Blessing of fishing fleet as historic tradition continues

The Bishop of Norwich will bless the Lynn fishing fleet as part of a traditional service and procession.The annual event will begin with a service at Lynn Minster on July 6, followed by a procession to the quayside on the River Ouse, where the Bishop of Norwich, the Rt Revd Graham Usher, will lead prayers on the seafaring community and their families – including all who work on the boats, quay and docks.The service will also include the official installation of the new High Steward of the minster, Kathryn Buscall.

The Rector of Lynn, the Revd Canon Dr Mark Dimond, said: “It is important each year to bless the fleet because trade still continues across the North Sea today, especially between the UK and Scandinavia and the Low Countries.“The seafaring community may have dwindled, but we still pray for their work in the modern age.“There are also many families in Lynn, especially in the north end part of the town, who treasure the memories of their families going back generations, who worked in the ports in busier times.

“It is wonderful to process to the boats that are docked and realise the courage of many who live on the sea. “The hymn with the words ‘Eternal Father, strong to save, whose arm doth bind the restless wave’ is evocative of the life on the sea that is so different from that on the land.”The colourful procession traditionally goes from St Nicholas Chapel through Lynn’s historic north end fishing district to the Fisher Fleet, but it will begin at the minster – with the blessing taking place on the Quay this year because of building work in the chapel.

The new high steward of the minster, Kathryn Buscall, will officially begin her role at the service. She is the co-founder of the Wild Ken Hill estate at Snettisham, where the rewilding project has adapted farming methods to focus on soil health.She is also a Deputy Lieutenant of Norfolk, and will represent Lynn and its minster around West Norfolk, attend civic events, and encourage the community life of the minster.

The Revd Mark Dimond said: “I am delighted that Kathryn has been appointed as High Steward of Lynn Minster. Kathryn knows Lynn and West Norfolk well and was a chair of Lynn Magistrates’ Court for many years.”Ms Buscall said: “I look forward to working hard on the undertakings of the role, which include understanding the needs of Lynn and its outlying areas to best represent them within both the county and the diocese and helping to make fruitful connections in these areas and beyond. “I also look forward to supporting Canon Mark in his priorities of encouraging pilgrims to the minster, and also the all-important young people in the community.”Ahead of the service, procession and blessing of the fishing fleet, the minster will be part of the town’s celebration of its seafaring heritage during Hanse Weekend on June 14 and 15.It will host a drop-in café, an organ recital and a choral evensong attended by local sea cadets and including newly-commissioned anthem ‘Piping the Hanse’ by Stevie Wishart.There will also be walks, talks, sea shanties, displays, and activities across Lynn. The town was part of the powerful Hanseatic League of sea ports, and sailors and merchants would have visited the minster immediately before and after journeys. It still holds a 14th-century chest, once used to carry goods across the sea. The minster is also the spiritual home of 14th-century mystic Margery Kempe, who knew Julian of Norwich and went on pilgrimages by sea from Lynn as far as the Holy Land.The Sea Sunday service begins at 10am on July 6 at Lynn Minster, followed by a procession leaving the building at around 11.10am and the blessing of the fishing fleet on the Quay at around 11.20am.