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11 November 2020

Minster Lifeline #34

Guest User

11 November 2020

Rev. Irene writes:

Another week of change as our country enters its second lockdown and way over the Atlantic America voted in its new president. I hope today that everyone is feeling optimistic about the good news on the possible vaccination against the Corona virus. We are not there yet but the possibility is so encouraging. In the meantime, we must show patience and be persistent in prayer.

I thought the wisdom of this verse from Ecclesiastes 7 was quite apt for today!

Better is the end of a thing than its beginning, and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.

It is amazing just how busy people are being within the church family. I have just heard from Jon Major who has spent the afternoon moving pews in the church and making the most of the opportunity to clean and tidy the building on the days we are closed to the public. Jon is not on his own, we are thankful to all those that go into the church to help and of course to Al who coordinates all this work at the present time.

I was delighted to hear from people who read about the church opening last week and have rung me to offer their services. Bishop Frank has written in a bit more detail about the opportunities we have when the church is open for private prayer.

As for myself it is lots of time on the telephone and on Zoom meetings, both for church and family. I spent the afternoon today Christmas shopping with my two daughters via Zoom – stressful to say the least compared to the day we would normally spend in Leeds shopping interspersed by coffee and a lovely lunch!

Yes, I did mention Christmas! With our Nine Lessons and Carols service already pre-recorded and plans for some of our usual December services still on track we hope that we can come out of this four week lockdown in a much better place and look forward to getting our church family together again for Advent and Christmas services. Watch this space!

In the meantime, do read what Bishop Frank has to say:

Supporting Personal Prayer - A Vital Minster Activity

Did you know that for the last 5 months Hull Minster has been open three days a week to support members of the public who want to pray - however clear or confused they may feel about that? The pandemic has triggered countless questions, concerns, troubles and heartbreaks and the Minster community have been there alongside those who want to relate to God in the turmoil of these days. Mostly it is by quiet presence and friendly welcome that people feel invited into this place of prayer. Occasionally deeper conversation is wanted, sometimes with shared prayer; and all done keeping to the current Covid regulations.

The Minster community are taking this responsibility - volunteering to be a healing presence in the heart of the City as people find themselves in real need. In a wonderful way we are finding a new expression of our calling. Since 2017 the Minster has welcomed tens, maybe hundreds of thousands of visitors as countless events have taken place within our walls and on Trinity Square. This is now a different time, but it is the same calling; to be here for God's sake welcoming whoever comes, longing that we may all experience his touch on our lives.

And we have the opportunity to support one another - we especially need welcoming people who can give 1-3 hours on Thursdays, Fridays, or Saturdays to be present in the Minster, to be alongside the people who have been offering this ministry these last months. Each day we have a chaplain who listens to those who have specific concerns, we have a doorkeeper who attends to the track and trace system and explains the hygiene and distancing rules and we have welcomers in the Nave receiving whoever comes into the church.

I am going to be in the Minster on Wednesday 18th November between 12.30 and 2pm to share more of the story and talk about welcoming. If you would like to come for a few minutes during that time, the north door (Trinity Market side opposite the Hideaway Hotel) will be open; please do ring Al on 01482 224460 to register your interest and come and join me. If you cannot come but would like to explore further, please leave a message with your name and contact details on the church phone - 01482 224460 and we will get back to you.

Thank you and please pray each week as the Minster is open for personal prayer.

+ Frank White.

Irene concludes with:

There will be no face to face services in the Minster until December however the streamed service will continue at 10am on a Sunday morning. You can access this by going onto hullminster.org and follow ‘Worship’ or alternatively via You Tube.

After the service, at 11am, there will be a chance to socialise and catch up with Minster family via zoom on our new weekly ‘Coffee and Chat’ conversation so grab yourselves a drink and join us by clicking on our ‘Church at home’ tab, ‘Resources’ then ‘Conversations’ or simply click here.

The Minster continues to be open for private prayer between 12noon and 3pm on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.

Readings:

Psalm 90:1-8, 12

1 Thessalonians 5:1-11

Matthew 25:14-30

The Collect for this week.

Heavenly Lord,

you long for the world’s salvation;

stir up from apathy,

restrain us from excess

and revive in us new hope

that all creation one day will be healed

In Jesus Christ our Lord.

