20/03/2016 Songs of Praise

Hello, and today on Songs Of Praise,

I'm about to join a very special pilgrimage

with the Archbishop of York, John Sentamu.

-Lovely to see you.

-Nice to see you, John.

You've already been pounding the roads, haven't you?

For 76 days. And today, you're in Hull. So may I join you?

Yes, please, you're welcome.

The locals have turned out to support the Archbishop,

and he gets questioned by some straight-talking schoolchildren.

What's it like to be an Archbishop?

# Sail away, sail away, sail away... #

She was born in Donegal, she now lives in Dublin.

I'm in Ireland's capital city to meet up with

one of the world's bestselling artists, Enya.

JOHN: And she'll be giving us a special performance.

While Aled is looking ahead to our annual school choirs competition.

-Out of 10, how brilliant were you?

-10!

-10!

THEY ALL CHEER

And as well as all the walking,

we've got a great selection of hymns for you,

including one chosen by the Archbishop himself.

And as today marks the start of Holy Week,

we open, very fittingly, with a gospel song from Birmingham.

The Archbishop of York, John Sentamu,

one of the most senior leaders in the Church of England,

is spending six months out on the road.

He's on a pilgrimage to the Diocese of York,

an area of nearly 3,000 square miles.

The Archbishop will be visiting all 21 Deaneries in the Diocese.

He began last December in Whitby.

He'll end eventually in York,

and he's travelled through coast and dale

in all weathers to reach Hull.

It's quite an undertaking for the 66-year-old,

who's now over halfway into his 2,000 mile journey.

Well, you're better kitted out than I am.

Well, I've been walking for three months, so I should know!

I caught up with the Archbishop on the latest leg

of his pilgrimage through the streets of Hull.

You know, I can't help thinking that pilgrimage, to me,

in this context, is a bit of a strange word

because I think of a pilgrimage as going

on a journey to a holy place.

And you're walking around your Diocese.

Well, simply because Christians, by nature, are called pilgrims.

They are always journeying towards God.

And what I am trying to let the Diocese,

that it should also go on a journey towards God, towards one another.

I also happen to think that every place is holy because God made it.

The pilgrimage has generated quite a buzz amongst the locals.

Come on, wave! Come on, John, you have to as well. Hello!

-Hi.

-Are you all right? What's her name?

-This is Emily.

-Emily! You are lovely.

-Yeah.

Good, I'm glad you know you are lovely!

Here are some bookmarks, one is for you, hello?

And one is for Mum.

-Thank you.

-OK?

-Have a good day, bye-bye.

-Bye-bye.

-Take care.

-Whoo!

-THEY ALL LAUGH

As well as chance encounters,

Archbishop Sentamu has some scheduled shops,

visiting a range of community projects to offer his support.

His next calling point is the local Methodist church,

and the Open Doors project,

which provides practical help to asylum seekers.

Why is it important to you to visit a centre like this?

We are bidded in Scripture

to always look after the stranger within your gaze.

Hence the words of Open Door, that strangers,

we should look after them, care for them,

and I believe that the Church should be in places

where no-one really wants to go.

This is a subject close to the Archbishop's heart,

as he came to Britain in 1974

seeking asylum from Idi Amin's Uganda.

Hello, Bashir. Come on, give us a hug, come on.

-You're all right?

-Yes, thank you.

'Having the Church authority

'and Church leadership is a great honour for us.'

And this project is very important to me,

because being a Christian, it gives me opportunity

to put my faith into practice.

To feed those who are hungry and help those who are in need.

The centre also offers advice and basic English language classes.

It's a fairly crude assessment, that I say,

how much English do you know?

And if people go...

That's the first group.

This is the second group, and their English is a lot better.

So we explore slightly different subjects.

THEY SING IN THEIR OWN LANGUAGE

Later in the programme,

Archbishop Sentamu demonstrates his musical skills

and he goes back to school.

Well, now here's a hymn that the Archbishop has chosen himself,

and it's being sung here in Yorkshire.

