Weekly Notices | 19 February 2023
A reflection from David Price
The Cathedral Choir has just returned from a tour to sing in Sweden. This trip marked a couple of important milestones – it was our third trip to Sweden, the thirtieth foreign tour for our choir but the first since 2020 when the pandemic and then associated rules and regulations stopped all such things.
Sixteen of our senior boy choristers, the back row, three organists, two Choir Matrons and a Precentor travelled to Uppsala last Friday – departing at 5.30am and arriving at our accommodation for Swedish meatballs around twelve hours later!
Saturday saw an early start to get the train to Stockholm and to the glorious Sofia Church for a morning rehearsal. And then on to the ferry to the Vasa Museum to see Sweden’s very own Mary Rose; after lunch we sang an Afternoon Concert to well over 250 people back at Sofia Church. We last sang in this church in 2013 – it’s a bit like a home from home with its warm acoustic and a Nicholson organ.
Uppsala Cathedral is the largest cathedral in Scandinavia, and we were warmly welcomed to help lead their ‘High Mass’. The Swedish Lutheran Church is in full communion with The Church of England and so we were able to take communion alongside the congregation. This is always a very moving experience, especially noticing the realisation for the choristers that, despite the language differences, the shape of the Eucharist is so very similar to what we do on a Sunday morning back in Portsmouth. After a quick lunch, we then walked to St Eric’s Parish Church, packed out to hear us sing Choral Evensong. It was lovely too to see some of the Uppsala Cathedral Boy Choristers come to hear us (on their Sunday off); we look forward to building on our links when they make a return visit to sing with us in November.
Spending time surrounded by snow is quite a thing for Portsmouth youngsters, so Sunday’s activities were rounded off by a short (and carefully monitored) snowball fight on the church green. A Greek restaurant awaited us to recover after a very full day. After the busy weekend and half term, the boys deserved a full day off – and so Monday was spent in the local water park and souvenir shopping followed by a trip to the Bowling Alley before heading home on Tuesday.
We thank our generous Swedish hosts and all the adults who helped support and run the trip, including the Choir Association and Cathedral Chapter. Our next trip will be to Belgium with our girl choristers in December.
Dr. David Price,
Organist & Master of the Choristers
Dates for your diary…
Yoga at the Cathedral - 18 Feb
Parish Lunch Club - 20 Feb
After Virtue by Alasdair MacIntyre - Cathedral Institute - 20 Feb
Shrove Tuesday Social - 21 Feb
Ash Wednesday: Holy Communion - 22 Feb
Ash Wednesday: Midday Holy Communion - 22 Feb
Ash Wednesday: Eucharist with Sung Litany and Imposition of Ashes - 22 Feb
Community News
Attendees at the Anna Chaplaincy event held at the Cathedral | Photos by Diocese of Portsmouth
Lent, Holy Week and Easter at the Cathedral
Lent, Holy Week and Easter are some of the most important and meaningful times of the year for Christians, and Portsmouth Cathedral is the perfect place to celebrate and reflect on these special moments. Our Cathedral offers a range of services and events to help you connect with your faith and community during this time.
Some of the highlights of our Lent, Holy Week and Easter programme including our Lent Group, can be found below, you’ll also be able to see our full programme of services and events on our website, and in our printed brochure available from the Cathedral soon.
Lent Course: Christ and the Chocolaterie
Come and enjoy our Lent course, written by Hilary Brand and based on the film 'Chocolat', exploring big issues about God, the world, and what it means to be human.
The course will run for five Tuesdays, 28 February–28 March inclusive, from 7:00pm–9:00pm in Becket Hall (except the final session, which will be in the Andrewes Room). A vegetarian meal will be served each week.
Please sign-up here. The course is free of charge (donations for supper welcome but entirely optional), and the course books are available from the Cathedral Shop. If you have any questions please feel free to get in touch withCanon Kathryn.
Tickets for Handel's Messiah now available online and in our shop.
Handel's spectacular and moving choral masterpiece, sung by the Portsmouth Cathedral Choirs with Capelle Baroque, and directed by David Price. Tickets are available from £5.00-£25.00, with the concert taking place on Saturday, 25 March at 7:30pm. Be sure to book quick as this very popular event sells-out quickly every year!
Pop-into our shop orBook Online →
Palm Sunday Crosses
Please place last year’s crosses in the basket in the Welcome Area by Tuesday 21 February so that they can be burnt for use on Ash Wednesday.
Shrove Tuesday Screening: ‘Chocolat’ - 21 February, 7:00pm–9:00pm
Before we start our Lent course (see above), come and enjoy delicious pancakes while watching the film on which it's based - 'Chocolat', starring Juliette Binoche, Johnny Depp, and Judi Dench. All welcome, whether or not you can attend the course.
'Chocolat', based on the novel by Joanne Harris, tells the story of Vianne Rocher, who arrives, with her six-year-old daughter Anouk, in a small French village at the beginning of Lent, and opens a chocolaterie. Soon, she and her chocolate start to influence the villagers in unexpected ways. (Certificate 12).
Book a free ticket →
Two Canons of Honour helping us start Lent
Two of our Canons of Honour, the Revd Canon Angela Tilby and the Revd Canon David Lindsay, are preaching for us to get Lent at Portsmouth Cathedral off to a really good start. On Ash Wednesday at the 5:45pm Eucharist with sung Litany and the imposition of ashes, the sermon will be given by Canon Angela. On the First Sunday of Lent, Sunday 26 February, the sermon at the 11:00am Eucharist will be given by Canon David Lindsay.
