Welcome from the Canon Precentor

The parable of the labourers in the vineyard (which is this Sunday’s Gospel reading) is an important reminder of God’s generous love. We are none of us rewarded according to our deserts – or else what hope would there be for us? None of us are deserving, or can ever earn, God’s infinite mercy and grace.

But I am also reminded of the passage in John’s Gospel, where Jesus says: “I sent you to reap that for which you did not labour. Others have laboured and you have entered into their labour.” (John 4.38)

Here at Portsmouth Cathedral we are very aware of how much we owe to previous generations. All that we do now, all that has been possible during and since lockdown, as well as all that we hope to do, is based on the generosity and commitment of those who have gone before us in this place. We have entered into their labour; we are reaping where others sowed.

For instance our musical tradition and current reputation for music owes much to generous legacies and past gifts as well as present support. The tradition of Choral Evensong broadcast by the BBC from here goes back to January 1968 and the first broadcast Portsmouth Cathedral of Evensong live on Radio 3. And choral worship remains something that we can offer so soon after our choirs have come back because of the months and years of training and practice that our choristers and choir members put in.

We are committed to leaving for the future, and for others to enjoy, a cathedral that inspires many to seek and to find God – through its beauty, music, welcome, stillness, outreach and congregational life: all anchored in Jesus Christ, as our new Vision says.

So with Harvest approaching, we give thanks for those who sowed where we now reap. We recognise our responsibility for the small seeds that we, in our turn, have been given to plant and nurture here. And I take to heart the words of R. H. Turner, the organist here in 1911 – of St Thomas’ Church as it was then – who (as our Archivist Jo Godfree has found) wrote in the Parish Magazine:

‘We may worship God in private, or we may worship him in public... We must give of our best, whatever that best may individually be. Surely we are not going to offer the Almighty, the Giver of all good, an act of praise that costs us absolutely nothing?’ So when we are worshipping in public ‘it is fitting that the best that musical art can offer … should be brought to the Throne of Grace’

The Reverend Canon Dr Jo Spreadbury
Canon Precentor

Portsmouth Cathedral Vision

On Sunday 13 September we launched Portsmouth Cathedral’s new vision that will carry us forward to 2027 and our centenary as a Cathedral. 

“Portsmouth Cathedral: A beacon and safe haven, anchored in Jesus Christ” sets out an ambitious plan to build on our current strengths whilst increasing our engagement and impact both within our parish and with our partner here in the City and Diocese of Portsmouth. Find out more here. Dean Anthony noted that it will be important for all to become involved as we do the practical things necessary to make the Vision a reality.

Visiting the Cathedral

Portsmouth Cathedral is open every day and all are welcome.

On Wednesday 23 September the Cathedral will be closing at 12.30 pm immediately after the Midday Holy Communion. This is for the BBC Radio 3 live broadcast of Choral Evensong.

We will be holding a Memorial Service in thanksgiving for the life of Mary Dunning on Thursday 24th September at 3.00 pm. Attendance by invitation only, due to safe distancing restrictions. Mary’s family in Switzerland, France and New Zealand would like to thank all her Portsmouth friends and the Cathedral for the sympathy and support she has been given over the years.

Services and Worship

We hold services at Portsmouth Cathedral every day. Find out more about our services here.

Online Services

Many services from the Cathedral are broadcast on Facebook. We also broadcast Morning Prayer and Compline daily from the homes of our ministry team. Find about more about our online services here.

Orders of service can be found on the Resources Section of our website here.

Prayers and Intercessions

We pray for all those affected by COVID-19.

We give thanks for the improvement in health of Christopher and George.

We remember the following for whom prayer has been asked by members of the Cathedral Community: Clare, Sally, David, Bob, Derek, Nigel, Trevor, Izzy, Jenny, Des, (baby) Jonah, Clare, Bishop Peter Hancock, Florence, Alan, Laurence, Joey, Sylvia and all those in need.

All those who have died: Jim Flamank, Canon Brian Cook and Joyce Humphreys RIP.