Now, we have a rare interview with an artist

whose voice is instantly recognisable.

Claire McCollum has been to meet her.

# Sail away, sail away, sail away... #

Enya has sold over 80 million albums.

She cites her own musical influences

as classical, Irish and church music.

So it's very fitting that she's going to perform for us today

in the beautiful and historic chapel here at All Hallows College.

This college dates back to 1842,

when a seminary was founded to train priests for missionary work.

I was delighted to be able to have a chat with Enya

about her music, life and faith.

# Who can say where the road goes?

# Where the day flows?

# Only time... #

Enya doesn't live her life in the glare of publicity.

You're a very private person yourself,

but what is it, do you think, about your music

that connects with so many people right around the world?

It's a good question, because from the first album, Watermark,

to me, all the songs were very diverse.

I was singing in Gaelic, I was singing in Latin.

Orinoco Flow is what everybody heard firstly,

but when they bought the album, it was very different.

# Let me sail, let me sail

# Let the Orinoco flow

# Let me reach, let me beach... #

'What I felt for the listener

'is that they seemed to enjoy the songs first,'

and then they seemed to interpret their own emotions with the song.

And then the song became their song.

What does that mean to you, knowing that your music

has such a wonderful effect on so many people

in times of maybe trouble,

or things that they're going through, that just help them?

To me, when I write a melody, firstly,

it's something emotionally that I feel strong about.

And I want to capture this moment in a melody.

And for me, it's very personal then.

# What a day, what a day To take to... #

'You know, I've heard people have gotten married to the music,

'people who are meditating listen to the music.

'And I feel that that is so wonderful.'

That is really an extra bonus

to sort of working on something that is very important to me.

You come from one of the most beautiful places in the world.

Do you think you draw on

your experiences in Donegal in your music?

Very much so. Very much so.

Any time I go home, I can see where the inspirations are

for some of the songs, has carried through the years with me.

At four years of age, going into the choir in the church,

and that's a big influence to me, Gregorian chant,

singing in Latin, singing in Gaelic.

# Hallelujah

# Halle, halle, hallelujah... #

I'm not aware at the moment, you know, when I go to the studio,

what will evolve musically.

But definitely the inspirations of Donegal are there.

And you talk about church music being a huge influence as well,

how important is faith in your life?

It's something to me, I feel a very spiritual person.

And I feel very comfortable to go to a church.

It's very therapeutic to sit there, light a candle, and pray.

It's a moment where you think of other people,

and I feel that that's something that will stay with me.

You're going to perform for us today, which is very special.

Tell us about the song you're going to sing.

It's taking a moment on, really the influence of your parent,

as such, when you lose a parent.

It's more sort of celebration of the moment rather than

the loss of the parent, because they were there to guide you.

Their hopes are there for you, they held you high,

they wanted the best for you, and this is what the song is about.

# A thousand dreams you gave to me

# You held me high

# You held me high

# And all those years you guided me

# So I could find my way

# So, let me give this dream to you

# Upon another shore

# So, let me give this dream to you

# Each night and evermore

# Yet only time keeps us apart

# You held me high

# You held me high

# You're in the shadows of my heart

# So I can find my way

# Mmmm-mmm-mmm

# Mmmm-mmmmmm

# You held me high

# You held me high

# Mmmm-mmm-mmm

# Mmmm-mmmmmm

# Mmmmm-mmmm

# Mmmm

# So, let me give this dream to you

# Upon another shore

# So, let me give this dream to you

# Each night and evermore

# A thousand dreams you gave to me

# You held me high

# You held me high

# And all those years you guided me

# So I could find my way

# So I could find my way. #

Coming up, Aled goes behind the scenes

of this year's School Choir Of The Year competition.

But first, at the start of Holy Week,

our next hymn tells the story of Palm Sunday.

It's one of the most exciting weekends

in the Songs Of Praise calendar, we look forward to it all year.

