In his Sermon on the Sunday next before Lent, the Dean offered some thoughts on this vital season.

He explained that, ‘Lent gives us an opportunity – a time less to do than to listen; a time less to struggle with faith than to let go of much around us; a time to allow God’s glory to shine in our lives: a time for transfiguration – the gift of God rather than a prize earned by devotion.’ Read more →

Sermon preached in Lincoln Cathedral by the Dean, the Very Revd Philip Buckler, at the Sung Eucharist on the Sunday next before Lent, 19^th February 2012

The account of Christ’s Transfiguration on the mountain [Mark 9.2-9] is a glorious story that stands on its own. Jesus takes his three close companions away from the crowds and they see him, as we might say, in his true colours. The dazzling white of intense glory envelops him and alongside him appear Elijah and Moses – representing both the Law and the Prophets of old. Interestingly enough in Mark’s Gospel Elijah is mentioned before Moses, whilst Matthew and Luke (traditionally thought to use Mark’s earlier account) reverse the order to harmonise Moses and Elijah with the Law (Moses) and the prophets (Elijah). But perhaps in Mark’s mind is the reference to Elijah as the forerunner to come again before the Messiah. Or we might think of Elijah being taken into heaven (as in our first reading 2 Kings 2.1-12). For the Transfiguration foreshadows Jesus’ own departing – albeit through a starkly real human death. But before that, here we see Jesus declared as the one who shares in the glory of God. Read more →

‘By the end of the piece, you feel that you have undergone the full spectrum of human emotion: there is rage and violence, love, tenderness and deep sorrow.’

On 17 March, the Cathedral choir is performing the St John Passion and Chapter Clerk, Phil Hamlyn Williams, asked Charles Harrison, our Deputy Director of Music who is conducting the performance, to tell him more about this work described by many as one of the supreme achievements in classical music. He began by getting Charles briefly to describe the piece.

Read more →

Sermon preached the the Chancellor, Dr Mark hocknull, at the 9.30 Eucharist on Second Sunday before Lent

This passage from John’s Gospel (John 1:11) is incredibly well known. We hear it every Christmas and it becomes so familiar that the depth of it is often lost on us. This morning, I just want to pick up on one verse in the passage: verse 11: “He came to his own, and his own people did not accept him”. What does this mean? Read more →

Following on from Monkey Day, Monks Abbey news team went to investigate rumours of other animals that ‘live’ in Lincoln Cathedral.

It turns out that Lincoln Cathedral is full of hidden carved animals, and a few mythical creatures, that are made out of wood and stone. They can also be seen in the colourful stained glass windows of the ancient building.

The animals in the Cathedral include horses, camels, fish, pelicans and even snails!

One carving shows soldiers slaying dragons, as they are seen as evil creatures and the carvings are thought to symbolise good overpowering bad.

The fish carvings represent the sailors that travelled on the sea, who are able to visit a special Chapel that is at the Cathedral.

The snail carvings are embedded in stone just in front of one the gates inside the Cathedral. David, our Cathedral guide told us that the snails are on their way home after a hard day of hunting for food and drink! They are carved out of stone and they are very detailed.

On our visit to Lincoln Cathedral we found a surprising amount of different animals, with many stories attached. When you visit, try and see how many you can spot!

By the Monks Abbey news team

Philip Buckler, Dean   Gavin Kirk, Precentor   Mark Hocknull, Chancellor   John Patrick, Subdean

What is the Church for? This is a question that I’ve found myself pondering this last week, partly in the context of the debates in the General Synod, partly in response to world development and partly as a result of our forum on the morality of the financial markets, held last Friday in the Chapter House. It’s easy enough to point to the things that any church does: worship, gathering around the Word and the Eucharist, different social activities and pastoral care of people amongst other things. All these things are important and vital to any church community. One of the points that emerged from our discussions in the Forum was the need for the church to be seen to be modelling different values from those that often predominate in the world. Read more →

The Chapter House of Lincoln Cathedral, with its extraordinary soaring gothic lines, where the Canons meet, where Edward I held the English Parliament, where the De Vinci Code and the Young Victoria were filmed: this was the setting for our first debate around the subject of the Common Good.

Dr Mark Hocknull, the Chancellor of Lincoln Cathedral, reminded the audience of forty that this was the traditional role of cathedrals, as centres for debate and discussion. The full text of the presentations may be downloaded here.

