Philip Buckler, Dean   Gavin Kirk, Precentor    Mark Hocknull, Chancellor    John Patrick, Subdean Beginning on Saturday 22nd June the Cathedral is hosting this year’s European Stone Festival. As some have suggested, the sight of over 140 stonemasons from many different countries all working together on the East Green may well be reminiscent of sights seen here in the 12th and 13th centuries as the present Cathedral took shape. At that time it must have been extraordinary for the people of Lincolnshire ...Read more →

Philip Buckler, Dean   Gavin Kirk, Precentor    Mark Hocknull, Chancellor    John Patrick, Subdean Our Cathedral is a place of prayer, as may be indicated by the full pattern of daily services held throughout the week, the candles lit in various chapels by our visitors, and the written prayer requests left each day. But this past week our prayer life has been extended by the 24/7 Prayer Initiative led by the Revd Sue Patterson. This week of continuous prayer, day and night, ...Read more →

Philip Buckler, Dean   Gavin Kirk, Precentor    Mark Hocknull, Chancellor    John Patrick, Subdean One of the great strengths of the Anglican Communion and the Church of England has been the ability to maintain a visible unity whilst at the same time containing within it many different opinions. It may be naive to hope that this can continue, but we need always to remember that the experience of the Holy Spirit will always come to different people in different ways. How we ...Read more →

Philip Buckler, Dean   Gavin Kirk, Precentor    Mark Hocknull, Chancellor    John Patrick, Subdean  How good it is to live together in unity, says the psalmist.

Philip Buckler, Dean   Gavin Kirk, Precentor    Mark Hocknull, Chancellor    John Patrick, Subdean One of the common elements of the resurrection stories across the gospels is that no one expects the resurrection. Even though Jesus predicted his death, and resurrection, several times across his public ministry, no one greets the news with the first century equivalent of Christ is risen! This is true across all the gospels. The women come to the tomb expecting to anoint Jesus’ dead body. That is, they have no ...Read more →

Philip Buckler, Dean   Gavin Kirk, Precentor    Mark Hocknull, Chancellor    John Patrick, Subdean Elsewhere in this Letter you will find news of marathons:  a 10k run and a coast-to-cost walk, both undertaken for charity.  Today the Church begins its own marathon  -  the Great and Holy Week.  In this we are called to walk with Jesus on his marathon journey, beginning today with his triumphal entry into Jerusalem on a donkey.  We accompany him through three days of teaching in the ...Read more →

Philip Buckler, Dean   Gavin Kirk, Precentor    Mark Hocknull, Chancellor    John Patrick, Subdean  Today we arrive at the mid-point of Lent, almost universally known as Mothering Sunday.  Its more ancient title is Laetare Sunday, the name being taken from the initial word of the original introit for this day:  Rejoice, O Jerusalem, and gather round, all you who love her:  rejoice in gladness, you who were sorrowful, exult and be replenished with the consolation flowing from her maternal breast.  Laetare is ...Read more →

Philip Buckler, Dean   Gavin Kirk, Precentor    Mark Hocknull, Chancellor    John Patrick, Subdean There is a noble tradition of poet/priests in the Church, among them are two of my favourites: George Herbert appointed to the Prebendal stall of Leighton Ecclesia here in our Cathedral in 1626; and John Donne, poet and courtier in the reign of James 1 who became Dean of St Paul’s in 1621. Both of them have left poetry and prose that find echoes in our own day. ...Read more →

Philip Buckler, Dean   Gavin Kirk, Precentor    Mark Hocknull, Chancellor    John Patrick, Subdean As Lent approaches we might ask ourselves how best to observe this season of the Church’s year. Is it an enforced way to begin (yet again) our diet – by giving up those foods or beverages we enjoy?  Is it a time to renounce other comforts and luxuries in penitence for the indulgent lives we are able to lead the rest of the year in this part of ...Read more →

Philip Buckler, Dean   Gavin Kirk, Precentor    Mark Hocknull, Chancellor    John Patrick, Subdean Fulfilment, | would suggest, is something that we all hope for in life.  Perhaps, different people would use different words to describe it, such as happiness, satisfaction, or even success.  There is no guarantee that we will know fulfilment, many of us may experience more than our fair share of frustration and anxiety; for those who do find fulfilment it will be experienced in different things and in ...Read more →