Come to hear them, as we reflect together at the start of Lent on how we may follow more closely in the steps of Christ through this holy season.
Lent Sermon Series: Now is the Healing Time
A sermon series on healing and hope will be preached on Sundays in Lent, at our 5:45pm Choral Evensong services. Our Assistant (PtO) Clergy will offer their wisdom and insight on Lenten themes of Healing, as part of the series ‘Now is the Healing Time’.
Read more `→
Lent Confirmation Classes
Confirmation classes will be held this Lent on Sundays at 3-4pm in the Bishop Kenneth Room, from 26 February - 2 April inclusive. This will be a mixed class for adults and young people.
Read more →
Vigil for Brianna Ghey
Last night (Thursday 16 February) we were honoured to hold a candlelit vigil to mourn the tragic loss of Brianna Ghey, a transgender teenager killed last Saturday.
The vigil was organised in collaboration with Portsmouth Pride and Queer All Year with over 220 people gathered to pray, reflect, support each other and to hear moving tributes, speeches and poems. For some, it was their first time in the Cathedral, or the first time since childhood. We stand in solidarity with our trans siblings, and the LGBTQI+ community. We are proudly members of Inclusive Church and welcome all through our doors with open arms and open hearts.
Our ministry team continue to be on hand for anyone needing pastoral support, or just wanting to chat - please get in touch.
Christian Aid DEC Turkey-Syria Earthquake Appeal
On Monday 6 February, an initial magnitude 7.8 earthquake hit in southern Turkey close to the border with northern Syria. A second 7.5-magnitude earthquake struck 9 hours later, with aftershocks following. Christian Aid has been working with local partners across the region for decades and responding to the Syria crisis since 2012, they continue to work with and support the communities in the affected areas of this recent earthquake.
The response to humanitarian needs in Ukraine has been remarkable. We must also live up to our commitments to those impacted by the earthquake in Turkey and Syria.
To save lives and give people hope, please donate what you can today →
THIS SUNDAY: Fairtrade Breakfast
All are welcome to join us for an annual Fairtrade breakfast (ahead of Lent), where once again Fairtrade products will be used for some tasty breakfast treats, after services on Sunday 19 February.
This year as well as the usual croissants, toast, spreads, tea, coffee, hot chocolate, and juice, we will also be providing pancakes with various fillings!
Save the date in your diary - Sunday, 19 February, taking place at 8:30am, 10:00am and after the 11:00am service. Donations from the breakfast will be shared between the Cathedral and the Fairtrade Foundation.
Honorary Canons Sermon Series: "I believe in..."
This year's sermon series by the Honorary Canons will be on the theme: "I believe in...". For this first sermon of the series will be given by Canon Julie Price (from Warblington and Emsworth) on the theme of "I believe in... Transformation" starting this Sunday 19 February at Choral Evensong at 5:45pm.
With an overall title of “I believe in…”, each of the Cathedral Honorary Canons will explore an aspect of faith that particularly inspires and motivates them. The next in the series will be on Sunday 19th March, with Canon Tom Kennar (Rector of Havant).
Cathedral Council and 2021 Cathedrals Measure
Portsmouth Cathedral is due to come under the Measure in late summer/autumn 2023 after which we will be under Charity Commission regulation in addition to that of the Church Commissioners.
The Cathedral Council meets informally this week as part of the work on the implementation of the Measure and will then provide a contribution on the issues upon which Chapter needs to consider. Information about the implementation of the Measure, together with FAQs, will be available through the Cathedral website in the coming weeks and formal consultation on the draft Constitution and Statutes will take place later in the year. The congregational representatives of Cathedral Council are Nick Speller and Ann Wilson who, together with the Chair of Council, Kate Branigan, can be contacted through the Cathedral Offices.
In due course the Cathedral will have a new Constitution and Statutes under which the Cathedral’s trustee body will be Chapter. One of the aims of the Measure is that the membership of Chapter should bring together individuals with a broad range of skills, knowledge, expertise and experience to bring in best practice of strategic leadership for the Cathedral and lead the Cathedral in being transparent and accountable. The new Chapter will be supported by a number of subsidiary committees, one of which will be a new Nominations Committee, chaired by Sir David Normington, which will advise on the recruitment of non-executive members of the new Chapter along with other Chapter Committees.
Read more →
Worship & visiting
Every day, Portsmouth Cathedral is open for worship, prayer, and visiting. Unless otherwise specified, services do not require booking. Our website contains orders of service as well as information about visiting the Cathedral.
Prayers and Intercessions
We remember in our prayers all those affected by the Turkey-Syria Earthquake.
We remember the following for whom prayer has been asked by members of the Cathedral Community: Alistair, Lucy, Chris, Martyn, Tom, Beverley, Jude, Don, Jean, Alan, Mags, Rosemary, Margaret, Ann and all those in need.
Long-term sick including: Edward, Peter, Graeme, Sarah, Alison, Jane, Jill, Suzy, Andrew, Rachel, John, Babs Richard, John P and Rachel O
We pray for those who have died recently, including: Diana Villar, John Friars , Arthur Bailey (Funeral at Cathedral Tuesday 23 February 2:45pm), Roy Stickland, Margaret (Marnie) Linington (Memorial Service 2.45pm Monday 7thMarch), Rosemary (Rosie) Wilson, Jean Wilsdon and James Matthews RIP.
Upcoming Services & Events
Getting in touch
Please feel free to get in touch if we can help in any way, or if you just want to hear another voice!
Get in touch with us by email to pastoral@portsmouthcathedral.org.uk or leave a message via phone on 023 9282 3300.
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