A CATHEDRAL DIRECTORY
The Dean:
The Very Revd. Christopher Armstrong
Residentiary Canons:
The Revd. Canon Andrew Hindley
(Canon Sacrist)
The Revd. Canon Chris Chivers
(Canon Chancellor)
The Revd. Canon Dr. Susan Penfold
(Diocesan Director of Ministry)
The Revd. Canon Michael Wedgeworth
(Cathedral Administrator)
Honorary Canon:
Dean’s Secretary:
Cathedral Secretary:
Bursar:
Assistant Bursar:
Events Assistant:
exChange Dialogue Development Officer
Asylum Project Worker:
Cathedral Under 18’s Co-ordinator:
Mrs. Pauline Rowe
Mrs. Lynne Trudgill
Mrs. Janine Brown
Mrs. Alison Feeney
Mr. Philip Hunwick
Ms. Anjum Anwar MBE
Mr. John East
Mrs. Val Edge
Cathedral Shop Supervisor:
Mrs. Julie Grimshaw
Dean’s Virger:
Canons’ Virger:
Assistant Virger:
Hon. Assistant Virger:
Housekeeper:
Mr. Mark Pickering
Mr. Jeffrey Robinson
Mr. Alex Barnes
Mr. Brian Newton
Mrs. Ann Frankland
Cathedral Churchwardens:
Mr. Jim Holden, Mr. Gary Wignall,
Mr. Stuart Rothwell and Mr. Philip Carr
Deputy Churchwarden:
Mrs. Barbara Robb
Stewardship:
Mr. Michael Emery (Chairman)
Mr. Roger Brickell (Recorder)
Director of Music:
Assistant Director of Music:
Music Administrator:
Mr. Richard Tanner
Mr. James Davy
Mrs. Linda Bruce
Head Server:
Mr. Richard Robb
Ringing Master:
Mr. Ian Smith
Cathedral Chapter:
Membership includes: Mr. Gordon Shaw,
Mrs. Jean Duerden and the Residentiary Canons
Cathedral Council:
Membership includes: Mr. Gary Wignall & Mr. Brian Whittle
Deanery Synod:
Mr. Jim Holden, Ms. Jane Horsfall,
Mr. Ray Duckworth, Mr. Dudley Green
Friends of Blackburn Cathedral:
Judge Jeremy Duerden (Chairman)
Friends of Blackburn Cathedral Music:
Mr. Rodney Swarbrick (Chairman)
ALL THE ABOVE OFFICERS MAY BE CONTACTED VIA THE CATHEDRAL OFFICES
(01254) 503090
N.B. THERE IS AN ‘OUT OF HOURS’ CATHEDRAL TELEPHONE NUMBER 01254 265915
BLACKBURN CATHEDRAL
JANUARY 2009
CATHEDRAL DIARY
MISSION STATEMENT
The Cathedral Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Blackburn – Mother
Church of the Diocese – exists to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus
Christ through regular daily worship and a commitment to
welcome and serve all God’s people.
The Dean’s Post Script
1. A Cathedral “Ofsted”. The Cathedral is to have an Episcopal Visitation
from 19 January to 2 February 2009. Provision was made in ‘The
Cathedrals Measure 1999’ for the visitor (in our case the Bishop) to hold a
formal visitation of the cathedral when he considers it desirable or
necessary to do so. Our Bishop has – from the very beginning of his
Episcopate – considered this desirable and now the time has come. The
Visitation Team will consist of Bishop Geoffrey Turner, the retired Bishop of
Stockport, Dr Sheila Hunter, an educationalist and Canon Bob Reiss,
currently serving at Westminster Abbey. They will be interviewing various
members of staff, congregation members and significant people in the
region. Should you wish to speak to any of the visitors please contact the
Dean’s Secretary, Mrs Pauline Rowe.
4. Stewardship: “more than half of regular worshippers subscribe to tax
efficient schemes such as Gift Aid, accounting for half the voluntary income
of parish churches”. Source: “The Church of England Today”
2. The Biblical Principal of Tithing, is not shared by many individuals, I
suspect, within the congregation but the cathedral as an institution does
tithe its stewardship income. I have just concluded the disbursements for
2007, which include payments locally to Hyndburn Christian Stable, the
Salvation Army, our Asylum Seekers work, the exChange Project, the
THOMAS organisation, St Wilfrid’s School, St Christopher’s School and
Blackburn Churches Action. National projects supported this year includes
St Luke’s Hospital, Emmaus UK and recipients for work abroad include:
Bloemfontein Cathedral, USPG, the Anglican Centre in Rome, “Practical
Action” (intermediate technology) the Bishop’s Simeon Trust, Fr Luiz
Coehlo and young Luvo. The disbursements for 2007 amount to £9,800.
