Gavin Kirk, Precentor Mark Hocknull, Chancellor John Patrick, Subdean Philippa White, Succentor
Elsewhere in this letter you will find news of marathons: a 10k run and a spring walk, both undertaken with others to build fellowship – the one with charitable objects, the other with fellow members of the congregation. 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 Temple, during which the tension mounts in the city and, no doubt in Jesus, as what following his divine mission is going to mean. Then we gather with him in the Upper Room on Maundy Thursday evening for his Passover celebration, which becomes the Lord’s Supper, watch with him in Gethsemane and follow him (at a safe distance) to his ‘trials’ before Pilate and Herod. We find on Good Friday that our cries of ‘Hosanna’ have become ‘Crucify’ as we see him falsely condemned, brutalized and left to die in agony, nailed on the cross.
With the benefit of two thousand years of Christian hindsight, we recognise that this is not the end, so we gather on the evening of Easter Eve (or, in Biblical terms, very early on the Sunday morning) to encounter him in light, starting as a solitary light in the darkness but spreading to illuminate every member of the congregation. We listen to the story of God’s dealings with his people from Creation, and as we celebrate Christ’s rising from the tomb, we recall that his story becomes our own as welcome three new Christians in baptism and confirm a further twenty-two. This leads into the great Paschal Eucharist, which spreads over into the various celebrations of Easter Day, and indeed continues for a further fifty days.
This, too is a marathon undertaken in charity – God’s love for the world he created in sending his Son to redeem it in this particular way. We are called to participate in love, so please do put the major liturgies into your diary and walk with Jesus the path of obedience, of suffering and of glory.
Holy Week We are pleased to welcome Bishop Graeme Knowles who will join us for Holy Week. Bishop Knowles will celebrate and preach at the 7.30 p.m. Eucharists from Monday to Wednesday and he will also lead the Three Hours’ service on Good Friday.
Easter Lilies: Donations towards Easter lilies are most welcome. Please leave your contribution with a member of the Flower Team or a Verger. Thank you very much.
10k Run: This race takes place on Sunday 17th April and access and parking restrictions in uphill Lincoln will apply. Further details are available on the City of Lincoln and 10k websites.
Community Association Spring Walk: On Saturday 7th May, this walk begins in Potterhanworth and includes the Roman Car Dyke and woods and Dunston, and returns via Nocton. The circular walk is 7.5 miles long and is fairly flat. On the outward journey, Bluebells may be seen in woodland and panoramic views can be seen across the Fens from Car Dyke. The return journey through Nocton passes the fire-ravaged Nocton Hall (built in 1530), an ancient Chestnut tree and some centuries-old Sequoias. Lunch at the Red Lion, Dunston. Further details are on the Community Association notice board and, if you wish to join the walk, please add your name to the list.
Organ Concerts Tickets for the series of organ concerts are now available from our website at £6 per person. Each concert begins at 7.00 p.m.
Saturday 14th May: Marco lo Muscio (Rome)
Saturday 4th June: Nikolai Gersak (Friedrichshafen)
Saturday 11th June Jeffrey Makinson (Lincoln Cathedral)
Saturday 16th July Colin Walsh (Lincoln Cathedral)
Lecture on Friday 20th May: Lincoln Cathedral is delighted to welcome the acclaimed author, and peer, Lord Hennessy of Nympsfield, for his lecture Writing the history of one’s own time, to be held in the Chapter House on Friday 20th May at 7.30 pm. Tickets £6 available via our website.
The Friends’ Eightieth Anniversary Concert for a Summer Evening on Saturday 18th June at 7.30 p.m. The programme includes two Coronation anthems by Handel, two songs for Summer by Delius, The Friends Commission of 23rd Psalm and Rutter’s Magnificat. Tickets £10 from the Friends’ Office and the Cathedral Shop.
The Association of Friends has organised a visit to Wakefield Cathedral and Nostell Priory on Thursday 30th June. Price £20. Non-members are welcome to join us. Depart Lincoln Hotel at 9.00 a.m. return for approximately 5.30 p.m. Further details from the Friends Office: 01522 561648.
Lincoln Mystery Plays: 3rd – 13th August: The Lincoln Mysteries of 2016 will keep the tradition alive, allowing the story to speak for itself, simply and with great empathy. Specially arranged music, action and a vivid visual language bring the story to life, sweeping the onlooker along from Creation, to Doomsday via Noah’s story, nativity and the poignance and Passion of Jesus’ life. Performed open-air in the Cloister over eight nights from 3rd-13th August, the scenes will unfold like illustrations from a Children’s Bible through the vigour, humour and humanity of the company. Visit the Cathedral shop or visit www.lincolnmysteries.co.uk to book your tickets.
Alan Campion writes: Margaret and I were completely overwhelmed by the response from the congregation to my recent medical problems. We had such a mass of cards, support messages, offers of help, visits and transport to hospitals that we have been hard put to follow up with our thanks. We hope that we have now emerged from the problem and can hope for a resumption of relative normality. I still have a nasty sort of tumour, which cannot be eliminated, but is controllable. It has been suggested that I might start some sort of radiotherapy within a few weeks. We can cope with this. When I am able, I hope to resume control of the cathedral coffee rota. I believe I can do this without any problems. We hope to be attending the 9.30 a.m. services again soon. Short-term memory loss is apparently associated with my problems. Please excuse me if I fail to recognise you and, if you give me important information, please write it on a piece of paper and ensure that I put it in my pocket.
Mr and Mrs Ashton would like to thank their friends at the Cathedral for their kind support, cards and prayers.
Canon Gavin Kirk
Precentor
Bible Readings
Sunday 20th March Palm Sunday
Procession and Sung Eucharist Luke 19: 28-40, Isaiah 50: 4-9a, Philippians 2: 5-11, Luke 22: 14 – end of 23
Evensong Isaiah 5: 1-7, Luke 20: 9-19
Sunday 27th March Easter Day
Sung Eucharist Acts 10: 34-43, I Corinthians 15: 19-26, John 20: 1-18
Mattins Ezekiel 47: 1-12, John 2: 13-22
Evensong Isaiah 43: 1-21, I Corinthians 15: 1-11
Sunday 2nd April Second Sunday of Easter
Sung Eucharist Acts 5: 27-32, Revelation 1: 4-8, John 20: 19-end
Mattins Exodus 12: 1-13, I Peter 1: 3-12
Evensong Wisdom 9: 1-12, Galatians 4: 1-5
