Middlesbrough: Archbishop wields imaginary scissors during homily

Archbishop Sentamu

People packing St Mary's cathedral, Coulby Newham, Middlesbrough, were startled when Archbishop John Sentamu of York wielded an imaginary pair of scissors in front of a little girl who joined him in the pulpit on Sunday. She had volunteered to help him to make point about splits in the Christian Church and told him it would hurt if he used his "scissors" to cut off her tongue or an arm.

Archbishop Sentanu said the illustration showed how Christ was being hurt by schisms between different denominations. He asked his congregation to remember the word 'schismata' meaning splits in Greek, if they did not recall anything else in his sermon. And he asked them to pray in this Christian Unity Week for an end to splits in the Church. He said the Church was "not a museum for saints, but a school for sinners."

Bishop Terry Draniey, of Middlesbrough, who presided at the service, said: "The most effective way (of promoting Christian unity) is by holding out the hand of friendship, as we have this afternoon."

Presentations and films were shown before the meeting by the Middlesbrough diocese's youth mission service. Piles of grocery were placed by supporters in front of the altar for local foodbanks. And a collection made for two charities connected with impoverished people.

Joint services are being held in different churches all over the North-east this week to bring about an end to disunity. It is thought to be the first time an Anglican archbishop has given a sermon at the cathedral.