Weekly Notices | 12 October 202

A Reflection by David Price

Much of this choir term thus far has been about beginnings and endings. We encouraged visiting choral scholars from last year on their way to embark upon university as we welcomed numerous young boy and girl choristers as they started choir as new joiners or last year’s new recruits stepped up their commitment to the busy choir schedule.
 
We also formally installed new Choral Scholars Jeremy, Alex, Henry, Sam and organ scholar Michael alongside Annika and Eliot as Lay Clerks. They have all made a key contribution to the choir as we all find our voices for this new choir year.
 
Amongst new beginnings we also have endings. A particularly sad one will be marked this Saturday when we hold a memorial service for former Lay Clerk John Austin who sang here from 2001-2010. We were pleased to share many special moments and memories with John from ordinary weekday evensongs through to special tours to The Alps which included meals of roast boar and fine wine.
 
We will soon be upon the season of Remembrance in our liturgical calendar and so please do join us for A Service of Remembering on Sunday 2 November at 5:45pm for all those who grieve still the loss of a loved one. The Cathedral Choir will sing the beautiful Fauré Requiem. And then a week later we shall hold our regular services for Remembrance Sunday at 10:50am and at 5:45pm with the Duruflé Requiem.

Join us if you can.
 
David Price
Organist and Master of the Choristers

Dates for your diary…

Community News 

Appointment of Sarah Mullally as the new Archbishop of Canterbury

Portsmouth Cathedral warmly welcomes the appointment of Sarah Mullally as the new Archbishop of Canterbury. We offer our prayers and support as she begins this vital ministry of leadership, service, and witness within the Church of England, the Anglican Communion and our wider society and nation.  Sarah has always broken new ground, being the youngest ever chief nursing officer for England, and it is a mark of how far the Church of England has travelled in recent decades that she will now be the first woman Archbishop of Canterbury. 


The Church of England, as the established church, plays an important role in our society, bringing the perspective of faith and worship to every aspect of our life, as well as in the provision of education, help for the deprived and furthering social justice.  Sarah brings an impressive range of skills and experience to leading all this, including experience of cathedral ministry at Salisbury, in what is undoubtedly a daunting role, and she will know that nothing can be accomplished without the grace and guidance of God.  Here in Portsmouth, we dare to hope that Archbishop Sarah will be able to visit our diocese and cathedral during our 2027 centenary year, if not before, and we assure her of our daily prayers.  

Anthony Cane,
Dean of Portsmouth

All Creatures Great & Small: Pet Blessing Service

Join us on Sunday 19 October at 3:00pm for our annual Pet Blessing Service. Bring your pet (or a picture of your pet) to be blessed by the cathedral clergy in a short service of animal themed hymns and readings. The service will be followed by tea, cakes, and treats! All are welcome.
 
Please keep dogs on a lead and cats and small animals in their carry boxes!


Solent Symphony Orchestra

The Solent Symphony Orchestra are delighted to be performing at St Luke's Church for the first time on Saturday October 11. The Orchestra has been performing in Portsmouth for over 30 years and is made up of local freelance players, instrumental teachers and Marine musicians.
 
The evening will feature exciting music by Shostakovich in this, the 50th anniversary year of his death. The Festive Overture is a loud, vibrant musical celebration which was used as the official anthem for the 1980 Moscow Olympics. The Gadfly Suite is music composed for the film 'The Gadfly’ and will be most familiar to Western audiences as a movement was later used as the theme tune to Reilly: Ace of Spies. The final movement was also heard on the video games 'Sleeping Dogs' and 'LittleBigPlanet2’.
 
Our soloist for the evening is the outstanding young violinist Alexandra Peel who will play Bruch's well known Scottish Fantasy, a piece based on Scottish folksongs & often played on Classic FM.
 
We hope to see you at St Luke's on Saturday October 11 7:30pm – 9:30pm to share an evening of wonderful music.


NEW Cathedral Choir Christmas album

We're pleased to announce that the Cathedral Choir's new Christmas album is released this week by Signum Classics. It will be available from Friday 17 October to download from all major streaming services such as Spotify and Apple Music as well as in CD form. Copies will be in the shop soon!
 
You can find all streaming services and ways to purchase here.
 


Congratulations to our Bellringers!


In the world of bellringing, striking competitions (where teams of bellringers compete to ring the most accurately struck piece of ringing) are the most competitive and exciting thing we undertake, and of those, it is striking competitions on 12 bells that are the pinnacle of skills and technical challenge.
 
