Cathedral News Sunday 27 September - Sunday 4 October
striking: ‘People are always asking why an angel? The only response I can give is that no-one has ever seen one and we need to keep imagining them.’
Angels, Geese, and the Christian Story TOne of my childhood memories of this time of the year is of the Nottingham Goose Fair. As Autumn drew on with its darker evenings, it offered the excitement of rides and roundabouts, treats of candyfloss and toffee apples, and prizes of goldfish in polythene bags (no longer allowed, I trust). Today’s Goose Fair is a far cry from its medieval origin, when, according to accounts, thousands of geese were marched from this county of Lincolnshire and others up through Nottingham’s Goose Gate to the Old Market Square, providing for the traditional roast dish for Michaelmas at the end of the harvest season. Last year on a short break to Vienna, I had a similar reminder where goose is served around November’s Martinmas, the feast of St Martin. Michaelmas, or to use its proper title of the Feast of St Michael and all Angels, occurs this coming Tuesday on 29 September and events such as Goose Fair are a reminder of the footprint of the Christian year lingering in our secular culture. With its theme of angels, Michaelmas may seem curiously outmoded to the modern mind. Yet angels continue to capture the human imagination. Living in the North-East, I was struck by the popularity and iconic towering presence of the Angel of the North. The words of its creator, Antony Gormley, are particularly
Angels are elusive and ambiguous. In the Bible, they appear to humans at highpoints and at crossroads, but most of time, they are hidden from view. Even the word ‘angel’ in both Greek and Hebrew is double-sided, meaning simply a messenger who could be human or divine. In much of the Bible, the existence of angels is assumed but it avoids much of speculation around them, and their task is always to point away from themselves to the greater reality of God. Nevertheless, like Antony Gormley, I think that an imagination without angels would be impoverished. We don’t need to argue for angels – that is not their point. Their elusiveness is the point, that there is more to reality than what can be seen or measured. One thing we do know about this world with so many hidden depths and undiscovered dimensions – whether the vast space above or expansive seas below, or indeed the complexities of the mind within - is how little we really know. Angels hint at some of these and at the hidden work of God. Just as the human imagination would be impoverished without the imagination of angels, so would a human culture cut off from its roots in faith and religion. Through our liturgical celebrations in churches and cathedrals, we stretch imagination in the direction of God and bring authentic meaning for today.
Kevin Walton, Chancellor
Worship and Mission
Weekly Service Schedule Details of services and music can be viewed on the Cathedral’s website. Visit: www.bit.ly/services-and-music Stillpoint This is a time of guided silent prayer to be still and aware of the presence of God. We meet in the Longland Chantry from 9.15am to 9.45am on the following Mondays: 5 October, 2 November, 7 December
Choral Mattins Mattins, the Book of Common Prayer’s morning counterpart to Evensong, is marked by celebration and praise to greet the new day. Choral Mattins is held once a month on a Sunday at 9.30am. The next Choral Mattins services will be: 11 October, 15 November, 6 December Cathedral Confirmations Confirmation is an important sacramental stepping stone in our Christian life at which we affirm our faith for ourselves and are stregthened by the Holy Spirit for service and witness. Bishop Nicholas will celebrate the Sung Eucharist for All Saints’ Day, 1 November, at which he will baptise and confirm. If you are interested, please contact: Kevin.Walton@LincolnCathedral.com Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament On the third Wednesday of each month, the Cathedral will offer Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament during Evening Prayer. The Benediction (‘blessing’) is preceded with a reflective opportunity to pray with Jesus present in the elements of Holy Communion. This reflective liturgy concludes when the priest blesses the congregation with the Eucharist. The dates for the remainder of this year will be: 21 October, 18 November, 16 December
