Weekly Notices | Sunday 6 December 2020
Sunday 6 December 2020 - Second Sunday of Advent
Welcome from The Reverend Canon Dr. Anthony Rustell
Advent is a time of new beginnings and new life. It is the start of a new church year, and we make ready to celebrate the beginning of the appearance of the good news of the Word made flesh.
Today we hear the prologue to Mark’s gospel. At the beginning of the gospel, we are confronted with the image of God’s sudden intervention that will recreate the world: the dominion of God has drawn near to fulfil the promises made through Isaiah five centuries before. Over the next sixteen chapters we are drawn into a fast-moving narrative in which evil, sickness and estrangement are overcome, and the barriers to God’s presence are destroyed.
The Christian message is centred on the claim that change is possible: things do not have to remain as they are. We are not forced to live in a society in which injustice, inequality and exclusion are normative. Christians tell a story in which evil has been, and will be, overcome.
After a very difficult 2020, in which many of us have had to grapple with the physical and mental impacts of the COVID restrictions, and after a difficult four years after the political results of 2016, 2021 represents a moment in which the world can find political and social renewal. There are few who simply want to return to the way things were before the pandemic, but rather there is an opportunity to ask what type of society we want to live in.
Advent is a time to wait, but that waiting is about more than killing time. Instead, we are to look forward in expectation that the world can and should be made anew.
The Reverend Canon Dr. Anthony Rustell,
Residentiary Canon
You can also watch Anthony’s welcome online here.
Visiting the Cathedral
The Cathedral has now reopened for visiting, come in and explore our wonderful building. As well as our daily public worship, you are welcome to come in and light a candle and take a moment of private prayer.
Please remember you will need to wear a face covering when attending the Cathedral unless you have a medical exemption. You will be asked to check-in using the NHS Covid-19 App; if you cannot use the app you will need to leave your details with one of our stewards.
Find the latest information on visiting the Cathedral here; you can also stay up to date with all our latest updates via Facebook and Twitter.
Online Services
We continue to livestream daily online worship via Facebook Live, alongside a number of our regular services within the Cathedral. Morning Prayer and Compline are livestreamed daily from the homes of our ministry team.
Find out more about our online services or download service lists and orders of services from our prayer resources page.
Sunday Refreshments at 6:45pm via Zoom
Join us for our weekly Sunday Refreshments, hosted on Zoom at the new time of 6:45pm. Catch up with other members of the congregation and members of our ministry team.
Please note to maintain security, information on how to join the Zoom call will be sent with our emailed notices. You can join our mailing list 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: Bob, Derek, Nigel, Trevor, Izzy, Clare, Bishop Peter Hancock, Laurence, Andy, Michael, Sarah, Sheila, Hector, Jean, Michael, Teresa, Jenny, and all those in need.
We pray for those who have died recently: Manfred Schmidt, Elizabeth Robertson, Robert Keown, and Margaret Aylen RIP.
To add someone to the prayer list, please email info@portsmouthcathedral.org.uk
In the notices this week:
Upcoming Services and Events
Advent & Christmas at Portsmouth Cathedral
‘Leap of Faith’ A Retrospective by Vincent Gray – Now Open
Bible Discussion Group – Thursday 10 December, 7:00pm
Homemade Christmas Produce stalls – Sunday 13 December
Community News
New gift range now available in the Cathedral Shop
Catch-up with Hope in the Darkness
Portsmouth Cathedral Choir featured in BBC Music magazine
Livestreamed Services Survey
Cathedral Budget 2021
Cathedrals Measure
Part-Time Cleaning Opportunity
Church Homeless Action Christmas Voucher Scheme 2020
Upcoming Services and Events
Advent & Christmas at Portsmouth Cathedral
Christmas may be different this year, but Portsmouth Cathedral’s season of services, concerts and celebrations will bring comfort and joy however you choose to join us.
Portsmouth Cathedral will be shining a light in the darkness, with a range of beautiful services and seasonal concerts this December. Bringing families around the city together for celebration and worship, several of the Cathedral’s services continue to be streamed online for you to enjoy from the comfort of home.
Booking for our Christmas Services
We thank everyone for all the interest in our Christmas services, we appreciate your patience as we review revised guidelines to ensure our services are as safe as possible. We are finalising seating plans for our Christmas services, and look forward to open booking for these shortly.
