CATHEDRAL NOTES

DECEMBER-FEBRUARY 2013/2014
Dear Friends Nostalgia, they say, isnt what it used to be. Even the traditional laments over the secularisation and commercialisation of Christmas, commonplace in Church circles, seem to have lost some of their edge. Perhaps we are now ready to accept that celebrating Christmas as a religious festival really is a counter cultural activity and maybe we can be freer to do that with energy and passion if we are not spending time berating our neighbours for missing the point. The fact is that here at the Cathedral many thousands will come for worship in the weeks ahead and nationally many millions will have drawn close to the deep mystery of Gods love revealed in the birth of the infant King of Bethlehem by the time the turkey is cooked and the presents unwrapped. In all of that we should rejoice. Nevertheless there is no doubt that Christianity can seem more peripheral in the life of the nation than once it was and of course we all wish it were otherwise. But lest we feel sorry for ourselves consider the Christmas that will be celebrated by Christians in Syria, Palestine, Egypt or elsewhere in the lands of the Bible. There, it is not the place of faith in the life of the community or its social influence that is at stake, it really is a matter of life and death. A recent report stated that Christianity actually faced extinction in some parts of the Middle East as war and terror combine to drive Christians into exile. Nor is it just the Middle East. In parts of Pakistan, in west and sub Saharan Africa, other Christians face persecution and daily intimidation. Imagine hearing some of the traditional stories of Christmas in

these contexts. Imagine reading the narrative of the birth of Jesus or the Massacre of the Innocents and the Flight into Egypt in a Jordanian refugee camp. There, these stories are not charming pieces of nostalgia but texts that speak directly into the lives and experiences of the vulnerable and the dispossessed. Maybe they offer some hope, that if the Prince of Peace himself was born into a world as dangerous and fragile as theirs, God can be seen as faithful and his salvation assured. Meanwhile even here in Newcastle if conditions are by no means so extreme, there are many for whom Christmas will not be in any way cosy or comfortable. A year is coming to an end in which benefits for the poorest have been cut and services which support the most vulnerable reduced or removed. Part time and low paid work masks the reality but the burgeoning of food banks reveals the true state of peoples lives. There are plenty of challenges here for us as individuals, for our city, our diocese and our church. In the coming year we shall need to reflect and act on these critical issues. So how might the Christmas story look for the vulnerable members of our community? This years Street Nativity might give us some clues to that. Entitled HaWay in a Manger? it sets the Christmas story in 21st century Newcastle and invites us to see the parallels between the experience of the Holy Family and some of the more vulnerable members of our own community. Not that its stuffy or solemn. Maddy Longs script is full of humour and local characters; music will be provided by the combined choirs of St Marys Cathedral, St Johns Grainger Street and our own, accompanied by the Salvation Army Band; there will be dance and drama and, of course, lots of angels and sheep! Performed in Northumberland Street on Thursday 12th December it may not be a feast of nostalgia but hopefully it will both offer food for thought and touch the hearts of those who hear it. This is a significant act of witness to our city do try to support it and maybe all of us can hear anew the message of the angels Peace on earth Goodwill to all! May you enjoy a Hopeful Advent, a Holy Christmas and a Happy New Year! Chris Dalliston Dean of Newcastle

Thank You
On behalf of the Cathedral Community we thank Yvonne Hall for overseeing the Sunday morning refreshment rota for the past three years. This has been greatly appreciated. Many thanks indeed Yvonne! We are grateful to Lorraine Stephenson who has agreed to take over the responsibilities. If you have any enquiries now regarding the Rota please speak with Lorraine.

