Friday 27th April, 2012
The key event this month in the life of the Cathedral and the Diocese is the ordination of John our bishop-elect as the next Bishop of Edinburgh. Please remember him and his wife and family as he embarks on this new ministry.
Other News:
* The new glass doors at the west end of the Cathedral are almost finished and universally admired. Over the coming months we will determine what needs to be done to enhance further the area at the west end of the Cathedral in terms of welcome to our visitors, keeping the area clutter free whilst providing storage for all our bits and pieces.
* This month we say farewell to two faithful servants of the Cathedral:
Wilma MacRae has probably arranged for more cups of coffee and glasses of wine and fruit juice to be poured out in the Cathedral that most of us would consume in a life time! The various coffee teams (in either the Walpole Hall or the Resurrection Chapel) are a key part of the Cathedral’s ministry of welcome, and Wilma has been the ever-willing cornerstone of that ministry. Wilma heads back north shortly, and in bidding her a fond farewell we wish her every happiness in Nairn.
Many people have commented on the new planting in the Garden of Remembrance and to the west of the Chapter House. Harry Brown has been the source of horticultural advice and supervisory activity for this. He too and his wife leave Edinburgh this month: Harry leaves a legacy of beauty for us all.
* Master of the Music Duncan Ferguson will be married to Marie in the Cathedral on Saturday 19 May at 2.30pm. As a sign of our affection for Duncan and his bride the Cathedral is hosting a reception in the Resurrection Chapel after the wedding so that we can all toast the health and happiness of the bride and groom. Do join us for this happy occasion.
* The Lady Chapel has been slightly re-ordered so that an oil painting of Our Lady can be hung in it. Donated to the Cathedral by Lady Clyde, it is most fitting to have such a painting in a Cathedral itself dedicated to Mary.
* The Cathedral Organists’ Association is coming to Edinburgh this month, and it will be lovely to welcome back to St Mary’s Tim Byram-Wigfield (St George’s Windsor) and Matthew Owens (Wells Cathedral). Festal Evensong for the Conference is on Tuesday 8 May at our usual time of 5.30pm and includes the first performance of Sally Beamish’s Gaudent in Coelis.
* The Scottish Prayer Book Society will be meeting in Edinburgh on Ascension Day (17th May) to celebrate the 350th anniversary of the Prayer Book. There will be a talk by Revd. Professor Stuart Hall on the history of the Prayer Book, at 4pm in the Song School. For more information contact the Cathedral Office.
* Many of us knew Lisbet Rutter who died on Holy Saturday. ‘A journey to faith’, written by her family, is reprinted in this month’s magazine, not only in tribute to her but also to share more widely her amazing life story.
Wednesday 28th March, 2012
We journey towards the events of Holy Week and Easter. Before the raw wooden cross can be removed and the bare high altar be adorned once more with white frontal and gold cross we must sing our hosannas and carry our palm crosses on Palm Sunday; we must gather in Maundy Thursday’s upper room and break the bread and wash the feet and watch and wait for one hour in the Garden; we must kneel at the foot of Good Friday’s cross and hear how cries of “Hosanna in the highest” have become shouts of “Crucify him!” Only then can we gather once more to celebrate the Crucified God’s triumph over the powers of death and darkness.
News:
* CONGRATULATIONS to Nicki McNelly on her appointment as Provost of St John’s Cathedral, Oban. Nicki’s 3 year curacy at St Mary’s comes to an end this summer, and I am not at all surprised that the Diocese of Argyll was keen to get her to head west. The Cathedral in Oban will find what we have found: a faithful pastor and priest and servant. Nicki will leave the Cathedral at the end of August, and all of us wish all the McNellys every happiness and blessing as they prepare for this move.
* The new glass inner west doors and lobby, described as “about to be completed” in last month’s Magazine, alas remain “about to be completed!”
* I gladly pay tribute to the late JOAN VILLIERS who most generously remembered the work of the Cathedral in her will and to the late
JOE BARBER, who with my predecessor had worked tirelessly in support of music in the Cathedral, for remembering the Cathedral’s music in his will.
Tuesday 28th February, 2012
Saturday 11 February, 2012 was a most significant day in the life of the Diocese of Edinburgh with the election of John Armes as our new bishop. John has served the Diocese with distinction as Rector of St John’s, Princes Street, and then more recently combining these duties with being Dean of the Diocese. The Preparatory Committee presented the Diocese with three names, and I have no doubt that John was the right choice. The date of his consecration has yet to be determined, at which we look forward to seeing him seated on his cathedra in his Cathedral. Please hold him and his wife and family in your thoughts and prayers.
Other news:
* Congratulations to former Master of the Music Matthew Owens on the safe arrival of James Matthias Benjamin Owens. James, Ali and Matthew are all doing well!
* The new glass doors inside the West Door have been installed (which means that just under half the work has been completed). With luck the glass lobby will be installed by the time you read this, although I am not holding my breath!!
* The funerals of Robin Sinclair, Helen Matthews and Gordon Leslie took place last month.
Gordon was a great supporter of the Cathedral, especially its musical life. Whilst still active he would come into the Cathedral Office every Friday and fold all our service sheets. A great sea- farer and lover of the sea, he completed his voyage through life with great faith and good humour.
Robin was a well-known face and helper in the Crèche and Robins and Sunday Club and loved by all of us who had the privilege of knowing him. Our hearts go out to Rachel and their young family.
Helen came to the Cathedral when she could. As one of the boarding house staff at St George’s School, she had many demands on her time, seven days a week, and gave selflessly of her time. A committed Guider, Helen touched many young lives through guiding and her care of St George’s boarders.
Rest in peace, dear friends.
