Our Easter stories begin with grief, shock and fear. Those who find the tomb empty ‘are alarmed’ (Mk 16:5), or ‘terrified’ (Lk 24:5), and even the guards are ‘afraid’ (Mt 28:4). Mary believes that Jesus’s body has been stolen (Jn 20:2) and stands outside the tomb weeping (Jn 20:11). Beginning with the reality and pain of the human situation, Easter holds before us a story of new life and hope, and invites us to enter into and become a part of that continuing story.
In my favourite resurrection story, the disciples on the Road to Emmaus are dejected and despondent, because they believe their reason for hope has died with Jesus. They share what seems to be a failed dream of political redemption with a fellow traveller (Luke 24:13-35), who opens the scriptures and interprets them. Later, as the traveller takes, blesses, breaks and shares the bread, they recognise that he is Jesus.
This is how we encounter resurrection hope. We encounter the risen Christ in word and sacrament, which speak of the Reign of God. In the reading of scripture we learn of what God has done and is doing. The Bible is a message of hope, speaking to both our personal situation and our social reality. In the sharing of bread we practise being God’s family and we have a foretaste of God’s Reign in our midst. The Eucharist is a taste of that hope.
One of the primary ministries of the cathedral is worship, in the celebrations of scripture in Morning Prayer and Evensong and the sacrament in the twice-daily Eucharist. We worship, not because God needs our praise, but because we need to participate in hope, to be sustained by hope, and to be transformed by hope. It is worship that enables us to be resurrection people, bringing hope to others.
I encourage you all to belong to our worshipping ‘resurrection community’. If you are visiting, then please do come to a service. If you come once a week, come more often; come to meet the risen Christ daily, in the scriptures and the sharing of bread.
With warmest wishes for a happy and hope-filled Easter!
Paul Overend, Chancellor
Notices
The Flower Team would be very grateful for any donations towards the Easter Lilies this year. Many thanks in advance.
Evensong Guest Preachers: At our Sunday evensongs, we look forward to hearing the following guest preachers: 8th April – The Reverend Matthew Corkern, Rector at The Episcopal Church in Northern New Jersey, 15th April – The Reverend Jayson Rhodes, Chaplain to the Bishop of Lincoln, 22nd April (Vocations Sunday) – The Reverend David Dadswell, Bishop’s Strategic Implementation Adviser
The Tower Guides Team is looking to recruit new volunteers for the 2018 season: If you are physically fit and think you would like meeting our visitors, introducing them to Great Tom and to the unrivalled views to be had from the central tower, please contact the Visitor Services Team; vstl@lincolncathedral.comor 01522 561600.
The Historic Environment Skills Project: has been awarded a grant of £585,600 from the Heritage Lottery Fund. The project will offer training to those who wish to gain traditional and specialist skills, but may not currently have relevant experience or qualifications. Delivered through a partnership between Lincolnshire County Council’s Heritage Skills Centre, Heritage Trust Lincolnshire and Lincoln Cathedral, it will provide 21 bursaries over four years across the East Midlands with a focus in Lincolnshire. Carol Heidschuster, Works Manager at Lincoln Cathedral, said, “The cathedral has a long tradition of mentoring, training and equipping people with skills and traditional crafts. Over the three year programme, five people will be trained to NVQ standard with this funding, which will give them an increased opportunity to gain full time employment in their given craft.”
Spiritual Classics Reading Group: A new Spiritual Classics Reading Group will meet towards the end of the month to share reflections together. The book for the April meeting will be the ‘Confessions’ of Saint Augustine, which the Cathedral shop has copies of, or there are some free versions online. Having read the book privately, we shall discuss it on Saturday 28th April, 10:45-12:15 (followed by the midday Eucharist, for those who wish).
