On 4 August 1914 the British Empire, of which Australia was part, entered the Great War. In so doing, it became a truly global conflict, the First World War. History was changed, Empires fell, and Australia suffered and grew as a nation. It is an event to be marked with solemn observance. On 4 August 1914 the crowds gathered, and cheered as the young men came forward for King, God and Empire. But the cost was immense, and one hundred years later we do not celebrate the Great War, but we commemorate and remember. Accordingly, on Sunday 3 August 2014 our main 9.00am service at the Cathedral will be a Requiem Eucharist. The Arafura Wind Ensemble will provide appropriate music. The celebrant will be Fr Mike Nixon, and the preacher will be Chaplain Yogananda Juste-Constant RAAF, who has served in Africa and the Middle East. All are welcome at this special service.

All of us here at Christ Church Cathedral are horrified and sad at the loss of MH 17 and the 298 people on board. We remember Emma Bell, a young teacher from Maningrida, and Wayne and Theresa Baker from Palmerston; and we remember all of those killed on board Malaysian Airlines Flight 17.  May our loving God, in his mercy, take those who have died to himself, and may their families and friends find comfort through the love and care of all us in this community. On Wednesday 23 July 2014 there will be an ecumenical memorial service at St Mary's Catholic Cathedral on Smith Street. We will be taking part in the service, which commences at 7.00 pm. All are invited.

This weekend we are celebrating the wedding of our Dean's Warden, Mr Ken Hutton, and Miss Naomy Nesimnahan. Consequently there will be no other services this Saturday. Our Sunday services will be as usual: 7.30 am Holy Communion, and 9.00 am Sung Eucharist.

The Cathedral is honoured to host "Death on Manus", a public forum presented by The Darwin Asylum Seeker Support and Advocacy Network (DASSAN). Learn more about the human and economic cost of offshore detention, and the damage being done in our name. Join the conversation with speakers Julian Burnside AO QC, MaryAnn Uechtritz and Mark Isaacs, at the Cathedral, on Friday 30th May at 6.45 pm. Cost $10 ($5 concession): tickets on sale at the Bookshop (Smith Street Mall), the DASSAN stall at Nightcliff Markets, or online. For more information, please visit www.dassan.org or contact Peter Robson at campbell.robson@gmail.com or 0419 694 083.

From all of us here at Christ Church Cathedral in Darwin, Easter greetings! And for those coming to the Top End, the Dry Season is (almost!) here. Thanks to Angela Van Roden for this wonderful photograph of the sun rising over the Cathedral on the morning of Easter Sunday.