Wells Cathedral Email Newsletter
December 2015
This is a printed copy of the email newsletter from Wells Cathedral. If you would like to receive this
by email please send your details to marketing@wellscathedral.uk.net or follow the link on our
website.
Below is a snapshot of what's coming up this month at the Cathedral. Remember - news and events are also
always available via our website at www.wellscathedral.org.uk and our Facebook page.
The Dean of Wells, John Clarke, says farewell
John Clarke, Dean of Wells, is to
retire on December 31 2015 after
11 years in post.
John said goodbye to staff,
volunteers, congregation and
members of the Cathedral
community during a number of
events and services held in the
Cathedral during November.
John is pictured left with
members of the Cathedral's
administration, past and present.
The Bishop of Bath and Wells has appointed our Chancellor, Canon Andrew Featherstone,
as Acting Dean during the vacancy.
Christmas Services
The Christmas period is an understandably busy one here at Wells. Details of our Christmas
services are available on our website and also listed below. We hope you can join us to celebrate
this special time in the church's year:
24th December, Christmas Eve
7.30am Morning Prayer
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8.00am Eucharist
2.00pm Crib Service
3.15pm Crib Service
5.15pm Choral Evensong (Wells Cathedral Voluntary Choir)
11.00pm Eucharist of Christmas Night
* A very warm welcome to the Cathedral’s crib service on Christmas Eve, especially to children
who are invited to dress as a shepherd, or an angel or a King!
25th December, Christmas Day
8.00am Holy Communion
9.30am Cathedral Eucharist
11.30am Choral Matins
1.00pm Cathedral Closed
3.00pm Evening Prayer (said, Close Chapel)
Saturday 26th December: St Stephen (Boxing Day)
The Cathedral is closed today
9.00am Matins (Close Chapel)
9.30am Eucharist (Close Chapel)
3.00pm Evening Prayer (Close Chapel)
Sunday 27th December
Regular Sunday Services
What's On Highlights for December
Take a look at some of our other event highlights throughout
December:
Saturday 5 December, 7.00pm
WELLS CATHEDRAL ORATORIO SOCIETY CONCERT HANDEL MESSIAH
Handel’s greatest Oratorio, in the annual performance from the
Wells Cathedral Oratorio Society. Tickets: £10.00 - £25.00;
available from Wells Cathedral Shop Box Office (01749 672773)
and at the door.
Monday 14 December, 7.30pm
OPUS ANGLICANUM CONCERT - MEDIEVAL CAROLS
A candlelit concert of English 15th century carols, together with liturgical chant for Christmas in the
context of a narration from medieval writings; music by Machaut, Dunstable, Obrecht, and
Cornysh.
Tickets: £20.00 (including a post-concert drink) from Wells Cathedral Shop Box Office (01749
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672773) and at the door.
Saturday 19 December November, 12.00 - 12.50pm
EUCHARIST WITH HEALING
The Eucharist with Healing is a reflective service which offers an opportunity to pray for healing
and to come forward for the laying on of hands.
Sunday 20 and Monday 21 December, 7.00pm
CANDLELIT CONCERTS WITH WELLS CATHEDRAL CHOIR
The annual, and very popular, Candlelight Christmas Concerts will take place on Sunday 20 and
Monday 21 December. On both nights the Cathedral will be stunningly lit by thousands of candles
whilst the choir performs beautiful festive pieces. A truly magical occasion, the concerts generally
sell-out in advance. Limited tickets now available from Wells Cathedral Shop Box Office (01749
672773). Late opening in our café. Mulled wine and mince pies will also be served in the West
Cloister just before the concerts.
Cathedral Christmas Carol Service - two dates for 2015
Our Cathedral Carol Service, previously named by Classic fm
magazine as the ‘Top Choice’ in the South West, is one of the
great occasions of the Cathedral’s year as hundreds of people
pack the nave and aisles to hear and sing carols, both familiar
and new, which herald the coming of God.
This year the Cathedral will be hosting two Carol Services, both
of which take place from 6-7.30pm:
Tuesday 22 December - for the Cathedral community and open
to the general public
Wednesday 23 December - open to the general public.
There will be plenty of congregational carols, as well as beautiful
singing from the Cathedral’s Great Choir, and festive readings.
There is no entry charge and it is suggested people may wish to arrive early as this service is very
Courtesy of Iain MacLeod-Jones
popular. The doors open at 5pm.
More details of all events and services taking place during Advent and the Christmas period are
available on our website.
Service Information and Music List
Our Service Information and Music List for the month of December is available to view on our
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website.
Traditional Christmas Lunches served in medieval Vicars’ Hall
and Cathedral café
If you fancy something a little different this Christmas you may
be interested in our traditional Christmas lunches which will
be served in our stunning medieval Vicars’ Hall on Tuesday
8th, Wednesday 9th, Thursday 10th and Friday 11th
December 2015 and in our contemporary Cathedral café on
Tuesday 15th, Wednesday 16th and Thursday 17th
December 2015.