To add someone to the prayer list, please email info@portsmouthcathedral.org.uk

In the notices this week:

Upcoming Services and Events

• Archdeaconry Consultations

• BBC Radio 3 Choral Evensong

• Toddlers Worship

• Lunchtime Live

• Harvest 2020

• Annual Seafarers’ Service

• Christmas Market 2020

Community News

• Dean Anthony cycles the Isle of Wight for Ride and Stride

• Annual Parochial Church Meeting and Elections

• Farewell to Eve Davenport

• Fabric Advisory Committee News

• Finance and Investment Committee News

• Safeguarding News

• Thank you for supporting Portsmouth Cathedral

Upcoming Services and Events

Archdeaconry Consultations – Saturday 19 September

Share your views at the Portsdown Archdeaconry Consultation on Saturday 19 September from 2-3.30pm on Zoom. The consultations will include a presentation on the Diocesan vision and strategy and there will be time for questions. Email Lauren McDermott: lauren.mcdermott@portsmouth.anglican.org for details of how to join.

BBC Radio 3 Choral Evensong - Wednesday 23 September

Tune in to BBC Radio 3 at 3.30 pm on Wednesday 23 September to hear our choirs giving the first live broadcast from a Cathedral Choir since lockdown.

Please note that you will not be able to attend this service in person.

Toddlers restarts for the Autumn Term – Wednesday 23 September

Our popular Cathedral Toddler Groups is starting up again on Wednesday 23 September at 2.00 pm. This term we are moving to a new format and using Zoom so that we can interact with each other. Our theme for the first meeting will be Harvest, and as always, everyone is welcome. A link to the meeting will be sent out with the email version of these notices. Do encourage family and friends to join in. Please speak to Canon Kathryn if you have any queries.

Lunchtime Live - Thursday 24 September

We are delighted to welcome Angelina Kopyrina, pianist from the University of Chichester as part of our autumn recitals for Lunchtime Live. All are welcome to join in the Cathedral Nave at 1.10 pm.

Admission is free with retiring collection. Please note that we are unable to offer refreshments until further notice.

Harvest Festival - Sunday 27 September

Our Harvest Festival will be celebrated on Sunday 27 September. Please join us to mark this special feast day.

This Harvest-tide we are proud to be participating in With Thankful Hearts, a city-wide project encouraging everyone to donate food for those in need. Donations will be collected by churches and charitable organisations across the city and distributed to those most in need by local foodbanks and charitable organisations including the HIVE.

To donate at Portsmouth Cathedral, please bring donations of food (tinned, dried or packets only) to the Cathedral on Sunday 27 September. We can also accept donations during the following week until 3 October.

Our popular Michaelmas Carol Service will be held on the evening of Sunday 27 September in place of Choral Evensong. Pre-book your place here.

Seafarers’ Service

Our annual Seafarers’ Service takes place on Sunday 4 October at 11.00 am, celebrating all those who travel and work on the sea.

This year, due to Covid restrictions the service will be broadcast on our Facebook page and only those who have been invited will be able to attend in person.

Christmas Market - Saturday 5 December

We have now launched applications for local independent traders, artists, craftspeople and businesses to buy a table at our Christmas Market on Saturday 5 December. If you know someone who might be interested, please do share our Traders Information, available here.

Community News

Dean Anthony cycles round the Isle of Wight for Ride and Stride

The annual Ride and Stride took place on Saturday 12 September, raising money for the Hampshire and the Islands Historic Churches Trust (HIHCT).

Dean Anthony took part, tackling the hills of the Isle of Wight. He writes:

“I am extremely grateful to all who sponsored me for this year’s Ride and Stride. The warnings I received about the hilliness of the Isle of Wight were absolutely correct, and as my usual cycle routes around Portsmouth are flat, I did find it tough going at times. Nonetheless the hospitality of the churches, the beauty of the Island, the excellence of the cause, and the goodwill of my sponsors all served to keep me going. I am pleased to report that I raised £657.50, half of which will come to the Cathedral.  Thank you again.” 

Annual Parochial Church Meetings and Elections

This Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM) and elections of officers was held on Sunday 13 September via Zoom. Thank you to everyone who joined and participated.

Elections

Our two church wardens, Canons Sue Ward and Sheila Picton, were both returned unopposed. Sheila Picton continues now into her second year of a three year term as a lay member of Chapter.

Marian Pottinger, Kitty Price and Chris Nichol were elected unopposed as Deanery Synod reps. June Purvis and Marion Syms, who were Deanery Synod representatives retired after the completion of their three year term.

The Electoral Roll Officer, Terry Ward, reported that the electoral roll had increased from 261 in 2019 to 270.

