Portsmouth Cathedral

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Weekly Notices | Sunday, 23 October 2022

Portsmouth Cathedral

Nadjia Carpenter

The whole Cathedral community is deeply saddened to learn of the death of Nadjia Carpenter, our Volunteer Co-ordinator. Nadjia lived her life with great courage. During her short time with us, she brought to the Cathedral energy, commitment, and organisational flair, coupled with a kind heart and a wonderful sense of humour. We will miss her greatly, and hold her and her family in our prayers.

The Cathedral Bell Ringers will be ringing a quarter peal on Sunday for Evensong, in memory of Nadjia.

Dean Anthony

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A reflection from Kitty Price


Resting…

By the time you read this, David, the dogs and I will be on a road trip through Holland and Denmark for a week of rest on the Danish island of Bornholm and the Cathedral’s choirs will be on half term. After a particularly busy few months, it is a well-deserved rest.

In Genesis we are told that on the seventh day God rested.Sabatis the Hebrew word, and it means to rest or cease working, to stop, and that is why the Jewish day of rest is called Shabbat. And while God won’t have stopped being God, he sets the expectation that we should rest. Despite the biblical command to remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy, people sometimes see rest as a moral failing, something to be embarrassed about. It can be easy to slip into being so busy that you can’t possibly stop because there is so much to do. If God did not do any creative work on the seventh day, then why should we?

Next Saturday (29 October) Portsmouth Choral Union and The Renaissance Choir will be joining forces to sing Rachmaninov’s Vespers. I’m sorry to miss it as I think the piece is extraordinary. Rachmaninov is often associated with ‘Go big, go loud, or go home’ music, but the Vespers – correctly titled ‘All-Night Vigil’, is a quieter, more reflective, allowing him to express his own profound Christian faith. You could argue that this was a rest from his lavish piano concertos. But with all music, it isn’t just the presence of notes that helps bring a piece to fruition, it is the absence of notes, or rather, the presence of rests. Think how frustrating it is for conductor, choir, and congregation when a lone voice chirps “Hallelujah’ in THAT REST before the end of Handel’s chorus!

For the choirs to be on peak performance for worship they need some rest. It is the same for students – and their teachers – and, in fact, all of us. We need to rest, stop, cease from work. The 24/7 lifestyle diminishes our ability to rest properly, so we might need to practise rest. Some people are better at resting than others. Resting isn’t the same as relaxing and it does not equate to being lazy.

Olfactory memories are strong, like the smell of a grandmother’s perfume, the first mown grass of spring. My grandmother had a cupboard for her spices, and they lived in that same cupboard for 60 years. I can still remember the heady aroma of cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamon and other spices mixed with the wood of the cupboard. At the end of Shabbat, their day of rest, Jews pass around a spice box for everyone to smell. This is a reminder that it is the ceasing that is the spice of the week, not the activity; they can carry the sweet spice of Shabbat into the week ahead. It is time to create again. Roses have to be pruned to ensure continued growth in the next season, and we could all do with a little time to stop, prune, refocus and move forward.

Resting in God’s presence, in his love, and allowing God to carry out necessary creative work in us without the distractions of daily life. “Be still and know that I am God.” There is a temptation to try to control everything, but we need to be reminded thatGodis God, not us.

Kitty Price,
Lay Reader

Dates for your diary…

Community News

Tickets now on sale - In Dulci Jubilo: Praetorius & Schutz with Gabrieli Roar

Join Gabrieli Roar for ‘In Dulci Jubilo’, a Christmastide treat featuring the spectacular polychoral music of Michael Praetorius in belated celebration of the 400th anniversary of the great composer’s death.

Learn more and book online →

Remembering loved ones

Our annual Service of Remembering will take place on Sunday 6 November at 5:45pm, with the beautiful Fauré Requiem sung by the Cathedral Consort. Families have been invited for whom we have conducted the funeral or memorial service of a loved one in the past year. The names of the departed will be read out and everyone will be able to light a candle during the service. All who have lost someone special are welcome to ask for their names to be remembered – there will be a list in the Cathedral welcome area – and to come along to take part, as we pray for them and give thanks for their lives.

