A reflection from Dean Anthony

The situation in Ukraine has evoked for many the kind of conflict last seen in the Second World War. In such situations, different theological approaches take on a vital significance. In 1930s Germany, for example, the great theologian Karl Barth was the key figure behind the 1934 Barmen Declaration. This was a document adopted by those who became the ‘Confessing Church’ in Nazi Germany, expressing their strong opposition to the ‘German Christian Movement’ that sought an active synthesis of Christianity and Nazism.

And now in 2021, a new ‘Declaration’ has been published in opposition to the Russian Orthodox Church, and in particular Patriarch Kirill of Moscow. The Patriarch is an ally of Vladimir Putin, and sees the work of his church as aligned with his President. In particular, he supports the idea of a ‘Holy Russia’ in which the patriarch and president work together against the evils and corruptions of the West. This is horribly reminiscent of the ‘German Christian Movement’ which in retrospect seems obviously wrongheaded, but had hundreds of thousands of followers at the time – just as large numbers of Russian Orthodox Christians now believe that military action in Ukraine is justified by their faith.

The ‘Declaration on “Russian World” Teaching’ strongly opposes both the Russian government and churchmen such as Patriarch Kirill – on biblical and theological grounds. They reject, for example, any attempt to give any ‘earthly kingdom’ the status of the Kingdom of God proclaimed by Christ. They reject the attempt to portray any race or culture as superior or divinely ordained, on the basis that Christ taught ‘all of us are one in Christ Jesus’ (Galatians 3.28).

Finally, they condemn those who pray for peace, but do nothing to work for peace or to assist those in need. This is a challenge not just for the Russian Orthodox Church, but for Christians throughout the world. We are praying for peace, and our solidarity with suffering Ukrainians is genuine, but what are we doing to back this up?

In these notices there is information about a one-off collection of essential items which can be brought to the Cathedral on Sunday. We are also encouraging financial giving to those in a position to give practical help, in particular the Disasters Emergency Committee Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal and our own Bishop Jonathan has nominated as his Lenten charity the USPG Partners in Global Mission Ukraine Emergency Appeal.

Acting in these and other ways in support of peace and those in need is both vital, and good theology!

With my prayers and best wishes,

Community News

Ukraine Appeal

As the Dean mentions in his reflection, this week we will be collecting for Portsmouth Helps Ukraine, who are working with the Ukrainian Embassy to get help to where it is most needed. You can bring your donations this week-end to the Cathedral and place them on the tables in the Welcome Area. See the list below for the items you can donate:

• Critically needed

  • Medical supplies (tourniquets)

  • Personal (ex-military) protection gear

• Other donations

  • Tins of food (easy open only)

  • Pasta, rice, sugar

  • First aid kits

  • Sleeping bags, yoga mats, natural aids for helping with sleep (stress support, anxiety relief)

  • Tea / instant coffee / hot chocolate

  • Toilet paper

  • New socks and underwear

We thank you for your support and hope you can bring a donation. The donations will be collected after Evensong.

National Day of Reflection - Wednesday 23 March 2022

On Wednesday this week, it will be two years since the first lockdown started in March 2020. People in all parts of our country and our local community are encouraged to observe the date in some way as a National Day of Reflection.

So on 23 March, we invite you to take time to reflect, supporting the millions of people who are grieving, and remembering the family, friends, neighbours and colleagues we’ve lost during the pandemic. While life is beginning to return to normal for some people, several million people are still living with the trauma of loss, and not being able to grieve properly. This includes many children as well as adults. At Portsmouth Cathedral, people are invited to come together on the day to acknowledge and soothe this pain, making the legacy of the pandemic years one of compassion, love and active support for those who grieve, both now, and in the years to come.

There will be Two Minutes' Silence kept at 12:00pm midday in the Cathedral, and across the country, which all are welcome to attend - to remember lives lost and hopes deferred.

