The Queen and Archbishop of York to visit the Diocese - November 2009
"Moving on in Mission" - service in Ely Cathedral Saturday 21st November from 1.15pm
The Archbishop of York at Romsey Mill, Cambridge in May 2007. Photo © Romsey Mill
Members of the public and children from nearby schools will be congregating outside the West door of Ely Cathedral to greet the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh when they arrive for a short service starting at 12 noon on Thursday 19th November to which people from across the Diocese have been invited.
The Royal visit is part of the three day event which brings the Ely 900 celebrations to a close and paves the way for the parishes within the Diocese to put their Mission Plans into action.
The Archbishop of York, the Most Revd John Sentamu, arrives in the Diocese on the following day, Friday 20th November. He will be visiting Hampton Church and nearby schools where he will be speaking to school children. In the evening he will speak to Churchwardens, Licenced Lay Ministers and Authorised Lay Ministers at Ely Community College.
On Saturday morning, after an early service in Ely Cathedral, Dr Sentamu will be visiting Littlehey Prison.
Dr John Sentamu, the Archbishop of York is visiting the Diocese on the weekend of November 21st to symbolically bring the Ely 900 year of celebrations to a close and to commission the Diocese as it moves forward in mission.
On the afternoon of Saturday 21st November from 1.15pm there will be a special service in Ely Cathedral on the theme "Moving on in Mission" to bring the Ely 900 year of celebrations to a close and to commission the Diocese as it moves forward in mission.. The afternoon will be different from a traditional service. Its focal points will be three acts of gathered worship, around which opportunities will be created for other aspects of worship. From 1.15pm these elements of the celebration will be located in different parts of the Cathedral and will include:
- reflection on the Bible
- prayer for ourselves and others
- the offering of praise through different styles of music
- children’s worship
- meditation on our lives of faith and Christian pilgrimage
- the giving and receiving of hospitality
The acts of gathered worship will bring the congregation together under the Octagon space for approximately 20 minutes. The Archbishop will speak on each occasion. Thus at 2.15 pm, worship will concentrate on the interests of teenagers and young adults and will be conducted in a contemporary style with a praise band; at 3.15 pm there will be a special focus on children and young families; and at 4.15 pm there will be a final act of worship and act of commissioning with hymns and choir. Some seating will be available, but the majority of those attending should expect to stand. No tickets are required for this service.
Mission Action Progress reports will be displayed in the Cathedral as part of the "Moving on in Mission" theme.
The afternoon has been specially designed so that as many people as possible can join in some part of the celebration. Although Anglicans are used to arriving at the beginning of a service and leaving at the end, on this occasion, everyone will be most welcome to attend whichever part of the afternoon suits them best.
Ely 900 was launched by the Bishop of Ely, Dr Anthony Russell, on Saturday 24th January 2009 in Ely Cathedral with the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, also present. You can read about that event hereDownload poster advertising Saturday's service in the cathedral with the Archbishop of York