Weekly Notices | Sunday, 20 June 2021
A reflection from Canon Jo
Sunday's Gospel reading tells how Jesus stilled the storm and showed the power of God as he commanded the elements. This is a marvellous seafaring passage for us as the Cathedral of the Sea. Here at the Cathedral, we offer a beacon of hope, inspiration, worship, and guidance. And a safe haven of beauty, stillness, prayer, and peace. All of this anchored in Jesus Christ who responded to his disciples’ needs and entreaties - and will respond to all who may feel overwhelmed by the storms of life.
There are many maritime and seafaring details in the decoration of our cathedral. Of course, even the word nave is from the Latin for boat: we enter here into an ark when we come into God's shelter to seek God’s strength for our voyage through life. The fish symbol was used from the earliest Christian times by those who believed Jesus Christ is the Son of God and their Saviour. And the scallop shell was used as a badge for pilgrims since the time when those who had arrived at the great pilgrim shrine of Santiago near the sea at Compostela took these shells away as a token of their journey, where scallops were plentiful on the beaches. It is good to hear of plans to reintroduce scallops and oysters here in the Solent.
There are many seafaring Saints also - Peter and Andrew, patrons of fishermen, the companions of James and John; St Nicholas patron of seafarers, whom we have pictured twice in our stained-glass windows. And there is a lovely prayer by the Celtic St Brendan the Navigator that has helped many navigate difficult times:
Shall I take my tiny boat across the wide sparkling ocean?
O Christ, King of glorious heaven,
help me on the wild waves.
Whatever journey may face us, at this time or when restrictions finally lift - outward or inward, within or finally from this world - may our fears and frailty be reassured by Christ, our companion in every voyage and the goal of all our voyaging.
In the words of one of the hymns we will hear the Choir sing on Sunday:
Be still, my soul: the waves and winds still know
his voice, who ruled them while he dwelt below.
The Reverend Canon Jo Spreadbury,
Canon Precentor
Community News
New Bishop Selection: Crown Nominations Committee Meets
Monday sees the first of two meetings of the CNC to begin the final stages of selecting the next Bishop of Portsmouth. This Committee meets again on the 20 and 21 July 2021. They will then make a recommendation to the Government who will pass that recommendation onto the Queen for approval. The announcement of the 10th Bishop of Portsmouth is due by early autumn.
As we give thanks for the ministry of Bishop Christopher and for the episcopal oversight of our Commissary Bishop, Bishop Rob, let us keep the members of the CNC in our prayers during this time of discernment.
Heavenly Father,
In your Son, Jesus Christ,
the whole Body of the Church is joined together as one
with Christ as the Head,
Be with us, by your Holy Spirit,
as we pray for the appointment of a new bishop.
Preserve our unity and guide all involved in the appointment process,
and especially at this time, the members of the Crown Nominations Committee
that with prayer and honest reflection,
they may discern your will
that your Kingdom may come,
in this diocese, and in the world
Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Ordinations and Licensing of Readers
On Saturday 26th June and Saturday 3rd July we will be hosting three services, at which our Commissary Bishop, Bishop Rob, will ordain new deacons and priests, and will license new Readers. These services are invitation-only with a small number of spaces to book available on our website. You can also stream these services via the diocesan Youtube channel and cathedral Youtube channel.
Details of those being ordained and licensed, and further details about them can be found on the Diocese of Portsmouth website:
You can pray for those being ordained by downloading and using the Ember List which also gives details of those in our diocese who are training, or are due to begin training, for ordination.
Book online for these services
On the way to Ordinations with Revd. Catherine Edenborough
After nearly a year as our curate, Catherine will be ordained priest in the Cathedral on Saturday, 26 June at 4:00 pm, alongside fellow deacons from around the Diocese. Attendance at the service will be limited to invited guests only with a small number of spaces available to book online. The service will also be available to stream on our live channels.
You can follow her journey to ordination on our social channels, where Catherine is sharing video updates in the lead up to being ordained priest, and her first weeks of being newly ordained. Follow her story on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
If you would like to contribute towards a gift for Catherine at this significant moment in her ministry, please send your donation, clearly marked ‘Catherine’, by bank transfer to Portsmouth Cathedral Chapter, sort code 309304 account no 01088158 or send a cheque payable to Portsmouth Cathedral, in a clearly marked envelope, via the donation boxes by 21 June.
Fancy a tipple? Portsmouth Cathedral launches new gin with The Portsmouth Distillery Co.
