Palm Sunday 5th April 2020

Welcome to this second edition of our new resource from the Minster as we try to keep as many people as possible up to date with our life together in this uncertain and unfolding story.

Thank you to those who gave us some feedback from last week’s first “Lifeline” and can I invite you again to let us know your views.  There is a note at the end of this post to let you know how to do that.

We are particularly concerned to know how to provide resources to those who are not on the internet.  If you know people who are not being included in this way of keeping in touch could you please send a message, preferably with their permission?  This week I spotted some of our very regular and involved people when I was out doing my daily exercise.  Without the internet they were a bit in the dark about things but now we have found a way of keeping them in touch.  There will be others so please do let us know.

This edition is another experiment.  We are including some text and some video resources for Palm Sunday in anticipation of a fuller set of recorded services for the main events of Holy Week and Easter.  Please see further on in this Lifeline edition and maybe join in the worship as you would on a normal Sunday?  The resources will still be there whenever you join in however so if your routines are all up in the air you will still be able to accompany any number of other pilgrims on this Palm Sunday journey.

Last week I promised to let you know about another group of Minster folk who are adjusting to the new realities.  So let me tell you about the Ministry Team.  Revd. Irene is “shielded” in her home in North Cave but you would never know it…she has been in all sorts of people’s homes through her telephone calls over the last couple of weeks.  Like the others of us she is a regular on video calls as we try to keep in touch and plan for the future.

Dan Broom is our go-to person on this team for technical questions, so you can imagine that I spend quite a bit of time talking to him. Dan is working closely with Tom White, who works one day a week for the Minster on the social media side and they are helping us get a bit more proficient about filming and recording the material you will be able to see on our website – www.hullminster.org

Mandy Richardson has been busy keeping in touch with congregants and staff members via telephone, WhatsApp, and email and will continue to offer pastoral support in this way. She also has been sourcing family activities for each Sunday and for over Holy Week and Easter; you will find these on our website.

Meanwhile I have moved into Bishop Alison’s office as her PA Ally has to work from her home at the moment.  One of the really odd things about this house is that it has a steel roof, which means that my mobile phone is very hit and miss. If you are talking to me on it I may be walking outside in the garden to get some reception so I invite you to enjoy the birdsong all around me!  You will see that Mandy and Dan are also doing other regular posts on our website including resources for families, so please enjoy their contributions as you are able to.

Peter Oakes, one of our Readers, shared the following poem by Fr. Richard Hendrick, and you might find it speaks to you as it has to me…

Palm Sunday

Video service

We have created a special video service for Palm Sunday which can be accessed by clicking on the link below;

Live stream

Dan Broom, Community Minster, will be joined by Mandy Richardson, Children Youth & Families Minister for a live stream at 6.30pm on Sunday 5th. This is the first part of a series of ‘Hull Minster Conversations’. A space for video-based discussion, honest reflections and prayer. You don’t need a Zoom account, you just need to click on the link below:

Any comments or questions or suggestions about Minster Lifeline can be sent to me, Frank White at office@hullminster.org and we will do our best to incorporate appropriate changes in future editions.  NEXT WEEK – look out for an insight into the work of Alasdair Hutson our Operations Manager.