Welcome to Sheffield, we're at the City Hall

and when the choirs arrived this morning, let me tell you,

excitement was sky-high, they hadn't even stepped onto stage yet.

The day is the culmination of months of hard work

and preparation for the choirs.

They've been rehearsing their pieces at school

whenever they've had a moment.

Here in Sheffield, the choirs have a busy day with a tight schedule

of rehearsals before the competition starts.

But there's still plenty of time to get to know the other choirs

as they all relax together in the holding room.

Hello!

Wow, there's tonnes of them. Come on!

Hi! Have you been on stage yet?

-ALL:

-Yes.

-How did it go?

-ALL:

-Good!

-Out of ten, how brilliant were you? ALL:

-Ten!

Ten.

-Are you nervous?

-Yes!

-No!

-Yes!

Yes, says this one. No, says that one.

The judges tasked with the really tough job of choosing

the winners this year are Katherine Jenkins...

I think the standard is going to be incredibly high.

I think that we've got a great tradition in the UK

for choral singing and I think that actually these children are going to

probably blow our socks off in terms of what they can actually produce.

..choral expert Ken Burton...

Over the last couple of decades,

I've been involved in choral competitions

and I've just seen how choirs have grown

and they've become a lot more ambitious.

So I'm really looking forward to seeing what the choirs

are going to pull out of the hat this time.

..and our very own Connie Fisher.

-Hiya!

-How are you?

-I'm all right, how are you?

Gosh, you judges get a nice dressing room, don't you?

-Make-up on you.

-Make-up...

Firstly, as a judge, why do you need six pairs of shoes?

You can never have too many pairs of shoes.

-I suppose not. Are you looking forward to this?

-I am.

-First time.

-First time, yes, I feel, you know, honoured actually

to be sat in the chair. I feel quite, you know...

-I'm sat next to Katherine Jenkins.

-Yeah?

-I'm really nervous.

-And Ken Burton as well.

-I know. They're going to out-glam me!

Not possible.

-It's quite a nerve-racking thing though, isn't it?

-It is.

It's the responsibility because all throughout the year,

they're putting so much effort into singing one song to impress us

and you think, "Well, I'm not really worthy",

but actually I grew up in a choir and I know what it's like.

And you're no stranger to competitions.

Well, yeah, I feel their nerves.

I know what it's like to go out there thinking,

"I really want to win this", and so, yeah, I'm really feeling for them.

I tell you what, it's gearing up to be a fabulous competition

with all these guys.

It all starts on April 3rd, keep watching, you'd be mad to miss it.

Until then, here are the Junior Winners from 2013.

# Joshua fought the battle of Jericho

-# Jericho

-Joshua

-# Jericho

-Joshua fought the battle

# Joshua fought the battle of Jericho

-# As the walls came a-tumbling down

-In the morning

# Joshua fought the battle of Jericho

-# Jericho

-Joshua

-# Jericho

-Joshua fought the battle

# Joshua fought the battle of Jericho

# As the walls came a-tumbling down

# You may talk about your kings of Gideon

# You may talk about your men of Saul

# But there's none like good old Joshua

# At the battle of Jericho

# I'm singing

# Joshua fought the battle of Jericho

-# Jericho

-Joshua

-# Jericho

-Joshua fought the battle

# Joshua fought the battle of Jericho

-# As the walls came a-tumbling down

-In the morning

# Joshua fought the battle of Jericho

-# Jericho

-Joshua

-# Jericho

-Joshua fought the battle

# Joshua fought the battle of Jericho

# As the walls came a-tumbling down

# Then up to the walls of Jericho

# They marched with spear in hand

# Now blow your trumpets, Joshua cried

# For the battle is in my hand

# I'm singing

# Joshua fought the battle of Jericho

-# Jericho

-Joshua

-# Jericho

-Joshua fought the battle

# Joshua fought the battle of Jericho

-# As the walls came a-tumbling down

-In the morning

# Joshua fought the battle of Jericho

-# Jericho

-Joshua

-# Jericho

-Joshua fought the battle

# Joshua fought the battle of Jericho

# As the walls came a-tumbling down

# Joshua

# Fought the battle of Jericho

# Joshua

# Fought the battle of Jericho

# Joshua

# Fought the battle of Jericho

# The walls came tumbling down

# Joshua fought the battle of Jericho

# And the walls came a-tumbling down. #

Today, we've been accompanying the Archbishop of York,

John Sentamu,

on his six-month pilgrimage around the Dioceses of York.

