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16 September 2020

Minster Lifeline #26

Guest User

16 September 2020

Rev. Irene writes:

“Sing to the Lord a new song, sing to the Lord, all the earth. Sing to the Lord, praise his name, proclaim his salvation day after day.” Psalm 96

Hull Minster came alive to praise God this past Sunday as eight members of our choir led us in worship and praise. At the end of the first hymn the congregation could not resist putting their hands together to show their appreciation at having at least some of our choir do what they do best, praising God through song.

Mark Keith has been working extremely hard in the background to make this happen. The choir are now split into small groups of eight and each week one group will be leading the choral music.

For those who enjoy contemporary style worship there will also be a contemporary song during the service and Mark and others are hoping we can develop this style over the coming months as they work their way around quite stringent regulations for group meetings.

It is also great news that from this week we will see the return of the Wednesday communion service at 12:30pm. This will be held in the chancel. These are small steps but in such a difficult situation it is important that we do not rush into starting things that then have to be cut, unfortunately we are seeing the increase in corona virus case numbers in Hull.

In ‘normal times’ Julia Allum would be holding her art exhibition in the Minster this week however this has now been rescheduled for spring 2021. It is also the time when our Minster Christmas Card is launched. I am pleased that Julia has written a few words for us this week and that we get a preview of the 2020 Christmas card.

JULIA ALLUM WRITES:

When Revd Irene kindly asked me to produce a piece for Minster Life, I realised that this was an opportunity to thank all those who, over recent months, have produced a weekly on-line service, which has made us feel we were still participating in worship together. It has literally been a Godsend, until we were able to meet again in the Minster. Reading in Minster Life what other members of the church family have been doing over this period of lock-down, made me realise how different life has been for those in our age-group ( 70’s and 80’s). We have not had the worry of losing our jobs and homes, nor the task of helping children with their schoolwork or had to keep lively toddlers cooped up, perhaps in cramped flats with no outside space.

At the beginning of lock-down, Dave and I both appreciated the opportunity to slow down and take a breather, but soon found we missed having a ‘pattern’ to the week; we developed a new way of structuring our days, including a short walk each day, giving us the opportunity to chat to neighbours and strangers in their gardens as we walked by. Many more phone calls and texts were sent, and the occasional letter, to keep in touch with family and friends. So how have I filled my days? To start with, along with lots of my friends, I was like a ‘woman possessed’, determined to clear out every cupboard and drawer in the house and achieve the tidy and well-organised home that I sometimes dreamed of. Perhaps a sock or cutlery drawer had a quick sort before my enthusiasm for domestic perfection faded. Instead, I finished two large jigsaws, read many more books than usual, and helped Dave to decorate the living-room and staircase.

At that point I began to think about my September Art Exhibition in the Minster and the Christmas card which usually goes on sale then. So, I managed to complete several new paintings including the one for this year’s Christmas card, which shows the Minster on a wet, winter evening, with lights shining out, welcoming everyone inside. Sadly, there will not be an Exhibition this month (postponed until the Spring) but the Christmas cards will be on sale in the Minster shop from early October. Please have a look and support the Minster by buying some and telling your friends about them.

Not seeing family members has been difficult to come to terms with but happily, at the beginning of August, we travelled up to Northallerton to celebrate my birthday in a garden party at my daughter’s home. It was so good to see again my son and daughter and their families; all the grandchildren had shot up, towering over me! A real joy, not having seen them since the end of last year. I felt very blessed and am mindful that for many parents with families abroad, their reunions are still on hold. We all hope and pray that better times are not too far away.

Rev Irene concludes:

OPENING TIMES FOR PERSONAL PRAYER AND VISITORS

Thursday, Friday, and Saturday 12-3 pm.

FROM THIS WEEK there will be a service of Holy Communion at 12:30pm every WEDNESDAY in the chancel. Entry through the north church side door.

On Sunday there will be an online service at 10am and a live service in the Minster at 11:15 am. If you would like to be in the Minster for the service at 11:15am please book a place on-line here or by telephoning the office on 01482 224460.

*Please note that from October our Sunday morning service will be at the new time of 10:30am and Minster Kids group will be back. Please ensure you book in, so we know to expect you*

From next week there will be limited parking due to the scaffolding being erected for the building work. Please would people refrain from parking in the square whenever possible. Thank you.

Volunteers needed. If there is anyone who could offer help on the sound deck for our Sunday morning service, would they please inform one of the team at the Minster. You do not have to have extensive prior knowledge, however willing to be shown by a member of staff. The more volunteers the less frequent you would be required. Thank you.

Readings:

Psalm 105:1-6, 37-end

Exodus 16: 2-15

Philippians 1:21-end

Matthew 20:1-16

The Collect for this week.

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

September Prayer Diary

Daily prayer points throughout the month of September can be found here.

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11 September 2020

Minster Lifeline #25

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11 September 2020

Rev. Dominic writes:

Minster Life after Covid:

“As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” Ephesians 4:1–6

These are difficult times! I do not know about you, but I am getting tired of Covid restrictions, social distancing, face coverings, not singing etc! During lockdown it wasn’t pleasant but it was simple, stay at home unless really necessary, now it is really complicated each week before church I need to check was is the latest thing we should or should not be doing. Thankfully the Bishop of London, Sarah Mullally, who in her previous career was Chief Nursing Officer, is now heading up the recovery group for the Church of England negotiating with government what is and is not permissible and we are beginning very slowly to open up the Minster again.

