This week’s News from Liverpool Cathedral – a Place of Encounter
Catch up on the latest from Liverpool Cathedral for Sunday, 13 March 2021.
Welcome from Dean Sue
A very warm welcome to Liverpool Cathedral e-news on this the fourth Sunday of Lent. Today is also Mothering Sunday when we remember and give thanks for those who have been responsible for mothering us and caring for us. It is also the day when we pray for this Cathedral Church and for the Diocese of Liverpool in its responsibility to care for the faithful. Our Gospel reading today encourages us to come to Faith in Christ. Nicodemus came by night, but through the darkness of the night he saw the light.
As we continue to journey in Lent let us remember the light of Christ and pray that the darkness in our world may be overcome with the light of Christ.
Loving God at this time of darkness.
We pray for your light in our lives
and in our world. Amen.
Easter Flowers
Canon Myles, the Cathedral Chaplain, will stand, as he puts it, ‘in receipt of custom’ at the end of the 10.30am Cathedral Eucharist, for donations towards the cost of flowers to adorn our worship for Easter Day. If you prefer to make a donation electronically please email: jayne.bainbridge@liverpoolcathedral.org.uk.
National Day of Reflection – Tuesday 23rd March 2021
On the anniversary of the lockdown there is an invitation to remember and reflect. The Cathedral will be open for private prayer from 11am – 3pm, with the 12.05pm Eucharist dedicated to the memory of those who have died in the last year, praying for those who have endured so much this year of Covid-19.
Choral Evensong
From this Sunday the normal pattern of Choral Evensong resumes, at 3pm on Saturday and Sunday, and at 5.30pm on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, with a said Evening Prayer on Wednesdays. For now Evensong, like Morning Prayer, and the 12.05 Eucharist are all in the Lady Chapel, with access through its entrance. The exception is that on Thursday 18th March services will be in the Concert Room, with access through the Scott Suite doors.
Holy Week and Easter
Next week full details of the programme of services for Holy Week and Easter will be shared. Changes to the government guidance around choral singing in public worship, of a more restrictive nature, have required the revision of our plans. Nonetheless, we look forward to welcoming back our choristers, as soon as we are able.
Covid-19 & Church-21
During the first lockdown, our Canon Theologian, Leslie Francis, with a colleague, developed a survey to assess the impact of the lockdown on the church and its people. The first survey got over 10,000 responses and has been helpful to the wider Church. The research project is being re-run and clergy and lay people are being asked for their opinion.
The questionnaire will take about 20 minutes of your time, which will enable you to give a thorough picture of your experiences and opinions. This is an online survey. Most of the questions simply require you to click boxes, though there are options to specify your particular circumstances, and an opportunity at the end for you to tell the researchers your views in your own words.
The hope is that this time there will be enough responses from people attending cathedrals for Canon Leslie to be able to provide a helpful profile of cathedral ministry during the lockdown.
The survey can be completed on mobile phones (point your camera at the QR code), or it can be accessed using the following link: https://tinyurl.com/y4fqgrzq.
Cathedral Company Zoom Call
In addition to the pre-recorded service on Sunday mornings at 10:30am, all are welcome to join us for a brew over Zoom for fellowship and conversation after the service. If you would like the Zoom details, please email Canon Neal at neal.barnes@liverpoolcathedral.org.uk.
Worship with us this week
Join us on-line for Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer/Choral Evensong, broadcast live via our Facebook page. www.facebook.com/LiverpoolCathedral.
Please click on the following link and select which service you wish to follow from the menu under ‘Services’: Liverpool Cathedral.
You can find our pre-recorded Sunday service, along with reflections on the Gospel reading by our Canon Theologian at Prayer for Liverpool: www.prayerforliverpool.org/.
Encountering Faith – “Lent with Lamentations”
Our Lenten study series continues on Zoom on Thursdays during Lent until 1st April, 1-2pm. Read more here: Liverpool Cathedralhome/GettingInvolved/Exploring-Faith.
Lent Lectures
Our annual Lent Lectures continue until Monday 22nd March inclusive, all on-line via FaceBook from 7.00pm-8.15pm. Our Lecture on Monday 15th March is given by Bishop Alastair Redfern, who will be talking about the Church of England’s ‘Clewer Initiative’, which seeks to bring an end to modern-day slavery. For more details, please visit: /events-calendar/lent_lecture_15_03_2021.
“Living in Love and Faith”
The Church of England is engaged in a process of discernment around matters of identity, sexuality, relationships and marriage, and every church is encouraged to participate in the small-group discussion materials that accompany the recent report ‘Living in Love and Faith’. We are offering the five-week sessions on Thursday lunchtimes, 22nd April – 20th May incl., 1.00-2.15pm on Zoom. For more information, please go to: /getting-involved/Exploring-Faith.
Supper with the Scriptures
Our series of informal Bible studies, ‘Acting on Acts’ will re-start on Monday 19th April, 7-8pm. For more information, please visit our website on: /getting-involved/Exploring-Faith.
Micah Liverpool Shopping List
Micah’s stores are hitting a bit of a dry spell during this season of need so any donations would be most welcome! The scarcest items at the moment are pasta and rice, dry cereal, UHT milk, and toiletries (toothbrushes, toothpaste, and soap). Many thanks!
Prayer Shawl Ministry Update – 2020 Summary
Thank you to those who have supported the work of the Cathedral’s Prayer Shawl Ministry since its launch in January 2020; we thought that you might be interested in a summary of our 2020 activities.
As our stitchers work in their own time, at their own pace and in their own space, we were able to continue to produce items within the constraints of ‘Covid-19’. There were, of course different, logistic and personal challenges to work around as our small team of stitchers is scattered over a wide area and many are shielding. We created and gifted 40 items to specifically ‘named’ recipients - wraps, shawls, scarves and ‘throws’ according to individual suitability - to comfort, support, encourage or celebrate as appropriate to their pastoral situation. Many ‘named’ recipients are associated with the Cathedral; however, as the year progressed and local needs became more apparent, the Ministry ‘mushroomed’ to include the ‘Cathedral Pastoral Hearts’ initiative, Dementia ‘Twiddle Quilts’ and an array of ‘non-specifically worked’ items (blankets, hats, woolly gifts and sewn toys) which were shared amongst people facing particular challenges in our wider community, including those in Care Homes, YMCA, Hospital, etc.
We are extremely grateful to those who have donated yarn and money towards yarn costs or who have sponsored a Prayer Shawl. Wrapping others in items made with prayers and loving thoughts continues to be the stitchers’ gift but by your support – prayerful and financial – it can be your gift too. If applicable, you may Gift Aid your donation. If you would like to know more about being involved (stitching with fabric or yarn) or would like to donate to the Ministry, please contact Stella Barnes via the General enquiries contact line – 0151 702 7219 – or by emailing PrayerShawls@liverpoolcathedral.org.uk.
Prayer requests via our Prayer Wall
You can post prayer requests to us at: https://www.prayerforliverpool.org/requests.html.
Cathedral Shop
Whilst you can’t visit us in person - why not browse our online shop where we are open 24/7 at www.cathedralshop.com.
Our selection of 1000 piece jigsaws are still proving very popular and the Liverpool Dockside image is now back in stock.
If you have a specific request that we can help you with, please feel free to email us - shop@liverpoolcathedral.org.uk.
All profits from the shop directly support the ever increasing work of Liverpool Cathedral.