AMEN

November Prayer Diary

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

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5 November 2020

Minster Lifeline #33

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5 November 2020

Hero image - Prayer for the nation hands.jpg

Rev. Irene writes:

How things can change in one week! I am writing this Lifeline the day before we go into second lockdown which is due to begin today, Thursday. We are all saddened by this; however, we cannot fail to be concerned for our hospital workers, the sheer demand put upon them as they fight to save as many lives as possible.

A letter received from the Archbishops of Canterbury and York and the Bishop of London suggests ‘that the Church of England make this month of lockdown a ‘month of prayer’. The letter continues ‘more than anything else, whatever the nation thinks, we know that we are in the faithful hands of the risen Christ who knows our weaknesses, tiredness and struggles and whose steadfast love endures for ever.’

It is our intention that the Minster will stay open for personal prayer on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday each week between 12 noon and 3pm. However, for this to happen it does require several volunteers. We are grateful for all those who have been able to help so far and understand that some may now feel they need to stay at home to keep safe. If you feel you are able to offer any time at all and would be willing to be on a rota to welcome at the door, or see visitors through the church to the area of prayer, please let myself 07711996519 or Al 07708178420 know.

We have had to take the decision to move our toddler group, Little Fishes, back online via zoom. Click here to find the link, this will be weekly on a Friday at 10am from next week, 13th November. (No group this week as Mandy is on annual leave).

There will be no face to face services in the Minster until December however the streamed service will continue at 10am on a Sunday morning. This Sunday our service will include a short act of remembrance. You can access this by clicking here or alternatively watch via our Facebook page or YouTube channel.

We are still awaiting more details around streaming services from the Minster, as soon as we know more we will put information on the website and inform you in the Lifeline if you receive it by post.

REMEMBRANCE 11th November 2020 (Wednesday)

We are going to be open 10:30am to 2pm to allow anyone who wants to find a place a solace and quiet, to come and reflect. Candles will be available to light in memory of loved ones.
It is important that social distancing and other covid-19 precautions are undertaken so if we are too busy, we may ask you to come back at another time. Click here for more details.

The 3:30 pm service which was due to start on Advent Sunday has also been put on hold due to the lockdown so we will keep you informed on progress regarding this service.

This week Al Hutson, our Director of Operations, is writing about how he has ‘kept the plates spinning’ during the hectic, everchanging situation we find ourselves in:

When Rev. Irene asked me to write a piece for this week’s lifeline, she said it would be good for people to hear about how I manage to keep the plates spinning particularly during this time of Covid-19 and all that it brings with it.

I have reflected that I could explain at great lengths about all the various aspects of my role, the long hours, the late nights, the endless meetings, and the constant moving of furniture. But, in reality, that is just the stuff that needs to be done to make Hull Minster happen.

In my working career I have always aimed to work for something I can believe in. My time at M&S was one that I will look back fondly on but with a bitterness that, in the end, I lost the belief in what the brand was turning into.

When the opportunity arose to interview and accept the role here at the Minster, I truly felt God calling me to this place. If I am honest, I have not always thanked God for this move. The work is often hard, frustrating, back breaking, long, and tedious, but more often it is rewarding, fun, different and satisfying.

In one of my first weeks being at the Minster, I was questioning whether I had done the right thing after having discovered the true extent of the job that needed undertaking. As a somewhat non-conformist when it comes to churchmanship I was also questioning why I was here in one of the largest Church of England Parish churches.

Then God did what God does best, which is flattens our perspective, our thoughts and our beliefs and swept the carpet from underneath me.

A young person, late teens, early twenties, came in through the main doors, she was clearly upset and as she came closer towards me, she just dropped to her knees in tears. Not knowing what the exact procedure was, it quickly became apparent that, with no clergy or chaplain around at the time, it was down to me to sort this.

I helped the person up and we ended up praying in the Broadley chapel. She had recently lost her closest friend to suicide, she had problems with drink and drug abuse and she just had “nowhere else to go”

“Nowhere else to go”! that was the thunderbolt moment that I then realised what my job is all about. It is not about spreadsheets, monthly accounts, building works, cleaning schedules or HR policies. My job is to keep the doors open to allow those with ‘nowhere else to go’ to have a place to go to.

The classic Ephesians 12 passage about the church being one body but many parts has always resonated with me. The idea that we all have a part to play and if one part fails it weakens the rest.

I am in a very privileged position to see almost all of what goes on both behind the scenes and on show. We have so many dedicated and hardworking individuals who do so much to keep the body going, I take this opportunity to thank all those that do, all those that pray and all those that give to keep Hull Minster being Hull Minster and to carry on fighting the good fight of faith.

