Update by Dean Bob Cooper

Good morning everyone.

Thank you for being here today. What I'm about to share with you represents something quite remarkable—the voices of 180 people from across our Cathedral community and beyond, who took the time to reflect deeply on who we are, what we offer, and what God might be calling us to become.

This consultation process has been genuinely humbling. People have been honest, hopeful, sometimes challenging, and always thoughtful. And I want to begin by thanking every single person who contributed—whether through a questionnaire, a conversation, or simply by holding this process in your prayers. You've given us a gift.

Today, I want to share what we've heard, to be completely transparent about both the affirmations and the challenges that have emerged, and to outline clearly where we go from here. Because this is just the beginning of a conversation, not the end of one.

What We Asked

We conducted both internal and external consultations. We asked our congregation, our volunteers, our staff, and our clergy. We also reached out to people in the wider community, to those who visit occasionally, and to partners across Guildford and Surrey. We wanted to understand not just how we see ourselves, but how others see us—and crucially, what potential they see in us.

The responses have been synthesized into what's called a SWOT analysis—looking at our Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. Now, I know that sounds rather corporate, but actually it's proved to be a profoundly helpful framework for listening to what the Spirit might be saying through our community.

Our Strengths: What We Should Celebrate

Let me start with what people genuinely love and value about this Cathedral.

First and foremost: our worship. Time and again, people spoke of our musical and liturgical excellence. The beauty of our choral tradition, the reverence of our liturgy, the sense that when you step into this space, you're stepping into something transcendent. This is a house of prayer, and people feel that. Our music doesn't just sound beautiful—it lifts hearts toward God.

Second: this building itself. Our architectural presence matters. People spoke about the sacred atmosphere, the way light fills this space, the sense of encounter with the divine that the very stones seem to hold. For many, simply being here is a spiritual experience. Two caveats here; one is that the outside of the building can be perceived as not being the most beautiful, and also that the geographical position is great for being viewed around Surrey but is less than connected to the town with no public transport.

Third: our people. This came through loud and clear—the welcome from our staff and volunteers, the visible improvements in hospitality, the genuine warmth that people encounter. Many of you are the human face of this Cathedral, and you're doing that beautifully.

Fourth: our role. Both as mother church of the diocese and as a civic presence in Guildford, people recognize that we occupy a unique space. We're not just another church—we hold a particular responsibility for bringing people together, for hosting significant moments in the life of our county and our church family.

And finally: people noticed that we're listening. The very fact that we're doing this consultation was mentioned as a strength. There's an appetite for collaborative leadership, for being asked, for being part of shaping our future.

Our Weaknesses: What We Must Face Honestly

Now, let me be equally transparent about the challenges that people named. This isn't comfortable to hear, but it's essential that we face reality with humility and courage.

Acoustics and audibility. Multiple people mentioned struggling to hear properly in services. If worship is central to who we are, then everyone needs to be able to participate fully.

Physical and emotional disconnection. Some people feel that despite our welcome, there's still a sense of disconnection—between different parts of the Cathedral community, between the Cathedral and the wider town, between what happens inside these walls and the needs of the world outside.

Underutilized space. We have this magnificent building, but people wonder if we're using it as creatively and missionally as we might.

Digital presence. In an age where many people's first encounter with us will be online, our digital communication and visibility need significant strengthening.

Patchy spiritual formation. While our worship is excellent, people felt that opportunities for deeper discipleship, for theological learning, for spiritual growth beyond Sunday services, are inconsistent.

Youth and family ministry. This was mentioned repeatedly. We're not adequately reaching or retaining young people and families. Given that the average age of our congregation is rising, this is more than a weakness—it's an urgent strategic concern.

Financial fragility. People recognize that we're operating on thin margins, and that this limits what we can dream and plan for.

Our Opportunities: What Excites People

But here's where the conversation becomes energizing. Because when we asked people what they see as possible, the response was full of imagination and hope.

Strategic partnerships. People see enormous potential for us to collaborate more intentionally—with schools, with civic organizations, with cultural institutions, with other churches, with the university. We don't have to do everything alone.

