The Cathedral has a team of some 17 bellringers, who ring for Sunday services, weddings and special occasions. We greeted the New Millennium in style with 22 ringers taking part. The Tower Captain is David Rothera, the Secretary is Vicki Chapman and the Steeple Keeper is David Lloyd. Annual outings give the opportunity to ring other people's bells. Sunday Service ringing commences at 10.30am (between the 9.30 Parish Communion and the 11.15 Morning Services) and at 5.15pm prior to 6.00pm Evensong. On the first Sunday of the month a quarter peal is usually attempted prior to Evensong. Monday night is practice night, 7.45pm to 9.15pm, and newcomers are always welcome. Because of Public Holidays and occasional special services, visitors are always advised to check that the practice is taking place. history and details of the bells

The Cathedral Life (30p) is our monthly magazine. It aim is to provide a diverse selection of articles that seek to inform, entertain and stimulate debate.

The core editorial team for Cathedral Life consists of the Dean, and the Dean's Assistant Jenny Cass. A number of other volunteers (sub-editors) have responsibility for particular areas. These are:

Chelmsford Cathedral has a branch of the Mothers’ Union which offers afternoon and evening meetings, together with a social programme of garden parties, lunches and outings. There is a corporate Communion Service on the first Thursday of each month, and meetings for study during Advent and Lent. Our service to the wider community included providing a play area for children during visiting time at Chelmsford Prison, and the weekly Pram Group which meets in the Chapter House. We welcome new members (including men), and details are available from the Cathedral Office.

Future meeting dates are here.

The Cathedral Flower Guild works throughout the year to provide arrangements for the weekly services, together with such special occasions as weddings, the ARU graduation ceremonies, the Justice Service, the Cathedral Festival and all Church Festivals. Several fundraining events are held during the year, and the money raised provides for the weekly flowers. At Festival times, a contribution is made to the flower arrangers, who meet the remainder of the costs themselves.

We are not experts, but we love flower arranging and try to be conscious of their purpose in the Cathedral. New members are always welcome! Please contact Jackie Dryhurst through the Cathedral Office.

A second-hand bookstall, selling a wide variety of books, is open most Sundays in St Cedd's Hall during coffee after the 0930 service. It is organised by Dan and Jean Glading. Donations of books, are always welcome, but do come and buy as well! All proceeds (about £300 a year) go towards the cost of flowers in the Cathedral. Dan and Jean would also welcome volunteers to man the stall when they are unable to be there.

The Friends was founded in 1939, and members come from not only this diocese but from all over the country. We hold two festivals a year, one in January and one in September. These commence in the Cathedral at 3.30 pm with a speaker; tea follows in the Chapter House and the Festivals conclude with Choral Evensong. We normally have an annual outing, most recently (2006) to Chester Cathedral.

We have an annual programme of special events, informative, entertaining and devotional. New members are always welcome (minimum subscription being £5 per annum), and leaflets are available by the South Door. Please contact Jackie Dryhurst via the Cathedral Office.

On Sunday afternoon the vergers take some time off. The Sunday stewards are there to ensure that the Cathedral can remain open to people from 2 pm >> 5 pm. Their role while on duty in the Cathedral is the same as that of the Weekday Stewards. If you can help in this way, or would like more information, please contact Andrew Duke through the Cathedral office.

In the Cathedral's Mission Statement we say that we want the Cathedral to be "a place of encounter with God, a place of stillness, prayer and worship, and a place of pastoral care and healing". The Weekday Stewards seek to make this a reality by their presence in the Cathedral.

The Weekday Stewards are available Monday to Saturday, from 10 am >> 4 pm. They are there to be available to people when needed. Sometimes this will be to answer simple enquiries, sometimes to speak of our faith, sometimes to give comfort. New members of the team are always welcome. Please contact Bobby Harrington through the office.

• Prayer requests that are left at the board by St Cedd's Chapel are offered at the 8.15 am Eucharist during the following week - and laid on the altar at the Parish Eucharist on the Sunday at the end of that week. Any requests that seem to need on-going prayer support are taken to an indoor member of the Mothers Union Prayer Circle.
• The Laying on of Hands with Anointing is offered at the 8.15 am Eucharist on the first Saturday of each month. The Laying on of Hands with Anointing is also offered at one evening service each term. (Contact the office for the time of the next service)
• If you would like prayer support for yourself or for a loved one, we have a group of people in the Cathedral who offer prayer for healing in complete confidence. Requests for prayer can be sent to the Vice Dean at the Cathedral, Canon Walter King email: vicedean@chelmsfordcathedral.org.uk.

The Cathedral has a variety of lively and committed Choirs which sing for our services. The Boys' Choir sings Evensong on Mondays, the Cathedral Consort (Girls) on Tuesdays and the Full Choir on Thursday, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays (11.15am and 6.00pm services) to check for variations to this please refer to the monthly Services & Music List. We also have an adult Voluntary Choir who sing Sunday services throughout the year, including when the Cathedral Choir are on holiday. Visiting Choirs are also regularly invited to sing for Cathedral services. For full details about our Cathedral Choirs, including details on how to contact us about these other musical matters please click further details

Forty-two different members of the Cathedral congregation currently take a turn in reading the lessons at the 9.30 and 11.15 Eucharists - but there is always room for more. If you would like to be considered, please contact the Canon Precentor.

The Servers play an important part in the Cathedral’s worship, assisting at the altar. We are currently recruiting and training new Servers. If you would like to considered, please contact the Canon Precentor.

The Sidespersons are the welcoming face of the Cathedral congregation at all our services - parochial, diocesan and civic. There are separate teams for the 9.30 Sunday Eucharist and for Sunday Afternoons, to welcome casual visitors. If you would like to join one of these teams, please contact the Cathedral Office.