Unlike many other churches, as so much of our income at the Minster has in recent years relied in trading through the shop, café and events, we have been hit financially very hard. Before lockdown the Minster was already in financial difficulty as we were employing far more people than we could reasonably sustain with the income we were bringing in. Thanks to the government Furlough scheme the blow has been softened but we are still a long way from opening and are still heading for a serious deficit. Sadly, the seriousness of the situation has meant that most of the staff roles have had to have been made redundant. A re-adjustment of staffing was coming but the crisis has accelerated the situation. In the next couple of weeks after the PCC has had time to prayerfully consider we will share with you our future staffing plans.

Please pray for all those, many of which may be personal friends, whose posts are being made redundant and for the PCC as we prayerfully consider our future staffing needs. We are deeply grateful to the tremendous contribution many of the people who are affected have made to the life and ministry of the Minster and they remain our friends and fellow pilgrims.

As a Minster church we remain fully committed to a broad menu of different styles of worship from the quiet and contemplative to the loud and energetic, traditional and contemporary. The necessity of having to do a deep clean or allowing 72 hours between services has meant that since we reopened for worship, we have only been able to have one service on a Sunday which necessarily has been blended. We have been overwhelmed by the number of people who have returned to Worship or joined us for the first time in the last few weeks. Though congregational singing is not permitted we have been allowed one person to sing at a time and have tried to include a menu of both traditional and contemporary music as part of this service. From this Sunday we will be allowed a small group of people singing so will be able to expand our musical offering. We have also continued to offer online worship at 10am and intend to offer this long term for those who are unable due to frailty, sickness, shift work or whatever other reason are not able to attend physically. Though numbers joining us online have gradually fallen, as restrictions have been relaxed, we know that it has been a lifeline for many.

These are difficult times for all of us, and for some, including those at the Minster and elsewhere whose jobs have gone, more difficult than others but like any crisis it is also a time of change and opportunity, please pray for the future of our ministry as a Minster to this great city that needs more than anything the message of good news.

Rev Irene concludes:

OPENING TIMES FOR PERSONAL PRAYER AND VISITORS

Thursday, Friday, and Saturday 12–3 pm

*Please note: Saturday 12th September The Minster will be closed for a wedding.*

On Sunday there will be an online service at 10am and a live service in the Minster at 11:15 am. If you would like to be in the Minster for the service at 11:15 please book a place on-line here or by telephoning the office on 01482 224460.

Dan adds: Will you consider setting your alarm for 11:02 each day?! Jesus teaches on prayer in the Bible in Luke 11:2, and we would love for you to continue praying for our Alpha course which began at 7pm on the 8th September. Several people attended our first session and a fun and relaxed time was had by all. Please set those alarms!

And, if you or anyone you know would like to explore the Christian faith more then you can book onto the Alpha course here.

Readings:

The Collect for this week.

Almighty God,

whose only Son has opened for us

a new and living way into your presence:

give us pure hearts and steadfast wills

to worship you in spirit and in truth;

through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,

who is alive and reigns with you,

in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and for ever.

AMEN

September Prayer Diary

Daily prayer points throughout the month of September can be found here.

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3 September 2020

Minster Lifeline #24

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3 September 2020

Rev. Irene writes:

I write this letter on the first day of autumn, (meteorologically speaking) the sun is shining yet there is a definite change in the air. Most of us will relate autumn to the September equinox which occurs this year on the 22nd September. There is something incredibly special about the chilly mornings and evenings and the leaves showing their first signs of reds, browns, and oranges.

Despite all that has happened (or in many cases not happened) in the past six months, time carries on and we travel through the year one season rolling into the next. The garden baskets and plants are showing signs of the end of the flowering season and many will soon disappear into the earth for a time of rest before they spring forth once more to bring delight and colour to our gardens.

The changing seasons never fail to surprise me yet in Ecclesiastes we are told:

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.

Amazing promises from an amazing God. I feel challenged as we move from summer to autumn to look for something changing each day, the cloud formations, the colour of the sky or even just a falling leaf. I love the words of psalm 19 which begins, ‘The heavens declare the glory of God, the skies proclaim the work of his hands’ and then finishes with ‘may the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.’

If you get the opportunity, I suggest that you look at psalm 19 this week.

I am delighted that John Lawson has written for us this week, John is still smiling after the wedding of his daughter Ruth, a fabulous day and hopefully he will include a photo for us! Over to John:

At two o’clock on Saturday 22nd August my daughter Ruth married Mike Raynor at Hull Minster; the first wedding at the Minster since February.

Our family lockdown story is interwoven with ‘The Wedding’. The original date set for Mike and Ruth to marry was planned for May 24th, 2020. That plan was washed away by the March lockdown and decisions had to be made about cancelling that date and rearranging. Like many couples this year, they had to consider when weddings would be possible at a time when nothing seemed possible.

Optimistically, as lockdown progressed, Ruth and Mike began to plan for a wedding at the Minster on the 22nd August. By the time this seemed achievable, churches had only recently reopened for private prayer and services were tentatively re-starting. When it was announced that wedding services could be held again there was no possibility of public banns being called and a special licence was required. Only thirty people were allowed at the service; difficult decisions were needed and tearful phone calls to relatives made. Later, there were announcements about masks and, for a fortnight, uncertainty about receptions. I saw my role as father-of-the-bride as offering wise and comforting words at a time of stress; I soon discovered this was often like introducing petrol to a raging fire!

