Although early Christians gathered in each other’s homes, over time, in common with other religions, special places of worship were constructed.
A special place of worship in Essex can be found at the eastern edge of the Dengie Peninsula near Maldon.
It is a simple stone chapel constructed on the site where St Cedd landed on his mission to bring the Christian faith to the East Angles.
In common with churches across the land, there is a table where Holy Communion is celebrated, and icons of Jesus to help those who come with their prayers.
Through these acts of spiritual devotion, buildings made of stone have become holy, in some way the work of prayer sets them apart, making them special.
It is for this reason that the most recent installation of artwork in Canterbury Cathedral has become the cause of much debate.
In graffiti-style writing, questions such as “is this all there is?” have been temporarily placed around the building.
Some commentators have said this detracts from the holy space, others see it as a way of engaging with the voices and questions which the church finds hard to hear.
But, behind this debate lies a deeper question – how is it that people connect with God, and how are we all to pray?
In St John’s Church in Epping, in the small chapel at the side of the church, there is a icon of St John the Baptist, whose name the parish bears. St John is pointing away from himself, and by virtue of the icon's position in the church building is pointing towards the table where Holy Communion is celebrated.
This is the hallmark of distinctively Christian artwork – that it points towards Jesus.
It was also recently announced that the current Bishop of London has been nominated to be the next Archbishop of Canterbury.
Sadly, the church Bishop Sarah is called to lead has faced struggles in recent times, and the way in which we have responded to those who have been harmed in and by the church has not been good enough.
My prayer for her this week is that she may do both as St John the Baptist and our historic buildings can do – point the nation to Jesus, for in a world where hope seems to be in short supply, I believe in his life and teachings there is still plenty to go around.
- Rev John Fry is the area dean of Epping Forest and Ongar.