The airwaves had been filled with arguments over bankers’ bonuses, stripped knighthoods and the never ending demands that ‘the market’ makes on nation states. It was perhaps hardly surprising that Professor David Head began with reference to Dr Rowan Williams’ Dimbleby Lecture in 2002 where he had thrown his spotlight on the loss of power of nation states as a direct result of the free movement of capital across borders. David went on to set the scene drawing on writings about the St Paul’s Protest and importantly the work that had been done by the St Paul’s Institute and its then canon, Giles Fraser, well before the protest took place. Much of this focused on those who actually work in the financial markets and what they actually think. At its centre there stands a blatant contradiction that what motivates bankers most of all is financial reward, but that reward itself is seen by many of them to be far too great.

Questions and comments from the audience followed each speaker and, really following Professor Head’s lead, the first round of questioners covered the well-rehearsed arguments. Markets were vilified as corrupt; justification was found for them the shape of the demands of investors for above average returns; Mrs Thatcher and the big bang were blamed. The complexity of financial instruments and their misunderstood risks: perhaps markets had tried to be too clever. What emerged though was an understanding that markets by themselves do nothing; it is investors who are empowered to make ethical choices.

Lincoln MP, Karl McCartney, extolled plans for free and fair markets, responsible capitalism, enterprise and innovation. From his own experience of working in the city he recalled the active role of city guilds in philanthropy. He pointed his finger at the withdrawal of tax breaks for pension funds in 1997 as the trigger for their demands for higher investment returns. As to the recent crisis, he pondered whether it might have been better to let at least one bank fail; the others may have quickly learnt responsibility.

This time questions ranged more widely. The imperative of care in the community, tax avoidance, the powerlessness of government when faced with massive bonus payments by state owned banks. The previous over confidence in pension funds and the pension holidays employers were forced to take. The almost unbelievable dependence of government on tax revenues from the banking sector, set in contrast with an economy that overall is mainly populated by small and medium sized businesses.

Mark Hocknull sought to draw the strands together and offered a theological reflection. Perhaps the problem was neither moral nor economic, but about process, about strange independent forces? The Tulip Bubble of 17^th century Holland had already been referred to by more than one questioner; Dr Hocknull saw the valuation of things as more than they are actually worth as a constantly repeated pattern in history. He drew on Peter Selby’s introduction to the St Paul’s Institute Report where Selby focussed on the inherent contradiction that we had identified between bankers both knowing they were paid too much but needing the money for motivation. It is as if the system has a power of its own.

As to theology, he explained that the New Testament is set in a world of principalities and powers; it was how former generations made sense of the world around them. Yet, powers can also be social and psychological and it is perhaps these that are at work in the financial markets. Profit has become the product and no longer the result of providing valued services. There is nothing wrong with the accrual of wealth; the problem comes with how it is used: the missing side of Mrs Thatcher’s project was matching generosity. No government since then has had an ideology; what is needed is one espousing a vision of how wealth may best be used for the good of all.

The final group of questions followed this shift from whence the wealth came to its use. Mention was made of Bill Gates’s declared intent to give away essentially all his wealth, of Warren Buffett’s wish to pay more tax, of the way that philanthropy does go on but quietly. There is a fundamental problem of measurement. We assess value by counting money; there seems to be no way of counting social and cultural values. But where is the debate leading? Dr Hocknull concluded by suggesting that things only change when there is a head of steam; it is matter of people starting to recognise some of the things they truly want so that they may be articulated in the political arena. We are each other’s keeper; we must start to put humanity first.

Phil Hamlyn Williams
Chapter Clerk Lincoln Cathedral
3 February 2012

The text of the three talks by Professor David Head, of Lincoln University, Karl McCartney, MP for Lincoln and the Chancellor with be available on the cathedral website www.lincolncathedra.com

St Hugh’s Choir in Lincoln Cathedral was filled on Saturday evening with those who came through the snow to support both our new Subdean and our new lay member of Chapter.

Rev’d Canon John Patrick is well known throughout the Diocese as Chairman of the House of Clergy and, now formerly, Rural Dean of Lafford and Vicar of Sleaford. Air Vice-Marshall Paul Robinson was at one time Commander of the RAF College at Cranwell and brings a long and deep experience of organisations. In his charge to them, Bishop Christopher urged them both not to say in their separate worlds, the spiritual and the secular, but to work in both above all to foster a truly entrepreneurial ministry. This is a little more of what he said.

