The Chapter Letter
The ThirdSunday of Lent
Sunday19 March 2017
Welcome
A very warm welcome to worship at the Cathedral, with a particular greeting to those who are newcomers or visitors. It is a delight to welcome you.
Today at the Cathedral we welcome the new High Sheriff of Somerset, Richard Hickmet, as he takes up office at the Legal Service. The service is very much open to all – all will be welcome. The service begins at 11.30 am.
The Cathedral Eucharistbegins at 9.30 am today in light of the numbers expected for the Legal Service, to be held in the Nave. The Dean continues his Sunday series of addresses, looking to renew a vision for the Cathedral and its ministry. Today he looks at “the ideology of the Cathedral”.
This afternoon at 3.00 pm, Dr Elizabeth Thomson, formerly of Wells Cathedral School, will explore another great theme of the Reformation, that religion should be expressed in our native tongue. Latin was banished from reformed churches. The Bible was translated into myriad native languages, the text of the Bible was made much more easily available, and perhaps inevitably something of the mystery of God was lost. It was all a radical change: the landscape of believing was changed for ever.
The texts of recent sermons in the Reformation 500 series can be found on the Cathedral website at: under About Us and then in Documents, Copies of Talks and Sermons.
Next Sunday at 3.00 pm the Bishop of Derby, Dr Alastair Redfern, will be here to talk about the birth of Anglicanism. At the Reformation the identity of the English church was significantly altered, and there are few in the Church of England today who could give a better account of all this than Alastair Redfern. He has researched widely and published too on precisely this topic.
Wells a City of Culture? The local media have been telling us the story of the city’s bid to become a City of Culture. I have signalled the Cathedral’s warm support for this bid. John Davies, Dean
Liturgical revision: Through the Spring and Summer the Precentor and I will be taking soundings to see if at various points our worship needs light revision. No revolutions are planned, but we will be listening to see if people have ideas to develop and refine the worship we offer here. John Davies, Dean
Welcome to Andrew Smith: It is very good to welcome Andrew as Acting Assistant Organist. He joins the Cathedral from St Peter’s, Eaton Square, London.
A very full week: It has been a very full and fulfilling week: I was asked to preach at King’s College, Taunton; I’ve been to a church event in Pitcombe; we are already planning for Lent 2018, looking perhaps to themes arising out of the First World War anniversary, 1918-2018; I chaired the Community Forum, and we reflected together that we need to build up this body; a meeting with the Bishops and Rural Deans was interesting; there was a walk-through for the Legal Service; there has been some work in connection with Wells Cathedral School; a good session with Welcomers; and I’ve been trying to think of two sermons – one for the Cathedral Eucharist and one for the Legal Service. A typically diverse Dean’s week.
John Davies, Dean
The Bishop’s Lent Appeal: Details are available on the diocesan website of the Bishop’s 2017 appeal, this year for the support of refugees. Donations can be made on line or at the Bishop’s Palace.
The Open Door Service: A special service to commission and bless all the volunteers who work to welcome visitors to the Cathedral as part of the Ministry of Welcome team: Monday 20 March at10.30am. There will be music, reflections, time to ponder the Ministry of Welcome, and then coffee.
Spring has sprung:and volunteers have been out tidying up the Camery Garden. There is a wonderful display of daffodils – well worth a look. Access is off the Cloisters.
Lent Lunches in Wells 2017 – Come and enjoy a soup and bread lunch at the Seager Hall, Union Street, Wells from 12 noon until 1.30pm. The lunches will be held on Mondays 20, 27 March and 3 April. Suggested donation of £3.50 for lunch. The money raised goes to Christian Aid, who do vitally important work across the globe supporting the very neediest of the earth. So here, in Lent, is a chance to support a key charity, and to meet and eat with Christians from across the Wells area. John Davies, Dean
In the Cathedral Café
The imaginative team in the café are offering new menus in the coming weeks, well worth a look we think: Healthy, Homemade and Hearty - try one of our fantastic lunch meals as a Weekly Special only £5.75 each and available Monday – Saturday each week
Week commencing 20 March – Seafood Chowder with a homemade bread roll – Cod, Smoked Haddock and Bacon with leek, onion, peas and cream.
