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Cathedral News
January 2019
Sub-Dean's Corner
Living through The Time Being
David Holgate
Amidst the busyness of Christmas it seemed impossible to imagine January 2019, but here we are, starting a new year with a mixture of misgiving and hope. How are we to live?
The poet W H Auden wrote a long Christmas poem called ‘For the Time Being’, which ends: ‘Well, so that is that. Now we must dismantle the tree,/ Putting the decorations back into their cardboard boxes –/ Some have got broken – and carrying them up to the attic.’
The poem suggests that there is a comedown after the emotional highs of the festival: ‘…The streets/ Are much narrower than we remembered; we had forgotten/ The office was as depressing as this.’ And a section concludes: ‘To those who have seen/ The Child, however dimly, however incredulously,/ The Time Being is, in a sense, the most trying time of all.’
How then are we to live in this daily present, called ‘the time being’? It is to see each normal day as special and important simply because each day of our lives is an equal gift of God. As Christians we know that our core duties are to love God wholeheartedly and our neighbours (all those with whom we share this planet) as ourselves. The new year offers 365 possibilities for this.
May we so live that we are able to find some freshness and significance in each day this New Year. I wish you happiness in each discovery.
Contact Details, Sharing and Caring
Marcia Wall, Canon Precentor
‘Sharing is caring’ is something that my granddaughter Gracie says all the time, especially if her brother Harry has something that she wants.
Caring for each other is something that happens all the time in our Cathedral, but it often takes place out of sight of most people. It’s something that we simply do and don’t make a big song and dance of it. Members of the clergy are in the privilege position of knowing about such acts of love and kindness through our roles, as people come and tell us about their concerns and what they are doing to help or support someone in need.
The clergy team is also quietly caring for people, ringing, sending cards, visiting, watching out for who have been missing for a couple of Sundays and contacting them just to make sure that all is well. Sometimes this can be very difficult and frustrating as we don’t always have your contact number or contact details of your next of kin.
We would like to improve our pastoral care and would really appreciate it if you could let us have the name and telephone number of someone that we can contact in case we need to. This information will be kept safe and treated in the strictest confidence, but it is something that we would like to have. Please speak with a member of the clergy team and let us care for you. Thank you.
Sharing is caring!
Canon Wray's
Sock Day Appeal
The Canon Wray Sock Appeal is back and you can drop off new pairs of socks right up until the official anniversary of this historic legacy on the 21 January. Manchester Cathedral can find a good home for any pairs of new, warm socks that people would like to donate or buy, to support the Booth Centre in looking after those who find themselves homeless at the start of the New Year.
Canon Cecil Wray was a very popular, if slightly eccentric, priest who died in 1866 after serving in this church for 56 years. He was a contemporary of Joshua Brookes and, like Brookes can claim to be one of the most prolific baptisers and ‘marriers’ in English history. Records show that he presided over 33,211 christenings 13,196 marriages and 9,996 funerals as a result of the massive growth in population after the Industrial Revolution.
Canon Wray’s ‘Birthday Gift’ is a fund he set up in 1866 for the provision of socks for the poor on the anniversary of his birthday. From now up until the 21 January we will be collecting socks, new pairs or any surplus pairs received over Christmas which we will then hand over to the Booth Centre for distribution. Donations of new hats, scarves and gloves are also welcome.
The First Coffee Concert of 2019: Geoffrey Woollatt, Organ
Saturday 19 January 2019, 11.00am
Manchester’s very own Sub-organist returns for his second, professional, public, solo performance on the Stoller Organ. In his role as at the Cathedral he accompanies most of the Cathedral services.
Geoffrey was a chorister at Southwell Minster and has held various posts at both Chester and Manchester Cathedrals. Whilst studying in Glasgow at The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland he held the position of Assistant Organist at St Marys Episcopal Cathedral.
Admission is free. Donations politely requested to support Cathedral music.
Saint of the Month
George Fox (1624-1691), Founder of the Society of Friends (The Quakers)
13 January
Albert Radcliffe
A thought- provoking feature of our church calendar is that it often commemorates those who can be described as anti-Anglican! One such 'saint' is George Fox who was born in 1624 in Fenny Drayton, Leicestershire. His father was a Puritan weaver called 'Righteous Christer' a churchwarden who brought him up to read and write. He was so virtuous and devout that relatives thought he should be ordained. He became instead a shoemaker and shepherd living a simple life, searching for the essence of a practical and intellectual Christian faith. His conclusions and preaching soon distanced him from both Anglicans and dissenters.