Chelmsford Cathedral offers a varied programme of lunchtime concerts on Fridays between 12.30 and 1.15pm. Organ recitals, instrumentalists, big bands and school choirs all feature, together with special music and readings at seasonal times such as Lent and Advent. A sandwich lunch is available, but you are advised to queue early! further details

The New Friendship Club is a social group for the young at heart. We meet in the Chapter House on Wednesday afternoons. If you would like details of our activities, please contact the Cathedral Office.

The Chelmsford Cathedral Festival was founded in 1983, and took place annually in May until 2007, with concerts in the Cathedral and other churches and in other venues in and around Chelmsford. Recent concerts have featured the Britten Symphonia, London Mozart Players, Tallius Scholars, the Kings Consort, and Julian Lloyd Webber, Cleo Laine and John Dankworth. As well as the main concert programme, a diverse range of activities was covered by the Festival in the Community with lectures, exhibitions, film, street performances etc.,centred on the Cathedral, Guy Harlings, and the town. Please see this site, from which details of previous festivals can be obtained..

The Cathedral Bookshop is located in the north aisle of the Cathedral. A range of Christian books is on sale, together with cards and gifts. The Bookshop is tended by a staff of volunteers, and the manager is Nick Robinson. For more details please see the Bookshop Chapter.

The Cathedral ‘Courtyard Library’ is a resource library for the study of theology, church history and ethics. It is open for borrowing during office hours and on Saturdays. The library is able to make acquisitions, thanks to generous grants from the Chelmsford Diocese, the Hockerill Foundation, and the Friends of Chelmsford Cathedral. The library is staffed by volunteers. For further information, please contact Canon Andrew Knowles through the Cathedral Office.

The Knightbridge Library is a small historical library which includes the Knightbridge collection of books from the 17^th century. There are also Cathedral archives and material relating to the history of Essex churches. Visit by appointment only, after enquiry to the Cathedral Office.

Adult Baptism and Confirmation is administered by the Bishop in the Cathedral each year on Easter Eve.

A preparation group for adults gathers for six sessions during the weeks before Easter - normally early on Saturday mornings. Those adults thinking about Baptism and Confirmation should contact the Vice Dean for a preliminary chat.

The Men's Breakfast provides a focus of fellowship for the men of our congregation and an opportunity to explore with a series of guest speakers some of the issues that confront the Christian faith. We meet on Saturday mornings at 8:30 am. Do join us: you can book your place by contacting one of the following: Mervyn Marshall mailto:mervyn.marshall@blueyonder.co.uk.

The Chelmsford Churches Homeless Emergency Support Scheme (CHESS) was established by churches in Chelmsford working together to address the problems of the single homeless who are not provided for by Government or Local Authorities. Since 1994 the charity has been operating from central locations in Chelmsford - two properties in George Street and a half-way house in Goldlay Gardens. The work is financed by grants and donations and the trustees are drawn from local churches. Visit the website www.chelmsfordchess.org.uk or tel 01245 252410.

The Children’s Society is supported largely through individuals having collection boxes in their homes and places of work. Fund-raising events during 1999 included a ‘Living Crib’ and a Christingle Service. The Chelmsford Committee includes members from Chelmsford Cathedral and other churches in the deanery, and holds an annual coffee evening in February. Further information from Richard and pat Spilsbury, who can be contacted through the Cathedral Office.

The Cathedral supports Christian Aid through an annual Autumn Fair, monthly Austerity Lunches, and a House to House Collection during Christian Aid Week. Austerity Lunches are held in St Cedd’s Hall on the first Thursday of the month. A stationery stall at the Autumn Fair is shared with other local churches.

The Cathedral supports the Church Mission Society, which fields an interesting programme of monthly meetings in the Chelmsford Diocese. The AGM is held in May and the World Church Weekend in June. Other activities include occasions for information, celebration, prayer and fund-raising. The Cathedral representative is Jonathan Hopcraft, who can be contacted through the Cathedral Office.

The Cathedral is a member of 'Churches Together In Chelmsford'. Some fifty congregations from the Borough of Chelmsford are affiliated to CTiC, together with Anglia Ruskin University Chaplaincy, CHESS, The Christian Aid Committee, The Industrial Chaplaincy Team, Mid-Essex Hospitals Chaplaincy, the Prison Chaplaincy Team, WHCM Sycamore, and the YMCA meet to learn from each other and foster friendship among the congregations.

Joint projects include the house-to-house collection for Christian Aid and the Annual Christian Aid Fair. We help the single homeless through the local charity CHESS. Together with the Chelmsford and District Evangelical Fellowship we sponsor Praise Services in the Cathedral once or twice a year. On Monday in Holy Week we invite a distinguished speaker to lead a Bible Study and a procession and High Street Service of Witness is held on Good Friday. In the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity we hold a united service and a 'pulpit exchange' when congregations get to hear someone else's preacher.

We circulate a newsheet at regular intervals with details of forthcoming events in the different churches. We share a website with CADEF - visit www.chelmsfordchurches.net

Social events

Programme | Handbell Ringers

Social Committee Programme of Events 2008

DATE	EVENT	TIME	VENUE
19th January	Cathedral Ball	7.30pm	Shire Hall
19th April	Cathedral Dinner	7.30pm	Cathedral & St Cedd’s Hall
6th July	Patronal Festival	12-5pm	Garden, Learning Centre, St Cedd’s Hall (in case of rain)
27th September	Harvest Supper	7.30pm	St Cedd’s Hall
6th December	Christmas Market	10.30am-3.30pm	Cathedral

Programme | Handbell Ringers

Handbell Ringers