Save the Children: are holding a Quiz on Friday 31March at Croscombe Village Hall at 7.30pm. Tables of four or six. Tickets £10 each to include a good Ploughman’s Supper. Please come and support us if you can. Tickets from Hilary Cainon 01749 428015.
Easter Lilies: On Easter Eve hundreds of flowers will be used to decorate the Cathedral by our team of flower arrangers in preparation for the joyous celebrations of Eastertide. It is a lovely tradition in the Cathedral that lilies are given at this time both in memory of a loved one and to celebrate God’s gifts of love and grace in the past year. If you would like to make a donation towards thepurchase of Easter lilies, please call in at the Cathedral Office or at the Virgers’ Vestry. Every gift is very welcome and much appreciated.
Kathryn Beer, Guild of St Andrew Flower Arrangers
Stations of the Cross: On each Friday in Lent at 12.05 pm, one of the Cathedral Clergy will lead a simple ‘pilgrimage’ round the fourteen Stations of the Cross in the Nave. All are welcome. There is also a simple leaflet, available under the clock throughout Lent, which will enable anyone to do the Stations of the Cross at any time they wish.
Wells Cathedral Oratorio Society Concert: Belshazzar’s Feast Saturday 1 April at 7.00 pm. Tickets available from Wells Cathedral Shop Box Office, and at the door. £10.00 - £25.00
Charity Breakfasts: Chris and Kate Day, and Mary I’Anson and I intend to run repeats of our successful breakfasts which raised funds for and awareness about Burkina Faso. You may remember the Burkina Faso project when we worked with Christian Aid to raise £5,000 (matched by £20,000 EU funds) in 2014/2015. The Cathedral recently held a conference about the issue of migrants. To maintain interest in this issue and also to raise funds we intend to hold a couple of breakfasts.
Chris and Kate Day will kindly host a breakfast at 13 Lewmond Avenue, Wells from 9 – 11 am on Saturday 25 March. There is a sheet on the table in the north transept for people to sign up.Any donations received will go to RAISE – Refugee Action in Somerset East. RAISE is a local initiative co-ordinating community action to reduce suffering caused by the local refugee crisis.Mary and I plan to host a similar breakfast after Easter. Adrian I’Anson
READINGS
Readings for next Sunday’s Eucharist, The FourthSunday of Lent,
will be 1 Samuel 16. 1-13 and John9.
OF SPECIAL NOTE THIS WEEK
Mon / 20 / 10.30 am5.15 pm / Deo Gloria Trust Exhibition ‘Rites of Passage’ in the South Cloister until 26 March
The Open Door Service. All welcome.
Festal Eucharist: St Joseph of Nazareth
Thurs / 23 / 1.05 pm
3.30 pm / Bach Complete Organ Works, Recital 14
Friends Tea and Talk in the South Transept
Fri / 24 / 12.05 pm
2.30 pm / Stations of the Cross
Thanksgiving Service for the Life of Dorothy Jamal
Sat / 25 / 5.15 pm
7.00 pm / Festal Eucharist: The Annunciation of our Lord to the Blessed Virgin Mary
Early Music Wells Concert: Opus Anglicanum – music and readings for the Annunciation
Sun / 26 / 3.00 pm / Evensong with Lent Address on ‘The Birth of Anglicanism’ –The Right Reverend Dr Alastair Redfern, Bishop of Derby
For your prayers: Paul Barber, June Yates, Henry Burnett, Sue Latimer, Amanda Dorrington, Anne Ward, Christopher Nosal, Isobel McMinn, Paul Iles, Denis Yates, Michael Manktelow, Francis Dewar, Elizabeth Dewar, Stephen Watson, Michael Perham and Julie Letts.
Rest in Peace: Margaret Jeans and Dorothy Jamal.