Mark Hocknull, Chancellor John Patrick, Acting Dean & Subdean Philippa White, Succentor
This week, Eastertide shifts gears as we celebrate the feast of the Ascension. As a festival, it can seem quite remote: an afterthought, and a confusing one at that. Talking about Jesus being gathered, bodily, upwards into heaven seems to require us to believe that God and heaven are quite literally “up there,” in space, physically located in the sky – and that’s a problem for people like us, who have seen images of space, who know that whatever Heaven is, it’s not a concrete location in the atmosphere.
But that shouldn’t make us ignore the festival, and the idea, of Ascension. The picture of Jesus – the risen, human body of Jesus – going to the Father is designed to tell us, not that the Father lives in the sky, but that the Father welcomes the Son – the human Son, the crucified and risen Son – back to his side. As Caroline Noel’s hymn puts it, the incarnate Jesus bears his human nature back “to the throne of Godhead, to the Father’s breast.” Jesus takes the whole of human nature into God. Jesus incarnate, Jesus as part of human reality, is God made human and made visible, tangible, accessible to human beings. But Jesus ascended, Jesus returning to God’s reality, is humanity – our own humanity – enfolded within the heart of God. Jesus returns to the heart of God and takes with him all that it is to be human. The good and the bad; the pain and the joy; our loving compassion and our impulses towards meanness and cruelty. Jesus takes it all to God, to the only place where humanity can be healed and transfigured.
So Ascension is not a remote afterthought – it is the climax of what it meant for Jesus to be God walking with us, and promises the healing and transfiguration of each one of us.
The nine days from Ascension to Pentecost are traditionally special days of prayer; and the Archbishops have invited us all to take part in a “wave of prayer” over these nine days. Let us pray for the healing and transfiguration of all of God’s people, and with us, our broken and needy world.
Philippa White, Succentor
5 May 2016, Ascension Day – Additional services include 0700 Holy Communion with hymns, followed by breakfast & Sung Eucharist at 1930.
Lincoln Cathedral Connected: Planning Consultation Events:
Concerning the proposed development of the Old Deanery (30 Eastgate) and landscaping of the Dean’s Green and Minster Yard. We hope you will join us at the following consultation, where you can view the proposals, ask questions and express your opinions.
Drop-in Sessions
Sun 1 May 2016 10.30am to 2pm Chapter House, Lincoln Cathedral, LN2 1PX
Mon 2 to Fri 6 May 2016 12pm to 2pm Morning Chapel, Lincoln Cathedral, LN2 1PX
7 May 2016 – Community Association Spring Walk – A Spring Walk starting in Potterhanworth that includes walking along the Roman Car Dyke, having lunch at the Red Lion in Dunston, and returning via Nocton Village, is being arranged for Saturday 7 May 2016. The fairly flat circular walk, at a leisurely pace, includes paths through woods and panoramic views across the Fens. Parking is near Potterhanworth School – please take the left fork in the road (Barff Road) at the school (signposted to “Memorial Hall”) Explorer Reference Map 272 TF 056/ 662. The walk start is 50 yards past the school at 9.45 for 10.00 am. Details are on the Community Association Notice Board. Further enquiries or details can be obtained by contacting John Harker on 01526 323680.
Saturday 14 May 2016 at 7pm in the Nave of Lincoln Cathedral. Lincoln Cathedral Organ Concert – Marco Lo Muscio Marco Lo Muscio, one of the most versatile musicians of his generation, will be performing on the famous Father Willis Organ next month. Since 2004, Marco has been the Artistic Director of the International Summer Organ Festival in Rome. In 2013 he started recording for the famous British music label Priory Records on the series Great European Organs. His programme for the evening includes works by Torres, Cooman and Emerson. For further information and to book your tickets please visit lincolncathedral.com. Tickets can be purchased in person through the Cathedral shop or by calling 01522 561 644.
Christian Aid week, 15th to 21st May, 2016 our donations this Christian Aid week will help people living in river-island communities in Bangladesh, to build homes raised on earth plinths, to withstand the effects of flooding. There will be more information, and envelopes for your contributions on the table by the Christian Aid display boards here in the Cathedral.
The Cathedral Retired Volunteers’ Group:
This group meets on the second Thursday of every month, except August, at the Cathedral Centre, starting with coffee at 10.30, followed by a monthly speaker. Members pay a yearly subscription of £5.00, and membership is open to retired volunteers or staff of the Cathedral, or people approaching retirement.
Friday 20 May 2016 at 7.30pm in the Chapter House Lecture by Peter Hennessy, the Lord Hennessy of Nympsfield: ‘Writing the history of one’s time’ With previously inaccessible historical records, Lord Hennessy will be talking about the people and personalities that have shaped our lives since World War II. For further information and to book your tickets please visit lincolncathedral.com. Tickets can be purchased in person through the Cathedral shop or by calling 01522 561 644.
Summer Evening Opening Once again we are planning to extend the opening hours of the Cathedral from 6pm to 8pm, this year starting on Monday June 20th and finishing on Wednesday August 17th. The team of volunteers who make this happen is made up from Cathedral Stewards augmented by members of the Cathedral Community. We do have a number of empty slots to fill, so if you can help by being part of an Evening Team, for one, two or more evenings, spending two hours in this splendid building and providing a welcome to visitors, then please contact John Taylor jrt.natuna@btinternet.com
Hallé Friday 23 September 2016, 7.00pm and Messiah Saturday 19 November 2016 7.00pm: General Ticket Release: Tickets will be released to the public on Sunday 1 May. For further information and to book your tickets please visit lincolncathedral.com. Tickets can be purchased in person through the Cathedral shop or by calling 01522 561 644. The system will automatically allocate you with the best possible seats available in your chosen area, at the time of purchase. Wheelchair seating is available and can be booked by telephone on 01522 504 394.
Alice Weatherley is hosting a fundraising concert in aid of Beating Bowel Cancer and the Duke of Edinburgh Diamond Challenge on Friday 24th June at Lincoln Minster School,Upper Lindum Street,LN21PY, at 7pm. For more information please contact Alice on 07792428123 or 03aWeatherley@lincolnminsterschool.co.uk
Micky Philp writes: Many thanks from the Flower Team for the very generous donations towards Easter lilies. Very much appreciated by us all
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Bible Readings
Sunday 1 May 6th Sunday of Easter
Sung Eucharist Acts 16: 9-15, Revelation 21: 10, 22-22.5, John 14: 23-29
Mattins Genesis 1: 26-28 [29-end], Colossians 3: 1-11
Evensong Zephaniah 3:14-end, Matthew 28: 1-10, 16-end
Sunday 8 May 7th Sunday of Easter
Sung Eucharist Acts 16: 16-34, Revelation 22: 12-14, 16-17, 20-end, John 17: 20-end
Mattins Deuteronomy 34, Acts 1: 1-8
Evensong Isaiah 44: 1-8, Ephesians 4: 7-16
Sunday 15 May Pentecost
Sung Eucharist Acts 2: 1-21, Romans 8: 14-17, John 14: 8-17
Mattins Isaiah 40: 12-23, 1 Corinthians 2: 6-end
Evensong Exodus 33: 7-20, 2 Corinthians 3: 4-end
