Happy New Year. I’m speaking of course of the church’s liturgical year. We press the reset button this Sunday and begin once again the journey through the worshipping calendar starting with the period of watching and waiting for the Saviour’s birth this Christmastide.

We should not fall into the trap of moaning about the shops or TV or radio already behaving as if it’s Christmas already. Rather, the church has the opportunity to remind everyone why we celebrate this holiday at all. At Portsmouth we’re getting quite good at this! Our Advent Carol Service at 6pm on Sunday helps focus thoughts on what is to come through music, readings and theatre. The unadorned Christmas Tree arrives on Monday to help all the schools mark the season with their own services and concerts over the coming two weeks; Pete Codling’s ‘Naivety’ arrives too! Tickets are now on sale for the Cathedral Choir’s concert for the Rowans Hospice on 7th December.

Just this week, the Church of England announced record numbers of people attending Cathedrals at Easter and Christmas in 2018. Portsmouth Cathedral rejoices in this renaissance over the last ten years too – for we have moved from one annual Christmas Carol Service to four in 2019. Do make sure you have picked up our list of services – and invite someone who has not been before and help spread the good news of Peace on Earth and goodwill to all.

David Price

Organist and Master of the Choristers

TODAY

Welcome to all those attending our services today. Please join us at our Advent Carol Service 6.00pm this evening with a sequence of seasonal music and readings foretelling Christ’s coming as the Saviour of the world.

The Service List and Advent Christmas Epiphany Listings are available in the Cathedral or on the website.

NEWS

Pop-Up Cathedral We are delighted to welcome Eve Davenport as our new Education Assistant working on the Pop-Up Cathedral. This is a new project to develop our outreach mission to schools across the Diocese, and will run in addition to our usual bookings of school visits to the Cathedral.

Angels exhibition in the Ambulatory, there are three displays of Angel Wings, created by children from Cottage Grove Primary School when they visited for a workshop themed ‘Angels as Messengers’.

Celebrating St Cecilia’s Day with Cathedral Sing! Last Friday children from Carisbrooke Primary, Boundary Oak, St John’s College, Emsworth Primary, Meon Junior and The Portsmouth Grammar School joined the Cathedral Choir and Cantate at Choral Evensong. A video link can be seen at https://bit.ly/2Y4PDih. “The idea behind our StCecilia’s Day event was to use the occasion to give primary and secondary children from across the Diocese an opportunity to experience being an integral part of a special service of Evensong. We pushed ourselves to pick uplifting and challenging repertoire, including Rizza’s Song of Mary and Howell’s A Hymn for St Cecilia. The music was taught in the classrooms and school halls prior to the event itself. For many involved, this was their first experience of visiting the Cathedral and of singing the service of Choral Evensong. The impact of 180 young musicians singing their hearts out was truly transformational for everybody in the building and for the Cathedral Sing team. It has inspired us all and serves as a great reminder of the power and impact that music can have in bringing us together as a community”. Adrian Green, Director of Portsmouth’s Cathedral Sing Programme.

NOTICES

Recruitment of Head of Fundraising and Events Following interviews on 14th November we are delighted that an offer of appointment has been made and accepted. We will announce the successful candidate as soon as we can.

Election Hustings for Portsmouth South 7.00pm Tuesday 3rd December at St John’s Cathedral. An opportunity to hear from the candidates for Portsmouth South and their responses to questions raised by members of local churches and communities. Chaired by the Very Revd Dr Anthony Cane, Dean of Portsmouth. If you wish to have a question asked please submit in advance to portsmouthdeanery.admin@portsmouth.anglican.org or the Deanery Office at St Faith’s Church, Crasswell Street.

Churches Homeless Action Churches across the city are collecting supermarket gift vouchers (£5.00 value) to be distributed through charities which support the homeless. Please hand any donations to the Cathedral Offices or Shop by Sunday 15th December.

Cathedral Guides Our team of friendly and knowledgeable Guide Welcomers and Guides is looking for new members. The 2020 Training Course of five one hour sessions on Wednesday mornings starts on 15th January. If you are looking for a new volunteering opportunity and would like to join the group which helps introduce our visitors, local, national and global to the Cathedral please contact our Head Guide, Margaret Wilson.

Pastoral Care If anyone has a pastoral concern and would like to speak to someone, please contact Canon Jo on 023 9275 2335 or the Dean on 023 9282 4400.

Cathedral Shop Advent candles, calendars, ornaments, decorations and gifts are now available. The Cathedral Christmas Card, which features two images from Pete Codling’s Naivety is now available priced £2.50 for five cards, proceeds in aid of the Friends of Portsmouth Cathedral.

Advent Carol Service at the House of Bethany 7.30pm Wednesday 4th December. Join the Sisters of Bethany for their annual Advent Carol Service. £3.00 per person in aid of ‘Light for Bulgaria’. Tickets through ssb@sistersofbethany.org.uk.

Living Faith Course Spring 2020 7.00pm – 9.00pm starting Wednesday 8th January for 10 weeks in The Dolphin. Application forms are available in the Welcome Area. Please contact Sue.Chatband@portsmouth.anglican.org for further details.

EVENTS and SERVICES

Naivety – A contemporary nativity by Pete Codling. The seasonal exhibition was first held in 2017 at The North Wall Gallery in Oxford and is exhibited here from 2nd December and throughout Advent and Christmas. The exhibition follows on from Soup of Souls, the work created during Pete’s time as Artist in Residence as part of the Cathedral’s 2018 annual theme, which was in the Nave earlier in the year.

Christmas Concert by Candlelight in aid of Rowans Silver Jubilee Appeal 7.30pm Saturday 7th December. Tickets available from the Cathedral Shop or online www.rowanshospice.co.uk/events.

Silver Screen: Holiday Inn (1942) 2.00pm Tuesday 10th December in Becket Hall. All welcome. Free event, tickets available from the Cathedral Shop.

Installation of Canon Chancellor The Revd Kathryn Percival will be installed as Canon Chancellor and Vice Dean during Choral Evensong at 6pm on Sunday 15th December. Please join us as we welcome Kathryn and her family.

Cathedral Christmas Carol Services All welcome to join us at our beautiful service of carols and readings by candlelight.

• Saturday 21st, Sunday 22nd and Monday 23rd December 7.00pm

• Tuesday 24th December 6.30pm with Blessing of the Crib

Crib Services Christmas Eve 2.30pm and 4.00pm. Presents for under the Christmas tree can be brought to the service and will be distributed through the Roberts Centre.

Aled Jones UK Cathedral Tour 2020 7.00pm Wednesday 28th October in the Nave. Tickets available online from Ticketmaster at http://bit.ly/AledJones20.

PLEASE PRAY FOR

Rupert Smith who will be baptised here next Sunday, and his parents and Godparents.

All those in need including: Bob, Poppy, Barry, Tim, Stuart, Derek, Joey, Paige, Nigel, Patricia and Trevor.

And those who have died: Anne Charlesworth, Doris Hedges and Carlos Paradas RIP.

For a complete listing of this week’s notices click here