NEWS...

Welcome

The People of the Cathedral Church of St Thomas of Canterbury and their clergy welcome you to Old Portsmouth.  This Church of England Cathedral, as well as being the mother church of the Diocese, is also your parish church.  In addition to the Sunday and mid-week services in the Cathedral there are a large number of other activities which may be of interest to you.

Meetings are held throughout the year to welcome newcomers into the parish.

The June Congregational Newsletter is now available, please click here  The latest pewsheet is available here.

This year's Annual Reports are available here 

This year's Annual Accounts are available here

Simplified Annual Accounts are available here

The minutes of the APCM held on 26th April are available here.

Finances for the important briefing on the finances please click here.

These documents  are published in Adobe® Acrobat® Reader format.  You can download the latest free version here 

News

The Revd Susan Judd, our assistant curate Non-Stipendiary Minister, will be ordained priest on Saturday 4th July and will preside at the Eucharist for the first time on Sunday 5th July at 0930. Thank you for your continuing prayers for her as we also give thanks for her ministry among us.

Farewells There will be an opportunity to say goodbye to both Geoffrey Thursfield and Tracey Harper on Sunday, 26th July at Evensong. Donations towards leaving gifts can be handed to members of staff, clearly marked ‘Geoffrey’ or ‘Tracey’.

Bishop Kenneth Planning is underway for the Farewell Service at the Cathedral on Saturday, 12th September at 3pm. Donations towards a leaving gift, being organised through the Diocese, can be left at the Cathedral Offices (any cheques made payable to Portsmouth Cathedral please) in an envelope marked ‘Bishop’.
 

Canon Nicholas Ash will be licensed as Team Rector of the Cartmel Peninsula Team Ministry on the evening of Thursday, 19th November. If you would be interested in the group travel and accommodation arrangements which are being investigated, please sign the sheet on the Welcome Desk or contact the Dean’s PA 9289 2963.

Nave Roof, Tower and Cupola Ellis and Co, specialists in construction work on cathedrals, churches and other historic buildings, have been appointed as the contractors for the work which will commence immediately after the Flower Festival. The builders will be on site from early July setting up a compound and a scaffolding tower (between the Nave and Cloister). Scaffolding should be limited to the tower and cupola. Chapter is very grateful to all the individuals and charitable trusts who have made this work possible.

Flower Festival The Cathedral will be closed to visitors on Monday, 20th—Wednesday, 22nd July in preparation for the Flower Festival and again on Monday, 27th. Services during the week will take place in the Quiet Room, which will also be available to those wishing to pray privately, with access from the Memorial Garden and there will be a Joint Eucharist at 0930 on Sunday, 26th July.

Pastoral Care Our local Hospital Chaplaincy Team is pioneering a pastoral care course for volunteers in the autumn and we would like to encourage members of our congregation to take part in this, leading to the start of a new pastoral care group for us. Those interested in knowing more are invited to contact Canon Michael.

Volunteers’ Evensong This year’s service to give thanks for the work of all our Volunteers will be held during Evensong on Sunday, 12th July. Will all Volunteers please accept this as a personal invitation to come to this service as we no longer have the administrative capacity to issue personal invitations.

Bishop Kenneth Donations towards a leaving gift, being organised through the Diocese, can be left at the Cathedral Offices (any cheques made payable to Portsmouth Cathedral) in an envelope clearly marked ‘Bishop’.

Offices to Let, Party and Conference Facilities.  Please click here for details of our facilities in Cathedral House, St. Thomas's Street.

We welcome Graham Brindley who has joined the Verging Department on a voluntary basis.

Fundraising Events:  The Bellringers and the Sisters of Bethany would like to thank all those who supported their recent very successful events:

Warblington Castle Open Garden raised £1077 towards the augmentation of the bells.

House of Bethany Garden Party raised £974.56 for the Rowans Hospice.

