr Paul ShackerleyDean of BreconEmail: dean@breconcathedral.org.ukBrecon cathedral projectText from the Expression of Interest Document sent to The National Lottery Heritage FundWhat are our needs?Roof leaks are putting the heritage of the fabric, interior, and treasures of the Cathedral at risk. The project addresses an urgent first phase of works to conserve the heritage and deliver skills and jobs benefits.Poor access into the Cathedral is excluding visitors. A new West entrance is the only viable option to provide level access, greater visibility and welcome for all our visitors.Internal layout constraints and limits use; some internal reordering will improve access and provide greater flexibility of use for more people of all faiths and none.To strengthen the Tithe Barn as a community, events, and tourism resource; only minor works are required to transform this potential.To tell our stories better through interpretation in the Cathedral.To strengthen the financial sustainability of the Cathedral by improving existing and developing new income streams.What will be the outcomes the Cathedral will need to achieve to meet NLHF criteria to secure grant funding?Wider range of people will be involved in heritage: our community consultation is enabling us to develop opportunities and activities for local people who don’t now visit the Cathedral.People will have developed skills: our major programme of heritage skills development, focusing primarily on the specialist area of red sandstone slate roofing, will enable xx people to acquire skills to improve their employability.Local area will be a better place to live, work or visit: we will offer opportunities for local people to connect with us and each other, to enjoy the heritage and gain a stronger sense of community; the Cathedral will be enhanced as a tourist attraction.Local economy will be boosted through growth in tourism visits and visitor spend with local businesses; job creation directly, delivering the project and operating a busier site, and indirectly as a result of the skills development programme.Cathedral will be more resilient: income streams will be strengthened, and the buildings will be more adaptable to changing circumstances.People will have greater wellbeing: activities to encourage people to meet and enjoy activity together including a social choir and accessible heritage gardening.Heritage: Cathedral and collections will be better conserved, managed and interpreted.The project will:Create a new West entrance to the Cathedral, delivering major access improvements and providing greater visibility and welcome.Undertake reordering works to the interior of the Cathedral, mainly re-siting the pulpit and choir stalls, to provide greater internal flexibility, strengthening its use as an events space and community resource.Provide new interpretation within the Cathedral to bring its 1000 years of stories and history to life for all its visitors.Undertake works to the Tithebarn to provide a new activities space for a new programme of community activities and to strengthen its capacity for income generation.Repair those of the Cathedral’s roofs that are in urgent need, providing an opportunity for a major programme of heritage skills development and job creation.Deliver a programme of activities and events to bring new audiences (local and visitors) to the Cathedral. These will include taster days in heritage skills, work experience and take over days for young learners and family activities to enhance appreciation of the heritage.