Flower Fellowship
26th January talk by Mrs Maureen Hogg from The Peoples Kitchen. 25th February Practical Workshop with Mrs Lesley Arkell 25th March Tour of Northumbria with Mr Alex Cowley from Northumbria Audio Visual Society

A Letter from Uncle to Nephew

The Rectory St James the Least My Dear Nephew Darren Beware of being invited by the Bishop to drop round for a chat. My first mistake was to answer the phone when he rang; what are answer phones for, but to avoid having to talk to anyone ever. My second mistake was not to be able to think of a meeting I had to attend preferably on another planet on the day he suggested. I therefore found myself in his study waiting for the point of the meeting while we negotiated the obligatory five minutes discussing the weather and his summer holiday in France. I made it quite clear that I had been far too busy to swan off to foreign parts although I suspect the implication of what I said passed him by. We then got to the point. He was toying with the thought of my retirement and linking us with the adjoining parish of St Agathas. I patiently explained, using simple words and speaking slowly for his benefit, that at 85 and with 40 years at St James the Least, I was just getting into my stride and that the vicar of St Agathas, a stripling at 63 had nowhere near enough experience to organize the hymn list, let alone two parishes. This, too, seemed to drift somewhere above his head. He had clearly done his homework. There were already plans for my Queen Anne Rectory to be sold and the 5 acres of garden to be turned into a housing estate. This news would be received by our parishioners with as much equanimity as if they were told that Buckingham Palace was to be converted into a sports centre. This matter, I was told, was confidential which meant that I only relayed the news to one parishioner at a time. By the end of the day everyone in the village knew and a counter attack was being planned. Inevitably, the most outraged were those who never attend church. People do so love having a church not to go to. Congregations have soared, gardeners are being brought in to tidy the rectory

grounds and the church council is now well attended. The latter is a mixed blessing, as I always think that the time to get worried is when people start to turn up for meetings. It may surprise our Bishop, but the threat of a merger has been the greatest impetus to mission weve had in years. Retirement indeed; Im sure Zadok was never asked about his pension plans. Yours loving uncle, Eustace.

Congregational Questionnaire
Earlier in the year we invited members of the congregation, and others associated with the Cathedral, to complete a questionnaire about various aspects of the Cathedrals life and work. 27 responses were received. We are very grateful to those of you who gave a great deal of thought to the questions asked and who responded so fully to them. As only 27 responses were received, it is difficult to judge how representative of congregational opinion any one response actually is. There were, however, several comments which occurred three or more times. Among these were, for example, the following: a) Preference for Sundays Choral Evensong to be at 4.00pm or 5.00pm, rather than at 6.00pm. b) It would be helpful if sermons were posted on the Cathedrals website. c) More study groups would be welcome. d) Quiet Days, eg in Advent and Lent, would be appreciated. (An Advent Quiet Day has been arranged for Friday 29th November.) e) There should be more social activities. There were several observations and suggestions which were made by only one person. For example the comment that there is very little in sermons for those

who cling to their faith by their finger nails. I did pick this up in a recent sermon and preached about it I hope helpfully. It has been suggested that the best way forward is to arrange a congregational meeting, a Community Forum, to look more closely at the responses received and to discuss in some detail some of the points made. Watch this space! Canon Steven Harvey

Lantern Cafe
The Lantern Caf Christmas Lunches begin on Monday 2nd December. One course 5.95, two courses 8.95 and three courses 10.95. Due to the 2nd Phase of the kitchen re-fit we will be closing a little earlier this year. We will close on the 20th December and re-open on 6th January 2014.

A little girl dressed in her Sunday best, was running as fast as she could, trying not to be late for Sunday School. As she ran she prayed, Dear Lord, please do not let me be late! Dear Lord, please do not let me be late! While she was running and praying she tripped on a curb and fell, getting her clothes dirty and tearing her dress. She got up, brushed herself off, and started running again. As she ran she once again began to pray! Dear Lord, please do not let me be late But please do not shove me either! A Sunday School teacher was discussing the Ten Commandments with her five and six year olds. After explaining the commandment to honour thy father and thy mother, she asked, Is there a commandment that teaches us how to treat our brothers and sisters? Without missing a beat one little boy answered, Thou shall not kill. The Sunday School Teacher asks, Now Johnny, tell me do you say prayers before eating? No little Johnny replies, I dont have to. My mum is a good cook.

Christmas is coming and the goose is getting fat as they say, but should you be thinking of providing one for your festive board you may like to try the following recipe from The Art of Cookery (1769) - printed in London but the subscribers list shows most of them as living between Northumberland and the Lothians.

