10 March 2021

Rev. Irene writes:

As I write these words thousands of children and young people will be journeying to school, for many the first time in several weeks. At the same time, I expect thousands of parents will be breathing a sigh of relief at no longer having to be a ‘stand-in’ teacher! Despite the frustrations and difficulties, I believe that most parents will have shared a few special moments from a time that has been like no other we have known. In our prayers let us remember all the children and their families praying for their safety and ability to adjust to an ever-changing situation.

This weekend we celebrate Mothering Sunday remembering that in days gone by this was often the only day off work for those working in service. A time to visit their family and the family to visit their ‘mother’ church.

Today it is more about giving a gift or card to someone special, mother or someone who cares for us and a time to say, ‘thank you’. Many of these this year will be at a distance however we can still show our gratitude with kind words and look forward to a ‘hug’ in the not-too-distant future.

SOME GREAT MEMORIES FROM CHRIS FENWICK

My first experience of church was the Sunday School in my village church. As soon as I could read the Vicar asked me to join the exceedingly small choir. The audition consisted of him giving me a book of Common Prayer and getting me to read the Lord’s Prayer – I then was in the choir (no singing required in the audition – I think he was desperate)

Soon I was promoted to crucifer originally a wooden cross but later a large brass cross was donated in memory of a local man, this was very heavy, but I managed – just.

In 1954 when I was 11, we moved to Hull and I went to the Grammar School where during the first week of term Peter Goodman, the organist at Holy Trinity came to get his new intake of boys (no girls) for the year so I became a ‘black’ boy, probationers wore black cassocks and no surplices. My voice broke so early I never got out of the black, indeed I hold the record as the only person to be singing bass in short trousers. There was no going out during the sermon (comics were hidden in music). Discipline was easy to maintain as the head boy was often 16 or 17.

At this time, we had three services on a Sunday, 8am BCP Holy Communion, 10:30am Sung Matins, and 6:30 Evensong: this latter being the service with the bigger congregation. On a Sunday evening after the service there was social time in the Old Grammar School which along with the premises now owned by Kal Kwik were owned by the church.

The choir at this time was large with a total over 50 equally split between boys and adults. Choir practice for boys was Wednesday evening and Saturday morning, with the full choir on Friday. The boys had an evening club before the Friday practice and a weekly youth club was held.

This club led me through an organisation which eventually became Youth Clubs UK, and I had the privilege of being its national Vice Chairman having previously being chairman of its National Members Council.

The church at this time was different from today in that there were no candles, the clergy wore black cassock and surplice with a black preaching scarf, no coloured stoles and liturgical colours were never mentioned. Sermons were always preached from the large pulpit and lessons read from the lectern. We never turned east for the creed.

Of course, there were pews in the church, and it had to be noted that the pulpit was arranged so that the preacher was facing the good and great in the council pews.

I have now been involved with Holy Trinity for over 60 years and it has become a rock in my life, when I get too old to sing in the choir (which may not be long off) I shall still be there grumbling that ‘it was not like this in the old days’. Chris Fenwick.

A message from Dan Broom: Thank you so much to those who contributed towards my leaving gift, I received it a couple of weeks ago and I am grateful for your generosity. I hope you are all doing well, you are in my thoughts and prayers. Keep in touch!

Irene concludes with:

March services and opening times:

The Minster will continue to be open for Wednesday 12:30pm Holy Communion and Sunday 10:30am Holy Communion. Please click here to book in.

The 3:30 Sunday Praise Service this week will be via zoom so if you would like to join please click here for the link.

Sunday Praise Zoom

All other public services are cancelled at the present time. However, changes could take place in the coming weeks so please keep checking in Lifeline or on the Hull Minster website.

If you are coming in to the Minster for services we want to encourage you to consider the environment and walk or cycle or use public transport if possible. If you are coming by car please do not park on Trinity Square the only people who should be parking there are contractors working on the building. There are plenty of parking places around the Minster including the recently opened Fruit Market just across the A63. https://www.fruitmarkethull.co.uk/fruit-market-hull-l-multi-storey-car-park-l-regeneration-l/

PLEASE NOTE The Minster will be open for personal prayer each Saturday 12-3pm.

GOOD NEWS

At present Dominic is Priest-in-Charge of the parish of Holy Trinity. On 6th June, the position will change when the Bishop of Hull will institute Dominic as vicar. To enable this to happen the Bishop has agreed to allow the patrons (CPAS) to bring Dominic forward as their nomination as Vicar, this is a position supported by the PCC.

An Invitation to Lent 2021

During Lent there will be a zoom bible study on Wednesday evenings 7:30-8:30pm beginning 24th February. Do join Rev. Irene and Val in study and discussion around Gladness and Generosity, in the Holy Habits series. You can join here. You should now have received a booklet of daily reflections based on the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Lent book for 2021, Living His Story by Hannah Steel. These notes include a short passage of scripture, a reflection, and a prayer for each day of Lent. If you have a smart phone or tablet these notes are accompanied by the free #LiveLent App on iOS and Android where you can listen along to the reflections. [suggested donation £2.50 to cover booklet and postage].. Click here for full details.

The Heritage Volunteering group have been meeting via Zoom Coffee Mornings to have a chat and carry out some research about the Minster's history. As part of this, our Heritage Project Manager, Jane Owen, has organised several talks and would like to open these up to the wider church to join in. These will take place via zoom on a Wednesday or Friday morning at 10.00am, with a 15-minute chat before the talk starts. The dates and topics are below. Please send Jane and email if you would like to join in any of them - or if you would like to give a talk in future - and she will send you the links. They are very informal and can be accessed by computer, telephone, tablet or even by telephone to listen in.

We are also looking for any volunteers who would like to join our team to do some computer-based research at home about the church, the community surrounding it, the graveyard at the east end and the burial ground at Castle Street. Again, if you would like to be involved, please contact Jane at jane@hullminster.org Click here for full details.

APCM (Annual Parochial Church Meeting) The meeting this year will be held on TUESDAY 27th APRIL via zoom at 7pm. Further details to follow.

Ecclesiastical Insurance have provided cover for the Minster and the clergy houses for a long time and have a special interest in helping churches undertake maintenance through their grant scheme. We have benefitted from these generous grants in the past. In this, their 130th year they are offering donations of £130 to our church for every person who takes out home insurance cover with them - at any point during the year. Some of the staff team have been using their home insurance for several years and it is very comprehensive and reasonably priced. So, if you are thinking of renewing with your provider please take a look at Ecclesiastical. The post below shows what you have to do. Just name the church and they will find it for you. Click the button below for full details.

Ten Trust130 Donations

READINGS: FOR THE FOURTH SUNDAY OF LENT (MOTHERING SUNDAY)

COLLECT FOR FOURTH SUNDAY OF LENT (MOTHERING SUNDAY)

God of compassion, whose Son Jesus Christ, the child of Mary,

shared the life of a home in Nazareth, and on the cross

drew the whole human family to himself;

strengthen us in our daily living that in joy and in sorrow

we may know the power of your presence to bind together and to heal;