Public Services will resume at Lincoln Cathedral on Ash Wednesday (17 February).
Services were moved online in mid-January due to the growing Coronavirus infection rates in Lincolnshire and across the country, but following the continued decrease in infections rates, deaths and hospital admissions, public worship at the Cathedral will resume.
Worshippers will now be able to join daily services of Morning Prayer and Eucharist in person, as well as evening prayer on Monday Wednesday and Saturday.
Evensong services on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays will be available online only as the rules currently in place mean that the choir cannot perform while worshippers are present.
Those attending the Cathedral for services must continue to follow the safety guidelines in place, including wearing a mask, practicing social distancing, using hand sanitiser and following a one-way system. Congregational singing is still not permitted, but a cantor and organist will provide musical accompaniment to the Sunday Eucharist.
Ash Wednesday
In addition to this weekly pattern of worship, there will also be an additional Eucharist at 7.30pm on Ash Wednesday to mark the beginning of Lent; the 40 days running up to Easter. This service includes the traditional ‘Imposition of ashes’. Since the middle ages, it has been the custom for Christians to begin Lent by having ashes placed on their head as a token of penitence and mortality. This year, in order to comply with coronavirus regulations we will not be physically marking the forehead with a cross; ashes will be sprinkled instead.
Lent
Throughout Lent at the 12.30pm Eucharist on Fridays there will be a series of short addresses considering some of the key texts from the bible that have traditionally been used as people explore The Way of Christ. It will be possible to attend these services in person or to watch them live online via the Cathedral’s Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/Lincoln.Cathedral. And there is also the opportunity to join a zoom discussion later in the day. For further details email the Precentor nick.brown@lincolncathedral.com.
Also, beginning on Wednesday 24 February for five consecutive weeks The Very Revd Christine Wilson, Dean of Lincoln will be running an evening Lent Course at 7pm online via Microsoft Teams.
Titled ‘Women in the Shadows’, the course comprises five short films and a devotional booklet focussing on the different ways women and girls are exploited in the UK today. The course was created by the Clewer Initiative which is deeply committed to combatting modern slavery. Those interesting in joining this course should email dean@lincolncathedral.com.
The full list of services time for public worship and online services can be found below. More details of services for Holy Week and Easter Day will be announced nearer the time.
