Third Sunday before Lent

‘You are the salt of the earth’ says Jesus to his disciples in our Gospel reading today, ‘but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled underfoot’. For his modern-day disciples, Jesus’s words are still laden with the qualities which salt brings to our lives. It is distinctive, and yet it also brings out the best in whatever is salted. It is astringent, an uncomfortable but effective cleanser. It is necessary, for our health and our life. And in water, it lowers the freezing point and raises the boiling point, widening the range over which it stays liquid.

We are the salt of the earth, and this is our calling: to be distinctively Christ’s, and to bring out the best in those around us; to be prepared to stir things up, to allow his truth to be revealed: to recognise the life-giving role he gives us as we relate to those around us, and, especially as his Church, to hold open the space for that life to flow freely, resisting our all too human temptations towards both hardness of heart and hot air.

For millennials, ‘salty’ has taken on a new meaning: a salty person can be a bit disruptive and tricky. But for this demographic, saltiness in the Gospel sense clearly appeals, too. A recent study of the faith lives of young adults has noted among them ‘…a desire for churches to be more, not less challenging in the message that they presented. An unapologetically radical, counter-cultural way of living was what they advocated as attractive to their generation. Many want the Church to be more honest, more hospitable, more relational, more radical, more inspiring, and more passionate about Jesus’.

An inspiring vision for the Cathedral of the Sea.

The Revd Canon Kathryn Percival

Canon Chancellor

TODAY

Welcome to all those attending our services.

Canon Kathryn will be attending the licensing of the Revd Kate Marlow as Assistant Priest at Wymering and Cosham this evening at 6.30pm.

The Service List is available in the Cathedral or on the website.

NOTICES

Cathedral Offices will be closed in the morning until 2.00pm on Tuesday 11th February. This is to enable a spring clean of files and papers to be undertaken. Phone messages to 023 9282 3300 and email messages to info@portsmouthcathedral.org.uk will be checked during the morning and responded to as necessary.

Chapter the agenda for Chapter’s meeting on Wednesday is on the website and noticeboard.

South-West door fundraiser Many thanks to all who have generously donated including the Portsmouth Cathedral Development Trust, the Limoges Trust, Mavis Whitehead, June Purvis, Florence Bachelor, Sue M, Jonathan Gray, Keith, Janet Driesman, the Denyers, Richard Abraham, Anthony and Clare Cane and many anonymous donors. The target of £8,000 has been met so work will begin in the spring/summer.

Gifts to the Cathedral The gift of an environmental monitor for the Cathedral Archives was given by June Purvis in memory of her late husband, Michael Purvis, a former churchwarden and member of the Fabric Advisory Committee. May he rest in peace and rise in glory.

Pastoral Care If anyone has a pastoral concern or would like to speak to someone, please contact Canon Jo 9275 2335 or Canon Kathryn 9282 3300.

Cancelled Susan Boyle Concert If anyone knows Lavinia who won the tickets at the Christmas Fair please could they ask her to contact the Cathedral Offices.

Confirmation preparation If you are interested in preparing for Confirmation at the Easter Vigil a group for adults will meet on Sunday afternoons at 4.00pm from 1st March. A group for young people can be arranged midweek as required. Please contact Canon Jo or Canon Kathryn for details.

Friends of Portsmouth Cathedral visit to Canterbury Cathedral Tuesday 7th July, the 800th anniversary of St Thomas Becket’s Translation. Choral Evensong that day will be sung by the Choirs of Canterbury Cathedral and Portsmouth Cathedral. Cost £25.00. If you would like to register your interest in this visit please fill in a form from the website or in the Cathedral.

Cathedral Fairtrade Breakfast will be available from 8.40am–10.15am and 11.30am on Sunday 23rd February in the Nave. For further details about Fairtrade Fortnight events in Portsmouth see https://bit.ly/2OBb2fb.

Food Bank Please continue to support us with contributions of dried and tinned food, cereals, long life milk, house hold items and toiletries.

Table Talk at The Dolphin An informal group for Lent, meeting at The Dolphin, High Street, Old Portsmouth, to discuss big issues (hope, evil, justice, forgiveness, suffering, death) in a short time. Every Tuesday in March (3rd-31st) 7.30pm-8.15pm. All welcome. Especially suitable for those who aren’t familiar with church, so if you regularly worship here, why not bring a friend who doesn’t. No booking required; just turn up to all or some of them. Please contact Canon Kathryn for further details.

Quiet Day at the House of Bethany 10.00am-4.00pm Saturday 14th March conducted by Rev Debs Wignall. £6.00 bring a packed lunch, tea and coffee provided. Please let the Sisters know if you wish to attend 023 9283 3498 or ssb@sistersofbethany.org.uk.

EVENTS and SERVICES

John Jenkins RIP The Memorial Service for John Jenkins, the D-Day Veteran, who died last year will be held at the Cathedral on Monday 10th February at 11.00am.

Portsmouth High School’s Gala Concert 7.30pm Tuesday 11th February. Tickets £6.00. For further details please contact 023 9270 1617.

Lunchtime Live 1.10pm Thursday 13th February with Musicians from The Portsmouth Grammar School. Free with retiring collection.

Becket 2020 – Looking Ahead: Hope and Glory 6.00pm Choral Evensong Sunday 23rd February with Canon Julie Price from Warblington and Emsworth. All welcome to join us at our next sermon in the series as part of our 2020 celebrations at Portsmouth Cathedral.

Evening Organ Concert – David Flood 7.30pm Friday 28th February. We are delighted to welcome Dr David Flood, Organist and Master of the Choristers at Canterbury Cathedral, in this year of celebration for Thomas Becket. Tickets £10 (£8 concessions). Booking essential via Eventbrite.

Pilgrimage Passion 18th - 21st March. A Lenten exploration of the Passion Story. Four days of music, reflection and journey in faith. Donations welcomed.

Handel’s Messiah 7.30pm Saturday 21st March. Tickets £25.00, £20.00 (concessions), Under 16’s £5.00. Available from the Cathedral Shop and Eventbrite.

PGS Gala Concert 8.00pm Wednesday 25th March. Join us for performances by the Symphony Orchestra, PGS Brass, the Chamber Choir and the Community Choir. Tickets £5.00, Under 18’s free. Booking essential via Eventbrite.

Skittles Evening 7.30pm Friday 3rd April at the Royal Maritime Club, a match between the Cathedral and St. John’s Catholic Cathedral. Please put this date in your diaries. Further details and tickets will be available soon.

PLEASE PRAY FOR

All those in need including: Bob, Barry, Tim, Derek, Joey, Paige, Nigel, Trevor, Roy, Emrys and Reuben.

And those who have died: Stuart McCullagh and John Jenkins RIP.

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