Community Organ Scholar Vacancy The Music Department is seeking an Organ Scholar to start immediately for a fixed term appointment ending on 31 July 2027. If you are interested or know anyone who would be interested please see the vacancies page for more information: lincolncathedral.com/ current-vacancies/ NEW! Printing Press for Schools and Family Workshops To coincide with the forthcoming opening of the Christopher Wren and Medieval Libraries, the Education department has had a printing press designed for easy use with supervised groups. This arrived together with Lincoln Cathedral logo aprons, 6 bespoke print plates, rollers, ink and printing paper. The quality is outstanding. The beautiful new Library logos were incorporated into the plate designs as well as illustrations from some of the wonderful books in the collection. I’m sure these will be a very popular addition to our workshops. New Edition of InHouse The Autumn edition of the Cathedral journal, ‘InHouse’, will be available on the Latest News page on Monday 28 Septebmer: lincolncathedral.com/latestnews/ Resignation of the Bishop of Lincoln The Acting Bishop of Lincoln, The Right Revd Dr Nicholas Chamberlain, and the Bishop of Grimsby, the Rt Revd Jean Burgess have written a pastoral letter to the Diocese following the announcement that the Rt Revd Stephen Conway has resigned as Bishop of Lincoln. You can read it by following the link: www.lincoln.anglican.org/news/pastoralletter-to-the-diocese-from-bishopnicholas-and-bishop-jean/
WAR AND REDEMPTION: Music and Readings from The Just Vengeance Friday 2 October, 7.30pm The Youth Choir and the Cathedral Consort will be performing music from the Lichfield Mystery Plays by Antony Hopkins as part of the Lincoln Literary Festival. The Just Vengenance uses a script and texts written by Dorothy L. Sayers and first performed in Lichfield in 1946. Our performance, alongside a dramatic reading from the play given by members of the Dorothy Sayers Society, will be the first in 30 years, and certainly the first in Lincoln. The choirs will be singing in St Hugh’s Choir and the performance will last about an hour. Tickets available at the link: lincolncathedral.com/events/war-andredemption-music-and-readings-fromthe-just-vengeance/ Music Celebration 2026 The Dean of Lincoln, The Very Revd Dr Simon Jones, and Chair of the Music Fund Council, Mr Andrew Clark DL, invite you to evensong and a celebration of the wonderful music of Lincoln Cathedral on Sunday 4 October, starting at 3.45pm (please be seated by 3.40pm). Lincoln Half Marathon Sunday 4 October The Bailgate, Eastgate and Minster Yard will be closed as the route comes across the front of the Cathedral and through Exchequergate Arch. Parking bays will also be suspended on Bailgate, Eastgate and Minster Yard. Please plan your journey in advance and allow extra time for travel and parking. The route map with road closures can be found on the Lincoln Half Marathon website www.bit.ly/lincoln-half-marathon
Harvest Supper Thursday 8 October, 6.30pm Book your place by emailing lccc@ lincolncathedral.com and obtain details for payment by bank transfer or book and pay after the 10.30am Eucharist on Sunday. Tickets cost £20. Please include any dietary requirements on booking. Please bring your own drinks and a donation for the Cathdral’s Harvest collection. All profits will go to the Nomad Trust. The Bishop Grosseteste Lecture Saturday 10th October, 3pm War Today: A Christian View Professor Nigel Biggar will look at the wars in Ukraine, Gaza and Iran, and the military uses of AI from the viewpoint of the Christian tradition of ‘just war’. Nigel Biggar CBE, is the Lord Biggar of Castle Douglas, Regius Professor Emeritus of Moral Theology at Oxford University, and a Conservative peer in the Hose of Lords. Described as ‘one of the leading living Western ethicists’, Biggar was appointed Commander of the British Empire ‘for services to higher education’ in the 2021 Queen’s Birthday Honours list and named on of Prospect magazine’s Top Thinkers of 2024. More information: www.lincolncathedral.com/events/ bishop-grosseteste-lecture-war-today-achristian-view/ Friends of Lincoln Cathedral Talk Wednesday 21 October, 2.30pm Join the Friends for this afternoon talk in the Chapter House entitled: ‘Saved or destroyed? How did England’s cathedrals survive the Reformation?’ Dr Richard Fisher, Honorary Fellow of the University of Bristol, explores the fascinating story of England’s medieval cathedrals, how they were funded and governed, why Henry VIII spared some religious houses and spared others, and how six new dioceses emerged. Please RSVP by 14 October to Friends@LincolnCathedral. com. Admission is free to Friends, Cathedral Members and Cathedral Volunteers.
The Gospel According to Mark Saturday 7 November, 3pm The New Testament gives us not one, but four gospels, each with its unique perspective on Jesus. In this lecture, Canon Kevin Walton opens up the particular features of what is now considered to be the first attempt at what we now call the ‘gospels’. Book your place: lincolncathedral.com/ events/the-gospel-according-to-marka-lecture-by-the-revd-dr-kevin-waltoncanon-chancellor/ Community Roll Annual Meeting Sunday 22 November, after Evensong The annual meeting of the cathedral’s Community Roll will take place after Choral Evensong (which begins at 3.45pm) on Sunday 22 November. The meeting will include presentations from the cathedral’s Senior Leadership Team and Chapter. Members of the roll will be invited to submit questions to SLT and Chapter in advance of the meeting. Further details nearer the time.