On Wednesday 6 March, we begin our observance of Lent. It is an opportunity for us to renew and revitalise our faith.
Lent developed from a time of instruction, prayer, fasting and other personal preparation for catechumens who were going to be baptised at Easter (the word catechumen meaning one being instructed and formed in the Christian way). It also became a time of public penance for those excommunicated by the church for apostasy or serious fault, that penance being a gesture demonstrating their change of heart and mind before their readmission into the life of the Church at Easter.
Easter was a key time for baptisms and confirmations as baptism is understood as an entering into the mystery of Christ’s self-emptying, death and resurrection. So this time of preparation was understood as a time of dying to one’s former life, with its disordered desires or lack of focus and purpose, that the baptised might fully enter into the newness of life in the rebirth of the font. Others, who were readmitted as Church members at this time, were understood to be restored, healed, forgiven, and renewed by the Holy Spirit, as they renewed their baptismal promises.
In time, the whole Church came to share in this season of prayer, seeking together to enter more fully into the mystery of Christ’s death and resurrection by following a journey of conversion and renewal to the reaffirmation of their own baptismal vows at the Easter Vigil. We are invited to be a part of this journey again.
Our Lenten journey will involve prayer and reflection, as we seek a change of heart and mind, as we seek to ‘put on Christ’ (as Saint Paul describes it). This a conversion of life to a new life of liberty and joy, the Bible calls ‘metanoia’. This is normally translated as ‘repentance’, but repentance is not a breast-beating wallowing in our failings. It is an honest self-appraisal so that we may let go of that old self, by casting off tired habits and leaving our self-aggrandising attention-seeking ego behind. We only give up things and habits at Lent in order to help us give up that old ego-self, that we may be given a new start, a new life in Christ. We do so to put on Christ, in order that Christ, which is our ‘True Self’, may be renewed and realised in us.
The renewal of our baptismal covenant at the Easter Vigil is the culmination of this Lenten journey. Let us share in this journey through Lent, looking ahead to renewing our baptism promises together at the Easter Vigil Service, so that the Easter Vigil Service is an exciting and revitalising corporate experience for us.
Paul Overend, Chancellor
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Worship and Mission
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The Dean will be away from the Cathedral travelling to Fiji from the 3rd – 12th March. The Dean will be acting as the Bishop of Lincoln’s commissary at the consecration and installation of Revd Fereimi Camaas as Archbishop of Polynesia with whom the Diocese of Lincoln has a link. Please keep Fereimi in your prayers. We look forward to welcoming our colleagues from Polynesia to Lincoln during August as part of the climate change conference.
Supporting Worship and Mission
Regular giving is an important source of funding for the worship and mission of Lincoln Cathedral. If you would like to set up regular giving to support the worship and mission, or indeed any other aspect of the Cathedral, standing order forms are available from the tables in the north and south choir aisles. Thank you for your support.
Confirmation
If anyone would be interested in exploring the possibility of confirmation please speak to the Subdean or email: Subdean@lincolncathedral.com
Communion Wine
In the few weeks we will be trialling white communion wine in place of red. While this might be new for Lincoln Cathedral this is a long established practice in the tradition of the Church. The reasons for the trial are entirely pragmatic but we understand that you may have some questions. Any of the Residentiary Canons will be happy to speak to you, please do approach them over coffee or be in touch by phone or email if you would like to discuss this.
Lent, Holy Week and Easter
Please see the leaflet for seasonal services and events during Lent Holy Week and Easter.
Evensong Guest Preacher
Sunday 3 March, Celebration of the Wesleys – The Revd Bruce Thompson, Chair of The Lincolnshire Methodist District
‘On Christian Virtue’ LENT SERMON SERIES
This series explores virtues of Christian living, to help us consider how we live the Christian life, and to help those preparing for baptism and confirmation to consider what their commitment entails. The topics have been chosen by the preachers; 10 March (Lent 1) Humility; 17 March (Lent 2) Hope; 24 March (Lent 3) Generosity; 31 March (Lent 4) Courage; 7 April (Lent 5/Passiontide) Faithfulness. The preachers are named in the leaflet for seasonal services and events during Lent Holy Week and Easter. Please do take a copy with you.
