New ventures are always hard to plan for. You don't know what will happen. You don't know if anything will happen. Holding our first 'Kidz Take over the Cathedral' day at St David's Cathedral Hobart on Saturday 13 October was no exception. As we planned, the pendulum of expectations swung from no one coming to all of Hobart turning up. 'Kidz' had all the trappings of a family day, plus the things you can only do in a Cathedral, but also we were lucky enough to be graced by the presence of Croakie the Frog and other Sydney KidzLink input through the very talented Roxanne Lawler.
As usual the turnout was somewhere in between expectations. We had somewhere between 120 and 150 children at various times and many parents and grandparents. (One old man simply sat in his wheelchair in the Cathedral and the Close entranced for hours). Not surprisingly the jumping castle, face painting and fire engine were all popular. Lots of people took the opportunity to climb the tower. Our bellringers came out so that the kids could stop on their way up to ring the bells. The pealing of (discordant) bells rang out across Hobart to the great joy of the children and probably to the chagrin of people staying in the hotel next door. The kids were hooked by Graham Wade's storytelling and Mr Squiggle antics as he transformed their names into snazzy pictures. And Croakie the Frog was a hit too (the give away chocolates may have helped) - and was hit (taking a few punches from kids on the street outside)!
The 'little brides' were a magic success. Some older brides participated and indeed a whole family - Mum & Dad and two boys - and in this case after the blessing we let the groom kiss the bride.
Kidz Take over the Cathedral is part of a number of other things that are being started at St David's. We are endeavouring to open up the Cathedral so that greater Hobart will feel it is a living place that exists outside of Christmas and Easter. Two of these new projects are particularly exciting. Firstly, a curriculum is being written for school tours to help them understand the Cathedral historically, architecturally and spiritually. And secondly the day after 'Kidz' a contemporary service was launched in the Cathedral for the young and young at heart of Hobart. We are seeking to make the most of the unique aspects of having a Cathedral - its location, its nooks and crannies, it remarkable architecture, its school connections - in the hope that people will come to one for whom it was made.
'Kidz take over the Cathedral' was a great success. With a number of lessons learnt and the first one now under our belt we look forward to doing it again next year.
Roxanne's training hour was particularly well received.
Lindsay
Dean