Welcome to this Lifeline; information to help all of us who are connected with Hull Minster to stay in touch over the challenging weeks of the Coronavirus Emergency.
Many of you will know that we acted immediately after the Prime Minister’s announcement on Monday evening and closed the Minster building and the Parish Centre. This has been done with a heavy heart as the significance of the open doors of the Minster, and the signal it gives to our City of God’s wide-armed welcome, is a cornerstone of our mission. God’s generosity has not changed but we are having to re-think how we express that in the on-going restrictions. This weekly Lifeline is one of the ways we are aiming to do that. In it we will signal how we can all continue to share in the common life as followers of Jesus Christ.
One immediate effect of the closure is how our paid staff are being supported. Some staff are able to work from home, others’ jobs are dependent on our buildings being accessible. Some of our team are therefore being asked to go on “furlough” as the Chancellor of the Exchequer put it; this means they have to cease work but remain on our payroll and their income is supported by the Government 80% guaranteed salary scheme. We are not unaware of how difficult this will be for our regular and faithful people who keep things going in the Minster every day of the week. I hope in coming weeks we will be able to share some of their stories here in Lifeline. And let’s not forget our large band of volunteers who welcome visitors, guide tours, support the shop and café, provide admin and printing support, knit and craft, let alone those who contribute to the worship and mission of the church day by day and week by week. Let’s remember this week our bell-ringers who do such wonderful work in broadcasting the music of God’s welcome across the City; we recognise how important their community is within our wider community of faithful telling forth the Good News of Jesus.
So, just to re-emphasise that there will be no services in church until further notice and no groups or activities in either the Minster or the Parish Centre; yet while the staff and volunteers can’t be available in person we remain here for you. This is an opportunity to build stronger bonds of love between us and to live out our lives in Christ in new ways.
Sunday readings
The readings we would use for this coming Sunday – the 5th Sunday of Lent, often known as Passion Sunday are as follows:
Ezekiel 37 verses 1 – 14
Romans 8 verses 6 – 11
John 11 verses 1 – 45
You might like to read one of these readings each day over the next few days and ponder its message. I have attached a few reflections on each passage as a way you might like to get started – a kind of “Thought for the Day” which can be followed by this prayer.
The Collect – the public prayer for the day which “collects” our own individual prayers and responses on Passion Sunday :
Gracious Father, who gave up your Son out of love for the world:
lead us to ponder the mysteries of his passion,
that we may know eternal peace through the shedding of our Saviour’s blood,
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
A Note about Giving
Many of you will know how challenging the Minster’s financial circumstances are even in normal times; so you might be able to imagine that without any income at all through plate collections, the café, shop, special Minster events and the generosity of visitors our income has dropped dramatically. Though expenses will be reduced somewhat, this will happen more slowly.
For those of us on Church Suite there is a My Giving page which enables you to give by Direct Debit; please take the opportunity to explore that by clicking the button below.
For those for whom this isn’t going to be the way you might like to keep a Lifeline envelope or jam jar or box for your regular offering and we will find a way to collect those in the coming weeks. I’m sure others will have even more imaginative ways to keep their giving routines going!
Your thoughts
Let me know via my email address frank@hullminster.org if you find this publication helps, you have suggestions for enclosure and how we might be able to widen the scope of Lifeline and ensure that our Christian community grows stronger in these challenging days.
Every Blessing,
Frank White
Interim Minister