A message from the Dean - 10 July 2020
Dear Friends,
This will be a very practical and detailed letter about the Cathedral’s plans for reopening. All this information will be available on the Cathedral’s website and there will be posters and notices around the Cathedral for guidance and advice. The Cathedral will again open for visitors on Tuesday 14th July. However, we will be operating restricted hours not our customary early morning to early evening pattern.
1. Big Change
In all cases the Cathedral will collect basic information to aid track and trace and help the Public Health authorities manage and contain infection. It’s in all our interests to co-operate with this measure. Data will be stored securely and confidentially and destroyed after 21 days.
2. The Daily/Weekly Programme
8:00 |
Morning Prayer (Monday – Saturday). On Sunday the 08.00 Holy Communion will be streamed live. The Cathedral won’t be accessible to the public. |
11.30-12.30 |
Private Prayer (Monday – Saturday). The Cathedral will be kept hushed and quiet. All welcome to attend to pray, reflect and light candles. |
12.30-13.15 |
The Midday Eucharist (Monday – Saturday). All welcome. |
13.30-16.30 |
Cathedral Open to Visitors (every day). Last entry at 16.00. Admission by ticket (see below). |
16:30 |
Evening Prayer (every day). All welcome. |
3. Sunday Morning 10.30 Eucharist
This, the main act of worship each week will resume on Sunday 19th July. All are welcome. Please note the Cathedral seating plan will be very different to past lay outs. Social distancing measures will be in place.
Sign-in cards will be put on every seat. Please complete them. A volunteer will collect them. Should you, perhaps, be late you are asked to sign in. Seating will be more limited than usual. Everyone is asked to be prompt and, of course, observe social distancing. There will be a one-way system in operation for entering and leaving the Cathedral. Communion will be given in one kind, alas there’s no singing, but the organ can sound and we can look cheerful. Mask-wearing is optional but official advice may change soon.
4. How do I register to attend?
If you read the general rubrics of the 1662 Book of Common Prayer the opening direction is “It is convenient that so many as intend to be partakers of the Holy Communion shall signify their names to the Curate [Parish Priest]”. Circumstances force us to revert to forgotten practices! So let me repeat what was said in 1. Above – every time you enter the Cathedral you must sign in.
- For Morning and Evening Prayer and Private Prayer you will find three places to sign in at the west end of the Nave just near where you enter.
- General interest visits each afternoon require an admission ticket that can be booked online in advance. Tickets are available from the Cathedral’s website. No tickets will be available on the door. As a short-term measure tickets will be £2 per adult and £5 for a family. Under 5s enter for free.
5. How is the Cathedral going to keep me and others safe?
- You will find hand-sanitisers stations at the entrance and exit points of the Cathedral and near the votive candle stands.
- Entrance and exits will be restricted to the North West and South West doors. (Please don’t struggle up and down the transept stairs on the north and south only to find them locked. We’re creatures of habit – so please note the change).
- Chairs will be spaced. Family groups (households) may sit together otherwise please observe the spacing arrangements.
- There is a new electronic collection plate. Cash donations should be placed in donation boxes. We’re seeking to protect staff and volunteers from cash-handling. Please use bank/credit cards wherever possible.
- You are welcome to wear a face mask if you wish.
- Everyone is asked to speak quietly during congregational responses.
- Sadly, there can be no congregational hospitality for the foreseeable future. However, if you want to stay and linger OUTSIDE the Cathedral you are very welcome to do so. You will be encouraged to leave the building promptly after each service so that it can be cleaned and prepared for the next service or for private prayer or for receiving visitors.
6. What will not be open or available?
- Times for worship, prayer and reflection have been purposely separated from tourist visitor hours. During service and private prayer hours sightseeing will not be permitted.
- At present we cannot have choral or congregational singing. A single cantor is permitted, provided the singer is a long way from other life-forms!
- Service booklets will be provided digitally in advance of the service.
- The North Transept, the Chapter House, Quire, St Chad’s Head Chapel and St Michael’s Chapel will be closed to the public and congregation (largely because spaces are too confined to allow the 2m social distancing rule).
- Similarly, the Old Stable Lavatories and Chapter’s Café will remain closed as well as the Chapter Office, the Gift Area in the Cathedral, the Old Stables and College Hall.
- There is emergency lavatory provision during the next few weeks – the staff and choir lavatories will be made available to those in need of comfort and relief. We’ll have a friendly person/sign pointing the way.
Writing all this down and reading it looks complicated and potentially irksome. But then again, if you and I had to write detailed instructions about a simple task such as tying shoelaces or peeling and dicing vegetables it could look baffling. I simply ask you to be patient and good-hearted in your response, to think about the welfare of all and to keep ourselves in good health and good spirits. I’m very much looking forward to seeing many of you back in the Cathedral as are the Canons. You have two new friendly faces to get to know: Canon (Bishop) Jan and Canon Gregory. Both were installed at a very moving service last Sunday evening. You will join me in praising and thanking Canon Andrew and Ben Lamb, our Director of Music for their herculean efforts to maintain worship during lockdown. Their technical proficiency, hours of sheer effort, and resilience have been a wonderful gift to us, and they deserve our unstinting gratitude and praise.
If you read The Observer this weekend (go on it will do you no harm and it will give you an alternative view of reality) you’ll find an article (well it’s been promised) by Harriet Sherwood on how Cathedrals are facing up to the scale of their anticipated losses and staff reductions. I was interviewed but wouldn’t be drawn into catastrophising or saying, “we’re all doomed”. Tough times are ahead but we live by hope. Bishop David Jenkins of Durham used to say, “you can’t keep a good God down”. I agree. It’s time for renewed confidence in his love and purpose.
With my love, prayers and blessing.
Adrian