Portsmouth Cathedral

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Weekly Notices | Sunday, 16 October 2022

Portsmouth Cathedral

A reflection from Canon Kathryn


Since most of my time here has been during Covid, I am still discovering new things about the Cathedral. One of them I picked up in a diary meeting this week, when I learned that the ground-floor room on the south side of Cathedral House is called the Andrewes Room. It is named after Lancelot Andrewes, who in 1619 became Bishop of Winchester. He was one of the translators of the Authorised Version of the Bible and helped to further the reform of the Church of England, and his is one of the four driftwood statuettes by Peter Eugene Ball, in St. Thomas’s Chapel. The other three figures, which give their names to other rooms, are of St. Augustine of Canterbury (representing the Roman strand of Anglicanism, to go with the Reformed strand of Andrewes), St. Columba (representing the Celtic strand) and our patron saint himself, St. Thomas Becket. There, in these four niches, we have reminders, carved from local, sea-smoothed wood, of the diversity and richness of the inheritance that is woven into our life as the Body of Christ here today. This history helps to frame our identity as his people, and by doing so gives us the courage and the confidence to keep on faithfully adapting, growing, learning, and welcoming in his name.

As we celebrate this autumnal week-end with a barn dance on Saturday and a chance to cheer on the runners (including some from our Cathedral community) in the Great South Run on Sunday, we can join Lancelot Andrewes in his prayer for the grace to see God in all people and situations, and to follow wherever he leads us: Open our eyes to behold your presence, and strengthen our hands to do your will, that the world may rejoice and give you praise.

The Reverend Canon Kathryn Percival,
Canon Chancellor and Vice Dean

Highlights this week…

Dates for your diary…

Community News

Feedback from our warmth and energy survey

Portsmouth Cathedral’s Senior Management Team (comprised of the Dean, the Canons Precentor and Chancellor and the Chief Operating Officer) have decided to delay turning on the heating until 1 November and heating the Cathedral at a slightly lower temperature than in previous years. This decision has been made in reviewing rising energy costs, as well as our commitment to reduce the Cathedral's carbon footprint.

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Realigning staff and new staff members in the lead up to the 2021 Cathedrals Measure

Portsmouth Cathedral will come under the new Cathedrals Measure in the late summer of 2023. This is a major piece of work as we review and then renew our governance structures, policies, and procedures, as part of these changes, realignments have been made in our staff structures.


The implementation of the Measure was discussed by the Cathedral Council when it met informally on Tuesday.
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Great South Run – Sunday, 16 August

Please note that due to road closures which will affect access to the Cathedral in the morning of Sunday 16 August, the 11am Eucharist will not be taking place, and will instead take place that evening at 5:45pm. The 8:00am Holy Communion will continue as usual, with #PompeySundays taking place outside cheering on runners from 10:30am. The Cathedral Shop will also be closed all day.

Curate Catherine on placement

From next week Revd Catherine Edenborough is going on a four-week placement to St James' Milton. This is part of her curacy training which involves spending time in a different church context. She will be back at the Cathedral on Tuesday 15 November.

Family Barn Dance this Saturday

A welcome return of the annual Family Barn Dance in support of the Portsmouth Cathedral Choir Association (PCCA) takes place on Saturday, 15 October starting at 6:30pm in the Nave.

See more information and book online →

Volunteer at this year’s Cathedral Christmas Fair

The much-loved annual Cathedral Christmas Fair returns on Saturday, 10 December 2022, and we’re looking for volunteers to help support this annual event. Lots more details to come but please start saving (Jewellery, Children's Books, Toys & Clothes, China & Glass, unopened toiletries, and other bottled items) and making Christmas Cakes and Logs, Jams & Pickles!

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Portsmouth Choral Union Concert – book today!

For the first concert of its new season, Portsmouth Choral Union will be joining forces with The Renaissance Choir to perform Rachmaninov’s sumptuous “Vespers”. The work comprises a glorious tapestry of wide-ranging vocal textures including soaring sopranos and subterranean basses, and rich harmonies supporting wonderful melodies based on Eastern European Orthodox traditions.

Standard tickets £15, children/students £2 – book online at https://pcuchoir.org/shop

Step Up September – still time to sponsor Kitty!

Kitty Price walked 30 minutes every day in September to raise vital funds for The Trussell Trust, as they try to meet the increasing need for foodbanks this winter. Should you wish to contribute,donate online here, or pass cash to her or David. Thank you for your support.

Safeguarding update: PCR2 findings released

On Wednesday 5 October, the Church of England released the findings of an independent review of all national church and diocesan files, both physical and digital. The Past Case Review 2 (PCR2) reviewed these files to discover if there were any safeguarding concerns that were previous not known about or that were not handled properly.

Read more →

Help for Ukrainian Refugees

Our diocese is continuing to work as a partner with the charity Citizens UK to offer accommodation to refugees who are fleeing from the conflict in Ukraine. They were already running a project to sponsor refugees before the Ukrainian crisis, and have partners in Ukraine, Moldova and Poland who can identify refugees and organise transport to the UK.

If you would like to know more, visit the Diocese website or speak to Canon Nick Ralph.

Foodbank Donations

‘New to you’ The Roberts Centre is going to launch a ‘New to you’ project – which will include pots and pans, crockery, cutlery, household goods – not furniture (good enough that you would give them to someone you cared about). If we cut down the amount spent on essential bits and bobs that redirects outgoings to the basics like food and heating.

‘Layers’  - the Roberts is launching – children and young People - Layers. We have asked for coats for some years but since the advent of central heating we as a society have stopped wearing layers of clothing. We are potentially back to those days. Do you know people who might turn off their heating who might benefit from having more layers – given not charged for?

Toiletries – we are in need of Toiletries, can you help?


Please bring your donations to the Foodbank collection point in the Welcome Area during the Cathedral’s daily opening hours.

Worship & 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.

#PompeySundays cheering for the Great South Run this Sunday (16 October)

This Sunday (16 October), the roads will be closed for the Great South Run, so #PompeySundays invites you to come along at 10.30 am, meet outside the Cathedral, and cheer the runners with us. Our very own Matt Bradley and Ruth Charles will be running, Ruth will be running for the Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society, and you can sponsor her here.

Choir around the Diocese

The Cathedral Choir (girls) will be singing at Holy Trinity in Gosport this Sunday at the 11am Eucharist. All are welcome to join this service.

Prayers and Intercessions

We remember the following for whom prayer has been asked by members of the Cathedral Community: Lucy, Jean, Richard, Alan, Tom, Beverley, Alistair, John, Nina, Pauline, Leo, Dave and all those in need.

Long-term sick including: Alison, Clifford, Amanda, Christopher, Jane, Suzy, Sarah, Izzy, Andrew, Peter, Graeme and Rachel.

We pray for those who have died recently: Yashwant Gunga, Barbara King, Sue Davis and Maggie Kane RIP

Upcoming Services & Events

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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.

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