Throughout all this the clergy and staff at the Minster were marvellous at helping us through the process, particularly Reverend Anne and Alasdair. But it was a real team effort and the flower arrangements by Doreen and Jean added a festive feel to the ceremony. On the day guests commented on the calmness the ceremony created and the grand setting of the Minster added to this. Visitors to the Minster often comment on the beautiful building we worship in, but what struck me on that Saturday was how it helped bring a serenity that washed away all the tribulations that had been faced in the previous months. All too soon they were signing the certificate at the ‘Mousey’ Thompson table before walking back down the aisle, this time as husband and wife.

Outside the Minster, in Trinity Square, I was amazed at how many people had come along to wish Ruth and Mike well. Neighbours and friends were there, as well as aunts and cousins; but complete strangers too, who seemed to enjoy the opportunity of seeing a positive event taking place after months of gloom. During the week before the wedding I prayed for a day of positive memories for Ruth and Mike; thanks to the help of so many people I think that day was achieved. -John Lawson

Rev Irene concludes:

On Wednesday this week, Mandy hosted a Family Craft and Story session, this went very well and an enjoyable time was had by all. It was great to see so many children along with their parent/carers in the Minster once again so keep your eyes out for news of future events.

OPENING TIMES FOR PERSONAL PRAYER AND VISITORS

Thursday, Friday, and Saturday 12–3 pm

*Please note: Saturday 12th September The Minster will be closed for a wedding.*

Dan adds: Will you consider setting your alarm for 11:02 each day?! Jesus teaches on prayer in the Bible in Luke 11:2, and we would love for you to pray ahead of the Alpha course which begins at 7pm on the 8th September. Several people have already signed up, and we are excited to be hosting the course again, this time on Zoom. Please set those alarms!

And, if you or anyone you know would like to explore the Christian faith more then you can book onto the Alpha course here.

Readings:

The Collect for this week.

Almighty God,

You search us and know us;

may we rely on you in strength

and rest on you in weakness,

now and in all our days;

through Jesus Christ our Lord

AMEN

September Prayer Diary

Daily prayer points throughout the month of September can be found here.

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26 August 2020

Minster Lifeline #23

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26 August 2020

Rev. Irene writes:

Education has featured highly in our news over the past months with school closures and exam results and now we are looking towards getting our young people back in school and into a routine again.

If you have been following the scripture readings over the summer you will know that we have been going through Matthew’s gospel and have heard many of the popular parables and miracles that Jesus performed during his three years of teaching. Hearing these stories and events always takes me back to my school days when hearing bible stories and reciting the Lord’s prayer was a daily event. So often this is not the case these days and it does concern me that my grandchildren will have missed out of the richness of the Bible and not had the opportunity to consider Jesus being part of their lives. I suppose this puts more pressure on all of us, born in the 50’s and 60’s to make sure we share Jesus and not shut Him away only to be mentioned on a Sunday!

Big thank you to Mandy and all the children’s workers who step into the gap and share this great news whenever and wherever possible.

Below are details of a Family craft morning which Mandy is hosting in the Minster in September.

As promised Hannah one of our contemporary musicians is, this week, telling us about life during lockdown for her and her family:

I will always remember the evening of Sunday 15th of March. My mum had come to stay and so I went with Oli, my husband, to the 6.30 service at the Minster for the first time by ourselves without our son Samuel (then 15 months) since he had been born. I was leading the worship and we finished off the evening singing the chorus to “How Great is our God”. As I listened to the whole room lift their voices and eyes to heaven, I had a profound moment of peace. But alongside that I had a sense, which turned out to be right, that this would be our last evening worshipping collectively at the Minster for quite some time.

Instead, Church from home has now become a regular fixture of our Sunday mornings. Not only has this helped to bring some kind of structure to the week (necessary at the height of lockdown when all days blurred into one another!) but also meant that we have done our best to keep a time of focus on God as a family. We set up the “self-service creche” for our son in the living room, remind him that the children’s workers will not be attending this morning, and ask that he does his best not to launch himself off any item of furniture whilst mummy and daddy have their eyes shut to pray!

I also had the privilege of making recordings of contemporary worship songs for the Minster services. My husband set up a makeshift recording studio in our lounge, complete with duvet over the door and sock over his phone (he read it on the internet somewhere!). When recording songs for Church at home I have always done my best to offer them up to God and sing them in worship, just as if I was in the building singing with a congregation (although we do have to keep the volume down a bit, as we tend to record during Samuel’s nap time). The only other challenge has been moving the piano around the lounge for a nice-looking background whilst also avoiding the brio train set!

My heart longs to be back in the Minster singing collective praises to God in a busy building. Yet, I know that we are little way off that being possible. In the meantime, I look forward to recording in Church this weekend for the first time (and not having to navigate the brio!) and to taking small steps to being back together again.

Hannah Wilson

Rev Irene concludes:

FAMILY CRAFT SESSION: Wednesday 2nd September 10am-12noon. Due to Covid restrictions there are limited places. To book email mandy@hullminster.org with details of how many in your family group, and their ages and Mandy will email you back with booking confirmation and instructions for this event.

