Christine Wilson, Dean Mark Hocknull, Chancellor John Patrick, Subdean
Philippa White, Succentor
Advent is once more upon us and we begin to prepare for the Christmas season. But the themes of advent seem far from Christmas. Today we have a text about the return of Christ in some unknown future coming to judge the world and us. It’s tempting to try and explain these texts by making them more relevant to our own day in doing this I suspect we rather soften their meaning and impact. We domesticate and tame them.
A friend of mine used to bemoan the domestication of God that happens when we succumb to this temptation. Jesus ends up being a nice guy, she said, but not necessarily much more. I think she’s right. As foreign, or even frightening, as the coming judgment of the Son of God might be seem, it is an inescapable element of the biblical witness. And for good reason. The flip side of judgment, you see, is justice. The dominant rationale for judgment in both Old and New Testaments is, in fact, how well we accord with God’s concern for how we treat one another and especially those who are most vulnerable. So abandon the idea of God’s judgment and you’ve also abandoned any meaningful sense of God’s justice, of God’s determination to hold us accountable for how we treat each other and creation.
The trick, of course, is holding these two together. Conservatives tend to be strong on judgment, but often separate that from any significant concern for the social justice that dominates the pages of Scripture. But Liberals do little better, as they tend to want justice but shrink from talking about judgment, at least judgment of the apocalyptic type mentioned in this week’s gospel.
There is a scene in C. S. Lewis’ The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe where the children, learning that Aslan is not a man but a lion are not only startled but down right alarmed. Is he quite safe asks one of them. To which Mr Beaver replies of course Aslan is not safe, but he is good.
Safe? The God of fierce love and determined mercy? The God of unlooked for judgment and unrelenting justice? Of course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. And knowing that makes all the difference.
Advent calls us to prepare for the Christ who is to be born at Christmas but who comes also to bring justice and judgement. I think it’s very good advice at the start of Advent. There is so much that can distract us from the life of faith, from service to neighbour, from recognizing God in our midst. If we’re honest, we might admit that the frenetic decorating and shopping and card-giving that consumes these next four weeks can easily become part of what side-tracks us. We end up preparing for Christmas rather than for Christ and thereby more easily miss the presence of our Lord in the face of those in need.
Mark Hocknull, Chancellor
Christmas Help Hamper once again the Help Hamper is located at the west-end of the Nave ready to receive donation of Christmas Treats; packaged food stuffs, toiletries, gifts, which will be shared between the Lincoln Community Larder and NOMAD Trust. In date contribution only please.
Retired Volunteers and Staff Group – Due to being unable to book the Cathedral Centre, the December meeting will now be held at the Bailgate Methodist Church Hall on December 8th at 10.30am, for coffee, cake and quizzes! The January meeting will return to the Cathedral Centre on 12th January at 10.30am. We look forward to seeing you at the Methodist Church.
Grants & Donations – With Christmas now just a few short weeks away, finding the perfect gift can often be a difficult challenge. Thankfully, the Cathedral has a solution for that relative or friend that has everything. Why not adopt a stone, book or organ pipe at Lincoln Cathedral in their name. It’s a gift that lasts a lifetime and starts from just £25 for each. To find out more about giving a little piece of Lincoln this Christmas, please visit www.lincolncathedral.com/get-involved/give-to-the-cathedral
New for 2016: it is now possible to adopt a page from one of the Cathedral’s medieval manuscripts. For as little as £25 for a page of text from Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, or £75 for an illustrated page from a book by Richard Rolle, through to £150 for a beautifully illuminated page from a 15th century book of psalms, this could be the ideal present for the person who has everything. For more information please visit www.lincolncathedral.com/get-involved/give-to-the-cathedral or telephone the Grants & Donations department on 01522 561613. As well as receiving a copy of the adopted page, you can also make an appointment to come and see the manuscript itself at a later date.
New Community Card Scheme: Lincoln Cathedral has launched its new Community Card scheme offering discounts and benefits to cardholders. The card is just £39.99 for a year and offers you great savings over the year. What is more, it’s a great way to support the Cathedral. Pick up a leaflet and partner list in the Cathedral or visit www.lincolncathedral.com and click on community card or telephone the Grants & Donations office on 01522 561614.
faith@lincolncathedral Everybody is welcome to come along to faith@lincolncathedral! There is one more discussion evening before Christmas, meeting at the Victoria (top of Union Road, near the corner with Westgate and Burton Road) at 7 for 7.30: Wednesday 14th December – Rocking Around the Christmas Tree and Joy to the World – do they have anything in common?