God’s work will never stop, and neither will that of the Minster, thankfully God has given me something to make sure I leave work on time….

P.A. to the Vicar:

A new grant funded position is being recruited to help with capacity over the next 5 months. Click here for more detail

Readings:

Psalm 70

1 Thessalonians 4:13-end

Matthew 25:1-13

The Collect for this week.

God, our refuge, and strength,

bring near the day when wars shall cease

and poverty and pain shall end,

that earth may know the peace of heaven

through Jesus Christ our Lord

AMEN

November Prayer Diary

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

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28 October 2020

Minster Lifeline #32

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28 October 2020

Rev. Irene writes:

I had a very pleasant surprise just a couple of days ago when the postman delivered me a parcel. Inside was the first copy of Matt Woodcock’s second book ‘Being Reverend’. I had read the draft, just so I could check there was nothing too outrageous about our time together in it but seeing it in finished form was so good.

Zoe Ball (Radio 2 Breakfast presenter) says on the front cover ‘Matt’s honesty, wild humour and huge love of humans shine like gold in this book…. I loved it, Read it now!’

Many of you will remember Matt, if you did not know him Matt and I were ordained together at York Minster and both served our curacy at Holy Trinity as it was known then. He is a larger than life character who was called to Ministry by God as he road along the A19 Selby, York road some years ago. He tells his early journey to Ministry in his first book ‘Becoming Reverend’, worth reading.

The important thing about Matt is he speaks to the ‘ordinary’ people and they love him. As Ian my husband has flicked through this new book he has laughed and cried because he feels Matt shows him he is just as important to Jesus as those who dedicate their lives to Him through the church they attend. Please pray for Matt and his family and that this book will touch the hearts of thousands of people who read it.

Being Reverend will make a fabulous Christmas present and is available now online or in book shops. Hopefully, it will be on sale in the Minster Shop soon along with this year’s Christmas Card designed and painted by Julia Allum. Julia will be taking orders and is happy to deliver/collect orders if required. Please contact her on 01482 854030.

Robin Alden one of our churchwardens has offered to update us this week on Bellringing in times of Covid:

Hull Minster has a fine ring of bells in the tower and I hope you enjoy hearing them when they call you to church on Sundays.

Church bells need people to ring them. We are fortunate to have a band of 15 or so ringers that means we can gather 10 or so for every Sunday morning. We had a steady trickle of new recruits who want to learn to ring and we had been improving the standard of ringing month by month.

Then along came Covid-19. As you will recall, when the initial lockdown happened churches were closed entirely and so no ringing could take place. The last time we rang before lockdown was Sunday 15th March.

When the lockdown started to ease, churches were not the first thing to open, and as churches opened first for private prayer and then later for public worship bell towers could not reopen straight away.

As time progressed, the government set its regulations. The Church of England took the government’s regulations and issued guidance to churches. The Central Council of Church Bell ringers (CCCBR) published and disseminated the latest guidance to ringers everywhere. The CCCBR realized that, to the amazement of bell ringers everywhere, the government did not see the resumption of the ringing of church bells as a priority for their efforts to reopen the country. The CCCBR presented experts to join the governments advisory committees and eventually we were able to resume ringing, with a number of restrictions, on 19thJuly.

We cannot yet restart our Monday night practices and we can only ring for services. We are limited to ringing for 15 minutes at a time. We have a rota for ringing so that we have only the exact number of ringers in the tower as we have bells to ring on that day, to help ensure that a ringer only needs to touch one bell rope.

Because of the Covid regulations, ringers must ring bells whose ropes are 2m or more separated from each other. Where bell ropes fall in a straight line, as several of ours do because of the large ringing circle in our very large ringing chamber, that distance can be reduced to 1.5m and where ringers are in the same ‘bubble’, such as is often the case with ringers from the same family, that distance can be further reduced.

We set out with a tape measure to work out who could ring what, from where, and when, and we produced this simple and easy to read(!) chart: https://towerandbells.hullminster.org/HMRings.html

Our assistant ringing master, the aptly named Harold Bell, uses that chart along with his wit, charm, intelligence, latest weather forecast, and a steam car, to work out the rota for who is ringing each week.

We were pleased to ring for Tom and Amber’s wedding recently, and we have another wedding to ring for this Sunday.

