Weekly Notices | Sunday 28 February 2021
A reflection from Canon Jo
The latest roadmap out of lockdown announced last Monday, has given some encouragement that we can now see more of the horizon ahead. Schools will be returning for three weeks before Easter, and the first stage of public lifting of restrictions should come a week after Easter.
But our Lent continues for the moment, and many of us may be finding our resilience is surprisingly low, to cope with what previously were minor issues and challenges in the practical things of life. In spiritual things also, usual Lent efforts at self-denial may be much more of a struggle. I only lasted two days with one of my resolutions, to give up alcohol for Lent, before I sat down with a drink on my Friday day off after Ash Wednesday and simply didn’t remember that I had intended not to drink. I am now back on the waggon: it is said that it’s good to fail at least once in Lent because it saves us from the sin of pride.
Watch Canon Jo's reflection on YouTube
If our willpower is not what it used to be, we might want to focus instead this Lent on our willingness: willingness to make a difference, to help, to care, to show concern. This is Fairtrade fortnight, and the theme of this year’s Fairtrade campaign is about caring for creation, and the challenges of climate change for farmers in the communities Fairtrade works with. As a Fairtrade Cathedral, we encourage you to remember, when you shop in this fortnight and beyond, how much good it does to buy Fairtrade products and help those in our world who are facing climate crisis. Very close to the Cathedral we can buy Fairtrade bananas, roses, sugar, tea, coffee and chocolate.
Near to the Cathedral also is a shop that does refills of washing and laundry products and other items, to help people counteract environmental pollution with each saving on plastic waste. A plastic free supermarket in Portsmouth has even been launched during lockdown. In simple ways, it’s pleasing to return to some old-fashioned products: bars of soap, paper or cardboard packaging, and I have been delighted to find toothbrushes with bamboo handles in an ordinary high-street chemist recently.
One further area where we might be able to show our willingness this Lent, is a new idea of vaccine twinning. Christian Aid and others are encouraging people to give thanks for their Covid vaccine, which we receive free on the NHS, by donating to pay for someone elsewhere in the world to be vaccinated. It was on the news that Ghana in West Africa, where we have many diocesan links, was the first country to benefit from an international COVAX vaccine contribution.
So, if like me, your willpower this Lent is struggling a bit, perhaps think instead about willingness, and allow yourself to be guided by God with your choices and the contribution you can make.
#PompeySundays at Home
Join us on our live channels this Sunday at 9.30 am and then on catch-up for our first ever digital Pompey Sundays service. We will be marking LGBTQ+ History Month with our special guest, the Revd Richard Coles.
Watch online via our live page
Lent, Holy Week & Easter
Explore God’s story of loving and creative engagement with the world in our season of inspiring services, courses and events during Lent as we prepare to celebrate Easter.
Visit our website for the latest information on services and events. Please note that in these uncertain times, planned events and services may need to change.
Introducing our Holy Week Preacher, the Revd Dr. Stephen Hance
We are delighted to welcome the Revd Dr. Stephen Hance as our Holy Week preacher this year. Ordained here at Portsmouth Cathedral, he is the National Lead for Evangelism and Witness for the Church of England. Previously serving as Dean of Derby, as Canon Missioner in Southwark, and as a parish priest.
Read more
A Way through the Wilderness… Sunday Evensong Sermons in Lent
During Lent, the sermons at Evensong on Sundays at 5.30pm will explore the theme of wilderness. Recalling the forty days Jesus spent in the wilderness, members of our Cathedral Ministry Team will reflect on different aspects of wilderness, including its theological symbolism and our current experience during lockdown.
Kitty Price on Sunday 28 February: "Faith in the Wilderness".
The Dean on Sunday 7 March: "The 'Wild beasts' of the Wilderness"
Canon Nick on Sunday 14 March: "What is your Wilderness?"
Canon Kathryn on Sunday 21 March: "Beyond the Wilderness"
Stations of the Cross – Saturdays, 5:30pm
This Week: Way of the Cross – for Lent this year, around the ambulatory we are using images and texts from the ‘Way of the Cross’, a Biblical pattern of Stations outlined in Common Worship. Further prayers and reflections will be added each week.
You are invited to write a prayer or leave a thought that any of the Stations may have prompted. These will be added to the display as together we follow the journey of Jesus to his crucifixion and resurrection.
Social Tuesdays – 2 March, 7:30pm
David Price takes us through the history of plans for organs in Portsmouth Cathedral from the 1708 Abraham Jordan case, through concepts for the imagined Naves and final realised plans with illustrations and archive recordings.
For security reasons, please sign up to our newsletter to receive the Zoom link.
Toddler Service – 3 March, 2:00 pm.
Calling all toddlers and guests to join us on our live channels this Wednesday. Our theme will be ‘Jesus in the wilderness’. Can you make a wilderness with sand or earth and pebbles?
Watch online our live page.
Art Wednesdays – 3 March, 7:30 pm
This week, our guest speaker is Dr. Richard Foster, who teaches Art and Art History at Winchester College, and also looks after the school’s historic library and its art collections. Before joining Winchester, he studied Art History at the Courtauld Institute and at Oxford, where he wrote his doctoral thesis on the Church of England in the 1640s and 1650s.
