Minster Lifeline #35
2 September 2021
REV. IRENE WRITES:
After completing this Lifeline, I will be setting off for the North Yorkshire Dales for a couple of nights. One of my favourite destinations in this country.
We are hoping to visit Amanda Owen at Ravenseat Farm whist we are away. This won’t be our first visit. Initially, Matt Woodcock recommended Amanda’s tea and scones after he had visited with Anna and the girls. You may have watched ‘Our Yorkshire Farm’ on the TV. The Owens have nine children and a huge number of sheep. It is a great setting and wonderful to see the children playing in the river or some other exciting adventure on their farmland. I always think of the Secret Seven, or Famous Five when I visit, I am not sure that health and safety exists but somehow, they all keep safe by looking after each other.
As I listened to one of our speakers last week talking about the environment, he drew to our attention our need to have more and more and how difficult it is to change this lifestyle. Our cars have got larger (great for those of you that have gone electric!), we want more clothes, more food, to do more journeys, more choices and one of my weaknesses having take-away coffee! The speaker pointed out that whilst this is how we live we will never balance the emissions with sustaining our wonderful earth.
I loved seeing the Owens at the end of the summer holidays emptying a trunk full of old school uniforms to re-use as each of the children grew, or their holiday which was to take a tent to the field on their land and barbeque together.
There is a talk on Friday this week at 12:30pm in the Chancel so if you have the chance do come along. You can book via the freedom website or just turn up!
Val Fotherby writes:
The scenes in Afghanistan we have witnessed on our TV screens these last few weeks have been, to say the least, harrowing. A Taliban army wanting to impose their rule and ideas on a population that would change their way of life yet again. It reminded me of a conversation I had a few years ago in South Africa. My late husband David had been on ministry trips a number of times, but this was my first visit. I knew a little of the history of South Africa and the second Boer war but was somewhat taken aback when the man I was sitting next to asked me a question. Was I prepared, when I went home to the UK, to get up a petition asking for retribution to be made to the families of those Boers who had been put into concentration camps by the British army at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century. I tried to explain that very few people in the UK would know what he was talking about. What came next from this man, a Boer of Dutch origin, was a tirade about the black people having power over the white population. Such racism is ugly, but sadly it is a feature of many of the present-day struggles.
I contrasted this blatant bigotry with a very different experience. The people who had organised the ministry trip asked if I would be prepared to go into one of the townships just outside Port Elizabeth, to speak to the ladies of a church there. On the day we were to go, our host took us in his car, and we waited on the forecourt of a petrol station. He explained that it was too dangerous for us just to drive in, we had to be escorted. We had a long wait and were beginning to doubt if this visit would happen. However, eventually they came, and we set off for the township. It was hard for us to comprehend the poverty but as we drove in further, we heard the most wonderful singing. The church was surrounded by very high walls, with many rows of barbed wire. In contrast to the attitude of the Boer descendant, these people welcomed us with open arms, no racial or colour barrier here.
It would be an understatement to say that I felt honoured. The service was so joyful and uplifting that you didn’t want it to end. Afterwards we prayed with and talked to many people and their love of Jesus was evident in everything they said and did. I felt that I had received far more than I had given, and that it was an enormous privilege to be able to share with such generous people. They wanted to give me some money and as I was about to refuse, David whispered in my ear to accept but to give it back as a gift into their ministry. When I contrasted what they had and what I had, I felt truly humbled.
In Afghanistan and many parts of the world, racial and religious conflict have led to barbaric actions against helpless people, particularly women and children. Men wanting to impose their will regardless of the consequences.
We should constantly keep these many areas of conflict in our prayers and when possible, give practical help and friendship to those who may find their way to our part of the country.
EEllie-Mae 12 from #YKK Martial Arts on Wednesday of this week visiting the Gaia exhibition at the Minster, photographed by her mum.
SEPTEMBER SERVICES AND OPENING TIMES
SATURDAYS 4pm 1st and 3rd Evensong, 2nd Taize, 4 & 5TH Evening Prayer
SUNDAYS
*PLEASE NOTE that due to the unavailability to pre-record at the present time there will be a break in our Recorded Service output. We hope to be able to offer an online alternative very soon. Watch this space for further details. Apologies to all those have found this service very helpful over the past 18 months. Meanwhile, you may wish to access the following:
National Church of England service: https://www.churchofengland.org/prayer-and-worship/church-online/weekly-online-services
York Diocese: https://www.facebook.com/DioceseOfYork
10:30am Holy Communion in the Minster
CHURCH @ 4 Every Sunday afternoon at 4pm there will be a café style service.
WEDNESDAYS HOLY COMMUNION 12:30pm
MINSTER PRAISE IS BACK
We are delighted that Minster Praise will return on the third Thursday of each month at 10:30am. Join us for a time of worship followed by coffee, cake, and fellowship. Why not invite a neighbour or friend to join you. All are welcome.
16th September 21st October 18th November 16th December
PLEASE NOTE: The Minster will be open each day WEDNESDAY to SATURDAY 10am-3:30pm. MINSTER SHOP will be open during these time will be more training events in the future.
DO YOU WANT TO HELP? 10:30am and 4pm SUNDAY SERVICES
We are looking for people to volunteer, on a rota, to work the sound desk during these service. The desk is pre-set, so it is very straightforward. We also need strong individuals to help with setting up the Minster in between services, and booking people in on the doors. If you think you can help with any of these tasks, please speak to one of the wardens for more information. Thank you.
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Shop online with Give as you Live Online and raise a money for PCC of The Most Holy and Undivided Trinity, Hull the simple way.
READINGS: FOURTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY
COLLECT FOR FOURTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY
Merciful God,
your Son came to save us
and bore our sins on the cross;
may we trust in your mercy and know your love,
rejoicing in the righteousness that is ours
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
AMEN
This Month’s Prayer Diary
Daily prayer points throughout the current month can be found here.