Weekly Notices | 6 July 2025
A reflection from Dean Anthony
Like many clergy, when I am asked (usually on Monday morning) ‘did you have a good weekend?’ a wry smile is usually part of my answer. Well, earlier this week I was asked that very question, and after an extraordinarily hectic and rather wonderful weekend my smile was particularly wry!
On Saturday the cathedral was the focus of the diocese we serve because of two ordinations; ten new deacons in the morning, eighteen new priests in the afternoon. We printed well over a thousand orders of service. And then on the Sunday we were the focus of the civic and maritime life of our City and region through the annual Seafarers Service, which included a procession down to the Solent. On both days, but perhaps most of all in the ordinations, there were moments when I felt a sense of such spiritual power that it almost seemed like the roof of the cathedral might lift off. This happened especially during the singing of some of the hymns, when the combination of our choir, musicians and congregation seemed to tap into a particular spirit of joy, thanksgiving and celebration.
As the choir year draws to a close, and we say farewell to our oldest choristers, and to this year’s choral and organ scholars, it is a good time to give thanks for our wonderful choirs – and reflect on just what it is that they bring to our worshipping life. St Augustine of Hippo famously wrote, ‘The one who sings, prays twice.’ He was a prolific author who wrote millions of words - but knew that sometimes music is best, for saying what cannot be said by words alone. He was deeply moved by music in church, by the singing of hymns and psalms which stir the heart to love God. He was also moved by non-church music, and found a memorable image of Christian prayer and praise in the singing and chanting of labourers in the fields, described in the following quotation:
‘Singing to God properly is singing “with jubilation”. Now what is this singing with jubilation? Think of people singing as they go about some hot and exhausting job - at harvest-time, say, or in the vineyard. They start celebrating in their happiness with the words of familiar songs. But they end up turning away from words and syllables, as if they were filled with so much happiness that they couldn’t put it into words. And off they go into the noise of “jubilation”. This kind of singing is a sound which means that the heart is giving birth to something it cannot speak of. And who better to receive such jubilation than the ineffable God - ineffable, because you cannot talk about Him. And if you cannot talk about Him, and it is improper just to keep silence, why, what is there left for you to do but ‘jubilate’ - with your heart rejoicing without words, and the immense breadth of your joy not rationed out in syllables? So when do we “jubilate”? When we praise what we cannot speak of.’
‘Jubilation’ – yes, that is a good word for what I and hundreds of others felt in those acts of worship. Did I have a good weekend? I certainly did, and so did the cathedral, but some quieter times over the summer will certainly be welcome!
With my prayers and good wishes,
Dates for your diary…
Patronal Festival Holy Communion – Sunday, 6 July at 8:00am
Patronal Festival Eucharist – Sunday, 6 July at 11:00am
Patronal Festival Evensong – Sunday, 6 July at 5:45pm
Hampshire Calligraphers' Exhibition - Water, The Gift of Life – Tuesday, 8 July at 12:00pm
#PompeyTots in Becket Hall – Wednesday, 9 July at 2:00pm
Eucharist with Mary Rose Commemoration – Sunday, 13 July at 11:00am
Community News
Ordinations 2025 at Portsmouth Cathedral
Last weekend, Bishop Jonathan ordained 28 people across two special services at the cathedral. In the morning, 10 new deacons were ordained, with the bishop laying hands on each candidate and washing their feet as a sign of their call to serve. Among those present was the Revd Alan Ball, aged 99, believed to be the oldest priest in the diocese, who witnessed the ordination of his daughter-in-law Mary Ball exactly 50 years after his own. The family of our former bishop, Kenneth Stevenson, were also there to support the ordination of his daughter, Kitty Price.
In the afternoon, 18 new priests were ordained, the bishop, joined by priests from across the diocese, laid hands on each candidate and anointed them with oil, marking their baptismal promises and ministry. We were delighted to welcome so many family members, friends and congregation members who filled the cathedral in support. You can find full details of those ordained and where they will serve at here.
New COO appointment - Zoë Colbeck
The Cathedral has appointed Zoë Colbeck as Chief Operating Officer. She begun work on Monday 30 June. Zoë joins the Cathedral with a wealth of expertise and experience, most recently from the Strawberry Hill House Trust as Executive Director. The Dean says, "I am delighted to welcome Zoë as our new Chief Operating Officer. She comes to us from the heritage sector with an impressive range of skills and experience well fitted to the next phase in our life and work as we move towards our centenary in 2027."