Goo e a - la - mode Have a large firm goo e, pick and kin it, cut it down the back, bone it nicely, take out the eam, have a dried neats tongue boyled and kinned, have a fowl boned in the ame manner as the goo e; sea on the goo e and fowl with mace, pepper and alt: put the fowl and the tongue into the goo e, and ew it up again in the ame hape it was before, put it into a little pot or pan that will ju t hold it, with three pints of beef gravy, a little thyme, par ley, and marjoram, tied in a bunch, an onion or two; cover it clo e up, and et it over a good fire; when it boyles, let it tew oftly an hour, then take it up, cum off the fat, train the liquor, put to it a veal weet-bread or two, cut mall, if you have them. Ta te the liquor, and if you find it not enough easoned, put in a little more pepper and alt; put it in again with the liquor, and tew it half an hour more; take it up, pour the liquor over it, put to it a little catchup, and five or ix yolks of hard boyled eggs in the di h whole. Garni h with lemon. N.B. Put the bones of the goo e and fowl into the gravy with the goo e when it is fir t et on. When you et it on the econd time after the liquor is trained, you may put in ome truffles, morels, and mu hrooms if you chu e. If you want something to wash it down with and are feeling adventurous you might like to try this, although, sadly, it wont be ready for Christmas 2013: Birch Wine

Cut a large notch in the bark of the bole of a birch tree in March, let a ve sel receive it. A large tree will yield four quarts. When the ap is two days old, to ten gallons of it put twenty-five pounds of ugar, and four peels of Seville oranges, boyl them half an hour, and cum it; pour it into a ve sel, and cover it clo e to keep the team in. When it is almo t cold, put in a pint of ale yea t, tirring it every day for ten days. Chop eight pounds of rai ins, put them into the ca k, fill it up, and let it tand till it has done working. Di solve half an ounce of i inglas in a quart of the ame liquor, put it into the ca k, tirring well; then top it clo e, and let it tand eight months in a cool cellar before you bottle it. You may wish to adjust the quantities in this recipe as ten gallons is a lot of wine. Alternatively, when it is ready you could invite the entire Cathedral congregation round as most of them, like me, will never have tasted Birch wine! Happy Christmas from the Head Verger.

Fitz Choir at 30
Ive been delighted by kind comments about anniversaries in 2013. I reached another zero in June, turning Threescore Years in some style; a lovely Evensong at Mitford with drinks and nibbles, then for the day itself (which is also Blaydon Races Day!) a family gathering courtesy of my son Chris, including a Saturday evening Thames river trip in perfect summer weather. I shared in their worship on the Sunday morning (they have a good choir), then headed to my old stampingground in North Yorks to join another good choir for Dyson in D and more celebrations with friends there. One of the nicest weekends of my life. Then in August Fitz Choir turned 30. We began at Ripon Cathedral in 1983, and it had been suggested (from Ripon) that we should return in 2013. Sadly, events

overtook that; the Ripon Choir School closed in July 2012. Newcastle University residential facilities were also much reduced this year, so in the end we only put on quite small weekend events here. However, we have to take the rough with the smooth (as all cathedral musicians know, not least during the past year or so). Brinkburn was as lovely as ever, though ironically the first decent summer weather in years coincided with that on-going road closure. At the cathedral we were warmly welcomed by the Dean, whilst we in turn appreciated three things in particular; the presence of two friends who had been with us right at the start in 1983, the never-failing support of the administrative staff here (especially Ellie and Gordon), and two good teenage singers both female whose participation reminded us that there will be others to carry on this work in a further 30 years, D.V. The presence of my son, daughter-in-law, and little grandson Tristan (who has just turned 1) was a great bonus. Ive written previously how for some years our Choir hired good (and cheap) residential schools in the summer, but this provision is rarely available now. The university option has proved popular lately, so as Janet and I both have good contacts in the university, well keep our eyes open for suitable possibilities in coming vacations. Although were both pretty busy, well also continue to contribute any help we can (musical or otherwise) to the cathedral family whenever required. The usual round of rural Evensongs, weddings, etc. will no doubt continue too. Fitz Choir will continue to be open access as far as possible, without auditions the demands of what we do are self-regulating. Like other vacation choirs, we dont ask about singers religious commitment either (though Janet and I are practicing Christians), and that seems right. Cathedral worship, especially the rhythm of the daily Offices and the Eucharist, is its own witness to the Gospel; people should be allowed to make their minds up about that in their own time and at their own pace. I may add that, both at Ripon and here at Newcastle, singers from a non-church background have felt welcomed and put at ease by the clergy and the lay workers alike. This can only help. As I thought through this article, other 2013 milestones came to mind. Links between the Church and railways have often been commented on, so the halfcentury since Beeching is relevant; so are 30 years of the South Tynedale