Last Saturday saw the first South East 12-Bell Striking Competition. With a National Competition starting in 1975, regional competitions are a more recent phenomenon. A London 12-Bell was started in 2009, and then followed by the North-West in 2017, and the South-West in 2018.
 
You can read the full story here.
 


Gathering of Former Boy Choristers

It was great to welcome back 12 former choristers to sing Evensong alongside the Cathedral Choir last Saturday. We then held dinner for 28 of us including the home team at The Still and West. Two former Head Choristers Ben (2017) and Guy (2008) spoke movingly of their memories of their time as choristers here in Portsmouth and how this had helped shape their lives. Ben closing words are reproduced here.....
 
'Being a chorister has had an unquantifiable effect on my life and as I reflect on all that I've done, to me it all started with choir. What I did before choir I don’t even know but that experience of being a chorister kickstarted a long list of events that have led to where I am today. I’m sure as I move forward with my life, I will continue to be shaped by those experiences which now seem so long ago and for that I will be always grateful.'
 
David Price


Portsmouth Cathedral Christmas Fair – Saturday 6 December


Preparations are well underway for our much-loved Christmas Fair, and you are warmly invited to get involved!
 
If you can whip up a jar of homemade jam, chutney, or a delicious cake, your gifts from the kitchen will be gratefully received and will help the volunteers running the Cake or Jam & Preserve stalls make this year’s fair, the best yet! We’re collecting for both the Bottle Tombola and the Chocolate Tombola – so whether it’s a bottle of something lovely or a sweet treat, please consider donating.
 
You can read the full story here.


#PompeySundays at Hotwalls Beach

Pompey Sundays will be meeting to worship at Hotwalls Beach this week at the usual time of 9:30am - 10:00am. The weather forecast looks good so do join us for some beach and sea themed worship. Look out for the Portsmouth Cathedral flag on the beach and meet us there!


Friends Evening Talk with Jeremy Prescott


We are honoured to welcome Jeremy Prescott (Lieutenant Colonel retired), who will give a thought-provoking talk on Remembrance, titled'The Miracle Flower from Flanders to the Tower'. 

Jeremy is widely recognised for his powerful and engaging presentations. Reduced price tickets are available for members of the Friends. All tickets purchased include(s) a complimentary glass of wine. Get your tickets now and experience an engaging talk alongside the Friends.  Members of the Friends can puchase tickets at a reduced rate. 
 
The promotional code for members and membership information is available throughfriends@portsmouthcathedral.org.uk

Tickets available for purchase here →


Fairtrade at the Cathedral


On 28 October a Fairtrade Wine and Cheese tasting Evening will be happening in Becket Hall. 

Tickets for Wine tasting evening can be found here.


Shop update


Please note that the Cathedral Shop will be closed on Saturdaydue to volunteer availability and a service taking place in the Cathedral. We apologise for any inconvenience and thank you for your understanding. The shop will reopen as usual on Sunday.


Cathedral Choir at St James Church Milton

 
The Cathedral Choir is singing Evensong at St James Church, Milton this Sunday at 6:00pm as part of our year-round mission to take cathedral music to parishes in our diocese. Members of the cathedral congregation and community are of course most welcome to join us at Milton.

Worship & Visiting

Every day, Portsmouth Cathedral is open for worship, prayer, and visiting. Unless otherwise specified, services do not require booking. Our website contains orders of service, as well as information about visiting the Cathedral.

Prayers & Intercessions

We continue to pray for: our Archbishop-designate, Sarah Mullally

We remember those for whom prayer has been asked by members of the Cathedral Community: Richard, Abbie, Matthew, Hazel, Gina, Mark, Paul, Wynne, Saphie, Michael, Pauline, Susan, Karen, Jennifer, baby Lottie and baby Lily.  
 

We continue to pray for the long-term sick, including: Carole, Davina, Ralph, Trudie, Marion, Stuart, Jill, Suzy, Graeme, Alistair, Chris, Philip, Mathai, Peter, George.
 

We remember those who have died recently, including:Anthea Hill (Cathedral Memorial Service 2:30pm on Monday 13 October), Sarah Chapman, William Blake and Julia Blake (William's mother) RIP.

 Upcoming Services & Events

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See regular services

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 info@portsmouthcathedral.org.uk or leave a message via phone on 023 9282 3300.

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