Portsmouth Cathedral Notices Sunday 4 October Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity
Welcome from Canon Nick Ralph
As we begin October, we start the annual commemoration of Black History Month, and we also have our annual Seafarers Service albeit that it has had to be more limited this year than usual.
Black History month started in the United States of America in 1970 and in the UK in 1987. It recalls the particular history of Black African people and events because sometimes they have been played down or whitewashed from history. As with the Black Lives Matter movement, it is not right to say ‘All Lives Matter’ when the voices of certain people have been oppressed, ignored, or denied from playing an equal part in society whether deliberately or unwittingly.
It is precisely in order to show that everyone matters, there are times when we need to speak up for particular groups, whether or not we are part of that group ourselves, and to ensure our structures don’t discriminate as well. There is a responsibility on all of us to speak up for and act for people who find themselves put down because of their race, their colour, their creed, their sexuality or their gender. I will speak up for people who are black. I will be a feminist and speak up for women. I will stand with people of all faiths and none, as well as my own. I will support those who are LGTBI. Why? Because Christ asks us to love all people equally as our neighbours and there are moments when those who do not experience discrimination themselves, must help those who do.
Portsmouth Cathedral, as the Cathedral of the Sea, celebrates Seafarers Sunday this week with a beautiful service with people from the Royal Navy and Merchant Navy, from the fishing fleet, the ferries, the commercial port and Queen’s Harbour Master, the RNLI and the Coastguard. This year, sadly, the service is not open to all but is available on-line. It involves remembering all those who have lost their lives at sea, both in war and at other times.
We remember particularly, those who lost their lives on the SS Mendi, which sank after a collision in thick fog just South of the Isle of Wight on 21st February 1917. 616 Southern Africans, 608 of them black troops, and 30 crew perished in the sinking – just one indicator of quite how many were involved in the first world war effort. We are honoured to have the High Commissioner of South Africa, Her Excellency, Ms Nomatemba Tambo, joining us for the service this year.
Do join with us in this prayer that we use daily in the Cathedral:
Creator and Father of all, we pray for those who go down to the sea in ships and serve upon the waters of the world. Bless them and those who serve their needs, that they may put their trust in you and find in you a strong anchor for their hopes and so be filled with your peace, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
The Reverend Canon Nick Ralph
Residentiary Canon
Visiting the Cathedral
Portsmouth Cathedral is open every day and all are welcome.
Services and Worship
We hold services at Portsmouth Cathedral every day. Find out more about our services here.
On Sunday 4 October there will be an additional Eucharist at 5.30 pm due to the Seafarers Service being invitation only.
Online Services
Many services from the Cathedral are broadcast on Facebook. We also broadcast Morning Prayer and Compline daily from the homes of our ministry team. Find about more about our online services here.
Orders of service can be found on the Resources Section of our website here.
Prayers and Intercessions
We pray for all those affected by COVID-19.
We remember the following for whom prayer has been asked by members of the Cathedral Community: Clare, Sally, David, Bob, Derek, Nigel, Trevor, Izzy, Jenny, Clare, (baby) Jonah, Bishop Peter Hancock, Alan, Laurence, Joey, Sylvia, Margaret and all those in need.
All those who have died: Jim Flamank, Brian Cook (priest), Joyce Humphreys, Rachel Welch and Tracy Finn RIP.
To add someone to the prayer list, please email info@portsmouthcathedral.org.uk
In the notices this week:
Upcoming Services and Events
Seafarers’ Service - Sunday 4 October
Cathedral Toddler Service - Wednesday 7 October
Lunchtime Live - Thursday 8 October
Community News
Cathedral Offices
Planned Giving Envelopes
Chapter News
The Roberts Centre - Family Friends 2020
Friends of Portsmouth Cathedral
Alice Hume - Community Textiles Project
Thank you for supporting Portsmouth Cathedral
Upcoming Services and Events
Seafarers’ Service
Our annual Seafarers’ Service takes place on Sunday 4 October at 11.00 am, celebrating all those who travel and work on the sea.
This year, due to Covid restrictions the service will be broadcast on our Facebook page and only those who have been invited will be able to attend in person.
Cathedral Toddler Service
All are welcome to join our Cathedral Toddler Group service by Zoom each Wednesday at 2.00 pm. The link will be sent out with the email version of the notices; if you would like the link but do not receive the notices by email, please contact Canon Kathryn.