OPENING TIMES FOR PERSONAL PRAYER AND VISITORS

Thursday, Friday, and Saturday 12-3 pm

On Sunday there will be an online service at 10am and a live service in the Minster at 11:15am. If you would like to be in the Minster for the service at 11:15 please book a place either on-line here or by telephoning the office on 01482 224460.

Finally, if you or anyone you know would like to explore the Christian faith more then we have an online Alpha course starting on 8th September, to sign up click here.

Readings:

The Collect for this week.

Creator God,

you made the goodness of the land,

the riches of the sea

and the rhythm of the seasons;

as we thank you for the harvest,

may we cherish and respect

this planet and its peoples,

through our Saviour Jesus Christ.

AMEN

September Prayer Diary

Daily prayer points throughout the month of September can be found here.

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19 August 2020

Minster Lifeline #22

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19 August 2020

Rev. Irene writes:

For those watching on-line there was success on Sunday morning! We are now pre- recording so that the streamed service will go ‘live’ on social media platforms at 10 a.m. each Sunday.

It is also great news that there will be a family craft session on Wednesday 2nd September and an ‘on-line’ Alpha course starting on Tuesday 8th September. There will be an opportunity to book on-line for either of these or alternatively speak to one of the Ministry Team who will book you in.

We are delighted to be holding our first wedding this year in the Minster. So many have had to be delayed until next year however on Saturday Ruth and Mike will be married. There are many restrictions, only 30 allowed at the ceremony, social distancing and masks will be mandatory. However, I am sure that Jon Lawson (a member of our PCC) will be proud to walk his daughter down the aisle. Please hold Ruth and Mike in your prayers this weekend.

Our music group and choir are still not able to meet for rehearsals however this week I have asked Rachel Miller from the choir to write for us on her experiences during lockdown and hopefully next week a member of the contemporary musicians will share their experience. I do hope these letters from various people within the church are helping you to feel part of the Minster family and we hope before too long we will have more freedom to come together as God’s family…

Lockdown – a chorister’s view

For myself and my daughter Amy, the most immediate impact of the COVID-19 lockdown was the immediate order to ‘stop singing’. Anyone who has encountered Amy will know that she sings ALL the time (including when she should be asleep!) and she was more upset about not being able to come to the choir vestry on a Friday and Sunday than she was about school closing. Tears were shed – and not just by Amy. I joined the choir purely because Amy did, and instantly rekindled my love of both music and choral singing, which had been long buried under work, family life and other activities. In the Minster, I found ‘my tribe’ of equally bonkers (in a good way) people and I’ve made so many friends in the short time I’ve been part of the choir.

One of the best things about the Minster Choir is that we are a truly supportive team. Within a week we had various lines of communication established, including a Friday night Zoom chat to replace our rehearsals for anyone who wished to join in – featuring various choir members cooking, eating and watching Last of the Summer Wine (no names mentioned here!). As well as this, within a few weeks Mark and Katie came up with a plan to keep us singing, which everyone will have seen in the form of the weekly hymns. This was a challenge – not only for Katie and Ruth, our technical whizzes who put the videos together, but for everyone in the choir. Suddenly the safety net of other voices singing the same part around you has vanished, and you are trying to see the words and music, listen to an organ part with a single soprano voice (thanks Nia!) through headphones and record the entire thing as a video on a smart phone or tablet, often precariously balanced on something so you’re correctly positioned on screen. Oh – and remembering you really can’t record everything in running kit or PJs. Lockdown Loungewear is not recommended if you’re being uploaded to YouTube for posterity!

Then, there are the added technical hitches – a sneezing husband (Ian has nearly caused cardiac events in the past!), Amy starting a phone call with her best friend (and all the associated squealing that entails), someone starting to mow their lawn outside, realising you have a light fitting apparently growing out of your head on the video, the phone falling off its perch – and that’s before you count the wrong notes, wrong words, missing commas, running out of breath or forgetting to go into harmony! I can’t speak for everyone else, but my outtakes were many, and if Katie ever produces a compilation of them, I will feature heavily! Amy, on the other hand, took to it like a duck to water (why are nine-year-olds so tech-savvy?) and really enjoyed recording her contributions. Seeing the finished product for the first time was an incredibly moving experience – a triumph of hard work over adversity and proof that the choir can overcome most things.

Lockdown for me has felt like a very strange parallel road to many of you reading this. As a Special Care Dentist working in the hospital sector, I was still travelling to work in Grimsby every day (although most of my work was being done over the phone) and spent a few weeks on front line redeployment swabbing people with suspected COVID-19 from a tent in the carpark of the local college. Thankfully, the weather was glorious for all but my last shift, which was spent under a couple of inches of water when the tent sandbags failed. Now, we are trying to negotiate our way back to a ‘new normal’, which still looks and feels very different from our usual practice. Our service is still an Urgent Care Hub for vulnerable and shielded patients with dental pain, and the guidance is very strict on what it is recommended we can and cannot do for our patients. Anything routine is on the back burner until further notice, and any treatment that involves generating aerosol (mainly fillings with water spray) requires us to put on full PPE (Personal Protective Equipment). I have even more respect for people working in ICU than I did previously – an hour in the kit is enough for me, so how anyone does a full 12 hour shift in it is beyond me, especially in recent weather! I do worry about my patients – they are all very vulnerable and their daily routine has been severely disrupted by the pandemic, and it will take a lot of time, love and patience to re-acclimatise them to the ‘new normal dentistry’.

