11 June 2020
I am writing this on June 11th, the day when the church celebrates Barnabas, one of the great encouragers of the faith and the faithful in the early church. It was through him that the ministry to the Gentiles took a huge leap forward; he was a person who was steeped in God’s Spirit and could see the possibilities rather than immediately concentrate on the problems. It is no wonder that breakthroughs occurred when Barnabas was around!
And it is on the subject of breakthroughs that I want to concentrate in this edition of Minster Lifeline. I well remember the day when those who dug the Channel Tunnel met in the middle as the French team from one side and the English from the other broke through that last thin layer of rock; what cheering, and relief and celebration there was. Breakthroughs have that sudden release of joy as what may have been worked on for years finally emerges.
How we have seen examples of that during the Coronavirus pandemic. The moment when all the work in support of a Covid sufferer in a Care Home or Hospital is fulfilled when breathing starts without aid of a ventilator or those first small steps herald the breakthrough to recovery. What joy we anticipate if there comes a time when a vaccine or treatment is revealed and the Covid 19 virus becomes a memory we share rather than a threat we dread.
Many of us will have been moved by the outpouring of despair and anger around the terrible public killing of George Floyd, even though the events took place a continent away. We pray that the energy that has been released in the protests will lead to the genuine respect and valuing of all people and especially those who have experienced racial prejudice. My memory goes back to the inspiring and courageous life and service of The Revd. Dr Martin Luther King Jnr, my hero as I grew through my teenage years. He famously “had a dream”, that “one day my four little children will be judged not by the colour of their skin but by the content of their character; I have a dream today”. In these words he distilled for me the effect of the Gospel on human society. That in the name of the Creator, Redeemer and Lifegiver, all of us are made in the image of God and all of us deserve the respect that such dignity establishes. What a breakthrough it will be when we manage to experience that in the everyday and everyplace life of the world.
We have had a breakthrough of our own this week. I am delighted to be able to report that our new Priest-in-Charge, Dominic Black, will indeed be able to join us on July 8th when he will be licensed by the Bishop of Hull. A breakthrough behind the scenes also will allow the Black family to move into the Corinthian Way Vicarage on Victoria Dock. We are delighted and thankful that all of the work to overcome one of the invisible aspects of lockdown has been successful.
I am not, however, able to offer news of a breakthrough in the opening of the Minster building, but there is an important glimmer of hope. We will be able to open our doors, when it is safe to do so, to solitary visitors and households who want to come for “individual prayer”. A number of people are now working hard to enable this to happen but that will not be on the earliest date the Government offers, which is June 15th. For now the message remains Hull Minster is open – ONLINE. This is the message we have shared this last three months; the Church has not gone away, and we will offer what we can within the restricted Government permission, but please continue in the goodwill, good humour and with the good sense which has been so wonderfully characteristic of these last weeks. The apostle Paul writes to the Romans in a passage set for this coming Sunday, “we know that suffering produces perseverance, perseverance produces character, and character produces hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” When we have a date for opening, even for the restricted access we are able to offer, we will publicise that widely.
Dan Broom, our Community Minister writes: In a recent ‘Pause for Thought’ on BBC Radio 2, our former Pioneer Minister Rev Matt Woodcock carried the theme of his esteemed former colleague, our Associate Vicar, Rev Irene! Remarking on the amazing work she leads, he made reference to her recent ‘Maundy Money’ honour granted by Her Majesty the Queen. Rev Irene was ‘honoured for her invaluable contribution to the community’, and she says this; “There are many areas of Ministry that I have to work hard at but helping those that are marginalised or have additional needs is where my heart lies. There is always a story behind the situations people find themselves in and as a Christian we are to copy Jesus’ example which was to never walk away from those in need. In Matthew’s gospel Peter asks Jesus ‘Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother, up to seven times?’ Jesus replies ‘not seven times but seventy times’ Love and support goes a long way in changing lives.” In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, Irene thought she’d got away lightly with little attention drawn to this recognition. Yet, it seems even from York, Woodcock continues to impact our lives! Click on the photo of them both to listen to his ‘Pause for Thought’.
As we give thanks for the musicians and readers, the prayers and techno wizards and the people who coordinate our Sunday worship and many other on-line activities and events, we rejoice that the Minster is indeed open – ONLINE – and we pray for the blessing of all who are drawn into worship and service with us.
Frank White // Dan Broom
Interim Minister // Community Minister
The Readings for the First Sunday after Trinity
The Collect for Trinity 1
God of truth,
help us to keep your law of love
and to walk in ways of wisdom,
that we may find true life
in Jesus Christ your Son. Amen
June Prayer Diary
Daily prayer points throughout the month of June can be found here.