15th February 2022

Rev. Irene Writes:

It was great this last week to have the Minster doors open on Wednesday and Thursday mornings for our Grief Awareness Café and Integration Coffee Morning. As soon as the doors opened so many people came into the Minster just to look around the building, soak up the atmosphere and sometimes light a candle for their loved ones. Unfortunately, we are not able to open on a regular basis this month as the Minster has no heating and it would be wrong to expect our wonderful volunteers to stand in the cold throughout the day. We will keep you update here in Lifeline on our plans for March. We are of course open for worship on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays and Monthly Praise so we hope to see you then.

As I am writing this Lifeline on Valentine’s Day, I thought I would share with you my Pause for Thought which went out on Radio Humberside this morning at 6 40 a.m.!!

I am sure that some would no doubt be up and around at that time however for the majority (this includes me) 6:40 a.m. is not a time we are familiar with so here it is:

I wonder how many listeners are familiar with the song Please Mr Postman – The opening lines are Please Mr Postman look and see if there’s a letter in your bag for me .

This song was a hit firstly for the Marvelletes and covered by other groups including, in the seventies, the Carpenters.

Today people will be looking to see if there’s a card for them as we celebrate St. Valentine’s Day.

There are a number of stories around St Valentine, a priest in Rome during the 3rd century. One particular one was that when he was imprisoned for spreading the Christian faith, he performed a miracle and restored the sight to the jailor’s daughter, the story goes on to say just before he went for execution, he wrote a letter to the girl and signed ‘your valentine’ hence the tradition continues.

Although our shops have been full of reminders of Valentine’s day promoting it as a time to show love to someone who may be special however that message goes much further than just receiving a card on one specific day. The Bible says love God and love thy neighbour, now whether you have faith or no faith there’s a message there that everyone can take on board.

Sometimes it is really hard to love our neighbour when I share God’s blessing in church I always ask for his blessing to be not only on those present but on those we love and those we struggle to love that is the challenge but today as we celebrate St. Valentine it may be the time to do just that, to smile, pass the time of day or even pick up the phone and offer a helping hand to someone we struggle to love.

Happy Valentine’s Day

 THE FOLLOWING SERVICES WILL RUN THROUGHOUT FEBRUARY

SUNDAY       10:30 am Holy Communion in the Minster

WEDNESDAY HOLY COMMUNION 12:30 pm

SATURDAY    4 PM 1st and 3rd Evensong, 2nd Taize, 4 & 5TH Evening Prayer

THE PCC HAVE MADE THE DECISION TO HAVE THE TEMPORARY BOILER REMOVED AT THE BEGINNING OF JANUARY. THIS WILL MEAN, OF COURSE, THAT THERE IS NO HEATING IN THE CHURCH UNTIL THE END OF MARCH.

MINSTER PRAISE – 3rd Thursday of each month at 10:30 a.m.

BISHOP FRANK

Thank you to everyone who has contributed to a leaving gift for Bishop Frank, a presentation will take place during the service on Sunday morning. Churchwardens

MINSTER CLERGY TEAM 

Now the Minster clergy team has grown considerably we will be expected to help other churches that are struggling. Reverend Irene will be covering at St Phillip’s church, Bilton Grange on Sunday morning this week.

BIBLE STUDIES are held every Wednesday evening online. A series on 2 Timothy is continuing. If you would like to join at 7:30 pm go to hullminster.org/teaching

LENTEN COURSE

This will start on the 9th  of March for five weeks.  Wednesdays 1:30pm and 7:30pm.  Sign-up sheet at the back of the church.

ELECTORAL ROLL

Forms are available in church.

PRAYER POINTS FOR FIRST WEEK OF FEBRUARY

• We pray for Bishops Frank and Alison as they prepare to leave Hull and move to the North-East. We pray that preparations and transition will go well. Give them strength during the busy days ahead.

• We pray for a peaceful solution to the rising tension between Russia/Ukraine

•  We pray for Freddy William Forman and his family as Freddy is baptised on Sunday

• Pray for members of our congregation who are experiencing family problems or loss.

•  Please pray for Racial Justice which is being marked this week.

•  Please pray for the Deanery Synod as they look at how to move the church forward.

COLLECT FOR SUNDAY 20TH FEBRUARY

Almighty God,

give us reverence for all creation

and respect for every person,

that we may mirror your likeness

in Jesus Christ our Lord

AMEN

READINGS FOR 20TH FEBRUARY, SECOND SUNDAY BEFORE LENT

Psalm         65

Genesis      2:4b–9, 15-25

Revelation  4
Luke           8:22-25