On the upside, though, the reopening of the Minster for public worship has been wonderful. The initial anxiety about seeing ‘people’ as opposed to patients dissipated quickly and it has been a highlight of the week coming into the service and seeing people, as opposed to faces on a screen. It’s certainly novel, as a chorister, to realise that clergy have faces – we’re used to seeing the rear view of the celebrant on a Sunday, so experiencing a service as a member of the congregation has also been a new experience. Seeing the church so full on Sunday was proof that, as a Minster, we have a role to play within the city as we all move forward from lockdown, and I’m looking forward to seeing what comes next.

Until then, Amy and I are counting the days until we can be back in our cassocks and singing (I may even get the trumpet out at some point – you have been warned!)

Rachel xxx

Rev Irene concludes:

OPENING TIMES FOR PERSONAL PRAYER AND VISITORS

Thursday, Friday and Saturday 12 – 3 p.m.

Please note: Saturday 22nd closing at 1.30 p.m. for wedding

On Sunday there will be an online service at 10 a.m. and a live service in the Minster at 11 15 a.m. If you would like to be in the Minster for the service at 11 15 please book a place either on-line or by telephoning the office on 01482 224460

Readings:

The Collect for this week.

God of glory,

the end of our searching,

help us to lay aside

all that prevents us from seeking your kingdom,

and to give all that we have

to gain the pearl beyond all price

through our Saviour Jesus Christ.

AMEN

August Prayer Diary

Daily prayer points throughout the month of August can be found here.

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12 August 2020

Minster Lifeline #21

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12 August 2020

Rev. Irene writes:

I hope during this extremely hot weather you have managed to ‘keep cool’. Those who had to cancel holidays abroad at the last minute will, at least, have been able to enjoy not only the beauty of this country but Mediterranean weather as well.

The Minster is a good place to be, perfect temperature for these summer days. It is of course a good place to be at any time. I have so appreciated being in the Minster the last few Sundays and occasionally in the week. How good it is to see so many familiar faces, just sad that we cannot enjoy fellowship over a cup of coffee!

However, as you heard in our Lifeline last week things are still happening albeit on a small scale. We heard about our toddlers last week and this week I want to let everyone know that we are currently planning a family craft session for Wednesday 2nd September and an online Alpha course starting Tuesday 8th September so keep your eyes peeled for details of how to book for these events in the coming couple of weeks.

Could I apologise to anyone who normally joins in the 10am Sunday morning service at home. Due to technical issues we have struggled over the past weeks to get this onto the Hull Minster web site. Please bear with us over this, we have new equipment arriving this week and hopefully will succeed on Sunday. If we continue to have problems, then we will go back to a pre-recorded version until things get sorted.

As Christians it is so important that we come together as the family of Christ.

Hebrews 10:25 “Do not forsake meeting together…. but let us encourage one another.”

Worshipping is so important in our spiritual journey as also is personal prayer. Bishop Frank updates now on personal prayer in the Minster.

Frank White on Being Open for Personal Prayer:

This week marks the eighth week that Hull Minster has been open for what we have called from the beginning “Personal Prayer”. For three days over each weekend small teams have staffed the church so that people could come in to pray. Until two weeks ago that was all that Government Coronavirus Regulations would allow. Recent changes have given the opportunity to support more general visits (including opening the shop on Friday and Saturday) and we have seen the number of tourists from home and overseas increase steadily. I think I speak for all who have been involved that we have found this engagement with people a privilege; it has been humbling to encounter human beings trying to make sense of these unusual times.

It would be impertinent to offer my explanation of everyone’s purpose for visiting the church but a word that comes back to mind time and again is the word “solace”. Those who choose to speak have often said “this is a safe place for me” or “I have really needed to come in to church”. Solace is one way of describing this mixture of comfort and satisfaction. And far from people being preoccupied with their own (sometimes tragic) stories I have been struck by the number of people whose heads are turned upwards, as it were searching for meaning or strength beyond themselves.

The church is a physical expression of faith, a place of encounter with the God who has shown himself in Jesus to be the one who invites contact however clear or confused we may feel we are. How extraordinarily privileged we are to be the people of the Minster, right in the heart of the City, with our doors open to those who are exploring, wondering, hoping, praying!

Hundreds of people have now come quietly into the Chancel over these weeks; some stay only a moment while others may sit for an hour. Some come alone, others in groups. Some want to share their stories and others are intensely private. Some are old friends, regular at worship or people we know from the City, while others are complete strangers. By our main doors being open I hope we are saying that God is always ready to welcome those who seek him.

We are trying to be attentive to the way this opportunity is changing and from this weekend we are opening on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, from 12-3pm each day. We hope you will take the opportunity to come, and we ask you to remember those who are staffing the church and those who come in to the chancel that this may indeed bring people the solace which is one of the great works of the Holy Spirit.

Bishop Frank

Rev Irene concludes:

CHANGES TO OPENING TIMES FOR PERSONAL PRAYER AND VISITORS:

Thursday, Friday, and Saturday 12-3pm each day.

On Sunday’s there will be an online service at 10am and a live service in the Minster at 11:15am. If you would like to be in the Minster for the service at 11:15 please book a place either on-line here or by telephoning the office on 01482 224460.

