Sheffield Cathedral Newsletter 29 March 2020 When I survey the wonderous Cross on which the Prince of Glory died, my richest gain I count but loss, and pour contempt on all my pride. This Passiontide hymn is well known, but what you may not know is that the famous tune for the hymn, Rockingham, was written by the Organist of St George’s Doncaster (now Doncaster Minster). Edward Miller (1735-1807) served for fifty years as the Organist of St George’s; he was a friend of Handel, a composer, and one of the very few people ever to be made an honorary Doctor of Music by the University of Cambridge. Dear brothers and sisters, Following the stipulations of HM Government, we have closed the Cathedral, and suspended our daily prayer in the building. This is immensely hard for us all. Our staff have cleaned the Cathedral building very thoroughly; we have moved all the stock from the Gift Shop into the main building, and prepared the Coffee Shop for a period of closure. The work of the Cathedral Archer Project continues in a modified form, and the Cathedral building will as always be visited regularly by our security firm. The clergy will be continuing our daily offering of prayer, but from their homes. We would like to pay tribute to the way the staff have responded to the challenge with professionalism, and good humour, always with the welfare of the Cathedral and our community in mind. We ask you to pray for them as like us all they find themselves adjusting to a daily routine. One of the great encouragements of working in an institution like the Cathedral, which has a history of many centuries, is the long perspective this can give at such times. As a Cathedral community, we have, with God’s help, come through nearly a thousand years as the Sheffield Saxon Cross suggests: we have come through the plague, the Reformation, the Commonwealth when our clergy were removed forcibly by Puritans (only for the Puritan clergy to be removed in their turn at the Restoration of King Charles II), and the Sheffield Blitz (December will be the eightieth anniversary). We are particularly aware of those in our community who are alone and who may fall ill or are in isolation. Please can you let us know by letter to the Deanery (28 Carsick Hill Road, Sheffield, S10 3LW), by email, or by telephone call to the Canon in Residence phone (07534 653 333) if this is your situation. We will do everything possible to support you all at this time. Peter Keith Dean Vice Dean and Canon Missioner Canon Sophie Jelley On Wednesday 25 at 11.00—when she would have been consecrated as Bishop of Doncaster in York Minster--Bishop Pete licenced Canon Sophie as Bishop-designate of Doncaster, and Principal Commissary to the Bishop of Sheffield. We look forward to the day when it is possible for her to be consecrated, and of course her installation in her episcopal seat in the Cathedral. Almighty and everlasting God, by whose Spirit the whole body of the Church is governed and sanctified: hear our prayer which we offer for Sophie, now called to be a bishop in your Church, and for all your faithful people, that in their vocation and ministry each may serve you in holiness and truth to the glory of your name; through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen. Watch this space…. We are exploring how we can reach out to you in different ways. Here are some of the things we will be working on producing in the next few weeks and months. a weekly newsletter to be sent by email or post regular updates and messages on our social media sites and website Podcast sermons to be available on the website a short booklet of prayers and readings for daily use Next week, we are planning to send you a booklet of prayers for each day in Holy Week. If you use the website, please do have a look as we will be adding resources to use at home. www.sheffieldcathedral.org Giving It has been a huge encouragement to us that people have been asking how they can give to the Cathedral to support our continuing ministry. We have had enquiries from some of you asking how you can maintain giving which you would have normally put in the collection plate. You could send a cheque through the post or look at the Just Giving section of our website —if you click on this you will be to give via your bank card or PayPal. To transfer money directly from your bank account, please put your name down as a reference, and enter these details for the Cathedral: BARCLAYS BANK, sort code 20-76-92, account number 43730492. Your generous financial support is particularly important to us at this time. We thank you for all you give. In the first instance our giving is to God, and we have the privilege and responsibility to use it to his glory and for the purposes of extending God’s Kingdom. If you require any further information or help with this, please do contact us. John Donne (1571-1631) John Donne, a Dean of St Paul’s in London, is commemorated this week. He was brought up as a Roman Catholic and married his wife Anne without her father’s permission; John and the priest who took the marriage were both thrown into the Fleet Prison. It took eight years before his father- or mother-in-law would speak to him or Anne again. John became a Member of Parliament for the constituency of Brackley, in Northamptonshire. In later life, he converted to Anglicanism, and was ordained—scandalously at the time, as he had written extensive poetry to his mistress (including a very famous poem, “The flea”). John was a formidable preacher, remembered for his sermons in St Paul’s which could last three hours. He continued to write poetry after his ordination, including some of the most moving religious poems in English. This is a prayer adapted from one of John’s sermons preached in St Paul’s Cathedral. Bring me, O Lord God, at my last awakening into the house and gate of heaven, to enter into that gate and dwell in that house, where there shall be no darkness nor dazzling, but one equal light; no noise nor silence, but one equal music; no fears nor hopes, but one equal possession; no ends nor beginnings, but one equal eternity: in the habitations of thy majesty and glory, world without end. Amen. .