Lunchtime Live - Thursday 8 October
We are delighted to welcome Angelina Kopyrina, pianist from the University of Chichester as part of our autumn recitals for Lunchtime Live. All are welcome to join in the Cathedral Nave at 1.10 pm.
Community News
Cathedral Offices
In light of Government announcements earlier this week, the Cathedral Offices, are now closed to visitors for the time being. The office will still be operational with very limited staff working on week days. Most staff will once again work from home in line with Government guidance.
We are very grateful to Ronald Rabbetts for once again lending his skills and energy to the Cathedral. Having built the elegant perplex communion screens for the Cathedral, he has now created hanging perplex screens between the desks in the Cathedral office to enhance our Covid protections for staff. Many thanks again Ronald.
Planned Giving Envelopes
If you give to Portsmouth Cathedral via Planned Giving Envelopes, the new set of envelopes is now available from the Cathedral Vergers at any time when we are open for visiting. If you are not able to get to the Cathedral, please contact Nicky Taylor who would be very happy to post them to you. Nicky.taylor@portsmouthcathedral.org.uk or 023 9282 3300.
Chapter news
Chapter met on 30 September 2020. The meeting began with a presentation from the Organist and Master of Choristers, David Price, updating Chapter on his department’s activities during and after lockdown.
The Chief Operating Officer provided an update on activities across the Cathedral since its last meeting. Progress was noted in managing the deficit which continues to fall, but also acknowledged that this was mostly due to one-off Covid related grants that would not be repeated in 2021. The proposed 2021 budget that was provisionally agreed in May 2020 was again reviewed with this budget now due to go to a joint meeting of Cathedral Council and Chapter on 20 October 2020.
Chapter once again expressed its thanks to staff and volunteers for all they have done during lockdown and since reopening to enable the Cathedral to operate so well in such extraordinary times.
The Roberts Centre - Family Friends 2020
Our friends at the Roberts Centre run a brilliant project called Family Friends which some members of our community already support. The project invites people to support a family in need at Christmas. To find out more or get involved, email carole.damper@robertscentre.org.uk or visit The Roberts Centre website.
Friends of Portsmouth Cathedral Annual General Meeting
In light of new Government restrictions, the planned Friends’ AGM on Sunday 11 October has been postponed until next year when it is likely to be held with the 2021 AGM. A letter from the Chairman of the Council explaining the key decisions of the Council during the last year will be included in the next Friends’ Newsletter.
Alice Hume - Community Textiles Project
Alice Hume is a textile artist based at Hotwalls Studios in Old Portsmouth, who has successfully received Emergency Response Arts Council Funding for a new Community Textiles Project. The project aims to work with local organisations to create 500 free macrame activity packs which can be delivered to those who are vulnerable in Portsmouth. Alice will also be launching virtual macrame workshops alongside the activity packs which will include video clips, photographs and instructions on how to create your own macrame wall hanging. Further details can be found here.
Thank you for supporting Portsmouth Cathedral
A huge thank you to everyone who has responded generously to our requests to consider your support of Portsmouth Cathedral. Since March over twenty people have committed to making regular donations or increasing their regular support. Many have also made one off donations to help us through this difficult time.
Thank you for your generosity and your trust.
If you would like to find out more about supporting Portsmouth Cathedral, speak with our Head of Fundraising Sophie Henstridge-Brown on Sophie.Henstridge-Brown@portsmouthcathedral.org.uk or look at our website.
Getting in touch
We know that this is a lonely and anxious time for many people. Please feel free to get in touch if we can help in any way, or if you just want to hear another voice!
The Dean: 023 9282 4400 or Anthony.Cane@portsmouthcathedral.org.uk
Canon Jo Spreadbury 023 9275 2335 or Jo.Spreadbury@portsmouthcathedral.org.uk
Canon Kathryn Percival: 023 9289 2967 or Kathryn.Percival@portsmouthcathedral.org.uk
Cathedral Curate, Catherine Edenborough: 023 9282 3300 extn 221 or Catherine.Edenborough@portsmouthcathedral.org.uk (Usual days at the Cathedral: Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday)
Messages can also be left on the Cathedral phone system 023 9282 3300 or by email to info@portsmouthcathedral.org.uk or pastoral@portsmouthcathedral.org.uk.