Sunday 19 August to Saturday 1 September 2018
Christine Wilson, Dean Sal McDougall, Precentor Paul Overend, Chancellor John Patrick, Subdean Rachel Revely, Curate
2018 marks the 200th anniversary of a book by the young Mary Shelly, the full title of which is ‘Frankenstein: or, The Modern Prometheus’. It is named after the protagonist, Victor Frankenstein, who creates a living creature, while the subtitle recalls the Greek myth in which the divine Prometheus creates a being from clay and gives it fire that is stolen from the gods; a forbidden technology that is necessary for civilisation, for which he is to be eternally punished by Zeus.
Victor Frankenstein is self-absorbed and, thinking only about himself, he deserts his responsibilities. Although he creates his creature, which is born with pure and good intentions, Victor rejects what he has created, calling it “abhorred monster”, “demon”, “devil”, “fiend”. The rejected creature says, “I ought to be thy Adam, but I am rather the fallen angel”. By ignoring of the wishes and feelings of the creature, Victor seems to make it into the monster, though maybe the monster is the self-absorbed Victor Frankenstein himself.
The book addressed many religious and theological themes. It’s a story of fear and of how others can be judged and rejected for seeming to be different; of the destructive nature of prejudice; of humanity’s search for fame and immortality; of human beings being co-creators with God with consequent responsibilities, as well as being creatures with wants; of self-discovery, loneliness and the need for companionship; of supressing our own shadow side; of the tragic consequences of hubris and ambition; of compassion and blind justice, and the threat of social disorder and political revolution – all in the context of technology being out of control. The book raises continuing questions for society in our day. Prejudice is much in the news. Our use of science and technology also risks being monstrous, from nuclear weapons, genetic modification, environmental domination, intensive animal farming, to surveillance technology and the use of robotics to replace employees. The questions that Shelly’s gothic novel raises are theological questions about what it means to be human in social and personal relationships, and how our science and technology might serve those relationships. To help answer these questions, Christianity has much to offer.
This may seem an unusual theme for a Chapter Letter, but it is a book that is on the school curriculum and being read by many youngsters and is one that our cathedral education department is engaging with. It was the theme of a recent conference at Bishop Grosseteste University on monsters and the monstrous, where there is a public reading in the BGU chapel from 8.45 a.m. on 31st October. (Should you wish to go, please email sibylle.erle@bishopg.ac.uk)
Paul Overend, Chancellor
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Festivities of our Dedication: The Cathedral is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary of Lincoln, and so on Saturday 8 September, on the feast of the Birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary, there will be a festal Evensong that evening, sung by our choir.
On Sunday 9 September we are keeping a Festal Eucharist. This will be at the time of 10.30. There will be no mattins that day, as we hope to bring both congregations together for this Eucharist.
Book Group: The next meeting of this group will be on Tuesday 4 September at 28 Wragby Rd Lincoln at 7.30 pm. We shall discuss The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton. The following meeting will be on Tuesday 6 November when the book is The Great Gatsby by F Scott Fitzgerald. Existing and new members are welcome. Please contact Jeannette Davies 01522 528102.
Spiritual Classics Group: The spiritual classics group is an open group to which anyone can come. We read a book beforehand and then discuss it together. The group is facilitated by the Chancellor, but it is a group for sharing and reflection, rather than a lecture. Our next meetings are 1 September, ‘Revelations of Divine Love’ by Julian of Norwich; and 13 Oct ‘The Cloud of Unknowing’ (Anon). The books are usually available from the cathedral shop. Please take a leaflet.
Faith@Lincoln Cathedral: We are carrying on with this group after the departure of the Reverend Philippa White who ran it previously. We plan to meet once a month normally on the second Wednesday of the month and the next meeting will be on 12 September at 7pm for 7.30pm when we will discuss our programme up to Christmas. New and existing members are welcome and the contact and venue details are the same as for the book group.
Reading Rota: While we are still some way from the end of the present rota, it is not too soon to start thinking about whether you would like to go on to the new reading rota which will start at the end of November. If you would like to join or consider joining the rota please contact Jeannette Davies on (01522) 528102. We have lost some men who were on the rota so replacements for them would be particularly welcome.
Stillpoint: Finding silence in a busy world: On a Saturday morning each month, there will be 45 minutes of guided silent or contemplative prayer in the Ringers’ Chapel, from 9.30am-10.45am. The first couple of dates are 29 September and 27 October. Please take a leaflet.
Organ Recital Series 2018 – Join us and experience an instrument like no other: This series of concerts continues, showcasing talent from across the UK and Europe, bringing some of the greatest organists to perform on the world famous Father Willis Organ – 8 September – Wolfgang Kleber, Darmstadt, Germany. 29 September – James Lancelot, Emeritus, Durham Cathedral. 5 October – Organ Extravaganza, with Lincoln Cathedral Resident Organists and Lincoln Cathedral Choir. 16 December – Olivier Messiaen’s La Nativité du Seigneur, Colin Walsh.
The Hallé 2018: The Hallé Orchestra are returning to the Cathedral on Friday 21 September under the baton of Karl Heinz Steffens. Tickets are now available on the Cathedral Website, from the Shop or over the phone 01522 504394.
Evensong Preachers: 19 August, The Reverend Rachel Revely, Curate at Lincoln Cathedral; 26 August, The Revd Canon Philip Brent, Rector of Market Deeping and Rural Dean of Elloe West; 2 September, and The Revd Les Batty, Ecologist and Tutor at Lincoln School of Theology (At the start of the season of creation)
LCCA visit to Stow Minster: A guided tour of Stow Minster has been arranged by the Cathedral Community Association for Saturday 15th September at 11am, meeting there at 10.45am. If people would like to go, please sign up on the list on the Community Association noticeboard as Stow have asked for approximate numbers in advance.
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Bible Readings
Sunday 19 August
12th Sunday after Trinity
Sung Eucharist
Proverbs 9: 1-6; Ephesians 5: 15-20; John 6: 51-58
Mattins
Jonah 1; 2 Peter 3: 14 – end
Evensong
Exodus 2: 23-3.10; Hebrews 13: 1-15
Sunday 26 August
13th Sunday after Trinity
Sung Eucharist
Joshua 24: 1-2a, 14-18; Ephesians 6: 10-20; John 6: 56-69
Mattins
Jonah 2; Revelation 1
Evensong
Exodus 4: 27-5.1; Hebrews 13: 16-21
Sunday 2 September
14th Sunday after Trinity
Sung Eucharist
Deuteronomy 4: 1-2, 6-9; James 1: 17-end; Mark 7: 1-8, 14, 15, 21-23
Mattins
Jonah 3.1-9; Revelation 3.14-end
Evensong
Exodus 12: 21-27; Matthew 4: 23-5.20
