Welcome from the Dean
Worcester Cathedral is a magnificent sight as it rises majestically above the River Severn. Worcester has been the seat of a bishopric since the Seventh Century, and the Cathedral was served by monks until the Reformation. St Oswald and St Wulfstan were among the bishops. Since the Eighteenth Century, the Cathedral has been famous for its part in the annual Three Choirs Festival, the oldest choral festival in existence. Today the Cathedral is the centre of a vibrant community of clergy and lay people, offering the praises of God each day, serving the city and diocese of Worcester, and attracting visitors from all over the world.
Peter Atkinson, Dean.
Find out more:
- Our Welcome Booklet is currently being revised - however an interim edition can be downloaded here.
- Sunday News
- A Vision for 2025
- Charitable Giving for 2021-2022
- Environment & Social Action
- About Us
- Who's Who
The Cathedral Community Roll is the membership list of those who worship regularly at the Cathedral. In order to join the Roll you need to be:
- Sixteen years or over;
- Baptised;
- A member of the Church of England, or of a Church in communion with it;
- Regularly attending public worship at the Cathedral for at least the past six months.
Application forms are available by emailing Canon Stephen Edwards.
All of us who worship regularly or occasionally in the Cathedral have a responsibility to make a contribution towards the considerable costs involved in running this place of prayer and worship.
A Measure is a statutory instrument, rather like an Act of Parliament, which is passed by the General Synod, and legislates for the Church of England. The new Cathedrals Measure, which was passed and received Royal Assent last year, changes the way Church of England cathedrals are governed. We are now in an interim period, during which each cathedral is required to revise its own policies and procedures so that they are in line with the new Measure.
The biggest change is that, for the first time, cathedrals become charities and must be registered with the Charity Commission. This means that all our policies and structures of governance must be compliant with charity law. Most are already, but there will be some work to do to make some of our committees, terms of reference, and policies, compliant.
The other main change is to do with the governance of cathedrals. For the past two decades, governance has been shared between the Chapter, the Cathedral Council, and the College of Canons. Under the new Measure, the Chapter is the sole governing body, but with an increased membership of lay or non-executive members. There must also be a senior management team or executive group, a nominations committee, and definite risk and audit provision.
The ‘Cathedral Community’ continues to be defined as those who worship regularly in the Cathedral or are engaged in work or service connected with the Cathedral in a regular capacity – in other words, staff, volunteers, and regular worshippers.
Such changes from present practice as are required by the new Measure must be embodied in a new Constitution and set of Statutes. The revision of the Constitution and Statutes is the task of the Chapter, and must be signed off by the Cathedral Council before that latter body ceases to exist. At that point, the Cathedral will be formally registered with the Charity Commission and the Cathedrals Measure 2021 will be in force. It is hoped that this will be concluded by Christmas 2022.
Cathedral Pastoral Care Group
- The aim of the Pastoral Care Group is to build on the informal care that members of the Community already extend to one another, to seek to ensure that everyone receives care and support, particularly in times of special need.
- The Group membership is arranged so that it is hoped most members of the Community are known by someone in the Group.
- The Group meets regularly to review the needs of the Community to try to ensure that all who ask for care are supported appropriately.
- To ensure that we do not miss those who would like our care also requires that we are all involved, so members of the Cathedral Community are strongly encouraged, with the permission of the person concerned, to contact either Canon Stephen Edwards or the Chapter Office know if they are aware of those who may need particular care and support.
- The present members of the Group are: Robert Beattie, Stephen Edwards, Diana Gant, Elayne Guest, Cynthia Harris, Peter Kendal, Candace Laing, Annette Leech, John Vickerman (chair), Linda Watson
To contact the Pastoral Care Group, please speak to one of the members, or email the Reader, John Vickerman (john@prodoc.plus.com) or Vice-Dean, Canon Stephen Edwards (stephenedwards@worcestercathedral.org.uk)