7 April 2021
Rev. Irene writes:
I do hope that you had a happy and peaceful Easter. We are now in Eastertide which lasts for 40 days from Easter Sunday until the celebration of the Ascension of our Lord, this year on 13th May.
As you will see a little further in this letter we are beginning to extend our services to include Saturday Evening Prayer/Evensong or Taize and our Sunday at 4 service will begin in the Minster.
I have got over the nervousness of being in church again by preaching on Easter Day but understand that some will still be feeling unsure about mixing again. Take your time we will look forward to seeing you when it is right for you.
To be in the Minster again for worship and look at the stained glass windows and hear the wonderful sound of Mark on the organ and the choir (very limited in number) was just transcending and made me realise just how much I feel at home in that wonderful place with God’s family around me. It will be great when we can open up to the public and share God’s love through all that the Minster offers.
IT IS GREAT TO HEAR FROM LAUREN THIS WEEK:
My husband and I first came to Hull Minster after we had become engaged in 2010, and he said that he wanted to get married in a ‘pretty’ church. I told him that we could only get married in a pretty church if we attended. Luckily, when we both turned up at this amazing church, the congregation and Ministry Team were so friendly and welcoming that we continued to attend.
In 2014 Mark and I were married in a day I will never forget. It was amazing to be married in such a splendid place that celebrated our love, faith and friendliness. We love being part of the Hull Minster family as it is a great place to learn more about our faith with likeminded people.
In 2019, a lady was talking about what we could do for God during the sermon, how we could serve him. I started to think how Girls Brigade through its Christ centred approach would benefit the central Hull community. I have been involved with Girls Brigade since the age of 8 and I’m now a leader. We are always striving towards our motto ‘Seek, Serve, and follow Christ’.
I choose to volunteer because it is joy to get to know girls and their families, to share in their lives and the good news of God. Being involved in Girls Brigade has got me through difficult times, especially with my mental health. It gave me a purpose and focus for my week and it helped me knowing that I was able to help someone else, even though I was finding things difficult.
On a typical evening we play games, have devotional time, complete crafts and badgework. Our badgework includes important topics such as caring for others, friendship, bullying and drugs. We also undertake lots of life skills such as cooking which the girls really enjoy. As girls get older, they can undertake a leadership program and undertake different awards including the ‘Queens Award.’
Our District also has a band (Northern Lights Girls Brigade Band) where girls aged 8 and over can learn to play a brass instrument, drum, or glockenspiel. We also teach marching and perform in concerts, parades and marching displays. This helps girls learn about self-discipline and practicing a new skill, appreciating and sharing talents with each other and the wider community.
My hope with starting a group at Hull Minster is to enrich the lives of our young people to explore and grow their faith, to be a part of the Minster and wider Girls Brigade community. To be able share Girls Brigade with my church family at Hull Minster is so important because I feel that I am undertaking what God has directed me to do. Lauren Jeffries.
Irene concludes with:
April 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.
EVENSONG/EVENING PRAYER will commence again from the 17th of April. Further details to follow as we hopefully find out more information on singing etc.
Church@4 will take place in the Minster from 18th April, please note the new time of 4pm, All are welcome.
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.
ELECTORAL ROLL If you have been attending Hull Minster for at least six months you are eligible to be put on the Electoral Roll. This allows you to vote at the annual meeting. If you are interested, please see Val Fotherby before 13th April. Please note, if you are already on the electoral role you do not need to fill out another form.
DO YOU WANT TO HELP? 10:30 am SUNDAY SERVICE
We are looking for people to volunteer, on a rota, to work the sound desk during this service. The desk is pre-set, so it is very straightforward. If you think you can help, please speak to one of the wardens for more information. Thank you.
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.
DO YOU WANT TO HELP?
10:30 am SUNDAY SERVICE
We are looking for people to volunteer, on a rota, to work the sound desk during this service. The desk is pre-set, so it is very straightforward. If you think you can help, please speak to one of the wardens for more information. Thank you.
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.
READINGS: FOR SECOND SUNDAY OF EASTER
COLLECT FORSECOND SUNDAY OF EASTER
Risen Christ, for whom no door is locked, no entrance barred;
open the doors of our hearts,
that we may seek the good of others
and walk the joyful road of sacrifice and peace,
to the praise of God the Father. AMEN
This Month’s Prayer Diary
Daily prayer points throughout the current month can be found here.