Railway, where Ive been a volunteer for half that time and we have several members who are Christians, including a Churchwarden as our Chairman. Of course Ive also written about churches and the 1988 National Curriculum; Ill probably do so again! But an article shouldnt become an epistle; these are other stories for other times, if people want them. Weve marked our Choirs anniversary essentially like most other years since 1983, doing our bit (by invitation) to support our local Cathedral. Were happy with that. Kieran Fitzsimons

Sir John Tavener

It is with great sadness that Sir John Tavener, a leading British composer of the past 50 years, died on Tuesday 12 November at the age of 69. Sir John first came to public attention in 1968 with the premier of his oratorio The Whale, a work based on the biblical story of Jonah, which was played at the debut concert of the London Sinfonietta and later recorded on the Beatles Apple label. A deeply religious man, his faith became an increasingly important part of his life and composition and he once described music as the essence of God. The popularity of his works was highlighted in 1997 when his piece A Song for Athene was performed at the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales. Sir Johns other well-known works included his setting of William Blakes poem The Lamb, which was chosen to see in the new century at the end of 1999 in the Millennium Dome, London. In tribute, the Girls and Lay Clerks will be performing this work at A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols on Christmas Eve and also performing his Ikon of St Nicholas at the Patronal Festival on Saturday 7 December at 11:30 to which

all are welcome. The Choir also recently performed his Ikon of St Cuthbert of Lindisfarne as part of the Holy Island Pilgrimage 2013. He could bring an audience to a deep silence which is a very rare gift John Rutter

Where Did that Carol Come From? Have you ever wondered where some of our best loved hymns and carols come from, what inspired their authors or what stories lie behind their origin? A recent book entitled Once More With Feeling - a selection of classic hymns and carols by Rupert Christiansen sets out to explain their background, enlighten and even entertain. Here are two to be going on with... O Come all yea Faithfull The Latin version of this carol, Adeste Fideles, was written by John Francis Wade (1711 86), who fled England after the 1745 Jacobite rebellion to teach music in the school for British Roman Catholic exiles in Douai in France. (The college community moved from there to found Ushaw College during the revolution. GS.) It was first published in 1760, and it has been suggested that it might have incidentally served as a coded rallying cry for the Stuart cause. The English translation was made by Frederick Oakley and William Brooke in 1841. The tune Adeste Fideles is usually attributed to Samuel Webbe, and dated to 1782. But it has also been ascribed to Wade himself or to the French composer Charles Favart. A mystery attaches to its Victorian reputation as the Portuguese hymn. Some say that this came about because it was always sung at Christmas at the Portuguese Embassy, while others think that it was the work of King Joseph or King John of Portugal, or even the opera composer Marcas Portugal, also known as Portogallo.

The tune is often added nowadays to the lyric Why are we waiting? performed spontaneously throughout the English-speaking world wherever queues form and delays frustrate.

Silent Night Well, I couldnt miss this one out, could I! A legend much embroidered and variously related surrounds this simple but universally loved carol. Here is one version of it. On Christmas Eve in 1818, Joseph Mohr (1792 1848), the Catholic curate of Oberndorf, a Tyrolean village near Saltzburg, was in despair. Mice had chewed away the mechanism of the church organ, and there was no way that it could be immediately repaired. Mohrs congregation needed something suitable to sing at Midnight Mass, so Mohr wrote these modest verses, inspired by a pastoral visit he had made early in the day to a mother and her sick baby. Mohr quite a rumbustious character, apparently, with a penchant for gambling, dinking and women then ran round to his friend Franz Gruber, organist and headmaster of a neighbouring village, and asked him to write some gentle music for it. Gruber obliged with a gentle lullaby, and the carol was sung at Midnight Mass, Gruber accompanying on his guitar. After Christmas, the man who came to repair the organ was so impressed by Mohr and Grubers little effort that he made a copy and passed it on to the Strasser family a precursor of the Von Trapps who sang it at all their concerts and published it in 1838. A pretty tale, but probably largely fictional, not least because a manuscript of Grubers tune suggests that it was actually written some two years before Mohrs lyrics. What does it matter? Stille Nacht, Heilige Nacht has gone on to be translated into over 200 languages it first reached England in 1858, thanks to a Miss Emily Elliott of Brighton, though the most commonly used version today was the work of an American bishop, John Freeman Young. It was sung by both sides at Christmas truces in the trenches of the First World War, and after Bing Crosby crooned it in the 1945 movie The Bells of St. Marys, it went on to become as