THEY SING

He's at the Open Doors project in Hull

where he's livening things up by joining the centre's music session.

Cecil came here from Sierra Leone ten years ago

and he's now a volunteer.

The very first day I stepped my feet into Hull, I mean,

I was lost in terms of direction but when I got here,

I was received with open hands

and I was shown the way

and I thought, you know, it's a place to be

and I decided to give my time, my everything,

as a volunteer and give every support.

Most of us have received much and we need to freely give

and put back more than actually what we take out

so I'm very glad that you are following that particular rule.

-Thank you.

-OK?

-Yes, I am, I am proud of it as well

and I'm following your footsteps. Maybe one day I'll be where you are.

THEY LAUGH

The pilgrimage continues as the Archbishop turns his attention

to the future generation and the children at Thoresby Primary School.

Welcome to Thoresby and you are now part of Team Thoresby.

-Am I?

-How about that?

-But I haven't got the uniform.

But he does change into something more befitting

as he takes questions from the children.

What is your really important job?

You know, I don't believe I'm doing a job.

I believe I have been called by God, first of all, to know him,

secondly, to love him,

and then to tell other people about him

and then to serve the poor in the world.

That's what I see.

Why do you work at churches?

-When I turn up to church, I'm going to a party.

-Oh.

A very big celebration of joy, of hope.

'Young people have a way of simplicity,

'they tell it like it is but the energy and the drive,'

Paul says to young Timothy,

"Let nobody despise your youth because you are young",

because you've got gifts and abilities

and all our children are young people,

each has a talent and a gift.

So when I come into the schools, I go away energised

full of hope, full of gladness and I think it's wonderful.

Out in the playground, the questions become a little more personal.

-Huh?

-Cheese or ham?

-Which one do you prefer?

-Cheese or ham?

-At the moment, I'm, er....

-It's cheese.

-CHEERING

Why did you become the Archbishop of York?

I was asked by the Queen.

What's it like to be an Archbishop?

It's like any job with responsibility,

it's got wonderful things in it and difficult things in it.

And it's a really good job because you actually help the world.

-Yeah, yeah, exactly.

-That's what I've always wanted to do.

-OK, maybe you'll end up being a bishop, huh?

-Yeah.

-Are you going to be one of those?

-I'd try.

Yeah, you'll try to. That's good news.

There you go.

He'll never forget that, a high-five from the Archbishop.

-Yeah, yeah, yeah.

-THEY LAUGH

SCHOOL BELL RINGS

Well, that's the end of the school day

but it's certainly not the end of your pilgrimage, is it?

-No, it isn't.

-What do you think you've learnt so far?

The beauty of Yorkshire,

the amazing people that I've been encountering

and the gospel of Jesus Christ is still very much alive.

And this, of course, is the start of Holy Week,

what does it really mean to you?

Well, Holy Week, of course, begins with Jesus' triumphal entry

into Jerusalem where the children gather

and they're singing and shouting, "Hosanna, hosanna!",

meaning, "Save us now, Lord".

And that triumphal entry, I'm afraid, on a Friday,

ends in his crucifixion.

Thank you for letting me join in your pilgrimage.

You've still got a long way to go, though, don't you?

Yes, a long way to go until the 22nd of May

-but it's been a pleasure walking with you.

-Thank you.

Well, next week it's Easter Sunday and Pam Rhodes will be

going behind the scenes of the Poole Passion Play in Dorset

to discover how it's changed the lives of those taking part.

Until then, it is our closing hymn for Palm Sunday.

Goodbye and God bless.