As I write this Chapter Letter, we and all Christian people the world over stand on the brink of Holy Week and Easter.
This year, as every year, during this season of Lent our liturgical and spiritual life has given us the opportunity to focus on the characteristic Lenten themes of self-examination and penitence.
Alleluia, a word which speaks of joy and rejoicing, has not been on our lips since Ash Wednesday. Our normally exuberant Gloria has also been absent from our worship, making way for us to say to God Kyrie Eleison, as we ask for God’s mercy for the sins we commit daily. Our creed has further focused our thoughts on the depth of our Lord’s sacrifice, who came to earth to carry out his work of salvation and redemption in order that we might be restored to full relationship with God.
I have written what follows before elsewhere, but it bears repeating! There is a school of thought which says that Anglicanism is ‘caught, not taught’. As we make our way through Palm Sunday and into Holy Week, participation in our liturgies helps us to journey ever closer to the Cross, to enter into the solemn remembrance of our Lord’s death and passion, and to reflect honestly on our continuing commitment to live our life as a committed and faithful disciple of Jesus.
Many would attest to their faith being transformed and strengthened by the impact of the church’s liturgy during Holy Week. Do plan to come along to at least one extra service this year during Holy Week. There are special services on each day of Holy Week but if you don’t normally come at all during the week, come to church on Good Friday. If you regularly come on Good Friday, come too on Maundy Thursday at the start of the “Triduum” – the “Great Three Days”.
SAL MCDOUGALL, PRECENTOR
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Worship & Mission
Lent, Holy Week and Easter
Please see the leaflet for seasonal services and events during Lent, Holy Week and Easter.
Spiritual Formation
Spiritual Classics Reading Group. 18 May, 10.30am: We will be discussing Thomas à Kempis’ famous work, The Imitation of Christ and sharing our reflections on the book, which is available to purchase in the Cathedral shop. We will meet at 27 Minster yard at 10.30am for refreshments, and the meeting will run until 12noon.
Stillpoint 20 April, 9am: This contemplative prayer meeting on Easter Eve is in the Ringers’ Chapel from 9-9.45am. Easter Eve is an especially suitable day to sit quietly and to wait in silence upon God’s mercy.
Lectio Divina 27 April, 4pm: We read, reflect, pray with and contemplate the following day’s lectionary readings in this bible-prayer meeting from 4pm-5pm at 27 Minster Yard. Anyone is welcome to come to a meeting.
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Community
Vocations Day
On Saturday 4 May there will be a Vocations Day held in Lincoln at St Luke’s, Birchwood exploring a sense of calling in a relaxed and “no strings attached” environment. The day is open to anybody who feels God might be calling them to something more. There are more details on the Diocesan website under Events on the News tab.
Uphill Lincoln Road Restrictions
Lincoln Grand Prix takes place on 11 & 12 May. The route does not cover Minster Yard, however there will be other road restrictions in uphill Lincoln.
Anne Askew – A Woman of Courage in Tudor Lincolnshire
Thursday 23 May 2019 at 7.30pm in The County Assembly Rooms, Bailgate. Script-in-Hand presents a new play by local author Margaret Crompton. In 1545, Anne Askew read the Bible illegally in Lincoln Cathedral. The play focuses on her peaceful protest and its significance for our own understanding of freedom. Admission free: donations for The Shannon Trust.
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.
Oliver! Tickets
There are still tickets available for the production of Oliver! They are selling fast, so if you would like to attend, please visit www.lincolncathedral.com to book your tickets.
The show takes place in the Cathedral from Monday 5 to Friday 16 August 2019 (excluding Sunday 11 August).
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Events
SPARK! Engineering Festival
Friday 3 to Sunday 5 May
SPARK! Engineering Festival is back for 2019 and this year will incorporate civil engineering to celebrate and showcase the marvellous achievements of this discipline.
Organised as a partnership event by the Education Business Partnership, the City of Lincoln Council and local businesses, SPARK! aims to promote Lincolnshire as an engineering hotspot and inspire local young people to consider a career in the industry.
Byrd meets Bird
Wednesday 8 May, 7.30pm
As part of Lincolnshire Jazz Week 2019, we are combining Lincoln Cathedral Choir performing the hymns of William Byrd with Geoff Gascoyne’s Quartet playing the music of Charlie ‘Bird’ Parker to bring you Byrd meets Bird!
Tickets are £20, under 16s and students £10.
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
Be a Chorister for the Day!
Saturday 15 June, 1.30pm
Love singing? Take part in this fantastic opportunity. Explore the song school and experience what it is like to be a chorister. For more information contact 01522 504398 or music@lincolncathedral.com
Come and Sing
Saturday 22 June, 10am
Join other singers and learn Carl Orff’s famous choral work Carmina Burana from scratch. This all-day event is for enthusiastic singers of all ages and abilities. Led by Director of Music, Aric Prentice, you will learn one of the most recognised pieces of choral music from film and TV.
The event will begin at 10am, finishing with a performance for family and friends at 3pm. Registration is required. Please contact the Assistant Organist on 01522 504398 or assistantorganist@lincolncathedral.com.
Rights and Freedoms Today
Thursday 27th June, 7pm
Magna Carta Lecture by Shami Chakrabarti
Shami Chakrabarti is the Shadow Attorney General and a member of the House of Lords. A lawyer, she is Honorary Professor of Law at the University of Manchester, Honorary Fellow of Mansfield College, Oxford and a Master of the Bench of Middle Temple. She was previously Chancellor of both Oxford Brookes University and then the University of Essex.
Baroness Chakrabarti was Director of Liberty, the National Council for Civil Liberties from 2003 to 2016. Shami’s first book, On Liberty, is published by Penguin. Her second, Of Women, was published on 26 October 2017.
Tickets
Tickets for all events are available on the Cathedral website – www.lincolncathedral.com
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Bible Readings
Sunday 14 April
Palm Sunday
Sung Eucharist
Isaiah 50: 4-9a
Philippians 2: 5-11
Reading of the Passion
Luke 22: 14-end of 23
Mattins
Zechariah 9: 9-12
1 Corinthians 2: 1-12
Evensong
Isaiah 5: 1-7
Luke 20: 9-19
Sunday 21 April
Easter Day
Sung Eucharist
Isaiah 65: 17-end
Acts 10: 34-43
Luke 24: 1-12
Evensong
Isaiah 43: 1-21
John 20: 19-23
Sunday 28 April
Second Sunday of Easter
Sung Eucharist
Acts 5: 27-32
Revelation 1: 4-8
John 20: 19-end
Mattins
Exodus 12: 1
1 Peter 1: 3-12
Evensong
Isaiah 53: 1-6, 9-12
Luke 24: 13-35