Portsmouth Cathedral continues to collaborate with local businesses on innovative and unique products, being one of the first Cathedrals in the UK to launch our very own gin!
The Dean’s Tipple gin has been produced in partnership with the award-winning local distillery The Portsmouth Distillery Co. with funding from the government’s Culture Recovery Fund for Heritage. Portsmouth Cathedral worked with the Southsea based distillery to develop a one-off gin inspired by our ‘Spice Island’ surroundings. The Dean’s Tipple is gloriously spicy and zesty on the nose; the rich and complex flavours include fennel and pepper with a delightfully warm orange twist on the finish.
The gin is part of the new ‘Cathedral Collection’ featuring bespoke products inspired by our building and heritage. Every purchase of The Dean's Tipple directly supports Portsmouth Cathedral's work and mission, and ensures the building can continue to be freely open to all for generations to come.
The Dean’s Tipple is available to purchase online or in the Cathedral Shop, open throughout the week. You can pick up a bottle for £39 or take advantage of two bottles for £70. We are continuing to develop new and exciting products in our shop, including local and sustainably sourced gifts and homeware, all available to buy online for delivery or collection on the Portsmouth Cathedral Shop site.
Welcoming Cyclists from Chichester Cathedral this weekend!
We are looking forward to welcoming pilgrim cyclists from Chichester Cathedral, on the evening of Saturday 19 June at around 4pm, as part of the new Cathedral Cycle Route relay event. On Sunday, riders set out from Portsmouth bound for Winchester Cathedral.
The Cathedrals Cycle Route is a unique partnership between the Association of English Cathedrals, the British Pilgrimage Trust, Cycling UK and Sustrans. It measures 2,000 miles in total, with individual legs between cathedrals varying in length to suit all abilities.
Find out more on our website.
Records And Information Governance Vacancy
Thanks to funding from the Cathedral Sustainability Fund (CSF), the Cathedral is recruiting for one-year Records and Information Governance Consultant.
The holder of this new one-year post, 100% funded by the CSF, will join us at a critical time as we prepare to come under the oversight of the Charity Commission for the first time as part of the Cathedrals Measure 2021. As well as preparing us for our new governance responsibilities, the role will help the Cathedral to review how we capture, retain, use and delate records and data we hold. The successful candidate will help us to streamline how we manage records and data and become a “digital by default” organisation.
We are looking for a records management professional who will join a busy and eager team on a fixed term basis.
Visit our careers page to find out more; the deadline for applications is 27 June 2021.
SCIE Safeguarding Audit
As part of the Church of England’s commitment to good safeguarding practice, it has commissioned the Social Care Institute for Excellence to carry out independent safeguarding audits of every diocese and cathedral. Portsmouth Cathedral’s audit will be carried out over two and a half days on 22-24 June.
The audit will be a collaborative process, and we welcome it as an opportunity to review and improve our policies and provision in this vital area.
Remember the Dos and Don’ts for handling a safeguarding disclosure
Do…
Remain calm, approachable and receptive
Take it seriously
Listen carefully, without interrupting
Acknowledge you understand how difficult this may be
Offer reassurance it is the right thing to tell someone
Tell them what will happen next
Make a written record of exactly what has been said and when
Report
Don't
Promise complete confidentiality
Ask leading or probing questions
Investigate
Discuss with people who do not need to know
Delay in reporting the disclosure to the PSO/DSA
If you, a member of your family, or a friend, have ever had a safeguarding response from the Cathedral, and would like to speak to our auditors, you can be given the opportunity to do so during the audit. If you are a survivor of abuse or consider yourself to be at risk of abuse, you are also welcome to request a conversation with the auditors, which would be held in advance of the audit. For further information, please contact Canon Kathryn or email SCIE directly: learningtogether@scie.org.uk
A reminder that the Chapter Safeguarding Lead is Canon Kathryn, and the Lay Safeguarding Lead is Marian Pottinger. Further details on safeguarding at the Cathedral can be found on our website Safeguarding pages.
Many thanks to all our volunteers who have been completing their safeguarding training this week, for their dedication and commitment to ensuring that Portsmouth Cathedral is a safe haven for all.
If you volunteer with us and have not yet completed your safeguarding training, it would be very much appreciated if you could do so as soon as possible.
