A reflection from Canon Jo

Now thank we all our God… who from our mother’s arms has blessed us on our way…

For Mary, mother of the Lord, God’s holy name be blessed…

For the joy of human love: brother, sister, parent, child…

There are many things to give thanks to God for on this Mothering Sunday – and because it’s midway through Lent, it’s also possible to have a little pause to enjoy a drink or some chocolate if we wish! - to refresh ourselves before journeying on through the rest of Lent and into Holy Week.

I have been particularly aware, with trying to give up plastic for Lent, of another dimension of mothering this year:

Dear mother Earth, who day by day unfoldest blessings on our way…

It has been easier than I had anticipated to go without plastic so far. I don’t want to risk virtue-signalling, but with a really good milkman Terry bringing milk, juice and yoghurt, plus some local bakeries and greengrocers, and using more tins and jars in a pleasingly oldfashioned way, it’s going alright! My sin-bin admittedly has the plastic outer wrappers that facemasks come in, because I have tried to keep safe in the run up to the Bishop’s enthronement and since. And it was a blow when Salix, the local refill shop opposite the Cathedral closed at the start of Lent. But I can recommend the Plastic-free Larder on Elm Grove and Wild Thyme on Palmerstone Road for a range of basic food and toiletries. I recognise, though, that some alternatives are not cheap, especially in these days of increased household bills. To try to go more plastic-free may be beyond the budget of many just now, but as the interest and demand goes up for refills and non-plastic packaging, so some prices should in time become less costly.

Mothering Sunday can be a difficult time for a number of reasons, but at least it is possible for many of us to see family and relatives more freely this year. So our hearts go out to the people of Ukraine, with some families so desperately besieged, and other mothers and children fleeing homes, saying harrowing goodbyes to husbands, fathers, brothers left bravely to resist the Russian invasion.

So as we pray this weekend, we ask God to bless our world, and to mother and nurture all people into a better future. In the words of a paraphrase of the Lord’s Prayer by Jim Cotter:

Eternal Spirit, Life-Giver, Pain-Bearer, Love-Maker,
Source of all that is and that shall be,
Father, Mother of us all,
Loving God, in whom is heaven:
The hallowing of your Name echo through the universe!
The Way of your Justice be followed by the peoples of the world!
Your Heavenly Will be done by all created beings!
Your Commonwealth of Peace and Freedom sustain our hope and come on earth!
With the bread we need for today, feed us.
In the hurts we absorb from one another, forgive us.
In times of temptation and test, strengthen us.
From trials too great to endure, spare us.
From the grip that is evil, free us.
For you reign in the glory of the power that is Love, now and forever.
Amen

Community News

TONIGHT: Handel’s Messiah

There are just a handful of tickets available for this spectacular concert, returning to the Cathedral for the first time in almost two years.

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 →

Announcing a new curate

We are pleased to share a statement from the Bishop of Portsmouth:

‘Following Ven. Peter Leonard’s resignation as Team Rector of Newport, Carisbrooke and Gatcombe it has been agreed that Rev Hannah Barraclough, Assistant Curate, will move to continue her training in our Cathedral Church of St Thomas.

Hannah’s final day in the Benefice of Newport Minster, St John, and Carisbrooke and Gatcombe will be Sunday 3rd April. Please do keep Hannah in your prayers.’

We look forward to welcoming Hannah to the Cathedral soon to joining our current Cathedral Curate, Catherine Edenborough.

Tickets now sale for Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra this May

On Saturday 21 May, BSO Voice: Requiem 2020 will be performed at Portsmouth Cathedral. This new Requiem is reflection on a year of great upheaval, events that resounded around the world.

Written for chorus and four soloists plus orchestra, it is a thrilling work based around the traditional religious liturgy but with added lyrics sourced from quotations by Martin Luther King Jnr, JK Rowling, Khalil Gibran and Joaquin Phoenix, as well as the last words by George Floyd – “I can’t breathe!”

Tickets are limited so book early – find out more and book online →

Ukraine Appeal

A big thank you to everyone who donated to the Ukraine appeal last week. The collection has been taken to Portsmouth Helps Ukraine.

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 for donations of 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: 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. 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. The deadline for donating an Easter Lily is Sunday 10 April

Donate an Easter Lily online →

Lent Group: Art Tuesdays continues this week

Art Tuesdays series continues this Tuesday 29 March at 7:30pm via Zoom. This week, the Dean will be exploring the work of a critically acclaimed contemporary artist, in a talk entitledThe art of Chris Gollon: exaggeration, ‘earthly realism’ and the divine.

Subscribe to our Cathedral Notices email to get the link

Thanks from Dean Anthony

"I’m grateful to those who came to speak to me at my first ‘Meet the Dean’ sessions last Sunday. The subjects ranged from volunteer recruitment and policies, to service times and the diversity of our worship, to the complexity of Cathedral life and the need to balance a whole variety of factors in making decisions. I found it really helpful to listen to what was raised, and look forward to the next ‘Meet the Dean’ occasion, which is on Thursday 16 June at 10:30am. Notice of that will be given nearer the time, and of course there is no need to wait until then if there is anything you would like to talk to me about."

Dean Anthony

Finance Committee Update

The Finance and Investment Committee met on Tuesday, the primary purpose of the meeting was the review the 2021 accounts with the Cathedral’s auditors, Haysmacintyre, prior to their presentation to Chapter on 6 April. The 2021 accounts will be presented to the APCM on 24 May 2022.

The Committee was also given an update on 2022 management accounts to the end of February 2022, and discussed the revision of its terms of reference to include audit and risk as well as making progress on the planned retendering of the audit contract. This contract was last tendered in 2016 and in line with best practice the market should be tested to ensure the Cathedral is receiving value for money.

Friends' Coffee Morning - 5 April

The Friends of Portsmouth Cathedral are hosting a coffee morning in Becket Hall on Tuesday 5 April. All are welcome to come and enjoy tea and coffee between 11:00am and 12:30pm. This event will be raising funds for the DEC Ukraine appeal.

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.

Taizé

All are warmly invited to join us to experience our reflective service of Taizé songs and chants and prayer in St Thomas' Chapel, tomorrow (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.

Good Friday children’s worship and Easter Garden

Calling all budding gardeners! At our children’s worship (also suitable for adults!) at 10 am on Good Friday, 15 April, we will be making an Easter Garden, which will be displayed in the Cathedral from our Easter Vigil service onwards.

Making the garden together will be a wonderful way of learning about the significance of these holy days. All are welcome – why not invite friends who are new to church or haven’t been for a while.

Prayers and intercessions

We remember the following for whom prayer has been asked by members of the Cathedral Community: Beverley, Richard, Jane, Alan, 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: John Charlesworth, Evelyn Small, Colin Garner, Mona Elliot, Stan Hoare, Fred Middleton, Gordon Jones, and Audrey Kaminski 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.