essential a feature of American Christmas rituals as the Yuletide Log and The Nutcracker.

Gordon Scott Head Verger

Throughout December
Local Water colour artist Paul Wilson will once again be exhibiting his work in the Lantern Cafe throughout December. Paul produces limited edition prints of his paintings of local views, which often feature his trademark couple and their dog. All the prints in the exhibition are for sale and can be purchased framed or unframed. They are very affordable and make ideal Christmas presents. A proportion of the cost of each painting is donated to Cathedral funds. Avoid the rush, get your Christmas presents here and help the Cathedral at the same time.

Yule Tide Tales: Monday 9th December at 7.30pm

St Nicholas Cathedral presents a show for families in which the innovative Mad Alice Theatre Company (fresh from their amazing performance in the Cathedral in June) will bring a simple, yet inventive and engrossing story telling show for Christmas to the nave of the Cathedral.

Sitting on a Yule log, as if around a gently crackling winter fire, the actors will tell seasonal stories interspersed with Song and Poem. Mad Alices distinctive style of storytelling allows plenty of scope for audience participation and fun. Booking available through events@stnicholascathedral.co.uk or tickets available on the door. Adults 2.50p. Children 1. Family tickets capped 8.

Years Mind
DECEMBER 1 Mildred Bardgett 2 James Paulin (Pr.), 4 David Wood (Pr.), Herbert Lenygon (Pr.) 5 Amy Gent 8 Chris Brown, May Stevenson 9 John Rebair 13 Donald McQueen 16 John Ramsbotham (Bp) 19 Stephen Pritchard (Pr), Billy Wait 21 Christopher Unwin (Pr) 23 Shirley Mark, Mona Wilson 24 George Suthers (Pr), Mary Faetz 26 Hugh Ashdown (Bp) JANUARY 1 Henry William Thomas 2 Rosemary Dalliston 5 David Carrette (Pr) 10 Jane Lavender, Harry Hoult, 11 Derek Govier 12 Peggy Bull, Percy Hill 18 Colin Turnbull(Pr) 19 David Moran 21 Lionel Lunn 22 Frederick Baker FEBRUARY Louise Hill, Wayne Hawkins Dorothy Martin Anne Stafford, Clifton Joy (Pr) Jean Grant, Clifton Wolters (Pr) Elizabeth Clarkson Alastair Elcoat (Pr) David Playfair Charles Hay (Pr), James Davis George Newson (Pr) Rowland Lemmon (Pr)

1 2 4 7 11 12 13 14 15 16

24 Kate Chambers 26 Thomas Leitch

17 24 25 28

Barbara Harbottle Edward SSF (Pr) Grace Hudson Stephen Werglarz

Cathedral Christmas Services

Monday 23rd December 3.00pm Crib Service. All welcome Christmas Eve Tuesday 24th December 8.00am Holy Communion 8.30am Morning Prayer 12.30om Holy Communion 6.00pm A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols 11.30pm The First Eucharist of Christmas President: Canon Kevin Hunt Preacher: The Dean of Newcastle Christmas Day Wednesday 25th December 10.00am Festival Eucharist for Christmas Day President and Preacher: The Bishop of Newcastle There will be no evening service Sunday 29th December 10.00am Sung Eucharist President: Canon Steven Harvey

Preacher: Canon Kevin Hunt There will be no evening service.

A priest will be available in St Georges Chapel on Friday 20th December between 1.00pm and 3.00pm for spiritual Conversation and Confession. Confessions at other times before Christmas are available by arrangement with the Clergy.