This week Irene writes:

What a great morning on Wednesday. Half term Messy Church was ‘make a noise for the Lord’, you will see from the photographs the young people did exactly that!

After making a selection of instruments we came together and looked at Psalm 150 final verse ‘let everything that has breath praise the Lord’.

We sang some great children’s songs with lots of actions and accompaniment using the instruments made earlier.

‘A big ‘thank you’ to all who helped particularly to Caroline who put together all the workshops.

Watch this space for the next one!

Revd Irene Wilson

On the 14th of November the Reverend Irene Wilson will change from being a Licensed Minister to being a Minister with the Archbishop’s permission to officiate (PTO). Her ministry of outreach and pastoral care will continue at Hull Minster, particularly in our mid-week hospitality. She will take a natural break after Christmas as part of this transition. We give thanks for her and her ministry as a Minster family. Canon Dominic Black - Vicar

UKRAINE APPEAL

Our Ukrainian friends have asked whether we could collect Advent chocolate calendars, chocolates for Christmas and clothes for teenagers.

Unfortunately, the war in Ukraine continues and the people are so incredibly grateful for the supplies we can send to them.

Our Thursday café has taken £1,000 in donations for drinks and food which is being sent to fund transport from Hull to Ukraine.

Thank you to everyone who has helped.

GOLDEN BOOK

As always on Remembrance Sunday, we read out the names of those in the Golden Book. If you would like to volunteer to do some reading, please contact Jon Major. We will start reading at 1 p.m. and people can stay as long as they like and read as many as they wish.

Minster Shop

There is a lovely selection of calendars, countdowns and candles to celebrate Advent which is only just over a month away. We are very grateful to Julia Allum for designing this year‘s Christmas card. There is an excellent selection of Charity Christmas cards which are new to the Shop this year. The Shop is open Tuesday to Saturday 10-4.

9:30 SERVCE

The theme of the service was LOVE ONE ANOTHER and one of the children, Mia, showed her picture of a heart full of love.

RECOGNITION OF LONG SERVICE

The Lord Mayor of Kingston upon Hull invited some long-serving choristers from Hull Minster and their wives to afternoon tea in his dining room at the Guildhall on Monday 28th October.

Chris Fenwick joined the choir seventy years ago. You may have been at the 11am Sunday service the other week when we congratulated him on his long service and, due to the communication skills and contacts of our long-standing (and long-suffering) verger Jon Major, word had reached the Lord Mayor's office of this long service to this civic church.

Chris is very familiar with the environs of the Guildhall, having been a councillor for many years and now being an Honorary Alderman of the city, but was delighted to receive the invitation for himself and Jean.

ASSISTANT VERGER

“My name is Ann and a lot of you will have seen me round church for quite a while. I started as a volunteer in July 2022 whilst I was worshipping at St John’s Newland Church, and on Mustard Seed Stepping Up. I had felt a nudge for a while to come to Hull Minster, and when I met Shirley, I knew I had heard God right. I have been part of the welcomers, events team, and duty manager for the most part and in November 2022 I also became a Chaplain.

In April 2023, after finishing Stepping Up, Claire and I moved from St John’s to Hull Minster to worship here too. I have found fitting in on a Sunday a bit of a challenge as an adult with autism, and it’s been completely different to during the week, where I know where I ‘fit’ and what my role is. As an adult with autism, structure and routine and finding my rhythm in a complex world is important to my mental health, and at times on a Sunday I’ve struggled with this. So, for the past few months I’ve been praying that God would lead me to where He felt I would be both valued and where I would find my ‘fit’. He did and he led me to Jon. As Jon’s assistant verger, it plays to the structure and routine that my brain flourishes on. Both Jon and Dave have been very supportive whilst I’m learning all there is to learn, and now I’m finding my rhythm on a Sunday.

For some people who may question, what if something goes wrong? For an adult with autism – when things go wrong it can be the end of the world, however, that’s why it’s so important that we as a church learn to be more inclusive because then people like me who are different, can then feel we belong to a loving and supportive community. Nobody is perfect, so if something does go wrong, then it’s not a big deal, and we deal with it. If we deal with it well, you won’t even know something went wrong.