We say a prayer together before we ring each Sunday, so when you come to church and hear the bells please think kindly of us ringers up in the tower pealing out God’s praise and summoning the faithful in English style. Robin Alden, Ringing Master.

Rev Irene concludes:

OPENING TIMES FOR PERSONAL PRAYER AND VISITORS

Thursday, Friday, and Saturday 12-3pm.

WEDNESDAY Holy Communion at 12:30pm. Entry through the north church side door.

SATURDAY 31st October – 4 p.m. Evening Prayer

This Sunday there will be an online service at 10am and a live service in the Minster at 10:30am. If you would like to be in the Minster for the service at 10:30am please book a place on-line here or by telephoning the office on 01482 224460.

ADVENT SUNDAY: Our 3:30 pm service will launch on 29th November. A service for all ages with contemporary style music from our worship band.

Also you have a chance to help raise funds for Christian Aid by completing a Humber Bridge Crossing. For full Information click here.

Readings:

The Collect for this week.

God of holiness,

your glory is proclaimed in every age;

as we rejoice in the faith of your saints,

inspire us to follow their example,

with boldness and joy;

through Jesus Christ our Lord

AMEN

November Prayer Diary

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

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21 October 2020

Minster Lifeline #31

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21 October 2020

Rev. Irene writes:

This weekend with the turning back of the clocks by one hour we will see the days shortening and the nights getting longer. Not good for those who are already struggling with being indoors so much but it does mean we are coming to the time when the winter bulbs start to push through the earth ready to give us that wonderful display of snowdrops and other winter favourites. I noticed whilst in the garden today that our holly bush which is quite extensive in size is already full of red berries. Looking at it reminded me of the Christmas carol we sing each year ‘the Holly and the Ivy’.

Unfortunately no singing this year in church by the congregation, however I have heard that our fabulous choir and music group are meeting to record everything ‘Christmassy’ in half term week so that we are prepared just in case we move into stricter regulations.

We are delighted that there is still so much happening in the Minster albeit on a smaller scale. I happened to go in to record the Sunday service last week and was met by several mums and children all spread out in the Nave having a fabulous time together, that was the first time they have been able to come together since lockdown in March. Mandy had worked extremely hard to make everywhere covid safe and each child brought their own toys to play with.

Evensong on Saturday was well supported and the singing by the choir was extraordinary.

In psalm 96 v 1 it says

‘Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.’

Even with the restrictions there is still joy to behold! We hope that there is something in our services that brings joy to you and from Advent Sunday we will be launching the 3.30 p.m. Sunday Praise, the team is working hard behind the scenes to get everything in place for this which will be more contemporary in style and will have facilities for our young people also.

Val Fotherby was out and about last week and so she has written about one of her visits:

I recently had occasion to visit a church in a deprived area of the city which runs a busy foodbank. On that that morning, local councillors had dropped in to see how things were going. It was a hive of activity, noisy and extremely cold. What struck me was the passion to get things right and meet the needs of as many people as possible. There was a wide range of ages among the volunteers, but everyone was working at an intense level and on talking to some of them I began to understand the compassion they had for the people in the community which they served. If folks were unable to come themselves, they arranged for delivery to their home, appreciating that sometimes life gets complicated.

For many of us who live in warm houses, have more than sufficient food and a car to get us around or the money for bus fares, we must learn to have a grateful heart. I think we need to consider the way we spend our money and perhaps donate to, or help, in one of the local food banks.

You will doubtless remember Zane Powles, assistant head at a primary school in Grimsby. He walked over five miles every day to bring school meals to scores of children during lockdown. When asked why he did it in this way, he explained that it gave him the opportunity to check on vulnerable children. You could see the character of the man shine through as he wore funny costumes and brought gifts for the children; the perfect example of going the extra mile. He was surprised to be awarded an MBE for his services to the community!

In Luke 12:48, Jesus tells us: “To whom much has been given, much will be required.” This was famously quoted by President John F. Kennedy in 1967 when criticising members of his family for their actions.

A recent example of giving was an incredibly generous tip that was given just recently, right before the COVID-19 virus forced the shutdown of a popular Houston restaurant. Knowing that the staff would be laid off and in dire straits, a couple (who wished to remain anonymous) left the entire staff a tip of $9400.00!

My late husband David often would say that grateful people were happy people. Some of the volunteers at the food bank were themselves struggling but they chose to look out into the community and give help, rather than complaining about their own situation.