When available, you will be able to book online via our Christmas page.
‘Leap of Faith’ A Retrospective by Vincent Gray
This Christmas Portsmouth Cathedral will be bringing ‘comfort and joy’ wherever you celebrate, and alongside their services including carols, eucharists and Midnight Mass – the Cathedral will be home to a retrospective by sculptor, Vincent Gray.
‘Leap of Faith’ will be open from Friday 4 December 2020, until Friday 15 January 2021. The exhibition (including the Cathedral) is free to enter, and open throughout the week during normal opening hours making a fantastic detour during Christmas shopping!
The exhibition includes a diverse range of work ranging from smaller maquettes through to life-size statues. Much of the work included in the exhibition is cast bronze resin, with the artist bringing together several techniques and skills to achieve a wide variety of finishes, showcasing the versatility of the medium.
Some of the works also have a direct correlation to Portsmouth’s ‘Cathedral of the Sea’, including the striking ‘Union’ which has been likened to a ship’s capstan, through to the wonderfully detailed ‘Nelson’ maquette.
Gray has a wide background of experience including television, theatre, and design, working alongside some notable names across arts and engineering sectors both in the UK and in Scandinavia.
More information about the exhibition can be found on our website.
Bible Discussion Group - Thursday 10 December, 7:00pm
Our Bible Discussion Group continues – new members welcome. This week, please read the account of Jesus and the woman at the well in John Ch. 4. If you would like to look it up online, just go to bible.oremus.org and search the reference.
The Zoom link will be sent out with the email version of the notices. You can sign up to notices here.
Homemade Christmas Produce Stalls – Sunday 13 December
Following the cancellation of the Christmas Market, we are pleased to announce that you will be able to buy homemade Christmas produce including cakes, preserves and lavender bags on Sunday 13 December after each of the morning services.
Donations of homemade cakes and preserves are very welcome. Please bring your produce to the Cathedral on Saturday 12 December between 10:00am and 12noon.
It would be very helpful to know what produce to expect; please email us if you intend to make something. For cakes please email Sheila Picton via sheila.picton15@gmail.com, or for preserves please email Sophie Henstridge-Brown.
Thank you to everyone who is helping to make this happen.
Community News
New gift range available now in the Cathedral Shop
Still on the search for the perfect Christmas gifts? You may have seen that our Cathedral Shop has reopened this week with a wide selection of books, cards, and advent candles.
This weekend we are pleased to be launching our new Christmas gift collections, from artist collective ‘Arthouse UnlimitedMeath’ and local producers ‘Southsea Bathing Hut’.
Arthouse Unlimited, is a project run by the Meath Epilepsy Trust. A collective of artists living with complex epilepsy and learning disabilities and difficulties work alongside instructors to create artworks which are developed into the products for sale. Find confectionery, tea, biscuits, and candles, all with Arthouse Unlimited’s unique and quicky style.
If you are looking for a gift from a little close to home, ‘Southsea Bath Hut’ brings Portsmouth’s heritage for soap making and restorative bathing into the twenty-first century. With a range natural skincare inspired by our costal surroundings, their artisan soap and bath and shower oils are great stocking-fillers for the whole family!
This week we also have a number of items on sale, pop into our Cathedral Shop, open throughout the week. Our full opening times and further information can be found on our website.
Catch-up with Hope in the Darkness
On 18 November we live-streamed an interactive journey of contemplation and prayer around the Cathedral to help us find hope in these strange times. Visiting several prayer stations around the Cathedral, there was plenty of time for reflection and space to encounter God in the darkness.
If you weren’t able to join us live, you watch again now on YouTube.
Portsmouth Cathedral Choir featured in BBC Music Magazine’s best UK Cathedral choirs
We are so pleased to share that the Portsmouth Cathedral Choir has been selected as one of the best Cathedral and Abbey Choirs in the UK according to BBC Music Magazine. You can enjoy ‘I Saw Three Ships’ by David Beeby from our 2019 Christmas release ‘Verbum Caro Factum Est’, featured on the cover.
You can pick up the BBC Music magazine exclusively from Sainsbury's, and our album ‘Verbum caro’ is available in the Cathedral Shop.