Zoë writes “I’m delighted to be joining Portsmouth Cathedral and to contribute to its life and mission. Having lived in Portsmouth for many years, I know what a vibrant and diverse city this is, one that is often undersold. I’m looking forward to helping the Cathedral play an even more active role in the community, serving as a beacon in people’s lives and ensuring it has a sustainable future at the heart of the city. With over 20 years of experience working with heritage buildings, I’m excited to bring that knowledge to support and strengthen this remarkable place.”
Cathedral Choir Valedictions
The Cathedral Choir's year has now come to a close and has been a remarkable one in so many ways - two tours, a BBC Music Magazine CD and article, numerous special services and events and a BBC Radio 3 live Choral Evensong on Wednesday this week.
None of this would have been possible without our excellent teams of singers, chaperones, choir parents and music staff. And none more so than our vintage set of Scholars, Jimmy, Noah, Theo, Joel and Organ Scholar, Kim who have been a brilliant and talented set of young men with whom to work and who appear for their last Sunday with us in Cathedral Consort. We have also been blessed this year with a vintage set of boy and girl senior teams - we say thank you and adieu to Daniel, Niki, Anna, Dawn, as well as Max, Owen, Pippa and Libby. It has been an honour to watch them grow and develop in their music-making and we thank them for their commitment and loyalty to this place over a combined 47 years between the 8 of them!
But life moves on, and as I write this we are about to welcome next year's set of Scholars for an induction day, and we will welcome Henry, Sam, Alex, Eliot and William to the team next term and a new milestone has been reached in that we have 70 choristers on our books for the first time - lots of new boys and girls have joined our junior choirs this year and you will soon see them appearing in the choirstalls as room is made by our departing singers.
Thank you to all who support this work.
Dr David Price
Vocation News!
We are delighted to announce that our very own verger, Ian Griffiths, has been recommended to train for ordination by the Bishop of Portsmouth. Ian has been discerning a call to ordination for many years, and it's wonderful that this has come to fruition at this point in time. Ian will begin training at Sarum College in Salisbury from September - on a part time basis. He will still continue to work as a verger here at Portsmouth Cathedral. We look forward to supporting Ian in his vocation journey, and learning from him as he goes forward!
Cathedral Music Trust Awards
The music departments of 27 cathedrals and churches in the UK will be supported to continue and expand their brilliant work, thanks to a £470,000 investment through our financial support programmes in 2025. Sitting at the heart of our commitment to championing excellence in all its forms, this vital funding will enable cathedrals and churches to keep providing opportunities for people from all walks of life to experience the life-transforming power of cathedral music.
“The invaluable work of our cathedral and church musicians enriches the lives of both participants and the communities in which they operate. At a time when the sector faces numerous financial challenges, this much-needed investment demonstrates Cathedral Music Trust’s dedication to securing the future of our world-renowned tradition.” – Jonathan Mayes, CEO, Cathedral Music Trust
Dr David Price said.
"Portsmouth Cathedral was at the forefront of cathedral outreach 25 years ago alongside Salisbury and Truro Cathedrals. We have sustained this work ever since and developed it ever wider and further. However, funding was becoming a challenge and so we are grateful to CMT for the chance to re-boot this work and relaunch our programme of works with local schools, churches and Diocese of Portsmouth."
You can read the full story here.
Taking Small Steps Together: Plastic Free July at Portsmouth Cathedral
This July, we're joining millions around the world in taking part in Plastic Free July– a global movement encouraging everyone to reduce single-use plastic. At Portsmouth Cathedral, caring for creation is part of our daily rhythm, and this month we’re taking time to reflect on how small, thoughtful actions can have a lasting impact.
Behind the scenes, we’ve introduced a few changes to help reduce our environmental footprint. We’ve installed new bins across the site to support correct recycling and waste disposal. At our events, you’ll now find drinks served in cans rather than plastic bottles, and in the Cathedral Shop, we’re reviewing our product sourcing to favour items with less plastic packaging.
Everyone can take part – whether that’s swapping cling film for a reusable wrap, bringing your own shopping bags, or simply being more mindful of what you throw away. We’ll be sharing small tips and reminders throughout the month on social media using #PlasticFreeJuly. We hope you’ll join us as we take steps – big and small – towards a more sustainable future.
You can learn more about our journey to net zero here.
Diocesan School Leavers changes to Services
Due to the Diocesan School leavers, The Word is Near will not be taking place next week, and #PompeyTots will take place in Becket Hall instead of the Nave.