For me, that morning was a stark reminder of the wide divisions in our society, but also how important it is for us as Christians to give in whatever way we can. After all Jesus said in Matthew 25, in giving to those in need, we are giving to Him.

Rev Irene concludes:

OPENING TIMES FOR PERSONAL PRAYER AND VISITORS

Thursday, Friday, and Saturday 12-3pm.

WEDNESDAY Holy Communion at 12:30pm. Entry through the north church side door.

SATURDAY 24th October-4 p.m. Evening Prayer.

We are now also open for morning and evening prayer as follows:

Morning Prayer:

Monday to Friday 08:00-08:30

Saturday and Sunday 09:00-09:30

Evening Prayer:

Monday to Friday 17:00-17:30

Access to both services is through the North Door, which is opposite BE Coffee Shop.

On Thursday 22nd October at 7:30pm there is an opportunity to join CHURCH MISSION SOCIETY’S AGM via zoom. Full details can be found here.

Also you have a chance to help raise funds for Christian Aid by completing a Humber Bridge Crossing. For full Information click here.

Readings:

The Collect for this week.

Blessed Lord,

who caused all holy scriptures

to be written for our learning;

help us so to hear them,

to read, mark, learn and inwardly digest them

that, through patience,

and the comfort of your holy word,

we may embrace and forever hold fast

the hope of everlasting life,

which you have given us

in our Saviour Jesus Christ

AMEN

October Prayer Diary

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

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15 October 2020

Minster Lifeline #30

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15 October 2020

Rev. Irene writes:

What is impossible with man is possible with God.

Luke 18:27

We celebrate Luke the Evangelist this Sunday in the church calendar. Not only did Luke write the words of Luke’s gospel but also Acts of the Apostles, the story of how the first church developed after the death and resurrection of Jesus.

So why was Luke called the Evangelist?’ Luke was a friend of Paul and lived during the first century. Their purpose in life was to spread the gospel message of Jesus to Gentiles as well as Jews.

Today we too are encouraged, as we read God’s word, the Bible, to be evangelists. It was interesting meeting with other clergy from in and around our city at the Chapter meeting today and hearing how they are trying to evangelise during such difficult times.

We are all limited in what we can achieve now but when we feel frustrated, we need to remember the above verse, ‘what is impossible with man is possible with God.’ Just last night I watched the film ‘Amazing Grace’ on the TV and saw how William Wilberforce struggled for most of his life to bring about the abolition of slavery. He had many moments of despondency yet in the end he achieved, through Parliament, his aim of seeing the abolition of slavery in the British Empire. His trust in God was always there and it won through in the end. We may all be tired of the restrictions brought about by Covid but we must adhere to them so we can once again have freedom and share our love of Jesus through friendship and fellowship – what’s better than a ‘hug’.

Mandy is updating us this week on the children and families work in the Minster:

Mandy writes:

Two Sunday’s ago, we started our Minster Kids group back up following strict Covid guidelines. After a long 28 weeks it was amazing to welcome children back into the Minster in a way that is safe yet still fun. One of the benefits of having such a huge church is that we can use the whole of the East end allowing for every child/sibling group to have their own table and resources.

Before the first session I was a little nervous as to how the children would cope with having to stay socially distanced and keep to their own tables but I was so proud when they all followed along sensibly and kept to the new rules perfectly. All the children were extremely excited to be back with their friends and after a much needed catch up they were eager to get on and engaged beautifully with the session.

It does take a little more time to prepare and set up sessions at this current time so one way that parents can help me is to ensure their children are booked into the service here by Friday 5pm at the latest so that I know exactly how many children to plan for and how many stations to set up.

I am continuing to upload family resources to our website for those families not able to join us in person and would encourage anyone wanting to know more about how we are working to keep children safe during these sessions, or wanting help for at home sessions, to email me at: mandy@hullminster.org and I will be happy to give you a call.

After the success of our Summer Craft session we are also hosting another ‘Family Craft and Story session’ on Friday 30th October at 10am. I still have a few spaces left for this so if you would like to book in please do email me or grab me after a service to find out more.

Mandy Richardson- Children, Youth, and Families Minister

Rev Irene concludes:

OPENING TIMES FOR PERSONAL PRAYER AND VISITORS

Thursday, Friday, and Saturday 12:3pm.

WEDNESDAY Holy Communion at 12:30pm. Entry through the north church side door.

SATURDAY 17th October-4pm. Choral evensong from the Book of Common Prayer 1662 led by the Hull Minster Choir using a pattern of worship passed down through the centuries.