The Needlecraft Group and the Flower Guild warmly thank everyone who supported the recent Coffee Morning.  Through your generosity £329.45 was raised for the Cathedral Flower Guild which is self funding and this contribution makes a great difference.

EVENTS

Details of concerts are available here.

Friday, 10th July 6.30pm for 7pm IDWAL Fish and Chip Quiz Night Tickets £10 from the Cathedral Shop or Marion Syms on 01243 373409, proceeds for the  Cathedral Ghana link.   

Volunteers’ Evensong 1800 Sunday, 12th July.  Written invitations will not be sent this year, but we would be delighted to see as many of our volunteers as possible at this service and for drinks in the Nave afterwards.

PARISH GROUPS

Mothers and Toddlers

This group which is very important not only in enabling mutual support amongst parents (usually Mums) of young children but also in introducing them to our Cathedral life and worship, continues to be well supported with about 25 families on the books. They meet on Wednesdays in term time at 2pm in the Cathedral for an informal act of worship followed by play and a cup of tea.

Wednesday afternoons  2.00 - 2.15 starting in St Thomas's Chapel

and then 2.15 - 3.15 tea/coffee and play in Cathedral House.

Cathedral Sunday School

A Sunday School for 0-7s meets during the 9.30am service on the 2nd and 4th Sundays in the month (first Sundays being the informal 'all-age' service) in the North Cloister School Room.  The children are invited to come for a blessing during the Administration of Communion and then to stay for the remainder of the service.

Cathedral Youth Club

The Youth Club is not meeting at present but anyone who would like to be involved in the Youth Club (either as a member or a helper) is very welcome to contact the Cathedral Office on 023 9282 3300.

The Cathedral Club meets on the 1st and 3rd Thursdays in term time from 7.30pm-9.00pm.  Talks and/or slide-shows are given, on a wide variety of subjects, with speakers from round and about the Portsmouth area.  Annual membership, payable in September is £8 but visitors are always welcome at £2 per evening.

St Thomas's Parish Choir often has vacancies for child and adult members.  The choir sings weekly at the 9.30am service on Sundays and with the Cathedral Choir at special services during the year.  Rehearsals are held at the Cathedral on Fridays from 7.00pm to  8.00pm.   For further details or to arrange an informal audition, contact the Cathedral Sub-Organist, Marcus Wibberley,  by email or telephone 023 9289 2966.

Voluntary Guides and Welcomers

The Guides and Welcomers are the first point of contact for many people who visit our historic building.   They work closely together to give the visitor a friendly, helpful and memorable reception.  

Welcomers sit at the desk inside the south door.   Here they give an initial friendly welcome and direct visitors to the appropriate office, to the duty Guide, or into the church where they may light a candle, reflect quietly, or say a prayer.    Visitors who would like to learn more about the Cathedral are handed a leaflet which is available in English, French, Spanish, Italian, German and Japanese; it shows dates of the major events which influenced the building.  

A "4th Edition - 2004" of "The Guides' Guide" was funded by a generous donation from a charitable trust which covered the entire production costs. Published by the Portsmouth Cathedral Chapter, this edition has been completely revised by the Research Group who are continuing their important work by issuing in-depth papers on specific artefacts or developments within the Cathedral.

The 'Ministry of Welcome' is an important and vital part of the daily life of the Cathedral. All the volunteers are fully trained.   If you enjoy meeting people and would like to know more about becoming a volunteer Guide or Welcomer please contact the Cathedral Office.

Intercessions Group

The Monday Morning Intercessions Group meets in the Cathedral from 10.00am to 10.30am.  We welcome not only people who are called to a regular commitment but also those who want to come occasionally.

Bell Ringing

PORTSMOUTH CATHEDRAL BELLS

Eight bells were hung in the Cathedral in 1703, a gift from Admiral Sir George Rooke, then Member of Parliament for Portsmouth.

On 31 July 1749 a full peal of 5,040 changes of Grandsire Triples was rung and is recorded on a peal board in the ringing room.