Good Friday Meditations: The Chancellor’s meditations on Moods of Prayer and the Passion are available online at overend.blogspot.co.uk
Messy Cathedral Easter – Tuesday 3rd April- Messy Cathedral returns for Easter on Tuesday April 3rd. We will be celebrating Easter with a morning of craft and Messy Science activities, a celebration and lunch, telling the story of Easter and the good news of the Resurrection and sharing the joy of the Easter feast. Messy Cathedral is church for the whole family, with craft activities particularly aimed at primary school aged children: so please come along and bring your children, grandchildren, godchildren, nieces and nephews – and let your friends know! If anyone would like to help out on the day or by helping to prepare beforehand, that would be brilliant (if you don’t have under-11s to bring, that would be the best way to enjoy the day!) Please contact the Succentor (curate@lincolncathedral.com / 01522 567004).
The Mad Hatter’s Tea Party. Saturday 7 April 2018. Two sittings – 10am and 1.30pm in the Chapter House. – A unique family event. We welcome you to join us in the Chapter House of the Cathedral for a Mad Hatter’s tea party. You will be amazed when you step inside and find a surprise tea party box filled with yummy delights on your table. We encourage the whole family to be involved with the tea party and the creative activities which follow. Photo opportunities will be available with our guests of honour the Mad Hatter and White Rabbit. There will be the Queen of Heart’s jam tarts and of plenty tasty tea party treats. Tickets will be on sale from 10am on Monday 26 February.
Duke Ellington Concert: A high point in the Lincolnshire Jazz Week’s programme this year will be the performance of Duke Ellington’s Sacred Music by The Royal Birmingham Conservatoire Ellington Orchestra under musical director Jeremy Price together with the Lincoln Cathedral Choir under musical director Aric Prentice also featuring a Gospel Choir, soloists singer Vimala Rowe, John Turville piano and jazz dancer Perry Louis. Ellington’s wonderful ‘Sacred Music’ is both serious and swinging. It is a reverent and hip body of jazz composition, written late in his career. Tickets on sale now from £10 from the Cathedral Shop or www.lincolncathedral.com
RAF Centenary Dinner Friday 10 August 2018. 7pm in the Nave. A black tie dinner in the Nave to mark the RAF centenary, the dinner will be a fundraising event with a percentage of all ticket sales going to an RAF charity. Tickets and booking forms available now on the Cathedral website www.lincolncathedral.com
2018 Organ Recital Series. Saturday 5 May – Saturday 29 September. 7pm in the Nave. We are excited to announce our 2018 Organ Recital Series with performances from both local and international organists: 5 May- James O’Donnell (Westminster Abbey), 19 May- Jeffrey Makinson (Lincoln Cathedral), 9 June- Franz Hauk (Ingolstadt, Germany), 23 June- Colin Walsh (Lincoln Cathedral), 7 July- Jan Vermeire (Dunkerque, France), 21 July- Philip Rushforth (Chester Cathedral), 8 September- Wolfgang Kleiber (Darmstadt, Germany), 29 September, James Lancelot (Emeritus, Durham Cathedral). For further information on the programmes or to purchase tickets please visit www.lincolncathedral.com. Tickets are priced at £6 per person.
Lincoln Cathedral Community Association, Date for the Diary: The LCCA will be organising a Pentecost Tea Party on 20th May in the Cloisters. More details nearer the date!
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Bible Readings
Sunday 1 April
Easter Sunday
Sung Eucharist
Acts 10: 34-43; 1 Corinthians 15: 1-11; Mark 16: 1-8
Evensong
Ezekiel 37.1-14; Luke 24.13-35
Sunday 8 April
2nd Sunday of Easter
Sung Eucharist
Acts 4: 32-35; 1 John 1:1-2:2; John 20: 19-end
Mattins
Isaiah 53.6-12; Romans 4.13-25
Evensong
Genesis 3.8-15; Galatians 4.1-5
Sunday 15 April
3rd Sunday of Easter
Sung Eucharist
Acts 3: 12-19; 1 John 3: 1-7; Luke 24: 36b-48
Mattins
Isaiah 63.7-15; 1 Corinthians 10.1-13
Evensong
Deuteronomy 7.7-13; Revelations 2.1-11