At only £18.50 for three courses or £15.50 for two courses our festive lunches are always popular
so to confirm your booking please contact us on 01749 676543 or via email at
catering@wellscathedral.uk.net
Our food is freshly prepared and baked by our team in the Cathedral kitchen each day – including
our homemade bread! – using local Somerset and Fairtrade produce wherever possible.
All profits from the café go to supporting the work of the Cathedral.
Scene Change Theatre Company transports young people
back to the “War to end all wars” at Wells Cathedral
On Monday 16 November fifty four Year 6 children from
Churchill Primary CEVC School and Bishop Henderson
Primary School, Coleford became members of the Scene
Change Theatre cast here at Wells Cathedral.
The idea is that the pupils become part of Scene Change
Theatre for the day, rehearsing with the actors and then
performing a play to an audience and, on this occasion,
pupils were taking part in a play called ‘Over by
Christmas’ which commemorates the 100th Anniversary of the outbreak of WW1.
The day took the children through a journey in which they experienced the assassination of Franz
Ferdinand which started the war; the excitement and drama of recruitment and conscription in the
opening months of the conflict; the terror of the trenches and going over the top; and the absurd
events of Christmas day 1914 – German and British soldiers Singing carols, burying the dead and
playing football together.
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The day involved acting skills, focus exercises and interactive workshops, culminating in a
performance for parents complete with movement, costume and song.
Due to popular demand we will be inviting Scene Change Theatre back to the Cathedral in 2016
so, if you know a school who would be interested, please contact our Education Department by
emailing education@wellscathedral.uk.net or call us on 01749 674483 Ext 212.
10% Discount Wednesdays in the Cathedral shop
Our annual 10% Discount Days take place in the
Cathedral shop on Wednesdays throughout December,
starting on Wednesday 2nd through to Wednesday 23rd
December. A great opportunity to stock up on your
Christmas gifts!
And don't forget our Christmas holiday 'Spot the Louis'
competition will also be running up until 23 December. The
winner of our competition will be rewarded with the prize of
a cuddly 'Wells Bear'!
Children’s Christmas Holiday Activities – Activity Workshop
and Christmas Trail!
Looking for something creative to do over the Christmas
holidays?
On Wednesday 23rd December (1.00 – 3.00pm) we’ll be
getting prepared for the festive season by making
Christmas table decorations.
This event will be free but donations are very welcome. Join
us in the Cathedral’s Education Room, no booking is required – just turn up and be prepared to be
busy!
Also this year, and throughout the holiday period, look out for our FREE children’s trail leaflet to
help you discover the Christmas story as you look around the Cathedral.
Community Links
The Cathedral is committed to supporting community groups which serve people facing challenging
circumstances.
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We provide a ‘Week’s Good Cause’ Donation Point which provides a dedicated space for
Somerset organisations, both to raise awareness of each group’s aims and to raise funds for that
work. Local charities, and regional branches of national agencies, thus have the opportunity to
engage with the large numbers of visitors to the Cathedral.
Spotlight charities for November and December are below. To learn more about their work or
donate to them online, please visit their website:
Save the Children www.savethechildren.org.uk/
Somerset Community Foundation. Each year SCF’s ‘Surviving Winter’ campaign raises money
to help older, vulnerable people stay warm and well during the cold months.
www.somersetcf.org.uk/
Julian House. At its foundation Julian House was set up to offer direct support to some of the most
marginalised people in society – the homeless. Initially this was limited to offering food and shelter.
Over time other projects and services have been developed which not only address the symptoms
of homelessness but also the underlying reasons why men and women are forced onto the streets.
www.julianhouse.org.uk/support-us.htm
The Samaritans is available 24 hours a day to provide confidential emotional support for people
who are experiencing feelings of distress or despair, including those which may lead to suicide.
www.samaritans.org/
Choristers at the Reindeer Parade!
On Sunday 6th December the boy choristers will sing in
Wells Market Square as part of the Wells Reindeer
Parade, organised by the Rotary Club and in aid of the
Somerset Air Ambulance.
The programme of events starts at 10.50am and
continues until 2.30pm. The parade of the reindeer starts
in the market place here in Wells at 12.00 noon but there
are plenty of other things taking place for all the family to enjoy throughout the day.
Please come along and support our choristers if you can. We expect them to sing from about
1.45pm and they will be wearing festive reindeer antlers with their cassocks, as will Mr Owens!
Taste and See Prayer Group
A reminder that the December meeting of the monthly Taste & See prayer group will be on the 14th
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December.
Taste and See is a long-established informal group, led by the Dean of Wells, that meets to share
silent prayer on the first Monday of every month from 6.15 pm – 7 pm in the Chapter Room,
(except December).
Many people find it helpful to set aside a time to be still, just as Jesus did when he went away from
the crowds, to wait upon God. Come, “taste and see how gracious the Lord is.” Psalm 34.
News from our Music Department
For a round-up of news from our Music Department please visit our website.
Invitation to join our Precentor on a pilgrimage to Florence
and Siena
An invitation is extended to join our Precentor, Canon Nicholas
Jepson-Biddle, as he embarks on a pilgrimage to Florence and
Siena in 2016.
