I am preparing myself for the Dickens Festival in Rochester.

Last year 10 000 people passed through the cathedral over the weekend; and so it is an amazing opportunity to share something of the amazingness of God.

For the past couple of days I have been drawing things together for an Advent installation to be placed around the High Altar. I have collected various photos of waiting, from pregnancy to bus queues to kettles to cakes rising. These photos will be on four display boards which will flank the high altar.

In front of the altar will be a variety of cushions and people will be invited to sit and wait. We shall also be giving away this postcard in which Ben has been kind enough to allow us to use his striking image for advent.

I don’t know what will happen, or whether people will sit and wait and allow themselves time to engage with God. They may and it may be quite powerful for them, and then there again the idea may be off-putting for people. I am definite, though, that unless we take the risk and have a try at something different then we will never know if something like this will help people engage with God.

My prayer for the people passing through the cathedral this weekend is that they may take time to allow themselves to be found by God.