Readings:

Psalm 133

Genesis 45:1-15

Romans 11:1-2a, 29-32

Matthew 15:21-28

The Collect for this week.

Lord of heaven and earth,

as Jesus taught his disciples to be persistent in prayer,

give us patience and courage never to lose hope,

but always to bring our prayers before you.

through Jesus Christ our Lord

AMEN

August Prayer Diary

Daily prayer points throughout the month of August can be found here.

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5 August 2020

Minster Lifeline #20

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5 August 2020

Rev. Irene writes:

It is hard to believe that this is the 20th Lifeline! I am not sure how many weeks we thought we would be writing Lifeline at the beginning of this difficult time, but I am sure we did not expect it to be so many. As many of you know the church is open on a very reduced schedule – only one live service a week, however we understand that for many it is too early to return to worship in a closed setting. Feedback so far suggests that the Lifeline has been a good way of keeping people in touch with Minster Life so please do give your feedback to one of the Minster team on whether you would like Lifeline to continue or not. If you are not sure how to do that feel free to ring the church office on 01482 224460 and leave a message for me.

We have covered many areas of the work of the Minster in the previous weeks however if there is an area that you would like an update on, again please let us know and we will do our best to update you.

Last week Becca Alden wrote a little about her life at the Minster and about her recent graduation so today I thought it would be good to go to the other extreme and talk about our toddlers. Would you believe our toddler group has continued throughout lockdown, so to tell you how that has happened I have asked Rachel Turner to tell us more? Rachel runs the toddler group Little Fishes along with our Children, Youth and Families Minister Mandy….

So, how does Little Fishes - a very practical, lively, and fun baby and toddler group - function in lockdown? By the grace of God, some excellent technological support, and the willingness of us all to open our homes via Zoom, we have kept going! Our weekly meetings online have been a comfort, a lifeline, and a marker for the end of the working week at a time when so much of what was normal changed to a 'new normal'. Thanks go to Mandy and Irene for their hosting skills and much needed conversation, and to all the families who joined in the sing along each week.

My role in Little Fishes is a joy: the children request songs inspired by a basket of toys, or indeed challenge me with a toy of their own to sing about, and I belt out an old or new tune! It does not matter how tired I may feel at the start of a song session, I am always uplifted by our children and families joining in with gusto, smiles and laughter!

In addition to our weekly Zoom sessions we have a WhatsApp group chat which has grown into a haven of support, advice, fun and sharing. We have held a scavenger hunt, shared photographs of our baking and crafts, exchanged ideas for play and ways to keep our little ones happy, entertained and learning at home. As lockdown eased and we were able to go out more, we helped each other find deserted beaches on which to play safely, and crucially the location of toilets that were open!
Needing to take my youngest child Micah for his first shoe fitting I was relieved to read of one mum's successful venture to the shoe shop plus two children and face masks. Sharing daily life, snippets of fun, and anecdotes of our children has strengthened friendships as we have walked together through the last few months.

On a personal note, never have I felt so wrapped in prayer by my church family nor so lovingly
supported throughout my Mum's illness and passing by the Little Fishes community. Each kind word written, cards lovingly made by children, prayers by text message and, as restrictions lifted, socially distanced conversations in the park: this truly is the Lord our God loving in action.

Rachel Turner

Mandy adds: Little Fishes continues each Friday at 10am via zoom and is open to all parent/carers of preschool children. Click here for the link to join.

Rev Irene concludes: I am pleased to inform you that the Minster is now open for both
prayer and visitors on Friday and Saturday 12-3 p.m. and Sunday 1-3 p.m.

On Sunday there will be an online service at 10 a.m. and a live service in the Minster at 11 15
a.m. If you would like to be in the Minster for the service at 11:15 please book a place online here or by telephoning the office on 01482 224460.

This Sunday will also be our last ‘The Gathering’ zoom at 6:30pm. Click here for link to join.

As I was in the Minster last Sunday I was reminded that Jesus said in Matthew’s gospel as he
spoke to the people ‘my house shall be a house of prayer’ we give thanks that through the difficult times the Minster opened its doors firstly for prayer.

Readings:

Psalm 105:1-6, 16-22

Genesis 37:1-4, 12-28

Romans 10:5-15

Matthew 14:22-33

The Collect for this week.

Almighty God, who sent your Holy Spirit to be the life and light of your Church.

Open our hearts to the riches of your grace that we may

bring forth the fruit of the Spirit in love and joy and peace,

through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,

who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and forever.

AMEN

August Prayer Diary

Daily prayer points throughout the month of August can be found here.

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29 July 2020

Minster Lifeline #19

Guest User

29 July 2020

Rev. Irene writes:

It was good to be in the Minster on Sunday and although a little apprehensive I was pleasantly surprised at how ‘safe’ it felt. A big ‘thank you’ to everyone who has worked hard
to keep everyone safe. The routine of a streamed service online at 10 a.m. and a said Holy Communion at 11 15 (open to the public) will continue until there are further guidelines from the Diocese. If you are able to book a place for the 11:15 service, it helps not only with controlling the numbers in church but with complying with the ‘track and trace’ system – which we hope will not be necessary!

As an ex schoolteacher August always makes me think of our young people who are awaiting
exam results and of those that are graduating from University and beginning another new and hopefully exciting stage of their lives. This year will be different as all the GCSE & ‘A’ level results will be assessed internally, no exams having been sat, but still an anxious wait for many.