We are now also open for morning and evening prayer as follows:

Morning Prayer:

Monday to Friday 08:00-08:30

Saturday and Sunday 09:00-09:30

Evening Prayer:

Monday to Friday 17:00-17:30

Access to both services is through the North Door, which is opposite BE Coffee Shop.

Lastly: On Thursday 22nd October at 7:30pm there is an opportunity to join CHURCH MISSION SOCIETY’S AGM via zoom. Full details can be found here.

Readings:

The Collect for this week.

Almighty God,

you called Luke the physician,

whose praise is in the gospel,

to be an evangelist and physician of the soul:

by the grace of the Spirit

and through the wholesome medicine of the gospel,

give your church the same love and power to heal;

through Jesus Christ your Son, our Lord.

AMEN

September Prayer Diary

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

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7 October 2020

Minster Lifeline #29

Guest User

7 October 2020

07 October 2020

Rev. Irene writes:

I was fortunate enough to spend last week on a canal boat sauntering along the Leeds/Liverpool canal. A canal boat is one way of really noticing the wildlife and countryside in all its glory especially as the leaves were just beginning to turn to those wonderful orange and reds of autumn. Life moves at such a slow pace and you feel you are miles from anywhere, when in fact, the canal runs alongside many busy roads and through towns and villages.

Back in Hull life continues to grow at pace. It was great to have our first Evensong since the beginning of the year on Saturday and on Sunday we welcomed our young choristers for the first time since the reopening of the Minster. Please pray for our young people and for baby Sebastian who was baptised on Saturday last week.

Rebecca Barber and Sarah Magaharan led our contemporary contribution to the Sunday service, and I remembered how they too had been part of the junior choir not so many years ago. Since then they have done university and are back in Hull and back to worship with us at the Minster. How encouraging! Perhaps I can get them to contribute to Lifeline in the next few weeks to update us on their journeys of life!

This week Katie Ogilvie has offered to update us on life in the Ogilvie home and family which includes rather a larger number of alpacas!

Katie writes:

At the beginning March, I was busy working two days a week at South Hunsley High School and two days at Withernsea High School, but as lockdown happened, the shielding instructions arrived, and very quickly I was instructed to work from home. I have always tried not to let my health issues get in the way of living a full, useful life – but the last six months have made that exceedingly difficult!

I have an auto immune eye condition that requires a strong dose of immune suppressants to keep it in remission, but that also means that my immune system is compromised. To complicate matters, I have lymphoedema in my right arm, a complication from a breast cancer diagnosis 12 years ago. Any infection I get may lead to cellulitis and septicaemia – so I need to be careful! As anyone who has any chronic conditions knows, you don’t appreciate your good health until you lose it – and then it becomes very frustrating when it means you can’t do everything you want to do.

Taking on the organisation and editing of the hymns for our online services gave me a purpose, and a sense of being some use. And I really enjoy doing it: collating voices, blending sounds, and encouraging people to sing, even when they did not like the sound of their own voice. I love seeing people working together to produce something special, something that they would not necessarily be able to produce on their own. It also meant that the choir could unite during lockdown and give support to one another, and I believe, as we are now meeting together again, that we are stronger for it.

Having to shield meant that I was even supposed to avoid the people I lived with – but we managed to find ways round that! I recognise that I am extremely fortunate to live where I do, and to be surrounded by fields and open space. I have 12 alpacas, who are good company – and at least I did not have to shield from them! (ADVERT CLAXON – wool is available! www.highfield-farm.com)

Lockdown also brought extra stresses – Ruth missed out on taking her GCSEs and partying at her prom but coped well with the disappointment. Alex had an abrupt return from Glasgow in March, and then had to go to Southampton in the middle of June to board her ship. She is studying marine engineering and has a degree apprenticeship with Carnival. She was meant to be cruising round Alaska, but instead she is bobbing off the Isle of Wight. The first two weeks of her trip were spent in quarantine in a cabin – a stressful and lonely period for any 19-year-old. She disembarks in early November, having served her sea time on the Queen Victoria – and will need collecting from the south coast. It is a worrying time for all our young people as they begin careers or move to study new courses. We want them to take advantage of all the opportunities life provides, but currently those opportunities are severely curtailed. I hope that this pandemic teaches them important lessons about their own resilience and capabilities, and that in years to come, generation ‘Covid’ can reminisce about how they pulled together, showed empathy and learnt to value their health and freedom.