‘John and Paul bring a wide range of complementary gifts that will enhance not only the mission and ministry of this cathedral – but also support its commitment to excellence in liturgy and care for one of the great buildings of England and those who worship within it. They will help to reinforce the qualities and experience already present within the chapter.

Having mentioned complementary gifts it would be an easy step to characterise John (the priest), as the person who has primarily spiritual responsibilities and Paul, (the lay person), as someone who has more worldly or material concerns on his heart. In short, to this see this from a dualistic perspective in which it is the job of the clergy to inhabit the realm of the spirit and it is the job of the laity to move within another sphere – what we sometimes think of as the real world, the world of balancing budgets, strategic planning, health and safety and risk management.

But to divide reality up in this way is surely a mistake: there is only one world and only one truth – there is not a holy world and a profane world; there is not spiritual truth and worldly truth. There is one world and one truth – perhaps approached from contrasting starting-points.

And it is significant that as well as welcoming John and Paul, tonight we are celebrating the life of a Lincolnshire saint, Gilbert of Sempringham. Because he was a person who managed to hold in balance the worldly and the spiritual.

You will know more about Gilbert than I do, as a mere newcomer. But I am clear that Gilbert was a good example of what might be called classical European humanism.  A tradition in which men and women were equally comfortable in both spiritual and worldly matters.

Gilbert was a person who was always trying to make a difference and deploy his considerable education and gifts to build God’s Kingdom. During his time as a clerk in the bishop’s household, Gilbert started a school for local boys and girls and when his father died in 1130 he became lord of the manor of Sempringham, and immediately began using his inherited wealth to fund the creation and rapid expansion of the Gilbertines, his new religious order. Eventually he had a chain of twenty-six convents, monasteries and missions.

This was a man who was well-known for his life of prayer, for his humility and for the simplicity of life – one of the hallmarks of the Gilbertine order. But, as his record shows, he also knew how to make things happen. He was a spiritual entrepreneur and ambitious for the gospel.

In this Gilbert is a model for today: both for our clergy and for men and women who exercise power in the world.

Because we clergy could do with a little of Gilbert’s DNA and be more entrepreneurial and ambitious for the gospel  and perhaps those who exercise leadership and manage power  the world could do with some of Gilbert’s spiritual depth, humility and simplicity of life.

So my prayer for Paul and John, (and it is a prayer I make with some confidence), is that from their differing starting-points and complementary sets of experience they, with their new colleagues, will reinforce:

•        the holiness and wisdom,

•        the humility and simplicity of life,

•        the entrepreneurship and ambition for the gospel

… present in this cathedral – building on all the great things that have happened in this place over the centuries and making this cathedral a beacon for the gospel in the 21st century.

Sermon preached by the Chancellor, Dr Mark Hocknull,at the 9.30 Eucharist on 5 February 2012.

There’s nothing nicer than basking in the glory of a job well done, is there? Sometimes, we can spend a long time on a particular project or put a lot of effort into something and when it all goes well, we want to sit back, relax and enjoy the moment…

I sometimes wonder if Jesus ever felt like that. Read more →

The Dean and Chapter of Lincoln Cathedral send loyal greetings to Her Majesty the Queen to mark the 6oth anniversary of her accession to the throne.

Carrying small bunches of flowers as personal adornment has been common since the medieval period when they were worn around the head or bodice to mask the unpleasant smells. Called nosegays (as they literally keep one’s nose happy) they are also known as poseys or tussie-mussies.

By the 1650s nosegays were carried by both men and women at important functions and ceremonies, such as weddings. In the 19th century nosegays were used to convey messages through the Victorian Language of Flowers, where floral symbolism was used to speak volumes. Receiving a nosegay containing red tulips was a declaration of love, and in return the suitor would hope not to receive a bouquet containing dogwood (a sign of indifference) or a variegated pink (rejection of their affection).

Perhaps the most high profile nosegay today is that carried by H.M. The Queen during the Royal Maundy Service. Rosemary Mason, who holds the Royal Warrant to make nosegays for the Royal Maundy Service, will give a demonstration of making posies together with a talk on the history of the service, the music and the Royal connections.