Expanded spiritual programming. There's real appetite for theological teaching, for retreats, for study groups, for opportunities to go deeper. People want to be formed, not just to attend.

Youth, children, and families. Multiple people mentioned schools outreach, holiday clubs, family-friendly services, mentoring young leaders. The potential here is significant.

Digital renewal. Not just for the sake of being modern, but as a genuine tool for evangelism and engagement. Livestreaming, podcasts, social media presence—these can extend our reach far beyond Sunday morning.

Creative use of this space. Exhibitions, concerts, community gatherings, civic forums. This building could be much more active as a place of encounter.

Volunteer and lay leadership. People want to contribute, to use their gifts, to be empowered. There's untapped energy waiting to be released.

Our Threats: What Keeps Us Awake at Night

Finally, we need to name the threats—not to be alarmist 

but to be realistic.

Declining engagement and an aging congregation. We're not unique in facing this, but that doesn't make it less urgent. If we don't reach younger generations, we're simply managing decline.

Financial instability. Our financial position makes it difficult to invest in new initiatives or to respond flexibly to emerging needs.

Competition and fragmentation. Other churches are doing excellent work. We need to be clear about our distinctive calling rather than trying to be everything to everyone.

Burnout. Several people mentioned staff and volunteer fatigue. We can't build a sustainable future on exhausted people.

Cultural distrust. Like the wider Church of England, we carry reputational challenges. Some people see the church as irrelevant, out of touch, or compromised. We need to earn trust through authentic witness.

So Where Do We Go From Here?

This brings me to the crucial question: what happens next?

We've listened. We've heard. Now we need to discern.

Before I say more about that, I wish to say thank you for all of the prayer which is surrounding this process. The prayer ministry has been wonderful and I wish to see more of that, please do continue to Pray 5 at 5 and any time at all too, and please have a word with Marion or Suzi if you would like to be more fully involved.

The next phase of this process will be led by our Vision and Strategy group, and their task is both simple and profound: to articulate the purpose of this Cathedral and to define the values that will guide us.

What is Guildford Cathedral for? Not just what do we do, but why do we exist? What is God calling us to be in this place, at this time?

And what values will shape how we live out that calling? How will we make decisions? What will be non-negotiable? What will define our culture and our priorities?

This work will draw deeply on what you've told us in this consultation. We've already begun drafting a values framework that tries to honour the breadth and depth of your responses—values rooted in Scripture, shaped by our Anglican tradition, and responsive to the world we're called to serve.

Once the Vision and Strategy group has done this foundational work, it will come back to you. We will consult you again. Because we're committed to transparency all the way through this process. This is not something being done to you—it's being done with you.

Only after that—after we're clear on our purpose and our values—will we begin developing a strategy document. Strategy flows from purpose. It's the "how" that serves the "why."

An Invitation

So here's what I'm asking of you today.

First: be patient. Good discernment takes time. We're not going to rush this.

Second: stay engaged. When we come back to you with the next phase, please bring your questions, your wisdom, your prayers.

Third: live hopefully. Yes, we've named weaknesses and threats. But I'm genuinely excited by what I've heard in this consultation. There is energy here. There is vision. There is a deep desire to see this Cathedral flourish as a place of encounter with the living God.

We have something precious in our hands—a sacred trust. A building that speaks of God's glory. A tradition of worship that has the power to transform. A community that genuinely cares. A location at the heart of a vibrant town and county. And now, through this consultation, we have clarity about both our reality and our potential.

Closing

Let me finish with a line that appeared in our consultation materials, because I think it captures something essential:

"The Cathedral must be a place where people meet God—not just admire architecture."

That's the heart of it, isn't it? Everything else—the music, the partnerships, the digital presence, the youth work, the governance, the finances—all of it exists to serve that one central purpose: that people might encounter the living Christ in this place.

That's what we're about. That's what this whole process is for. And that's what, by God's grace, we will become more fully in the years ahead.

Thank you for listening. Thank you for your honesty. Thank you for your hope. And thank you for being part of this Cathedral family.

 

Dean Bob Cooper

Sunday 16 November 2025