A reflection from Revd Catherine

Having spent most of the past two weeks in self-isolation with Covid, I am really thankful to be recovering and able to go out and see people once more. My husband, Max, kept his distance at home, bringing meals to my door etc, so I was pretty much alone for the ten day isolation period.

After a few days of reading and generally taking it easy, I started to feel quite lonely. I really missed being with others. While there is the phone, Zoom and social media to stay in touch with people, it struck me how tough the long lockdowns earlier in the pandemic must have been for those who live alone. Ten days is a drop in the ocean compared to the months of isolation that have gone before and was just a flavour of what it must have been like.

This brief experience reinforced how much we are created for connection with others. We are not designed to function optimally all alone. We need friendships and relationships to support our wellbeing and nourish our soul. The human-to-human relationship mirrors the human-to-divine relationship with God, and God is continually seeking us out, desiring for us to know him and be known by him, always wanting a closer relationship with us.

As we come to this third Sunday of Advent and continue the season of watching and waiting, it is good to remember that we are waiting in the knowledge that God promised to come and be with us for ever. He does not leave us alone. And God comes in the human form of a child – a living, breathing person with whom we can form a relationship. He knows we need connection and invites us into the most fulfilling and life-giving relationship we can possibly experience.

The Reverend Catherine Edenborough,
Cathedral Curate

Portsmouth Cathedral: at the heart of Christmas this festive season

All are invited to all to discover or rediscover the good news the Christmas season celebrates, and Portsmouth Cathedral will be at the heart of Christmas this festive season. The Cathedral’s choirs will once again be uplifting spirits with joyful music throughout the Christmas period, with services continuing to be safe and comfortable for all to join. One of our popularcarolservices will also be available to stream online, letting you join in the celebration and worship easily from home. Don’t forget to book your space for the Advent Retreat, carol service and crib services on our website. Some limited spaces will be available on the door for these services.

See more Christmas services and events on our website →

Comfort & Joy 2021

Over the last 18 years, Comfort & Joy has organised a Christmas Voucher scheme to support the homeless and those on the margins in our city. These vouchers or gift cards have supported a number of charities and agencies in our area supporting a wide variety of people in difficult circumstances from families, to single young people, to those seeking asylum and those seeking refuge from domestic abuse, those sleeping rough and those in hostels and temporary accommodation and those accessing drop-in meals provision.

This year they are again working in partnership with The News, and with support from HIVE Portsmouth, the City Council and many others to broaden the scheme and increase the impact and benefit it can bring. If you would like to make a donation of a gift card or voucher (in previous years we have suggested £5 cards) or in other ways, please click here to download the giving details. You can find out more about the groups that are being supported through your giving here.

Festive fun at this year’s Cathedral Christmas Fair and Christmas Gift Market 

For the first time this year, Portsmouth Cathedral ran two complementary Christmas events, a new Christmas Gift Market in partnership with Love Southsea Markets and the welcome return of our much-loved Cathedral Christmas Fair.

Dean Anthony writes, “It is amazing that over the course of two to three days, over 3,500 people visited the Cathedral for our Christmas Gift Market and Christmas Fair, especially when we consider that in pre-Covid times we welcomed 20,000 visitors annually. The Market and Fair have together raised over £9,000 to support the mission and ministry of Portsmouth Cathedral with over £6,000 of that total associated with our Christmas Fair. This is an amazing success, both in terms of raising vital funds to support our work, and also in bringing new people into the Cathedral.”

Dean Anthony continues, “On behalf of the entire Cathedral community, I want to express my thanks and that of Chapter to Ann Wilson, her organising team and all of the 90 volunteers for delivering such a successful return of the annual Christmas Fair – it was a truly wonderful event with a fantastic community atmosphere. My thanks also to our Digital Marketing Manager, Joseph Keele-Toms, for his tremendous work in organising the first Christmas Gift Market through developing the partnership with Love Southsea Markets. His work helped to develop a new and innovative way for us to support local small businesses, grow partnerships and reach out to people who had not been to the Cathedral before. Our own choir’s wonderful Advent Sequence, which took place during the Market, was a great way to showcase our music and worship to new audiences.”