Friday 2^nd March 2012 in Lincoln Cathedral Chapter House (external entrance off Priorygate)

Two identical sessions will take place at 2.30pm and also at 7.30pm. Doors open half an hour before each session.

Tickets £12 (including light refreshments) are available from Carol Hill 01522 723967, Lincoln Cathedral Shop 01522 561644 or by following this link.

This event is in aid of Lincoln Cathedral Music Appeal (Registered Charity No. 1033089)

Sermon preached in Lincoln Cathedral by the Dean, the Very Revd Philip Buckler at the Sung Eucharist on the Fourth Sunday of Epiphany, 29 January 2012

It would be wrong to leave this Epiphany season without thinking more deeply about one of its central themes – the idea of light.

In our collect this morning we pray to God our creator, who in the beginning commanded the light to shine out of darkness  taking us back to creation (‘In the beginning…’) when God said  Let there be light, and there was light. Then taking us forward to the hope that the light of the Gospel may shine in the hearts of all your people, and reveal the knowledge of your glory in the face of Jesus Christ…

So light gives the context for life and creation to have meaning – to be seen. But light is also there as a guide as we think of the Epiphany star.  I have a vivid memory of walking along a dusty road in Jordan at night. Along our way were candles guiding us through the ancient city of Petra. I walked in a deep silence through a landscape that had not changed for centuries, and looked up at the countless stars in the sky. I thought of those magi who had travelled – perhaps that very route. It was all the more poignant as this was the eve of the Epiphany – according to the story the time when the magi would have been travelling.

My thoughts were many: God leading them to his presence, his guiding of us to his purposes; the light of a star leading them, the light of faith drawing us. Read more →

 Philip Buckler, Dean   Gavin Kirk, Precentor    Mark Hocknull, Chancellor   John Patrick, Subdean

The Cathedral is such a dynamic place! It has a superb new website and most recent addition to the site is the Chancellor’s Blog.  I’m planning to write at least one new post per week to keep it topical and up to date.

The current post raises the issue of the regulation and morality of the financial markets. This is the topic that will be discussed in the Chapter House on Friday February 3^rd starting at 2pm. Joining me in the discussion will be Karl McCartney MP for Lincoln who, before he was elected MP worked in the City, and David Head, Dean of the Business & Law faculty in the University of Lincoln.

In the Blog I write that Francis Fukuyama proclaimed the end of history in 1989 with the fall of the Berlin wall. He declared that there was no alternative to western liberal capitalism and the free market as a social and political system. The events of the last 23 years say otherwise. History is far from ended.  A growing number of people are blaming the free market system for our current financial problems and successive governments have grappled unsuccessfully with the problem of regulation. Recently the major party leaders began setting out there vision for a new form of capitalism.

It’s tempting to think that faith and theology should not get involved in this debate. It is all too tempting to see faith as a retreat or an escape, but nothing could be more misguided. Religion and Theology have deep resources which help us to ask some fundamental questions about what society is for and how it should be arranged and to think differently about what is going on in the world.

Each of the three of us taking part in the discussion on Friday will outline their own perspective and there will be plenty of space for questions and contributions from the audience. Do come along and take part and let your voice be heard.

 Mark Hocknull

Chancellor

 The Installation of the Subdean, Canon John Patrick, and Lay Canon, Air Vice-Marshall Paul Robinson, will take place at Evensong on Saturday 4^th February, the Feast of Gilbert of Sempringham.

Confirmation Preparation will be taking place over the next few weeks prior to the Cathedral Confirmation during the Paschal Vigil on Easter Eve (Saturday 7 April at 8.00pm). Preparation will be lead by the Chancellor on Sundays following evensong, beginning in February. Those interested in being confirmed (of whatever age) should initially speak with one of the Cathedral clergy.

Jeannette Davies writes:  Tickets are on sale in the Cathedral Shop or at coffee on Sundays for the Community Association Shrove Tuesday party. A raffle will be held at this event with the proceeds going to the Lincoln Community Larder. The Community Association would be grateful to receive prizes for the raffle. Please speak to Lyndon Nicholas or Jeannette Davies if you can donate something.

The Dean writes:  Last year we celebrated the 400^th Anniversary of the King James version of the Bible.  This year we are celebrating the 350^th Anniversary of the Book of Common Prayer (1662).  As part of our celebrations, a Study Day on the Book of Common Prayer will be held in the Cathedral on Saturday 1 September 2012.  Please note this date in your diary.