I was delighted on Sunday to see Becca Alden in church for our 11:15 service and she has kindly
contributed to this letter telling us about her student life and her memories of being in Hull Minster (Holy Trinity). What I could not believe is that Becca has completed 3 years at university – how time flies! Congratulations to her and others who have now graduated. Please do read the attached from Becca:

For the past four years, I have been studying
Materials Science at the University of Sheffield. For the 12 years before that,
I was a choir member at Holy Trinity/Hull Minster and before that I was the
little girl all dressed in pink running around like I owned the place. When I
left for university, I was given a certificate telling me I was always welcome
back into the choir. Although over the last couple of years I have been coming
back less often than in first year, when I was having a hard time being away
from home, and singing in the choir even less, I always know that the option is
there, even if I mainly just use it at Christmas.

Moving home for lockdown was stressful, trying to finish my Masters degree from my childhood bedroom, and watching the Hull
Minster online service with my family was one of the main grounding points of my week. Although I did not participate, I loved seeing the choir recordings, especially when my dad joined them. I wish I had been able to go into the
Minster during that time, because it has always been a place of comfort to me. I remember in GCSE English class being told to write about your favourite place, a time you were sad there, and a time you were happy. I wrote about Holy Trinity, Granddad Mike’s funeral, and the wedding when baby mice were running around distracting the choir. I love being back in the church on Sundays and seeing all of the people who make the church what it is, people who I have known as long as I can remember, as well as people who I have met more recently.

Church has always been a big part of my life and Holy Trinity/Hull Minster always will be. Although I will be moving to the other side of the country for the nuclear graduate’s scheme with Sellafield and joining a congregation there, Hull Minster will always be my church home.

Thank you, Becca Alden.

Mandy Concludes with a reminder of the Minster’s current opening hours:

The Minster will continue to be open for Private prayer on Friday’s and Saturday’s 12-3pm, and Sunday is from 1-3pm.

If you would like to attend our 11:15am service, you will have to book your seat online by clicking here or through the ‘my church-suite’ calendar function. We are only able to admit 75 people to keep to social distancing regulations and we are recommending that masks or face coverings are worn.

Readings:

The Collect for this week.

Lord God,

your Son left the riches of heaven

and became poor for our sake:

when we prosper save us from pride,

when we are needy save us from despair,

that we may trust in you alone,

through Jesus Christ our Lord,

AMEN

August Prayer Diary

Daily prayer points throughout the month of August can be found here.

Guest User

22 July 2020

Minster Lifeline #18

Guest User

22 July 2020

Mandy Richardson writes:

Two weeks down and Rev. Dominic and family are still
surrounded by boxes but slowly settling into life in Hull and this past Sunday
Rev. Dominic not only lead our 10am live streamed service but also a said Holy
Communion service in the Minster at 11:15am. It was so good to be back in the
Minster, praising Our glorious God together, and thankfully we will be able to
do this each week going forward.

There were a few teething problems with our first live streamed service, for which we apologise, but Al and the team have been working hard to rectify these issues ready for this coming Sunday and I’m sure you will all join me in thanking them for taking on new technologies to enable those of us that maybe cannot attend in person, to stay connected from the comfort of their homes.

I am looking forward to meeting with Rev. Dominic this week
to discuss possible ways forward for Children’s ministry during our services so
please do keep your eyes out for any new information on this in future
Lifelines.

Rev. Dominic has provided us with this week’s reflection:

‘Naked
I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there;
the Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the
name of the Lord.’

Job 1:21

As human beings we like to be in control
of our lives, to plan and organise, to be masters of our own destiny. But life has a habit of turning out not as we expected! Last year I happened to visit Hull for a meeting and out of curiosity having heard about the transformation project popped into the Minster. I served my curacy in Orchard Park and as some of you will know Hull is where I met Heather who came many years before as a
nursing student and where Leo was born. Little did I think when we moved to Middlesbrough in 2004 that I would be coming back and into such a strange situation. Moving under lockdown has been an interesting experience! After a tough 2019 for us both Heather and I had exciting new jobs (that was some interview process you put on!) that we were going to, and things were looking up for us. The plan was that we were going to move after Leo had finished his GCSE’s. He was all geared up with revision timetables all over his walls and then one Thursday in in the middle of March, like so many others, his secondary school days were over. They came in the next day for a leaver’s assembly writing on their shirts ‘class of Covid-19’ and that was it. All that work and preparation finished; grades would now be estimated.

The plan was the family living in the vicarage was going to move at the beginning of April and all the works would be done ready for us to move in on the 8th July, then lockdown happened. For the last year or so our plan had been to gradually pass on responsibilities and nurture others in leadership, it was going really well people were stepping up, growing in confidence and taking on responsibility and then we were in lockdown and suddenly our dining room and our family became the face of the church and our front garden the logistics centre for surplus food and children’s activity packs. We set up a community Facebook group, the church overnight became central to the life of the community. We became incredibly close to families we had only known a little. Several hundred people would join us daily for Night Prayer which Heather and I usually prayed alone and then we left; Ben and I on our push bikes, and Heather and Leo in the car with our worldly possessions on a lorry to Hull via our Cathedral church of York Minster.