He will be talking about two paintings by Goya, which mark the beginning and end of Lent: The Burial of the Sardine (c. 1812-19) and The Taking of Christ (1798).
Find out more and sign-up or watch last week’s talk online.
Lunchtime Live: Lent Term 2021 – Weekly on Thursdays, 1:10 pm
Delight in our weekly recitals live from the Cathedral, including our series of Chorales for Lent. Featuring members of the Cathedral Music Department, and some special guest artists.
Find out more and watch online
Living His Story: Lent Group – 4 March, 7:00 pm
During these weeks, our Thursday Bible Discussion Group has turned into a Lent Group – all are most welcome to join. We are using the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Lent Book 2021: Living His Story, by Hannah Steele. (Don’t worry if you don’t have the book – a free handout is also available: please email Canon Kathryn.)
This week, we will be looking at Ch. 3: ‘Jesus was in the transformation business’.
Find out more
For security reasons, please sign up to our newsletter to receive the Zoom link.
Community News
Bishop’s Lent Appeal
Each year, our bishop organises a Lent Appeal to help one local and one global good cause. Worshippers from our diocese donate money and hold fundraising events to support those charities. Bishop Christopher, shared a message about the appeal… “The 2020 Lent Appeal focused on the environment and our God-given responsibility for the care and sustaining of the world, its resources and its people, which are His first, and also ours.”
Although there will not be a new Appeal this year, you’re invited to pick up where we left off last year, Bishop Christopher reminds us “The threats and challenge are just as compelling and challenging. Our diocesan commitment to move quickly towards carbon reduction and play our part in meeting the Church of England’s intention to be carbon free by 2030.”
Find out more and how to donate
What would you like to see in the new Bishop of Portsmouth?
As part of the appointment process for the new Bishop of Portsmouth, our local Deanery warmly invites you to share your views on what you would like to see in the new Bishop. The two online sessions are Wednesday 3 March 7:00 pm, and Thursday 4 March 10:30 am.
Please contact us if you would like details on how to join.
Deanery consultation process – update
Following Deanery Synod’s approval of our draft Deanery Plan, a meeting was held last Wednesday between our Deanery leadership team and the Bishop, Archdeacons, and Diocesan Secretary, to begin a conversation about the proposals and thinking of the Deanery as expressed at Synod and in the consultations. The next step is for the Bishop and Archdeacons to reflect privately in prayer on the meeting and the other meetings they are holding with the other Deaneries.
They will then meet and talk together next week. After that meeting Archdeacon Jenny will share with our team their proposals on how we might take next steps. These will be developed over the coming weeks as the areas of change that need to be addressed are identified. For further information about Deanery Synod, please speak to any of our Deanery Synod reps - Kitty Price, Marian Pottinger, Chris Nicol, and Marion Syms - or to Canon Kathryn. A reminder that the draft Deanery Plan can be found on our website here.
Signs of Hope and New Life
This year Portsmouth Deanery will be again running their annual campaign, supporting SDA (Stop Domestic Abuse) and the Roberts Centre, most years collecting over 700 eggs for families and children in need. In addition to traditional chocolate eggs, this year they are also looking for donations of seeds, small pots and garden tools, or donations of money so they can buy these items.
Donations can be dropped at St Mary’s Church, Fratton by March 26th between 9am and midday. Financial donations should be made directly with St Mary’s, please contact them to find out more.
Friends early-spring Newsletter
The next edition of the Friends’ Newsletter will be sent to members by post or email this week. If you would like to know more about membership of the Friends please contact friends@portsmouthcathedral.org.uk
Worship and Visiting the Cathedral
Portsmouth Cathedral continues to be open daily for private prayer, daily Holy Communion and Sunday Services. Sadly, government guidelines do not allow for sightseeing and our shop is also closed for now.
We continue to take every precaution to reduce the spread of coronavirus, including the mandatory wearing of face masks, except for those with exemptions (please note face visors should only be worn with a face mask). Find out more on our Covid-19 information page.
We broadcast three services a day on our live page and Facebook. Find out more on our website and download orders of services.
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, Trevor, Izzy, Clare, Sarah, Jenny, Michael, Laurence, Rita, Dave, Mercedes, Peter, Amanda, Joan, Reuben, Kathy, Alison, Jane and all those in need.
We pray for those who have died recently: Sheila Deans, Enid Gull, Dorothy Bellamy (priest), Peter Johnson, Paul Nicol, Beryl Rundle, Dennis Ede (priest), Sister Ruth Etheldreda, David Stuart, Laurie Fricker and Monty Seal RIP.
To add someone to the prayer list, please email info@portsmouthcathedral.org.uk
Sunday Refreshments via Zoom – 28 February, 6:30 pm
Join us for our weekly Sunday Refreshments hosted on Zoom. It is a great opportunity to catch up with other members of the congregation and members of our ministry team.
For security reasons, please sign up to our newsletter to receive the Zoom link.