Our Midday Eucharist that day, following the Two Minutes' Silence, will have a particular focus of prayer for those affected by Covid, all who have been bereaved during the past two years, and all who are suffering still.

In the Cathedral find our Wall of Reflection in the Baptistry under the organ. We invite all to leave a name or share a memory, as remember and pray for those we have lost and all who are grieving on this sad anniversary. All are welcome to add to the Wall of Reflection from Sunday 20 until Wednesday 23 March, during our usual opening hours and services.

We encourage all to reach out to someone you may know who’s grieving, have a chat, send a message or a gift. You can also join various online events nationally for inspiration, support and reflection.

Signs of Hope and New Life:  Portsmouth Deanery Lent Appeal

In the midst of the current darkness and uncertainty in our world, Portsmouth Deanery invites us to share ‘signs of hope and new life’ as we journey towards Easter joy. We are invited to collect and donate Easter Eggs to share with some of the families in our city who are facing difficult times, and these will be distributed through Stop Domestic Abuse and The Roberts Centre.

In addition, we are asked to provide gardening equipment to share with these families so they can plant and grow their own signs of hope and new life.

Please bring donations to the Cathedral from Monday onwards (after the Ukraine donations have been collected). They can be left on the tables in the Welcome Area. You can also take donations to St. Mary’s Church, Fratton, which is open from 9-12 daily. If you wish to make a financial donation, you can do so by BACS to St. Mary’s - please contact them for the details contact Portsea Parish online. Donations need to be collected here by April 8, and at St. Mary’s by April 9.

Remember a loved one by donating an Easter Lily

This Easter, remember your loved ones by donating an Easter Lily. All donated lilies will form part of our beautiful floral display in the Cathedral. The names of all those remembered will also be entered by hand into our Easter Lily Memorial Book.

For each loved one you wish to remember we ask for a donation of £5 for one lily, and you are welcome to donate as many lilies as you wish. Donations will cover the costs of buying lilies and also support the work of the Cathedral’s Flower Guild over the coming year.

Donate an Easter Lily online →

‘Meet the Dean’ this Sunday

Dean Anthony is offering a new quarterly opportunity for any members of the Cathedral community to meet with him over a cup of tea or coffee.

The first of these will take place on Sunday 20 March in Becket Hall from 10:10am to 10:40am (after #PompeySundays) and in the Bishop Kenneth Room at 12:15pm (after the Sung Eucharist). Our Vision and Strategy speaks of embedding ‘learning and feedback in all that we do’, and this is a chance to offer comments, questions and ideas relating to any aspect of Cathedral life.

Lent Group: Art Tuesdays continues this week

Our Art Tuesdays series continues this Tuesday 14 March at 7:30pm via Zoom. This week, Joanne Bushnell, Director of Aspex Portsmouth, will be examining the role of art in our current contexts, as she tells us aboutAspex Portsmouth: learning, commissioning, connecting and growing through a pandemic.

Jo has led Aspex through a number of major transitions since becoming its Director in 1999, and her role enables her to combine her two passions: supporting emerging artists and engaging audiences – with a particular focus on children, families, and people with dementia.

Do join us for a curator’s-eye view - subscribe to our Cathedral Notices to get the link.

Tickets selling fast for Handel’s Messiah

This spectacular concert is now just over a week away so now is the perfect time to get your tickets before it’s too late!

Experience the stirring music of the Messiah, which is widely considered to be one of Handel’s greatest masterpieces. Our Cathedral Choirs will be joined by soloists from our 2020/21 year of Choral Scholars (who were unable to sing the piece due to the first national lockdown) and the outstanding baroque orchestra, Capelle Baroque.

Buy tickets now →

Shop closing early

Please note the Shop will close at 2:15pm on Friday 25 March due to a special service. You can continue to shop online via our website.

Portsmouth Cathedral and the Portsmouth Local Plan

Last week we shared an introductory document regarding Portsmouth Cathedral’s inclusion in the Portsmouth Local Plan with community groups, local residents and stakeholders.