I have been learning to be Jon’s assistant for a few weeks now and I’d like to thank Jon and Dave for their supportive and patience, and I’d also like to thank the vicars and members of the congregation for their support too.” Ann W

VOLUNTEER CELEBRATION

For our volunteer celebration event this year on Monday 2nd December, I am asking everyone to help, only if you can, to contribute to our buffet. This could be sandwiches, scones, cakes, nibbles, cordials, fruit, anything would be great but only if you want to, there is absolutely no obligation.
If you can help, please could you email me shirley@hullminster.org and let me know what you are offering so I can create a list.
I am also asking all those attending, again only if you can, to bring a gift, wrapped for a Secret Santa. All gifts will be placed on a table and volunteers can choose a gift (not their own) to take away. All gifts must be under £5 and non-gender.
You may have guessed, money is tight this year so if you can help in anyway it will be very appreciated.
If you haven't signed up yet, it's not too late, just either accept the invitation you should have received or email me and I will add you.
Hope to see you there. Regards, Shirley

WANTED - FOR PUB CAROLS

Any singers and musicians (who can play a portable instrument) for ‘Pub Carols’, we haven’t done this for a couple of years but now feel it should be resurrected as a fund raiser. As you’d appreciate our wonderful choir is extremely busy over this period so it would be unfair to rely on them alone.

We will start at Sailmakers on High Street at 5pm, then onto the following, the gardens outside Lion & Key and Fretwells, Ye olde White Harte, George Hotel, Calla on Whitefriargate, (possibly Savile Street Freedom Quarter), Furley & Co., Kingston and finishing at Head of Steam.

These may change depending on how busy the pubs are.

This is a bit of fun and a great chance to socialise, who knows there may even be a chance of a mulled wine.

If you can help, please see Jon Major.

MAXIMISE YOUR GIVING TO HULL MINSTER

Thank you to everyone who gives to the work of Hull Minster.

Did you know there are three ways that you can make the most of your giving and it won’t cost you anymore?

1. If you give by cash and you pay tax, please ask for a gift aid envelope when you arrive at church, we can then claim 25% of your gift back in tax from the government so £10 becomes £12.50

2. The best way to give regularly is via parish giving, you can sign up here https://www.parishgiving.org.uk/donors/find-your-parish/hull-minster-hull/ and tick the gift aid box

3. Easyfundraising: every time you shop online for gifts, groceries, booking tickets or holidays a donation is given to Hull Minster. We have already raised over £600 through just 15 people using easyfundraising. If more people sign up and shop we can raise even more money. https://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/hullminster/?utm_campaign=raise-more

It costs around £1,000 a day to run Hull Minster and all the work we do in local schools and the community. These three easy ways to MAXIMISE your giving can make a big difference.

Thank you. Heather

ASSISTED SUICIDE - A messag from Archbishishop Stephen

As Parliament prepares to debate assisted suicide, I thought it might be helpful if I shared some of my own thoughts on the matter. I know that this topic is hugely emotive. As the media turn their attention to conversations in Westminster, we will naturally find our memories turning to the time we’ve spent with loved ones in their final weeks, days and moments. I know the topic has already received significant media attention.

Not all of us will agree on this matter. As a society we talk about death so little and it would be natural if you are still weighing this issue. However, I’ve reflected on my own experience of sitting with those who are dying, not least my own very formative experience of working at St Christopher's Hospice in South London for a year before I went to theological college, and I’ve listened to medical experts and weighed the international evidence, especially following my very recent trip to Canada where a great many bishops and clergy shared their deep concern about vulnerable people finding that a right to die was very quickly being experienced as a duty to die. I have found myself deeply concerned by the move to legalise assisted suicide. Such concern echoes the General Synod which has twice voted, with a significant majority, against the legalisation of assisted suicide (2012 and 2022). This opposition has always been grounded in a concern for the welfare of the most vulnerable in society, for the widow, the orphan and the stranger – for the elderly, those living in poverty, those whose disability puts them at risk, and those in coercive relationships.

Please do talk about these issues, read about them and, of course, pray about all of this. If you find yourself, like me, moved to concern, please do write to your MP expressing your concerns.

Regardless of your view or where your deliberation takes you, know that I am praying for you; praying that as you consider what it means to minister to the sick and to prepare the dying for their death, you would better know the God who accompanies us through death and into new life.

(From Archbishop Stephen’s Pastoral Letter to Clergy 24th October 2024)

COLLECT FOR THIRD SUNDAY BEFORE ADVENT

God, our refuge and strength, bring near the day when wars shall cease

and poverty and pain shall end, that earth may know the peace of heaven

through Jesus Christ our Lord

AMEN

READINGS FOR THIRD SUNDAY BEFORE ADVENT

Psalm 62:5-end

Hebrews 9:24-end

Mark 1:14-20

PRAYER POINTS FOR THIRD SUNDAY BEFORE ADVENT

For the people of America as they face important election in their country

For the people in our country that they will be able to access sufficient food to feed their families.

Help us who have plenty to give generously.

We pray for the many areas of conflict in our world. Give wisdom to those who have the power to bring about change. Particularly we pray for the Middle East.