8 September 2021

REV. IRENE WRITES:

I couldn’t resist putting this picture in Lifeline this week. This beautiful sunflower has been peeping over our garden wall for a couple of weeks now and every morning it makes me smile.

The Minster is back into routine again after a very successful two weeks of the earth installation. There are many stories to tell.  However, one that I really liked was from Alasdair, the Director of Operations, he told how he had a conversation with a young boy, probably about ten years old, who asked Alasdair if he could see a Bible as he had not seen one before. Alasdair showed him one of the large bibles we have in church and the young man was delighted. Quick thinking Alasdair then produced a bible for the young man to take with him and he proudly left the church with his family.

These are the golden opportunities that arise when the Minster is open to the public. Thousands came to see the ‘Gaia’, yet many enjoyed more such as being in the Minster for the first time and realising the wonderful building is on their doorstep. People realised you can write a prayer card and light a candle without feeling embarrassed. Thanks to so many people the Minster was, and is, a friendly place to come in both grief and happiness.

We look forward to many more events in the coming weeks and months so we can welcome even more into God’s house where they can truly feel ‘at home’.

There are lots of things taking place at the moment with our choir and music group, so Rachel Miller has given us a resume to help bring everyone up to date:

RACHEL WRITES:

Back together again!

Last week saw the Minster’s musicians doing what they do best – leading worship through music and song.

Thursday saw the Worship Band playing as part of Archbishop Stephen’s visit to the Minster, where he was talking about his latest book, “Dear England”. Acting as bookends for the main speaker, the band led the congregation in three worship songs, as well as an encore at the end! As always, the use of amplification adds its technical challenges and Al had a busy time making sure that we could all hear what we were doing but that those listening weren’t deafened in the process. I’m only an occasional Worship Band member, usually filling in when Mark and Sarah aren’t available, but it was great to be part of the performance on this occasion. Hearing the voices of Anne, Rebecca and Ruth soaring over our accompaniment and leading the congregation in song sent shivers down my spine, and possibly the highlight of the night for everyone was Archbishop Stephen coming over as soon as he could to say how much he’d enjoyed the music, followed very closely by Bishop Alison’s huge smile at the end of our last piece.

Saturday (and of course, the Friday night rehearsal) saw the Minster Choir reunited after our summer break, starting the new term with Choral Evensong and the launch of Choral-Hull, a new choral foundation led by our esteemed Director of Music, Mark Keith in conjunction with the Hull Music Service.

Rehearsing in a church full of visitors has its challenges – not only in terms of listening to each other but also staying focussed and not being distracted by people stopping to watch (or, more frequently, wondering what the resident pigeon is up to and whether it’s likely to flap over your head!). Following an afternoon rehearsal in the Chancel (where the service was to take place), we then gave the Gaia visitors something extra as part of their experience – a rehearsal of the Introit (Rejoice in The Lord Always) under the Earth! People stopped and listened, took photos and videos, and I hope took away an impression of the strength of the musical tradition in the building.

The service itself began under Gaia with the formal launch of the choral foundation, followed by a challenge I haven’t had to deal with in over 18 months – processing while singing. As a brass band player in a past life I’ve had to march and play many times (and been utterly useless every time!) and trying to remember how to walk and sing came as a shock to the system, especially when I misjudged the width of the ramp to the Chancel and nearly fell off the side!

It was particularly apt that Sam McGaw preached on Saturday. It is over 60 years since he joined the choir as a treble and the love he has for the choir and the Minster shone through his sermon. As Sam said, joining this choir can change your life, and we saw an example of that the following day when we said a temporary farewell to Simon. Described as “an entire tenor section in once person”, Simon will be en route to London as you read this, starting his postgraduate studies at Trinity Laban Conservatoire along with Dom, who we said farewell to earlier in the summer.

Simon would be the first person to say that the Minster (and Mark) has a huge part to play in his future career. Mark, as his piano teacher, encouraged him to come along to the choir and, as they say, the rest is history. Over the last 18 months, he has been ever-present, running the tech desk, reading and even being the solo voice singing hymns in services during the last lockdown when ensemble singing was not allowed to take place. Despite the uncertainties of lockdowns, the consistency of his singing was the catalyst for his decision to apply to study at one of the London Conservatoires – music colleges who train the artistes of the future. I’ve been reliably informed that it’s my fault for encouraging him to apply, but I refuse to take the blame for what is likely to be a springboard to a bright future!

Saying farewell to members of our choir family is never easy (especially not when it’s one of your best friends that’s leaving), but we will be seeing Simon regularly when he comes up to the area to spend time with his children. He’s promised us he’s going to try and come up on an Evensong weekend so he can sing with us, and he’ll be kept well in practice as he starts his choral scholarship at the Old Royal Naval College Chapel on Sunday. It’s a rather nice-looking “new office”, but I’ve been reliably informed that it doesn’t have the acoustic of the Minster!

So, goodbye for now, Simon (and Dom and Nia who have also recently left us). You’ll always be part of the ‘river of life’ that is the choir family (to quote Mark), and we look forward to welcoming you back. Now we look forward to the new University term starting and the return of our student choral scholars (including some new scholars) and our new Organ Scholar, Niamh.

If you want to find out more about Choral-Hull, its aims, and future plans, visit www.choral-hull.org or speak to our Director of Music, Mark.

Starting next Tuesday, 6:30-8pm…

SEPTEMBER SERVICES AND OPENING TIMES

SATURDAY 11TH SEPTEMBER

There is a lot happening in the Minster this Saturday, everyone is welcome to come along.

Farmers’ Market in the Minster Square 10am-4pm

Heritage Open Day 10am-4pm

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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READINGS: FIFTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY

Psalm 19

Isaiah 50:4-9a 

James 3:1-12

Mark 8:27-END

COLLECT FOR FIFTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY

Lord God,

defend your church from all false teaching

and give to your people knowledge of your truth,

that we may enjoy eternal life

in Jesus Christ our Lord

AMEN

This Month’s Prayer Diary

Daily prayer points throughout the current month can be found here.