The Dean warmly thanked those who have retired as well as those either newly elected or remaining in office for their important contribution to the life of our community and of the wider Diocese.

Annual Accounts and Financial Update

The Chief Operating Officer, Richard Abraham, provided an update on Cathedral finances and the difficult decisions that have been taken by Chapter in light of Covid-19. With one of the Strategic Objectives of the new Vision being ‘Finances and Sustainability’, now more than ever it is crucial to ensure that we have the finances in place to enable the new Vision to be realised.

Farewell to Eve Davenport

Eve Davenport, our Pop Up Cathedral Assistant, will be leaving Portsmouth Cathedral next month to take up a new job in Cornwall. In recent months, Eve has been working very hard to continue to build strong links with schools throughout lockdown. Thanks to her we already have a number of Pop Up Cathedral bookings confirmed for schools before Christmas. I am personally very grateful for all she has brought to the Education Department, and I know that we will miss her greatly.

Eve says: “My time in the education department of the cathedral has been short but very sweet! I thoroughly enjoyed delivering the educational programmes with Sarah and being able to take the Pop - Up cathedral out for its debut back in March; it was very exciting. I am really sad to be leaving as the cathedral is a very special place to worship and to work. I wish I had longer with you all and to see the education department grow, but pastures new are calling”.

Eve’s last day with us will be 5 October. Please hold her and her family in your prayers as they prepare for their move and their new life in the West Country. 

Canon Kathryn

Fabric Advisory Committee News

The Fabric Advisory Committee met on 15 September via Zoom and were given a virtual tour of the Cathedral thanks to a video taken by Maria Mann, the Assistant Verger and Administrative Assistant.

The Committee approved new Cathedral signage for the South-West corner of Cathedral Green (a gift from the Friends).

The Committee also approved plans to go to public consultation on a number of projects one of which may go ahead if it is funded under the Government’s Cultural Recovery Capital Works Fund. The outcome of this funding bid will be known by mid-October.

The Committee also reconfirmed it agreed to proceed with public consultation for work to the South Transept window which would be 100% funded by Historic England.  The outcome of this bid will be known by the end of September.

The Committee thanked the staff for the good care of the building throughout lock down and as it re-opened.

Finance and Investment Committee News

The Finance and Investment Committee met on 8 September 2020. The Committee noted progress made to contain expenditure and welcomed the support of Covid-related one off grants from a number of organisations including the City of Portsmouth, the Edington Festival Award, the Church Commissioners and donations from members of the congregation. The Committee also noted though that the underlying operating deficit is still an issue both this year and in future years and it must remain the priority to bring the Cathedral back to a balanced budget in the near future.

Safeguarding News

The Cathedral Safeguarding Meeting took place on 10 September 2020. The Committee reviewed progress on the development of a memorandum of understanding with the Diocese, including an information sharing agreement, agreed ways to enhance our safeguarding procedures and identified next steps for the SCIE audit now due to take place next June. The focus of the next meeting will be SCIE audit preparations.

Thank you for supporting Portsmouth Cathedral

A huge thank you to everyone who has responded generously to our requests to consider your support of Portsmouth Cathedral. Since March over twenty people have committed to making their regular donations or increasing their regular support. Many have also made one off donations to help us through this difficult time.

Thank you for your generosity and your trust.

If you would like to find out more about supporting Portsmouth Cathedral, speak with our Head of Fundraising Sophie Henstridge-Brown on Sophie.Henstridge-Brown@portsmouthcathedral.org.uk or look at our website.

Getting in touch

We know that this is a lonely and anxious time for many people. Please feel free to get in touch if we can help in any way, or if you just want to hear another voice!                                                                                                                     

The Dean: 023 9282 4400 or Anthony.Cane@portsmouthcathedral.org.uk

Canon Jo Spreadbury 023 9275 2335 or Jo.Spreadbury@portsmouthcathedral.org.uk

Canon Kathryn Percival: 023 9289 2967 or Kathryn.Percival@portsmouthcathedral.org.uk

Cathedral Curate, Catherine Edenborough: 023 9282 3300 extn 221 or Catherine.Edenborough@portsmouthcathedral.org.uk (Usual days at the Cathedral: Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday)

Messages can also be left on the Cathedral phone system 023 9282 3300 or by email to info@portsmouthcathedral.org.uk or pastoral@portsmouthcathedral.org.uk.