Michael Ardley writes:   The Lincoln and Lindsey Blind Society seeks Befrienders to develop mid- to long-trem relationships with blind and partially sighted people.  If you are interested or would like more information, please telephone the Society on 01507 605604.

Bible Readings

Sunday 29^th January                  Fourth Sunday of  Epiphany

Sung Eucharist                          Deuteronomy 18: 15-20,   Revelation 12: 1-5a,   Mark 1: 21-28

Mattins                                     Jeremiah 1: 4-10,   Mark 1: 40-end

Evensong                                  I Samuel 3: 1-20,   I Corinthians 14: 12-20

Sunday 5^th February                 Third Sunday before Lent

Sung Eucharist                          Isaiah 40: 21-end,   I Corinthians 9: 16-23,   Mark 1: 29-39

Mattins                                     Jeremiah 26: 1-16,   Acts 3: 1-10

Evensong                                  Numbers 13: 1-2, 27-33,   Philippians 2: 12-28

Sunday 12^th February               Second Sunday before Lent

Sung Eucharist                          Proverbs 8: 1, 22-31,   Colossians 1: 15-20,   John 1: 1-14

Mattins                                     Deuteronomy 8: 1-10,   Matthew 6: 25-end

Evensong                                  Genesis 1: 4b-end,   Luke 8: 22-35

Sermon preached in Lincoln Cathedral by The Rev Mons Canon Thomas McGovern

at the Sung Eucharist on Sunday 22 January 2012,

during the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

We will all be changed

Thank you for inviting me to speak at this Eucharist this morning.  It is a witness to your commitment to ecumenism that a Catholic is invited to preach in this fine Anglican Cathedral.  Speaking for myself, I’d say that, in all honesty, you could have done better than me: but that problem now is yours, and I’m very pleased to be among you.

Once again we find ourselves in the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, a time when we are asked to focus especially on the challenge of ecumenism, although of course this task mustn’t be relegated to this week only.  The theme indicated for this year is “We will all be changed”, taken from St Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians.  “We shall all be changed; this will be instantaneous, in the twinkling of an eye”.  The path we are on is one which is very far from instantaneous, and this work on ecumenism is a lifetime’s work, indeed many lifetimes’ work.  But in joining together today, as we do, we know that we are playing our part in this process of change, opening ourselves to the promptings of the Spirit, who is the origin of all authentic change. Read more →

Sermon preached in Lincoln Cathedral by The Revd Canon Dr Jeffrey Heskins,

Some years ago there was a story going around on the internet of a multi-faith chaplaincy team on a university campus in North America.  The team had resolved to conduct a mission across the campus and called together a group of what they thought would be willing students to help them get things ready.  However, one of the undergraduates was a little cynical about the whole venture.  What credentials had any of them got for doing this?  What proven track record had the chaplaincy team got in converting people to faith?  He would only support this venture if the three chaplains, Fr O’Hara, the Rev Billy-Bob and Rabbi Cohen would first prove their worth by each converting a bear!

Not surprisingly the three chaplains were somewhat apprehensive but they agreed to the challenge and arranged to meet a week later to report back.  Well, a week rolled by and the three chaplains turned up and what a sight they looked.

Fr O’Hara had his arm in a sling as he told his story.  “Well,” he said, “I found a bear and I decided the best way to bring him to faith was to teach him the catechism, but that old bear was having none of it and he started mauling me, so I quickly sprinkled him with some holy water and you know what, he was like putty in my hands.   The Bishop is coming next week to confirm him and give him his first Holy Communion”.

Rev Billy-Bob also had a broken arm and a broken leg too.  He told his story; “When I found me a bear, I thought I would preach to him from the Word of God, but I’d hardly gotten started before he began slapping me about.  So I leaped on him and we rolled over and over down a slope until we fell into a stream and I baptised him by full immersion and after that, the old bear was like a lamb.  We spent the rest of the day by that stream just praising the Lord”.

Rabbi Cohen had arrived in a wheel-chair, with two broken arms and his legs in splints.  “How did it go?” they asked him. “Well”, he said, “I found my bear alright, but I have to say as I think about it now, circumcision probably wasn’t the best place to start”. Read more →