Cathedral Sunday School: (for 5yrs and over) - During the Cathedral Eucharist
– Mrs Amanda Snape, Mrs Janet Haworth & Mrs Julie Daley
Have you still to join? Please contact Roger Brickell, Michael Emery or the
Dean so that you can join the majority of the congregation in this very
efficient form of giving to and through the Cathedral.
Mothers’ Union:
Monthly Thursday afternoons
Enrolling Member: Mrs. Parnal Rothwell
Cathedral Ringers:
Thursday from 8.00pm
Ringing Master: Mr. Ian Smith
Cathedral Choir:
Friday evenings & Sundays (Men)
Wednesdays, Fridays,
Saturdays, Sundays (Boys)
Director of Music: Mr. Richard Tanner
The concept of tithing is an honourable one and I’m delighted that the
Cathedral feels it can still maintain that level of 10% giving of its charitable
income. It is an example to us all as we move towards a major
Stewardship Campaign in April and May this year.
Cathedral Girls’ Choir:
Tuesday and Thursday evenings
Director of Music: Mr. Richard Tanner
Young People’s Choir:
Thursday evenings & Sundays
Assistant Director of Music: Mr. James Davy
3. Christmas Cacti. As many of you will know these delightful plants burst
into flower (with luck) just before Christmas. There is another variety that
bursts into flower just before Easter. Sadly, the Deanery Christmas cacti –
because of ill treatment-are rather confused and need some tender loving
care for a little while! If there are any plants lovers out there who have
space and time to nurse some vigorous cacti back into their rightful routine
please contact the Dean.
The Renaissance Singers: Thursday evenings
Director of Music: Mr. Richard Tanner
Children’s’ Choir:
NB. ‘Lantern Voices’:
Thursday afternoons: Joy Fielding and Jeff Borradaile
Canon Hindley writes:
Dear Friends
On the 6th January just 2 days after the publication of this letter we shall
keep the Feast of the Epiphany. On 11th January we shall celebrate in
style with our annual Epiphany Carol Service - as if we haven't had enough
of carols already!
I don't know about you but, given that we are not immune from the forces
of this world, with the gloomy predictions about the economy, job losses
and a worrying financial year ahead for the Cathedral, there is a temptation
to say 'Stop the world, I want to get off'.
When we feel like that we can do one of three things:
1. Run away.
2. Alter our world, our environment to suit us better.
3. Hope for some alteration in ourselves to suit it better.
The first option is not really an option at all. One recalls the famous advice
of Old Bill in the World War One shell hole: 'If you know a better 'ole go
jump in it!'
The second is a healthier reaction: if we don't like our environment then we
can try to change it. That, for me, is what the Cathedral Development plan
is about. Taking a lead in the regeneration of our town centre, in order to
make a positive contribution to the quality of our, and other people’s, lives.
If you think about it, from this concept has come all civilisation. However,
the more completely we change our environment to suit us, the more
obvious it is that a changed environment is not enough.
The third option: 'The fault dear Brutus, is not in the stars but in ourselves'.
The trouble is not out there, but in here, in our hearts.
If we are at odds with our neighbours, with our surroundings, with our
world, the only adequate way of dealing with our situation is to deal with
ourselves. Of course that is the hardest thing of all to do. We can put up a
new calendar changing from a 2008 to a 2009 one, but every morning we
wake up to face the same you and me, the same fears, the same greeds,
the same ego, the same jealousies and selfishness.
If we cannot achieve the change alone, then we must turn to the Good
News of the Gospel. This contains news of a power greater not ourselves,
that can change us. Running away is not the answer, living closer to Christ
is, if we let him in and have his way with our restless hearts.
It was for this reason that the Son of Man came into this world. That mighty
act of condescension was not designed to do some superficial cosmetic
work on an unchanged and unchanging wicked world.
The Epiphany of Christ reveals to us, as fully as God has ever revealed
himself to us, that the transforming and transfiguring love of God is here
and now, coming to change us at the centre of our lives, making all things
new.
