Following on from the Feast Day of Sts Peter and Paul last Friday, it seems appropriate to relate that today is the Feast of Sts Martinian and Processus, Roman guards of Sts Peter and St Paul in the Mamertine prison. They were so impressed when Peter made a bathroom miraculously appear they demanded he baptise them and were tortured and beheaded, but did not seem to mind. Apparently the bathroom (more like a Jacuzzi) complete with plug hole, is still to be seen….well so the good Fr Coles has boldly asserted!! For all us Royalists out there, today is also the anniversary of the Battle of Marston Moor, in which one of my historical poster boys, Prince Rupert of the Rhine won the award for “Coolest Prince on the losing side”. Soldier, admiral, scientist, sportsman, colonial governor and amateur artist, he was said by the Parliamentarians to dabble in Witchcraft via his “familiar” Boye, a standard white Poodle who accompanied him everywhere. Sadly, Boye had a price on his head and perished at the Battle of Marston Moor. I doubt our Dean Designate would approve of Prince Rupert after a rather continental approach to the siege of Litchfield!!
I’m indebted to Roy Redman for the following information on St Ethelreda from last week “St Etheldreda is portrayed in a Lady Chapel window (in memory of Samuel Ashton Thompson Yates) situated to your immediate right (quasi South Side) as you enter under the gallery arch. She is one of the female saints of the Prayer Book Calendar.” Which is why we need our wonderful Guild of Interpreters.
More huge congratulations this week go another congregational brain box. Cross Guild President Tom Roberts learnt today from somewhere in the Mediterranean that he’s succeeded in obtaining his LLB from the University of Liverpool, with a 2:1. Meanwhile Thaddeus Thorp managed five firsts and a 2:1 in his first year Anciant History exams….Going have to start doing some serious study just to keep up at this rate!! Also news from deepest Wiltshire is that our very own Rosemary Hawley MBE will be awarded an honorary LLD also from University of Liverpool on 17th July. Should anyone know of any other graduations to be celebrated, please let me know.
And Finally some actual Pew Notes: As always, the run in to the end of the choir term seems to become a fixtures pile up. Doing the best I can (see disclaimer below!) Activities this week include:
- Tomorrow Tuesday, 3rd July is the Feast Day of St Thomas the Apostle. A man with a very bad press in my humble opinion. He was brave enough to express the thoughts and doubts of all the apostles, else why would Peter and John have to hare off to the tomb, rather than take Mary Magdalene’s word for it…and even when they did, the others didn’t believe until HE appeared to them…OK I’ve climbed off my soap box. However, if you’ve never read it the Gospel of St Thomas is a very good read (although given its rather Gnostic viewpoint, it’s easy to see why the early church fathers ruthlessly suppressed it!!)… Anyway there are at least two notices for tomorrow:
- The Funeral of a local Comedian Eddy Archer will take place in the Lady Chapel at noon
- Evensong will take place in the Lady Chapel, from which, Poirot like, I deduce there is something going on in the Cathedral.
- There will be NO Chemin-Neuf Prayer Group this week. The next meeting will be on July 10th at 7:30
- Wednesday 4th July at 2pm there will be a War Widows Service in the War Memorial Chapel.
- Saturday 7th July at 11am there will be a Pilgrimage Holy Communion for visitors from Rotherham Deanery which will take place in the Central Space. I don’t know this, but I’m guessing this may be instead of the 12:05 Holy Communion, if only because it would be rather odd (if not actually illegal under Canon Law) to have two service of Holy Communion taking place in the same building at the same time. I shall make enquiries and let you know if possible, but if you are intending to attend the 12:05 it might be advisable to check.
- There is no Choral Evensong on Saturday 7th July; there is a service of said Evening Prayer instead.
- Also on Saturday, 7th July there is a summer oir Concert Concert by the Choir, and the Chamber choir, which yours truly may, or may not be singing in; not that that should in anyway discourage your attendance!! Lots of wonderful music from Handel to Brittan, conducted by our very own DOM David Poulter and with Associate Organist Dan Bishop on the organ. All proceeds to the organ fund.
Forward listing:
- It’s graduation season, so hold onto your hats for the usual upheaval and hordes of under dressed and over excited people…and that’s just the lecturers!! No matter how difficult the parking, or indeed how rude/ignorant a very small minority of the visitors may be (I think we hit rock bottom with the scantily clad graduate who draped herself over the altar for a photo opportunity!), please do remember that this is a very special day for them, and they are our guests, so please do give them all our usual warm welcome. Evensong during the week of 9th July will be as usual, but please be aware that the graduations are supposedly finishing at 5pm, so not much time for a turnaround. The “good” news is that we have two out of three universities graduating with us this yea
- JMU 9th July to 13th July
- Liverpool Hope University 17th July to 19th July
- Book Club will meet in the Dean’s Office (for the last time gulp, sob) on Tuesday, 17th July at 7pm. This is the last meeting of term, and the book under discussion is “Dr Thorn” by Anthony Trollop, the third in the Barchester series, which means that Book Club has been going for three years!! The September meeting (“Tale of Two Cities…well we had to do some Dickens in his Bicentenary year I suppose) will be on 11th September, and will take place in the Staff room. Please note change of venue…we’re going to miss the Dean’s Office with its nice big table!! Do please come along. We can promise a wide range of books, and even wider ranging discussions!!
- Bit of a personal plug this. The Coventry Road Singers (was there ever a less euphonious name for a choir?) are going to be performing Ralph Vaughan Williams Sea Symphony at Liverpool Parish Church on Saturday 21st July at 7:30. Conducted by Richard Miller, the choir will contain many familiar faces from the Cathedral Choir, Chamber Choir, and Youth Choir, and it will be well worth coming along to. Please do purchase your tickets in advance if possible.
- The latest brochure is out now, you can read it here: http://www.liverpoolcathedral.org.uk/files/Summer%20Autumn%202012%20web(2).pdf
In Our Prayers this week:
Our Dean Designate Revd Canon Pete Wilcox (and yes it definitely is Pete not Peter), Cathy and their sons, as they begin the process of moving from Lichfield. Wonderful idea for them to move during the graduations. Those known to us who are ill including the Family of Mary Reynolds during her very long stay in hospital (14 weeks and counting), Neville & Beryl Wade’s Daughter as she recovers from an heart attack, Alan Matthews as he recovers from quadruple by pass surgery, Canon John Roberts, Revd Canon Dr Shannon Ledbetter as she recovers from what sounds like rather nasty surgery, which required a heart re-start, a chest drain, and now six weeks of liquid diet. Also Kate Walters and family. All others known to us. Giving thanks for all those Ordained to the Diaconate yesterday and praying for them as they start their life in ordained ministry. Also all those safely returned from difficult work overseas.
If you know of someone to be included on the prayer list please let me know.
Nädine
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The boring disclaimer bit:
Tis I, Nädine Daniel who writes, produces, and disseminates the Pew Notes. I do so without any imprimatur from the Acting Dean and Chapter, the Cathedral or indeed anyone else. Just me…as I hope would have been clear, any comments made, opinions offered are also my own. Likewise it must equally obviously follow that any sins of omission or commission are also mine, and mine alone: Mea Culpa, Mea Maxmima Reverentia Culpa. Should you no longer wish to receive these musings, please email me and say so.
Choral Evensong@Liverpool Cathedral 