The Lord's Prayer in New Brighton

“I had some idea of the venues I would choose, but some of the filming just happened. For example, being in the hairdressers and letting them know what I was doing! The ladies were up for joining in. The choir were willing to sing the Lord’s Prayer out of their usual comfort zone and be in one of the local clubs which some are members of.

When Heather approached cafés and other venues, the reactions were mixed. Some were open, some surprisingly so, and others… not at all. One man made a swift exit, declaring, “I’m making my phone call outside.”

“Another gentleman told me he didn’t want to come out for a coffee to go to church because he was forced to go to Catholic Church when he was a boy which had put him off. I said, I’m sorry that you didn’t feel that connection with God.

He said, “I guess going through bad things either takes you away from God or draws you to God; don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying there is nothing, I just don’t know.”

“As he started to leave, I managed to say to him, ‘God still loves you.’ And he looked at me directly in the eyes before silently making his exit. I can only hope, he was touched in that moment. 

“The most challenging footage was the last line. The grand finale to the Lord’s Prayer! I was hoping to get willing volunteers at one of the local pubs. It was too noisy inside, so I went outside only to find that some folks were in the middle of a hot summer’s day drunken brawl which included the bingo caller being attacked.

“Two men held him down in the corner, whilst my mum was singing about love on the karaoke. Nothing was going to interrupt my mum singing who is retired from her own karaoke business.

“Five police cars turned up with police who were trying to get statements. If I’d have wanted to go home at that point, it wasn’t going to happen as my car was blocked in. One of the ladies in the pub had lost her husband and it was the first time she’d come out. Another group had taken their disabled mum out, just like me. It is a pub which feels very much 'the salt of the earth' and you just know, it’s the kind of place Jesus would be going to as well. 

“When all had died down and the police had gone, there was calm in the air again and the lads outside were up for that grand finale ending, which I finally managed to capture on camera! 

“One of them gave me a hug because he felt bad that a vicar had had to witness the evening’s drama. He must think vicars have had a sheltered life. I’ll be going back there for a drink, it’s a place where I feel that the sacred can meet the secular. 

Revd Heather Atkinson is the vicar of St James with Emmanuel, New Brighton.

Join with others around the Diocese of Chester on Zoom as we take part in the Archbishop of York's Lord's Prayer Collective Moment on Friday 10 October at noon. Details here.