LENT has now begun. With this month’s magazine you should have received the 2012 Stewardship Campaign and your Lent, Holy Week and Easter Card. Our annual Stewardship Campaign is vital to the on-going life of the Cathedral. The Cathedral’s single largest source of income is what is given by its members: that’s why the Campaign is so important. All we ask is that you read my letter.
Lent this year also has some fun!
Tune in to BBC Radio 4 at 8.10am on Lent 2 (Sunday 4 March) and you will recognise voices……
On Mothering Sunday (Sunday 18 March) all mums, children and dads (and indeed anyone else!) are invited to the Chapter House from 9.45am for coffee, croissants and fruit juice before our Cathedral Eucharist at 10.30am.
Monday 6th February, 2012
January saw three exciting pieces of news:
* Congratulations to Mark Harris on his appointment as Lecturer in Science and Religion at the University of Edinburgh. This is a new post, the only one of its kind in the UK outwith Oxford and Cambridge, and Mark is eminently and uniquely qualified for this. This appointment means Mark will step down as Vice-Provost on 1st April, but I am delighted that he will be staying on at the Cathedral as Precentor and continuing to contribute to the life of the Cathedral in many ways.
* The plans for the north side of the Cathedral, including building a new medical centre, stone masons workshop and complete re-landscaping, have been approved by the City of Edinburgh’s Planning Committee. This is clearly excellent news both for the local community in need of 21st century medical facilities that are fit for purpose and for the Cathedral. Meetings are scheduled with NHS Lothian in the coming weeks to progress this.
* Welcome to Hector Maclean who will be joining the Vergers’ team for a few months.
February sees the final stage in the selection and election of our new Bishop. Please remember in your prayers the three candidates and their families and those responsible for voting in the election.
Friday 9th December, 2011
In ADVENT the Church changes gear, as once again we hear the Baptist’s cry of “repent” and the message of the angel to Mary and we look to the birth of the Christ Child. The journey to Bethlehem is a journey of discovery as we make room for him for whom there was indeed no room, either in the inn or in our world. Proclaimed by angels as the prince of peace; found by shepherds who left their flocks by night; worshipped by star-led magi from the east with gifts for the new born king; the Christ Child seeks our response on that holy night when we see God in human form.
NEWS:
* Work on the new glass porch inside the west door will begin in January.
* As reported at our AGM our Accounts to 30 June 2011 show yet again increased giving, which is clearly excellent, and ever increasing costs as inflation continues to bite. The Finance Committee will continue to monitor this closely.
* Bill Walker, a bell ringer, a former member of the Property Committee, a most faithful member of the Cathedral, has died and was honoured with a quarter peal on the afternoon of Remembrance Sunday. In his long life Bill’s activities included setting up telecommunication links and observation towers near the Himalayas to spot for Japanese bombers in World War 2 and representing Scotland at archery. Bill was a good friend to all who were privileged to know him; he was a good friend to me.
Bethlehem and 2012 beckon. Exactly as in that stable so the Cathedral’s doors will remain open, so that all, including shepherds and wise men and women, may come and kneel at his crib.
Wednesday 16th November, 2011
NOVEMBER is always a special month. It opens with the twin festivals of All Saints and All Souls, celebrating the heroes and heroines of the faith of all ages, who have lived lives of love and discipleship, and ends with Advent Sunday, as the Church once more hears the Baptist’s cry in the wilderness and looks for the coming of the Christ Child.
In between come Remembrance Sunday whose 2 minutes’ silence becomes ever more poignant as peace throughout our world seems so distant, and the Feast of Christ the King when the Church celebrates the One who is king only of love, whose throne was a cross of wood, whose crown was a crown of thorns, whose courtiers were two thieves sharing the same death sentence, whose royal banquet is the bread and the wine of the Eucharist.
November sees not one but two AGMs. Remembrance Sunday at 3.30pm is always a devotional performance of a requiem (this year is Fauré), which is preceded by the Friends’ AGM in the Chapter House and followed by a reception in the Resurrection Chapel, hosted by the Friends, to which everyone is warmly invited.
The Cathedral’s AGM is on Advent Sunday and follows our Cathedral Eucharist: at it I will present my report as will the various Cathedral committees and groups, and the accounts will also be presented. 2010/11 has been a demanding year financially: giving has never been higher, but poor dividend income and low bank interest rates combined with ever increasing inflation mean challenging times lie ahead.
Thursday 29th September, 2011
An answer to the draughts in the Cathedral may be in sight! This would involve a glass lobby being built inside the current glass west doors, so that you would have to go through two (glass) doors to get into the Cathedral, and thereby draughts would be reduced. That‟s the theory! A group of representatives of Cathedral Stewards and Welcomers met to explore this and how we might best reconfigure the west end of the Cathedral. We decided to embrace the principle of festina lente. All agreed we should proceed with getting the necessary permissions for the west doors, have the new glass lobby and doors built and installed, and then determine the next stage in due course. This project will be funded by a most generous legacy from Victor Plommer.
September always sees the arrival of new members to the Cathedral Choir. Choristers are: Lula Molleson, Peter Gill, Jacob Slater, Charlie Bell, Esme Frith; Lay Clerk and Choral Scholars are: Dominic Barberi, Alex Robarts, Johnny McGhee Doyle, James Wood; and the Organ Scholar is Mo Wah Chan. Recruitment is clearly buoyant and a credit to the musicianship and training of our Master of the Music.
September also saw a visit of HRH The Princess Royal. As Visitor to St Mary‟s Cathedral Workshop The Princess takes a lively interest in all that we do, and the Cathedral is greatly honoured by her active participation in promoting the work of the Workshop, both in terms of its care of the Cathedral fabric and the training given to our apprentice stonemasons.
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