Spiritual Formation
Lectio Divina: Bible Reflection Group – Saturday 9 March, then Saturday 30 March, 4-5pm, at 27 Minster Yard. We look at the following day’s lectionary readings.
The Resilient Disciple: The next quiet afternoons on this Lent book, led by The Venerable Justine Allain Chapman, will be on Monday 18 March 1-4pm, and on Saturday 6 April 2-5pm. £10 each.
Spiritual Classics Reading Group: Next meets on 6 April, when we will discuss, The Merciful Humility of God, by Dr Jane Williams (Bloomsbury, Continuum, 2019 Lent Book). This book is on sale in the shop.
Please do read the book and come to the meeting 10.30am refreshments, for 10.45am -12noon meeting, at 27 Minster Yard.
Intercessory Group: Led by Revd Canon Michael Boughton meets each Wednesday at 2pm in the Longland Chapel to pray the intercessions left by visitors and to offer other prayers of those who attend. Please do feel free to join them, either regularly or occasionally.
Stillpoint: Guided silent prayer, next takes place on 23 March 9-9.45am in the Ringers’ Chapel.
Community
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Fairtrade Fortnight (25 February – 10 March 2019)
Please support Fairtrade Fortnight. For a while now the Cathedral Community Association has offered Fairtrade coffee after Sunday services. The tea and coffee in our refectory is also Fairtrade. And even our communion wine is Fairtrade. As we aim to foster a living wage for producers, please let the Chancellor, refectory or shop know if there are Fairtrade products you would like us to supply.
www.fairtrade.org.uk/en/get-involved/current-campaigns/fairtrade-fortnight
John O’Donoghue affectionately known as ‘Kitkat John’
who served for 25 years as a Cathedral guide has recently died. His funeral will be held on the 8th March at 13:30, Our Lady Catholic Church, Laughton Way, Ermine.
‘A memorial to George Boole’
On Thursday 14 March, 10.30am, at the Cathedral Centre there will be a talk hosted by the Lincoln Cathedral Retired Staff and Volunteers Group. A perfect opportunity to meet former colleagues and make new friends.
Annual Membership Fee £5, guests very welcome £2.
Events
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St John Passion
Saturday 6 April, 7pm
Lincoln Cathedral Choir return to Bach’s St John Passion for this year’s Passiontide concert. Accompanied by Northern Baroque this is sure to be a profound and inspiring way to mark this Passiontide season. Tickets from £8
Byrd meets Bird
Wednesday 8 May, 7.30pm
A concert by the Choir of Lincoln Cathedral with a Jazz Quintet.
Magna Carta Lecture – ‘Rights and Freedoms Today’
Thursday 27 June, 7pm
For this years’ Magna Carta Lecture we welcome Shami Chakrabarti, the Shadow Attorney General and a member of the House of Lords. Tickets £5
Organ Concert Series 2019
Saturday 18 May, 7pm, Colin Walsh
Saturday 15 June, 7pm, Martin Baker
Saturday 21 July, 7pm, Hilary Punnett
Saturday 21 September, 7pm, Charles Harrison
Friday 4 October, 7pm, Organ Extravaganza
Sunday 22 December, 5.30pm, La Nativité du Seigneur
Tickets £8.50 including a drink on arrival with an introduction to the evening by The Organist.
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Bible Readings
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Sunday 3 March
Sunday next before Lent
Sung Eucharist
Exodus 34: 29-end
2 Corinthians 3: 12-4.2
Luke 9: 28-36
Mattins
Exodus 33: 17-end
1 John 3: 1-3
Evensong
Exodus 3: 1-6
John 12: 27-36a
Sunday 10 March
First Sunday of Lent
Sung Eucharist
Deuteronomy 26: 1-11
Romans 10: 8b-13
Luke 4:1-13
Mattins
Micah 6: 1-8
Luke 5: 27 – end
Evensong
Johah 3
Luke 18: 9-14
Sunday 17 March
Second Sunday of Lent
Sung Eucharist
Genesis 15: 1-12, 17-18
Philippians 3: 17-4.1
Luke 13: 31-end
Mattins
Genesis 17: 1-7, 15-16
Romans 11:13-24
Evensong
Jeremiah 22: 1-9, 13-17
Luke 14: 27-33