Yours in Christ
Andrew Hindley
Canon Sacrist
January
 Sunday Services
Wednesday 14th
8.00am Holy Communion (Book of Common Prayer)
9.00am Parish Communion (Young People’s Choir)
10.30am THE CATHEDRAL EUCHARIST
4.00pm Choral Evensong
 Weekday Services
Daily Morning Prayer 8.40am (Saturdays 9am)
Daily Holy Communion 12.30pm
(except Wednesdays 11.00am & Saturdays 9.30am)
Daily Evensong 5.15pm (3.30pm Saturday)
(Sung on Wednesdays; some Tuesdays, Thursdays and
Saturdays)
1.00pm
Thursday 15th
12.30pm
Saturday 17th
Room
10.30am
3.30pm
Sunday 18th
Lunchtime Organ Recital by Robert Fielding, Organist &
Master of the Choristers at Romsey Abbey
Holy Communion attended by Asylum Seekers &
Refugees - St. Martin’s Chapel
Prayer Book Society Committee Meeting – Chesters
Choral Evensong with the Presentation of Bishop’s &
Dean’s Choristers’ Awards
THE SECOND SUNDAY OF EPIPHANY
8.00am
9.00am
10.30am
Holy Communion (BCP): Canon Andrew Hindley
Celebrant & Preacher: Canon Sue Penfold
Cathedral Eucharist with the Baptism of Grace Frances
Slater
Celebrant: The Dean
Preacher: Rev’d. Steven Harvey
 Each Tuesday
 Each Wednesday
9.00am Coffee
9.00am Coffee
5.15pm
12 noon – 2pm Lunches in the Crypt
12noon - 2pm Lunches in the Crypt
Choral Evensong (Boys’ Voices)
 Each Thursday
9.00am Coffee
5.15pm
12noon – 2pm Lunches in the Crypt
Evensong (Last Thursday of month
Choral Evensong Girls’ Voices)
Wednesday 21st
9.00am Coffee
12noon - 2pm Lunches in the Crypt.
Thursday 22nd
12.00pm
Sunday 25th
THE CONVERSION OF ST. PAUL
* Each Friday
Sunday 4th
THE SECOND SUNDAY OF CHRISTMAS
8.00am
9.00am
10.30am
4.00pm
Wednesday 7th
1.00pm
Lunchtime Organ Recital by Michael Haynes, Director
of Music at Hexham Abbey
FoBCM Council Meeting in the Chesters Room
“Time out with God” – Jesus Chapel
Chapter Meeting in the Chesters Room
Thursday 8th
Sunday 11th
THE BAPTISM OF CHRIST
Tuesday 13th
8.00am
9.00am
10.30am
6.30pm
Holy Communion (BCP): Rev’d. Steven Harvey
Celebrant & Preacher: Canon Michael Wedgeworth
Celebrant: Canon Andrew Hindley
The Epiphany Civic Carol Service
1.00pm
6.30pm
7.30pm
MU Epiphany Party in the Crypt
Banks Theatre Trip to Royal Exchange, Manchester
Renaissance Singers Committee Meeting in the
Chesters Room
1.00pm
8.00am
9.00am
10.30am
4.00pm
Holy Communion (BCP): Canon Andrew Hindley
Celebrant & Preacher: Canon Andrew Hindley
Celebrant: Canon Sue Penfold
Preacher: Canon Andrew Hindley
6.30pm
12.00pm
2.00pm
Monday 12th
4.00pm
Wednesday 28th
1.00pm
2.30pm
7.30pm
Thursday 29th
12.00pm
Saturday 31st
2.30pm
7.00pm
Lunchtime Recital by Catherine Groom (Renaissance
Recorder) & Philippa Hyde (Soprano)
“Time out with God” in the Jesus Chapel
Holy Communion (BCP): Canon Chris Chivers
Celebrant & Preacher: The Dean
Celebrant: Rev’d. Steven Harvey
Choral Evensong attended by the Welcomers
Preacher: The Dean
Lunchtime Recital by Jennie Marsden & Jane Wilkinson
(Sopranos)
William Temple Lecture by Canon Chivers: “Doing Faith
Like Jazz” in the South Transept
A repeat of the 2.30pm lecture by Canon Chivers
“Time out with God” in the Jesus Chapel
“God Our Rock” Service
Ceilidh organised by the Social Committee in the Crypt