For Fox, what mattered was spiritual experience, not rituals like baptism and it was what qualified a person for ministry not theological education. He famously dismissed church buildings as 'steeple-houses' and worshipped in the open air. He also sat lightly to the Bible, often preferring 'the inner light' and questioned traditional teachings about the Holy Trinity.
Sometime after 1647, those persuaded by his preaching formed what soon became known as the Society of Friends. Its later name, The Quakers, derived from the physical nature of their worship. During and after the Civil War, England became home to all manner of new varieties of Christianity. Even so Fox's views landed him in prison on many occasions. Meetings with Cromwell went well, but got nowhere. Likewise his radical views fell foul of Charles II. In 1669, Fox married the Quaker Margaret Fell, and in 1671, travelled to American where the Quakers were already established.
The Friends had become divided over the role of women in preaching and worship, Fox travelled to the Netherlands and Germany hoping to end the dispute. In 1689, James II's Act of Toleration ended the persecution of Quakers and when he died in 1691, thousands were free to attend the funeral.
Fox's legacy is in many areas of national life, not least in his emphasis on religious experience and the contribution of Quakers to the legalisation of pacifism. The Church needs controversy.
‘Bringing Communities Together with Hobbies’
Alison Rowland, PA to the Dean
Hate crime is defined as any crime targeted at a person because of hostility or prejudice towards that person’s: disability, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, sexual orientation, transgender identity or alternative subculture.
As the Challenging Hate Forum (CHF) enters its tenth year it continues to find creative ways of raising awareness of hate crime and how to tackle it. On Monday 4 February 2019 (2.00pm-4.30pm) the CHF will host another of its popular free events to support of Hate Crime Awareness Week. This year’s event is entitled 'Bringing Communities Together with Hobbies' and there will the opportunity for everyone to try out some fun activities e.g. art, crafts, creative writing or to learn a song with a local choir to perform at the end of the event. The aim is to promote community cohesion amongst the many diverse communities in Greater Manchester by bringing people together to share some fun activities.
Pilgrimage to The Holy Land
Be a part of the Dean's of Manchester's Pilgrimage to The Holy Land and Jordan from 12 to 22 November 2019.
If you would like to find out more about the pilgrimage including the itinerary and costs, you can view the brochure here.
Cathedral Community
Marcia Wall, Canon Precentor
Manchester Cathedral Congregation Christmas Lunch on 5 December at Debenhams Restaurant
Basil Fox writes, ‘We were given a friendly welcome by the restaurant staff who had planned ahead for our visit. Tables had been set for us with Christmas crackers and napkins and once our orders were taken, the delicious festive food was brought to us. All this combined to create a truly Christmas experience enjoyed by all. We give great thanks to our fellowship and look forward to our regular lunch meetings in 2019.’
Cathedral Community Shared Lunch
The date for our next Cathedral Community Shared lunch has now been set: Sunday 17 February 2019, after the 10.30 Sunday Eucharist. This is a great opportunity for you to catch up with old friends and make new friendships. Come and join us!
Who's Who
Philip O’Connor
Chorister Recruitment Officer
What is your favourite film?
The Godfather , because of the stellar cast of Marlon Brando and Al Pacino and also because of the amazing score written by Nino Rota and Larry Kusic.
What music do you like?
I like most music, especially ‘classical’ as that is what I have a background in. But you will also find me humming tunes by many other artists from the Bee Gees, to Nickelback and Clean Bandit.
What was the last book you enjoyed?
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, about William Kamkwamba, a Malawian teenager who constructed a windmill from scraps to create electricity for his entire community. I recommend this to everyone!
What was the last place you visited/went on holiday? I went to Lincolnshire over the Summer holidays for some walking and seeing friends. I went to see the only 8 sailed windmill in the world at Heckington and found the apple tree in Grantham which helped Newton discover gravity.
Do you have any pets?
I don’t have any pets, though my family have been puppy walkers for Guide Dogs for a few years. This involves getting a puppy at 7 ½ weeks old and training them all in the vital foundation for their future role as a guide dog. Then after 11 months we have to say goodbye to them as they go onto further training for 6 months at the training school in Atherton.
What's On
There are always lots of exciting events taking place at Manchester Cathedral. From our regular daily services sung by the Cathedral Choirs to Vintage Fairs, there is something for everyone.
Visit our ‘What's On’ page.
Contact Us
The Cathedral clergy and staff can be contacted via the Cathedral Office on 0161 833 2220 or via the Who's Who page on our website.
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