Friends of Portsmouth Cathedral
The 2021 Yearbook will be posted to members of the Friends next week. The mailing will also include details of the AGM which, due to continuing Covid-19 restrictions, will now be held via Zoom at 4:00pm on Sunday 4th July rather than at the Cathedral as planned.
Members wishing to receive a digital link for the meeting or to send apologies should contact friends@portsmouthcathedral.org.uk
Worship and Visiting the Cathedral
Portsmouth Cathedral is now fully open for prayer, services and visiting. Please continue to book for our Sunday Services online (limited spaces are available for those without a pre-booked space), regular weekday services do not need pre-booking. Most of our services are broadcast on our live page and Facebook. Find out more on our website and download orders of service.
We continue to take every precaution to reduce the spread of coronavirus, including the mandatory wearing of face masks, except for those with exemptions. Everyone visiting the Cathedral now needs to check in with the NHS Covid-19 app. Find out more on our Covid-19 information page.
We continue to monitor Government announcements regarding Covid-19. We await any such guidance in advance of the next announced date for easing of restrictions on 19 July 2021. Please check these Notices and the website for updates.
Prayers and Intercessions
All those preparing for Ordination as Deacons and Priests
We remember the following for whom prayer has been asked by members of the Cathedral Community: Trevor, Derek, Clare, Izzy, Michael, Stuart, Reuben, Linda, Mervyn, Beverley, Richard, Aaron, Muriel, Phil, Jane, Alan, and all those in need.
Long-term sick including: Alison, Graeme, Christopher, Clifford, Jane, Johnny, Melissa, Andrew, Jenny, Bishop Peter, Suzy, Sarah, Bob, Michael, Rita and Shirley.
We pray for those who have died recently: Norman Riches, Christopher Smithson, John Brunning and Jordan Nathan RIP.
Upcoming Services and Events
Sunday Refreshments via Zoom – Sunday, 6:30pm
As restrictions for meeting each other continue to ease, our weekly Sunday refreshments will be concluding this weekend. Please do join us for our final opportunity to catch up with other members of the congregation and ministry team online – we look forward to seeing you at the Cathedral soon.
Join us via Zoom
For security purposes Zoom links are sent out in our weekly email notices, sign up on our website here.
Lunchtime Live – Thursday, 1:10pm
Join us on Thursday where we will be joined by Organist & Master of the Choristers Dr David Price on our splendid Nicholson organ. This recital will be in the Quire.
The recital is free; donations are welcome. Please note that no refreshments will be served at Lunchtime Live this term. Find more information or catch up online via the Lunchtime Live page.
Bible Discussion Group – Thursdays, 7:00pm
This week the group will look at 1 Samuel 16 and 17. New members are always welcome; you do not need to have attended the group before.
Join us on Zoom
For security purposes Zoom links are sent out in our weekly email notices, sign up on our website here.
Ordination of Deacons 2021 – 26 June, 11:00am
Seven new deacons will be ordained at this special service in our cathedral. The seven candidates have been through their theological training and a pre-ordination retreat, and are now ready to be ordained and to use the title ‘the Reverend’. They will serve as curates in parishes throughout our diocese.
Join the waitlist online
Ordination of Priests 2021 – 26 June, 4:00pm
Three new priests will be ordained at this special service in our cathedral. They are now ready to be ordained as priests, which means they’ll be able to celebrate Communion. They will continue to serve as curates in parishes throughout our diocese.
Book tickets online
Ports Fest: Seafood on the Green
The Cathedral of The Sea welcomes you to a rustic lunch with wine and music. Join us to sample delights caught by local fishermen.
Book tickets online
Choral Evensong with Installations – Sunday 4 July, 5:30pm
Join us on Sunday 4 July at 5.30pm during Choral Evensong when we will be installing our new Churchwarden and Lay Canon, Ronald Rabbetts: Mary Makin (Chair of Finance and Investment Committee) as a Lay Member of Chapter, and Richard Abraham (Chief Operating Officer) as Chapter Clerk.
Booking will be available shortly.
Portsmouth Cathedral Institute | Life after Covid: Radical transformation or business as usual? – Saturday, 10 July from 10am
Join us at Portsmouth Cathedral with Dame Clare Moriarty and Sir Jonathan Montgomery on Saturday, 10 July to discuss how we can create a fairer future from our Covid experiences in the first of our Portsmouth Cathedral Institute events. The day will be chaired by the Dean, as we welcome people from across our city to join us and debate how we can create a fairer future from our experiences.
This free event is open to all, book a ticket online or find out more.