We have been closely following Portsmouth City Council’s revised plans for how it will deliver the homes, jobs, community facilities and green spaces that our city needs to flourish over the next 15 years. We are exploring how we can be part of the vision of this Portsmouth Local Plan, whilst ensuring our spaces continue to be utilised in a way that not only enriches and improves the lives of the community, but also supports the long-term future of our Cathedral. Specifically, we are considering how potential developments of Cathedral House could better support the needs of the community and groups who currently use Becket Hall whilst meeting the ambitions of our own Cathedral Vision and Strategy.

The Portsmouth Local Plan is a key planning document for the city and will be published by the end of April. In order to keep our options open regarding how Cathedral House might be developed in the future, and to ensure that any potential developments are carried out in partnership with the City Council as well as all our other stakeholders, it was vital that we registered our interest in being part of the Plan now.

We are at the very beginning of the process of exploring the future of Cathedral House. When this begins in earnest there will be consultation with the congregation, our Cathedral community, as well as local residents, stakeholders and community groups. This consultation will be accompanied by a rigorous feasibility study to work out what is actually possible.

You can find out more about these potential developments, including answers to some frequently asked questions, on ourwebsite. This information is also available from booklets in the Cathedral.

Assistant Verger and Precincts Officer

We are looking for an outstanding Assistant Verger and Precincts Officer to work with colleagues and our volunteers to provide a safe, warm and welcoming place of worship and pilgrimage. We have two options available for this post including a 30 hours per week permanent position, or a 40 hours per week maternity cover position.

The application deadline for these roles has been extended to Wednesday 23 March 2022.

Find out more and apply on our website →

Celebrating Bishop Jonathan's Installation 

We were delighted to host Bishop Jonathan's Installation as the Tenth Bishop of Portsmouth last weekend. Over 800 people attended the service, either in person or online.

You can still watch the service online and read more about this momentous occasion on the Diocese of Portsmouth website.

A joint meeting of Cathedral Council and Chapter

The joint meeting of Cathedral Council and Chapter was unable to take place this week due to unavoidable circumstances. We are currently looking to reschedule this important meeting.

Farewell to our Head of Fundraising

We are sad to announce that our Head of Fundraising, Sophie Henstridge-Brown, will be leaving the Cathedral at the end of this month. The pandemic has prompted many people to think about their priorities, and Sophie has decided that she would like to return to the creative industries where she worked previously.

Everyone at Portsmouth Cathedral is extremely grateful for everything that she has contributed over the last two years. This includes securing vital grants that helped sustain the Cathedral during the pandemic, as well as helping us to consider our generosity and giving to the Cathedral.

Worship and Visiting

Portsmouth Cathedral is open daily for prayer, services and visiting. Booking is not required for services, unless otherwise indicated. You can find out more about visiting on our website, where you can also download orders of service or find our Covid-19 visitor information.

Journeying with Christ

Our Sunday Evensong Sermon Series “Journeying with Christ" continues this week with Canon Hugh Wright, Vicar of Ventnor on the Isle of Wight. Come and hear about his journey of faith at Choral Evensong at 5:45pm this Sunday.

Taizé

All are warmly invited to join us to experience our reflective service of Taizé songs and chants and prayer in St Thomas' Chapel, next Saturday (26 March) at 5:45pm. For those who wish also to enjoy the concert that evening of Messiah, there will be a break of at least an hour between the two events.

Prayers and intercessions

We remember the following for whom prayer has been asked by members of the Cathedral Community: Beverley, Richard, Jane, Alan, Stan, Amanda, Wendy, Derek, Denise, Debbie, Jane, Margaret, Rachel, Lucy, Martin, Susan, and all those in need.

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

We pray for those who have died recently: Mervyn Banting, William Deery, John Charlesworth, Evelyn Small, Mona Elliot, and Stan Hoare 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.