Tough Mudder Madness - 5 July
Some of our Choral Scholars and David Price are running Tough Mudder tomorrow, Sat 5 July, 12 obstacles over a 5km run at Belvoir Castle and lots of mud.
This madness is in a good cause - we are aiming to raise £2,500 for Macmillan Cancer Support. Thank you to all who've donated. We've raised over £1500 but want to try and get to £2500 by the weekend - any help you give to get us to the target amount (or beyond) would be much appreciated.
You can donate here.
Congregational Lunch - 6 July
The next Congregational Lunch will now be on Sunday 6 July - the day of our Patronal Festival - after the 11:00am Eucharist. Please put the date in your diary! The booking form is available here and any offers of help would be gratefully received by Canon Jo. If you plan on attending to we need confirmation by Saturday at lunchtime - so we know how many to cater for!
Patronal Festival with the Friends
On Sunday 6 July the Cathedral celebrates its Patronal Festival.
The Friends of Portsmouth Cathedral warmly invite Friends to join in Evensong at 5:45pm followed by drinks in a local pub for a welcome chat. Do come along and make the event a truly special celebration.
Krysia Butwilowska
Chair of the Friends
Eucharist with Mary Rose Commemoration - 13 July
Ahead of the anniversary of the Mary Rose sinking on 19 July 1545, we welcome the Mary Rose Trust and Sea Cadets from TS Mary Rose for a special act of remembrance within our Eucharist. A wreath will be laid at the grave of a member of the ship's company, honouring all who lost their lives.
On the Sunday before 19 July, the date that the Mary Rose sank in 1545, we welcome members of the Mary Rose Trust for a special commemoration within our 11:00am Eucharist. Sea Cadets from TS Mary Rose attend, and a wreath is laid on the grave of the member of the ship's company in the Cathedral as we remember lives lost on board King Henry VIII's flagship which sank in the Solent.
See more here.
Songs of Praise - 13 July
Our new Chief Operating Officer, Zoe Colbeck, will be taking part in Songs of Praise at 5:45pm and will be introducing one of her favourite hymns. Come to meet her and hear about her background and the journey that has brought her here.
Presented and led by Canon Angela Tilby, Songs of Praise returns again this year by popular demand! Other contributors will include Bryn Hughes (newly elected member of Chapter and former Lay Clerk of the Cathedral Choir), the Revd Kitty Price (curate at St Simon's), Elaine Bevis (one of our 8:00am congregation), and Santhosh Daniel (one of our Cathedral servers and intercessors).
Specialist Tour Tuesdays: Art Tour – 15 July
Explore the artworks that enrich the life of the Cathedral on this hour-long guided tour led by one of our knowledgeable Guides. Learn about striking pieces by artists including Annie Cattrell and Peter Eugene Ball and discover how art and faith intertwine in our sacred space.
Book online here.
Baptism and Confirmation – 19 July
The next Confirmation service will be held on Saturday 19 July at 5:45pm here at Portsmouth Cathedral. If you are not yet confirmed and would like to be, please do have a chat with Canon Jo or Canon Harriet who will be able to give you more information and support you. The same applies if you are not yet baptised and would like to consider this next step - please do have a chat with one of the clergy.
Chapter
The Cathedral's governing body, Chapter, meets on Tuesday. The meeting will include a welcome to our new Chief Operating Officer, Zoë Colbeck and to Marcelle de Sousa and Bryn Hughes. Marcelle and Bryn join Mark Emerton, David King, Canon Nick Ralph, Canon Ronald Rabbetts, Santosh Mathew and Pippa Bostock as non-executive trustees of the Cathedral working alongside the executive trustees: Dean Anthony, Canon Jo Spreadbury and Canon Harriet Neale-Stevens in overseeing the management of and providing strategic direction for the Cathedral.
See the agenda on our download page here.
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.
Sunday 6 July
Third Sunday after Trinity
8:00am – Patronal Festival Holy Communion
9:30am – #PompeySundays
11:00am – Patronal Festival Eucharist
5:45pm – Patronal Festival Evensong
8:00pm – Taizé Worship
Prayers & Intercessions
We remember the following for whom prayer has been asked by members of the Cathedral Community: Gordon, Erica, Carole, Nicky, Ken, Tom, Tina Damaris, baby Lottie and baby Lily.
We continue to pray for the long-term sick, including: Marion, Richard, Graeme, Alistair, Chris, Suzy, Alison, Jill, Mathai, Philip and Spencer.
We remember those who have died recently, including: George Royle, John Austin, Michael Feaver 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 info@portsmouthcathedral.org.uk or leave a message via phone on 023 9282 3300.
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