John Taylor & Co. of Loughborough attended to the bells and re-hung them with new clappers in 1912. The old clappers are now contained in an oak frame made from timber from the old bell frame and are on display in the ringing room.

In 1957 two more bells were cast and hung by John Taylor - bringing the ring up to ten bells whose lovely sound we hear today.

The TENOR bell weighs 25 cwt 2 qtrs (1,295 kgs). The inscription on it says:

'We good people all to prayer do call. We honour to King and brides joy do bring. Good Tydings we tell and ring the Death's knell. Recast by the Parishoners.'

PEALS (5,000 or more changes) are rung on special occasions - such as Maundy Thursday 1998 when the Queen distributed the Royal Maundy in this Cathedral.

The Cathedral Ringers also ring for Sunday services, weddings, blessings, and the New Year, and quarter peals in memoriam and in celebration. There have been several successful peal attempts - a sequence of over 5,000 changes without a repeat of a change, which takes approximately 3 hours to complete without a break!

The practices on Thursday evenings and Sunday service ringing are organised by the Tower Captain/Ringing Master. Ringers and visitors are welcome to the Tower by prior arrangement. For further information please contact Sadie Harrison on 023 9221 9377.

Portsmouth Cathedral Handbell Group

A small group of seven meets every Thursday evening in the Cathedral. It as played at Cathedral Coffee Mornings and at a founder member's funeral - a great accolade. If you are interested in joining this group contact Cathedral Office 023 9282 3300.

Flower Arranging

The Cathedral Flower Guild needs more recruits: Could this be you?   Arranging flowers is part of our offering of service and worship.   It is also a very relaxing and enjoyable way to spend a morning.   Most of us are complete amateurs and with help from our team we have managed to produce some pretty good work (or so we have been told!). If you can only arrange at Easter, Harvest and Christmas - welcome. If you can be a member of one of the three teams who arrange flowers every six weeks or so - even better.

We are grateful to Audrey Whitehead and the Needlecraft Group for organising a coffee morning each year with all proceeds going to the Flower Guild.   We are self-funded and rely on events and donations so the group's contribution is most welcome.  

The Easter Lily book and donations in memory of loved ones enables us to fill the Cathedral with lilies and visitors come specially to see (and smell) them.   If you would like to remember an anniversary during the year, a floral arrangement can be made specially - contact the Cathedral Office.

During the Summer we hope to use flowers from around the world - look out for some pretty unusual flowers!  

Further information from Cathedral Office tel: 023 9289 2968

or email: rosemary.fairfax@portsmouthcathedral.org.uk

Cathedral Needlecraft Group

The Needlecraft group meets once a month, usually the first Thursday, in Cathedral House from 2.30pm to 4.00pm. 

The aim of these meetings is to extend the hand of friendship, welcoming new people to the group and exchanging ideas amongst those who enjoy sewing, embroidery, knitting and crochet.  For those who are unable to attend our meetings, we pass on and collect work. 

During 2008, through Coffee Mornings and their stall at the Christmas Fair, the Needlecraft Group raised £2,241.51

Without the generous gifts of material, wools, etc. from the congregation and kind friends, we would be unable to continue our work.  Surprise bags are always being left for us - many thanks.  Our prayers are for your continued support to make these events successful.

1st PORTSMOUTH CUBS

The Cubs meet on Wednesdays evenings in Cathedral House.

Brownies

The Brownies meet on Monday evenings in Cathedral House.

For more information contact Joanne Lear, through Cathedral Office 023 9282 3300.

12th Portsmouth Cathedral Guides

The Guides meet on Monday evenings in Cathedral House.

If anyone is interested in joining the Guides they can contact Judith Burr, Guide Guider, through Cathedral Office 023 9282 3300.

Think about the things that are true and honourable and right and
pure and beautiful and respected…And the God who gives peace will be with you.
PHILIPPIANS 4:8-9