Micky Philp writes: could some kind regular evensong congregation member please take on the retiring collection duty on Thursdays.
The Dean’s Verger writes…. Christmas Market, 01-04 December – Once again Christmas Market fast approaches, and again, in addition to the normal round of volunteer activities, we invite members of the Cathedral Community to offer help; Thursday 1st to Sunday 4th December as we offer a welcome to the many thousands of ‘Marteteers’ to the Cathedral. Help needed includes; Welcoming, Chapter House – Refreshments, Telephone manning, general support. Do please look at the volunteer rota in the Vergers’ Vestry and see if you can fill one, or two A[or even more] of the two hour slots. Vehicle Access Passes please note these are access passes not Parking Permits. Access passes will be available to those who can secure a parking place within the ‘Market Cordon’. Please leave your name, vehicle make and registration in the Vergers’ Vestry.
Lincoln Cathedral Music Fund – Saturday 10 December are hosting a performance by the Cathedral Choristers and Thea Butterworth of Benjamin Britten’s ‘Ceremony of Carols’ on Saturday 10th December 2016 in the Chapter House at 2pm in the afternoon and, again in the Chapter House at 7pm in the evening. The evening performance will be followed by a Lanternlight Tour of the Cathedral. Tickets are £10 for the afternoon performance (£5 for children under 14) and £25 for the evening performance and lantern lit tour and will include a glass of wine and canapés. Tickets are available from the Lincoln Cathedral Box Office on 01522 561644 or www.lincolncathedral.com.
Santa Fun Run – Sunday 11 December There will be restricted access and parking in Minster Yard and uphill Lincoln between 0800 and 1300.
A Concert of Carols by Candlelight – Wednesday 14 December 7.30pm Lincoln Cathedral Choir performs an evening of carols. Surrounded by candlelight, this enchanting performance will most certainly get you into the festive spirit. Tickets priced at £10 are available from www.lincolncathedral.com.
La Nativité du Seigneur, Sunday 18 December 5.30pm The annual performance of La Nativité du Seigneur played on the world famous Father Willis organ by Colin Walsh. The performance will comprise of a series of meditations for the organ, which explore the story of Christmas. Tickets cost £6 and are on sale now. To purchase tickets, please visit www.lincolncathedral.com
Christmas Eve Carol Service – Saturday 24 December 4pm Congregation Tickets – a limited number of tickets for members of the regular cathedral congregation, for seats in the crossing, will be available from Sunday 11th December. Tickets may be collected in person from the Vergers Vestry. Please note seats will be reserved until 15.30 only.
Messy Cathedral – Saturday 07 January 2017 By popular request, we will be celebrating Epiphany with a Messy Cathedral event on Saturday 7th January 2017. Everyone is invited to come and enjoy a morning of craft and Messy Science activities, a celebration and lunch, all on the theme of “Light in the Darkness.” Messy Cathedral is church for the whole family: so please 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).
Bible Studies Series – starting on Monday 9th January 2017 A series of Bible Studies is planned for the new year. Meetings will be held at St. Anne’s House, 27 Sewell Road, Lincoln, LN2 5RY from 7.30 – 9.00pm on alternate Monday evenings. Leaflets setting out the programme are available on the choir aisle tables. For further details please contact Frederick Hackett (01522 524091). Everyone is welcome.
Bible Readings
Sunday 27 November 1st Sunday of Advent
Sung Eucharist Isaiah 2.1-5, Psalm 122, Romans 13.11-end, Matthew 24.36-44
Mattins Psalm 44, Micah 4.1-7, 1 Thessalonians 5.1-11
Evensong Psalm9, Isaiah 52.1-12, Matthew 24.15-28
Sunday 04 December 2nd Sunday of Advent
Sung Eucharist Isaiah 11.1-10, Psalm 72.1-7, 18-19, Romans 15.4-13, Matthew 3.1-12
Mattins Psalm 80, Amos 7, Luke 1.5-20
Evensong Psalms 11 [28], 1Kings 18.17-39, John 1.19-28
Sunday 11 December 3rd Sunday of Advent
Sung Eucharist Isaiah 35.1-10, Psalm 146.4-10, James 5.7-10, Matthew 11.2-11
Mattins Psalm 68.1-19, Zephaniah 3.14-end, Philippians 4.4-7
Evensong Psalm 12 [14], Isaiah 5.8-end, Acts 13.13-41, HC John 5.31-40