The latest Portsmouth Cathedral Music Newsletter, edition #64 has also now been published. As the choir has started to adapt to new routines and guidelines over the past few months, it seems a good moment to look back at some key musical events in 2020 and to highlight some future plans.
You can read the newsletter on our blog.
Livestreamed Services Survey
Since March we have been livestreaming our services and we are currently looking into several ways we can improve our output as we go into 2021.
We would really appreciate you taking the time to complete a short survey that should take no more than a couple of minutes.
You can complete the survey anonymously here.
Cathedral Budget 2021
Cathedral Council met on 25th November to receive the 2021 Cathedral Budget that had been approved by Chapter on 11 November.
The 2021 budget projects a £96,500 deficit for the year. This marks significant progress in tackling the deficit and is the first year since 2014 that the deficit is forecast to be under £100,000 (before unrealised gains).
The deficit for the 2020 financial year which ends on 31 December is now forecast to be under £200,000 before depreciation and unrealised gains. This is a reduction from the £319,000 budget deficit that was forecast when the 2020 budget was set in December 2019. The 2019 and 2018 deficits, before unrealised gains were respectively £356,000 and £402,000
The difficult decisions Chapter has made during 2020 alongside the dedication of staff and volunteers and the focus on ensuring that every opportunity to access Covid-related grant funding was taken have resulted in Portsmouth Cathedral being in a much stronger position ending 2020 and entering into 2021 than might have been expected in early April 2020 as the pandemic took hold. I am also grateful to all who have started or increased their regular giving this year. But the Cathedral is still in deficit and the causes of this still need to be addressed over the coming year.
With the work now underway with respect to the new Strategy and Vision, grant aided work to the fabric of the Cathedral, investment in making the Cathedral a more Carbon Neutral operation, and with funding from the Culture Recovery Fund for Heritage, there are amazing opportunities for the Cathedral and wider community.
There will be financial challenges ahead especially as the country emerges from Covid-19, grant funding related to the pandemic ceases, and the Government addresses the impact of the pandemic on national finances. The 2021 budget will be challenging to meet as the Cathedral moves to a balanced budget by, at the latest, 2023.
Your generosity is more important than ever. To find out more about supporting the Cathedral, speak with Sophie Henstridge-Brown.
Richard Abraham (Chief Operating Officer)
richard.abraham@portsmouthcathedral.org.uk
Cathedrals Measure
Last week, the General Synod of the Church of England passed the new Cathedrals Measure. It is anticipated that Royal Assent will be given to the Measure once it passes the required parliamentary processes this winter.
Under the new Measure Chapter remains the governing body of the Cathedral but will now come under Charity Commission regulations for the first time. Furthermore, a majority of Chapter members will have to be Non-Executive members. Cathedral Councils will cease to exist.
Work has already begun to prepare for the new Measure in anticipation of its being agreed and there will be a transition period after the Measure becomes law. Chapter will return to these issues early in the new year with further communication thereafter with the congregation.
Part-time Cleaning Opportunity
We are looking for a part-time cleaner to work in the Cathedral, Cathedral House and Cathedral Offices as part of a small team of staff and volunteers. The role will be for six hours per week worked Monday and Wednesday 9.00-11.00am and alternate Saturdays/Sundays 8.45-10.45am plus occasional overtime.
For further information and application details please see our website.
Church Homeless Action Christmas Voucher Scheme 2020
Churches from across Portsmouth will once again be joining to support those who are homeless. This year, inevitably, the project will be slightly different to meet the current needs.
This year the campaign will be working in partnership with The News, HIVE Portsmouth and the City Council to broaden the scheme and seek to increase the impact and benefit it can bring. The campaign encourages people in our city as individuals and as groups to share some love in Portsmouth this Christmas.
To support the campaign, people are being encouraged to either…
Donate a gift card or voucher (In previous years we have suggested £5 cards)
Donate a cheque (payable to St Mary’s Church) or cash
Send a donation to St Mary’s Vicarage, Fratton Road Portsmouth PO1 5PA or hand in at St Mary’s Church any morning between 9am & Noon.
The deadline for receiving donations is 18 December 2020
The campaign will ensure donations are passed on to the charities worked with in the past to reach those most in need.
Find out more about the campaign
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!
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, Revd 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.