Taking place from 23-27 May 2016 the pilgrimage will provide
an opportunity to explore some of the most significant and
unique places of worship in these memorable cities with the
benefit of guided tours where possible and transfers.
Flights and four nights hotel accommodation is provided in the cost plus meals and entrance fees
where relevant. The group will also be accompanied by an Italian-speaking Tour Manager
throughout the pilgrimage.
For more details of the itinerary and how to book please contact Mandy Staple in the Cathedral
offices via deanchaptersec@wellscathedral.uk.net
Cathedral Library book of the month for December
Our Cathedral library book of the month for December is 'A
Legenda Sanctorum (1493)' by Jacobus de Voragine.
Voragine (1230-1298) was an Italian chronicler who became
Archbishop of Genoa in 1292. He was beatified in 1816.
The Legenda Sanctorum is better known as the Golden Legend,
and was one of the most popular books of the Middle Ages.
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In our thoughts : Amnesty Victim of Injustice
Amnesty Victim of Injustice for December - Morocco
Wafae Charaf, a human rights and political activist, was abducted and beaten for several hours
after she had been to a workers’ protest in Tangiers on 27 April 2014. She was also subjected to
psychological, physical and sexual assault after attending previous protests. She was subsequently
investigated and imprisoned for ‘falsely reporting’ torture and ordered to pay compensation for
slandering Morocco’s police force, even though she had not accused the police. During an appeal
in October 2014, Wafae Charaf’s one year sentence was increased to two years. This October she
spent her 28th birthday in prison for speaking out against her torture.
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Calendar of Events December 2015
12.25 pm Holy Communion
7.00 pm Primary Schools Christmas Concert
9.30 am Holy Communion
7.00 pm Primary Schools Christmas Concert
10.45 am Millfield School Carol Service
5.15 pm Evening Prayer said
5.15 pm Wells Cathedral Voluntary Choir to sing Evensong
7.00 pm Wells Cathedral Oratorio Society Concert
6.30 pm Wells Cathedral School Advent Carol Service
7.00 pm Somerset County Schools Celebration Concert
11.30 am Mothers Union Prayers (Bishops Palace Chapel)
12.25 pm Holy Communion
7.00 pm Wells Cathedral Junior School Christmas Celebrations
9.30 am Holy Communion
11.00 am Age UK Somerset Carol Service
2.30 pm WI Carol Service
5.15 pm Evening Prayer said
7.00 pm Wells Cathedral Junior School Christmas Celebrations
11.00 am Hazlegrove School Carol Service
5.15 pm Evening Prayer said (Vicars Close Chapel)
7.00 pm Mid Somerset Series Carol Service
11.30 am Wells Cathedral School End of Term Service
3.00 pm Millfield Preparatory School Carol Service
5.15 pm The Choir of St John’s Glastonbury to sing Evensong
5.15 pm Wells Cathedral Voluntary Choir to sing Evensong
7.00 pm Somerset Life, Sing for Somerset Carol Service
Wells Cathedral Voluntary Choir to sing all services
12.30 pm Baptism Service
2.00 pm Fosse Way School Carol Service
5.15 pm Evening Prayer said
6.15 pm Taste & See in the Chapter Room
7.30 pm Opus Anglicanum Concert
12.25 pm Holy Communion
5.15 pm Evening Prayer said
7.30 pm Crispin School Carol Service
9.30 am Holy Communion
5.15 pm Evening Prayer said
5.15 pm Evening Prayer said
5.15 pm Evening Prayer said
12 noon Eucharist with Healing
5.15 pm Evening Prayer said
Wells Cathedral Voluntary Choir to sing all services
7.00 pm Christmas Music by Candlelight, with Wells Cathedral Choir
5.15 pm Evening Prayer said
7.00 pm Christmas Music by Candlelight, with Wells Cathedral Choir
12.25 pm Holy Communion
6.00 pm Cathedral Carol Service
9.30 am Holy Communion
1.00 pm Family Activity – make a table decoration in the Education Room
6.00 pm Cathedral Carol Service
Christmas Eve
2.00 pm Crib Service
3.15 pm Crib Service
5.15 pm Wells Cathedral Voluntary Choir to sing Evensong
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11.00 pm Eucharist of Christmas Night
Christmas Day
8.00 am Holy Communion
9.30 am Cathedral Eucharist
11.30 am Matins
3.00 pm Evening Prayer said (Vicars Close Chapel)
Cathedral closed
9.00 am Matins (Vicars Close Chapel)
9.30 am Holy Communion St Stephen (Vicars Close Chapel)
3.00 pm Evening Prayer said (Vicars Close Chapel)
Wells Cathedral Voluntary Choir to sing all services
9.00 am Morning Prayer
9.30 am Holy Communion (Lady Chapel)
5.15 pm Evening Prayer said
12.25 pm Holy Communion
5.15 pm Evening Prayer said
9.30 am Holy Communion
5.15 pm Evening Prayer said
3.00 pm Wedding Service
5.15 pm Evening Prayer said
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