Initial results indicate that having two complementary Christmas events has worked well. For example, the Gift Market was a useful advertising opportunity for the Christmas Fair, as people attending the Market were invited back to the Christmas Fair the next weekend.

A wrap-up meeting will be held in the new year, reviewing what went well and what we could improve for next year.

Find out more about both events →

An invitation to go deeper at the Advent Retreat

It is so easy to go for long periods without connecting with God at a deeper level. Yes, we attend worship services, pray regularly and get glimpses of God’s presence in our daily lives, and that is all very important, but there’s something about setting an extended period of time aside to make ourselves available to God in an intentional way. It’s like the difference between having a catch-up conversation with a friend and spending a whole afternoon out on a walk with them. There is time and space for everything.

The Advent Retreat on 18th December is an opportunity to take that time. There will be a mix of material to prompt our reflection and prayer, and plenty of quiet and space to let God deal with us directly as individuals. Something happens when we slow down and place our attention on listening to what God is whispering to us. You never know what God is going to do and we can often be surprised!

Book your place here →

A Very Old Portsmouth Christmas

Uncover unique gifts and festive cheer this Christmas in Old Portsmouth, home to small businesses and fantastic places to eat and drink. As we countdown to Christmas, check back to our Old Portsmouth page for special offers and incentives from businesses around Old Portsmouth, helping you shop local and support your local area this Christmas.

Follow Portsmouth Cathedral on social media, or visit the Old Portsmouth page →

Last shop order dates for Christmas

Don’t forget the last shopping days to place your Christmas orders in the Cathedral Shop! If you’re shopping online for delivery, the last day for orders is Monday 13 December. If you’re shopping online for collection, the last day for orders is Monday 19 December.

Please also note the shop will be closed for the Christmas break from 3pm, Friday 24 December 2021, until 10am, Wednesday 5 January 2022. Thank you so much for your continued support this year!

Shop Christmas online now →

Election of our new bishop

The formal process by which Bishop Jonathan will become our new bishop has now started. One significant event that took place yesterday was the formal election of the Rt Rev Jonathan Frost as Bishop of Portsmouth by the College of Canons at our cathedral. They gathered in prayer before the formal election took place.

The next significant moment is when this election is legally confirmed. This will take place on January 18, and involves Bishop Jonathan swearing an oath and the Archbishop of Canterbury giving him spiritual responsibility for our diocese. From this point, he is legally the Bishop of Portsmouth. He will then have an audience with HM the Queen, at which he will pay homage, on a date yet to be confirmed. His installation in our cathedral will then take place after that.

Finance and Investment Committee Meeting

The Finance and Investment Committee meets on Tuesday (14 December) for its last regular meeting of 2021. The Committee will review the projected deficit figure for 2021 and examine plans for 2022.

Find the agenda on here →

Portsmouth Cathedral Development Trust

This week the Portsmouth Cathedral Development Trust met to review and sign off the 2021 financial accounts. The trustees were provided with an overview of recent Cathedral activities and developments by the Chief Operating Officer.

Worship and Visiting

Portsmouth Cathedral is open daily for prayer, services and visiting. Booking is no longer required for services, unless otherwise indicated. You can find out more on our website , where you can also download orders of service.
 
We continue to take every precaution to reduce the spread of coronavirus, including encouraging the wearing of face-coverings, checking in with the NHS Covid-19 app and remaining at a safe distance from other groups. Further information can be found on our Covid-19 information page.

New government guidance

 Please note due to new Government Guidance, face coverings are now required inside the Cathedral from Monday 13 December. We continue to advise all visitors to give others space and use hand sanitiser found around the Cathedral. Find further updates on our Covid-19 information page.

Prayers and Intercessions

All those affected by COVID-19

We remember the following for whom prayer has been asked by members of the Cathedral Community: Derek, Clare, Beverley, Richard, Aaron, Jane, Alan, Libby, Lesley, Hilary, David, Stan, Andrew, Jean, Amanda, John, Wendy, and all those in need.

Long-term sick including: Alison, Graeme, Christopher, Clifford, Jane, Johnny, Melissa, Jenny, Suzy, Sarah, Bob, Michael, Rita and Izzy.

We pray for those who have died recently: Vera Loomes, 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.