An hour later in a socially distanced service with a handful of people I was licenced as Priest in
Charge of Hull Minster under the final licence ever to be issued under the seal of Archbishop Sentamu. If after 22 years of urban ministry moving into 22 Corinthian way surrounded by boxes and arriving into a whirlwind of change I am strangely comforted that the Lord is in this for, ‘my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, says the LORD’ (Isaiah 55:8) Our human plans are nothing worth, but somehow God is able to use us to fulfil his purposes, his plan, for the salvation of the world even through us who think we have plans!

Rev.Dominic Black

Mandy Concludes with a reminder of the Minster’s current opening hours:

The Minster will continue to be open for Private prayer on Friday’s and Saturday’s 12-3pm, and Sunday is from 1-3pm.

Readings:

Romans 8:26-39

Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52

1 Kings 3:5-12

Psalm 119:129-136

The Collect for this week.

Generous God,
you give us gifts and make them grow:
though our faith is small as mustard seed,
make it grow to your glory
and the flourishing of your kingdom;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,

Amen.

July Prayer Diary

Daily prayer points throughout the month of July can be found here.

Guest User

16 July 2020

Minster Lifeline #17

Guest User

16 July 2020

Rev Irene writes:

One week down and Rev. Dominic and family are still surrounded by boxes as they await a considerable amount of work being done to their new home. Once all technology is in place Dominic looks forward to compiling next weeks ‘Lifeline’ giving you an update on life at the Minster.

Things are changing slowly, the regular pattern for private prayer continues Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 12 – 3p.m. There will also be a service of Holy Communion each Sunday, however as numbers are limited the church wardens are working out how best to accommodate the congregation. The 10 a.m. service will still be available on-line every Sunday morning, this will mainly be live streamed from the Minster. We are always open to feedback so feel free to contact us with the things you enjoy and if there are things you are struggling with.

The Minster team have always tried to help the homeless and those living in hostels etc. I am delighted that I have been given a huge number of jackets, bags, sports gear etc. from a company that is scaling down. There is so much that I believe Ian and I will be delivering boxes to many outlets during the coming months. Fortunately, Heather Black has many contacts through her work with mustard seed so a good many people will be benefiting from the generosity of Mark Ingram of BSK Pro Sports Company.

It does seem such a long time since I have seen so many of you. I wonder how many have achieved a haircut yet! Unfortunately, my appointment is not until mid-August, but Ian has (I have to say) done quite a good job on my hair! As more and more salons and businesses re-open we must pray that cases of the virus diminish and people are able to return to places of work, not forgetting of course, those whose jobs may no longer exist.

I did manage to catch up with Val Fotherby last week and ask her how she was coping with Lockdown. Val is a member of the church council, part of the pastoral team and brilliant cake maker. I asked Val to write a few words to share with everyone.

Val writes:

Lockdown! Did anyone fully understand what this meant? When it became clear that it would probably be at least three months of staying at home with no visitors, it was somewhat concerning! I had had fifteen months of learning to be on my own after David, my husband, died but had wonderful support from friends at Hull Minster. Now, no one would be able to pop in for coffee and brownies or freshly baked scones or fruit cake. Although it has been a little tedious at times, mostly it has proved to be a positive experience.

I have always loved leading the Bible Study groups with their fun, fellowship and good discussions and knew I would miss them. However, Irene came up with an idea. We had started studying Stephen Cottrell’s book “The Things He Carried”, so why not do these as online studies. People enjoyed these and so it was agreed that I should continue producing new studies. Prior to this, I had been thinking a lot about those words I BELIEVE, and so it came to me that perhaps a series on the Creed would be helpful.

I have always enjoyed teaching but unlike many people, I enjoy the study and preparation. For me, it proved to be an enjoyable time and that is what it took up – a lot of time. When that series finished, I then went on to: Themes in the Book of Acts.

Reading God’s word and preparation has therefore, taken up a lot of my time, but I was also blessed to be able to do other things.

As part of the Pastoral Team I used the time to telephone people in the church to have a chat and make sure they were doing OK. This was very great as it covered a wide range of people, all of whom were only too delighted to spend time talking. There were lots of laughs and sometimes more serious things cropped up for which prayer was needed.

Lastly, I have missed baking for those who would pop in for coffee and take some of the baking home. And of course, no Minster Praise! However, I baked for neighbours and latterly for the Black family and a certain young boy called Rupert who loves Peppa Pig.

I can honestly thank God for the time to take a pause and think about what I do, but also to be of help to others.

Irene concludes with this news just in regarding Public Worship Services:

It is with great joy that we can now announce that public worship will be held from Sunday 19th July 2020.

Rev Dominic Black will be leading a said service of Holy Communion at 11:15am. This will be the only service held publicly for the time being, with the 10am service being streamed online.

We of course want to welcome all those who want to attend but we also need to administer the service in a safe manner.

If you would like to attend, you will have to book your seat online by clicking here or through the ‘my church-suite’ calendar function. We are only able to admit 75 people to keep to social distancing regulations and we are recommending that masks or face coverings are recommended.

Readings:

Psalm 139.1-11,23-24

Genesis 28.10-19a

Romans 8.12-25

Matthew. 13. 24-30, 36-43

The Collect for this week.

Merciful God,

You have prepared for those who love you

such good things as pass our understanding:

pour into our hearts such love toward you

that we, loving you in all things and above all things,

may obtain your promises