There will also be a Requiem on Sunday 13 November at 5:45pm for Remembrance Sunday, with the Duruflé Requiem sung by the Cathedral Choir. The names of the departed will not be read out on this occasion, but all will be invited to light a candle during the service.

Feedback from our warmth and energy survey

Portsmouth Cathedral’s Senior Management Team (comprised of the Dean, the Canons Precentor and Chancellor and the Chief Operating Officer) have decided to delay turning on the heating until 1 November and heating the Cathedral at a slightly lower temperature than in previous years. This decision has been made in reviewing rising energy costs, as well as our commitment to reduce the Cathedral's carbon footprint.

Read more →

Realigning staff and new staff members in the lead up to the 2021 Cathedrals Measure

Portsmouth Cathedral will come under the new Cathedrals Measure in the late summer of 2023. This is a major piece of work as we review and then renew our governance structures, policies, and procedures, as part of these changes, realignments have been made in our staff structures.


The implementation of the Measure was discussed by the Cathedral Council when it met informally on Tuesday.
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Volunteer at this year’s Cathedral Christmas Fair

The much-loved annual Cathedral Christmas Fair returns on Saturday, 10 December 2022, and we’re looking for volunteers to help support this annual event. Lots more details to come but please start saving (Jewellery, Children's Books, Toys & Clothes, China & Glass, unopened toiletries, and other bottled items) and making Christmas Cakes and Logs, Jams & Pickles!

Read more →

Portsmouth Choral Union Concert – Book online

For the first concert of its new season, Portsmouth Choral Union will be joining forces with The Renaissance Choir to perform Rachmaninov’s sumptuous “Vespers”. The work comprises a glorious tapestry of wide-ranging vocal textures including soaring sopranos and subterranean basses, and rich harmonies supporting wonderful melodies based on Eastern European Orthodox traditions.

Standard tickets £15, children/students £2 – book online at https://pcuchoir.org/shop

Cathedral Christmas Cards – now available!

Our brand new Portsmouth Cathedral Christmas Card is now available to purchase from the Cathedral Shop. Designed by Esther, an independent artist supported by the Prince’s Trust, has illustrated a beautiful festive scene featuring our Cathedral Choir.

Available in-store today, and online from next week!

Help for Ukrainian Refugees

Our diocese is continuing to work as a partner with the charity Citizens UK to offer accommodation to refugees who are fleeing from the conflict in Ukraine. They were already running a project to sponsor refugees before the Ukrainian crisis, and have partners in Ukraine, Moldova and Poland who can identify refugees and organise transport to the UK.

If you would like to know more, visit the Diocese website or speak to Canon Nick Ralph.

Foodbank Donations

‘New to you’ The Roberts Centre is going to launch a ‘New to you’ project – which will include pots and pans, crockery, cutlery, household goods – not furniture (good enough that you would give them to someone you cared about). If we cut down the amount spent on essential bits and bobs that redirects outgoings to the basics like food and heating.

‘Layers’  - the Roberts is launching – children and young People - Layers. We have asked for coats for some years but since the advent of central heating we as a society have stopped wearing layers of clothing. We are potentially back to those days. Do you know people who might turn off their heating who might benefit from having more layers – given not charged for?

Toiletries – we are in need of Toiletries, can you help?


Please bring your donations to the Foodbank collection point in the Welcome Area during the Cathedral’s daily opening hours.

Worship & 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.

This weekend we welcome our visiting choir, Poscimur who are singing whilst our Cathedral Choirs are on Half Term leave. Weekday Choral Evensong returns on Monday 7 November.

Prayers and Intercessions

We remember the following for whom prayer has been asked by members of the Cathedral Community: Richard, Alan, Tom, Beverley, Alistair, John, Nina, Lucy, Jean, Pauline, Leo, Dave, Jill and all those in need.

Long-term sick including: Alison, Clifford, Amanda, Christopher, Jane, Suzy, Sarah, Izzy, Andrew, Peter, Graeme and Rachel.

We pray for those who have died recently:
Yashwant Gunga, Sue Davis, Maggie Kane and Nadjia Carpenter RIP

Upcoming Services & Events

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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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