For one night only, Durham Cathedral became the world’s largest escape room! Over 100 young people from 20 different churches across the Diocese came together on Sunday 22 October for the termly youth event, starting with the usual hot chocolate and cookies in the cloister.
Bishop Paul spoke powerfully about his own faith story from his teenage years, and that through his life, God has never let him down. Very sadly, this will be his last time at the Pulse before his retirement early next year.
The band from All Saints’ Preston-on-Tees, led by Jacob, were great and led worship beautifully.
30 church teams took up the escape room challenge, tasked with solving this riddle ‘This Portal carved in stone, an unusual one to own’, by using teamwork and logic to find clues and solve puzzles around the cathedral. One of the clues had groups staring up above wherever Bishop Paul happened to be standing – until they realised the answer was the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Portal Welby, whose name is directly above Bishop Paul’s in the list of Durham bishops!
Huge thanks to all the volunteers who made this possible, including a large number from Cranmer Hall, to the vergers and stewards at the Cathedral and to Tim Cullingworth and his team for all the sound and lighting.
The next Pulse is back in the Cathedral on Sunday 17th March.
Written by Andy Harris, Leader of Youth Mission and Ministry