Getting back to some form of ‘normal’ in terms of attending the Minster for services has been a welcome tonic for us all. Restarting choir practice was nerve wracking, but it has worked well, and the airy space of the Nave has been a blessing. A recording that we made at our first rehearsal back reached 5,000 viewers, and as a result we have grown the choir with 6 new members in the last two weeks – an amazing result at a time when so much is restricted and experiences appear to be shrinking. It is awesome to consider the growth in our numbers, and the support and fellowship a group like the choir can offer its members. I was privileged to be part of the choir that sang for Sunday worship for the first time – and the spontaneous round of applause (thank you Dot!) was wonderful, and moved members of the choir and congregation to tears. Music is so vital to our experience of worship, whether we are part of creating it, or able to listen and reflect as others sing and play to us. Producing music well is an emotional journey and requires hard work. To know that it is appreciated, and enhances the worship, makes it worthwhile. Please do join us for choral evensong if you are able to – the first and third Saturday of every month, at 4pm!

Rev Irene concludes:

OPENING TIMES FOR PERSONAL PRAYER AND VISITORS

Thursday, Friday, and Saturday 12:3pm.

WEDNESDAY Holy Communion at 12:30pm. Entry through the north church side door.

SATURDAY 10th October-4pm. Taizé. A reflective and prayerful service to be held on the 2nd Saturday of each month.

We are now also open for morning and evening prayer as follows:

Morning Prayer:

Monday to Friday 08:00-08:30

Saturday and Sunday 09:00-09:30

Evening Prayer:

Monday to Friday 17:00-17:30

Access to both services is through the North Door, which is opposite BE Coffee Shop.

Readings:

The Collect for this week.

Almighty and everlasting God,

increase in us your gift of faith

that, forsaking what lies behind

and reaching out to that which is before,

we may run the way of your commandments

and win the crown of everlasting joy;

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 October can be found here.

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1 October 2020

Minster Lifeline #28

Guest User

1 October 2020

Rev. Dominic writes:

As many of you are aware the PCC and the Standing Committee have been meeting regularly to discuss our financial position and the possibility of redundancies here at the Hull Minster. Following the closure of the building due to the global COVID -19 pandemic in March we lost completely our commercial income and our existing financial position was not strong enough to sustain this loss, this has regrettably led the PCC to conclude that redundancies are inevitable. We as the Minster Family owe those being made redundant a huge amount and are grateful for their dedication and the roles they have filled across the life of the Minster. The redundancies are across all areas of the life of the Minister reflecting the diversity we had grown to offer and in no way reflects on the individuals who will be leaving our employment. The PCC and the Standing Committee have spent many hours considering the implications and have made the decisions based on our current financial position and with a heavy heart, as those affected are our friends and fellow worshippers, as well as Minster employees. The posts to be made redundant are:

1. Shop Assistant

2. Café Manager

3. Cafe Assistant

4. Fundraising and Marketing Manager

5. Community Outreach Minister

6. Finance Assistant

7. Social Media and Communications Officer

8. Facilities Manager

9. Facilities Assistant

Our Events and Site manager is also leaving for new employment and will not be replaced.

Please join us in keeping those affected in your prayers over the coming weeks:

Lord God,

We lift our brothers and sisters to you, trusting you will keep them close in the time ahead.

Help them move forward in love and with confidence of opportunities to come.

We thank you for their lives and the role they have played in shaping Hull Minster and serving our community so well.

Guide them and protect them Lord,

In Jesus name,

Amen

OPENING TIMES FOR PERSONAL PRAYER AND VISITORS

Thursday, Friday, and Saturday 12-3 pm.

WEDNESDAY Holy Communion at 12:30pm. Entry through the north church side door.

On Sunday there will be an online service at 10 am and a live service in the Minster at 10:30am. If you would like to be in the Minster for the service at 10:30am please book a place either on-line here or by telephoning the office on 01482 224460.

Minster Kids group is also back from this Sunday and to help Mandy prepare please book any children in here by Friday pm at the latest as there are limited spaces.

Our Reflective services start next week and will continue every Saturday at 4pm. 3rd October is Choral Evensong.

There is now 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.

Readings:

Psalm 19

Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20

Philippians 3:4b-14

Matthew 21:33-end

The Collect for this week.

Almighty God

you have made us for yourself

and our hearts are restles

till they find their rest in you:

Pour your love into our hearts

and draw us to yourself

and so bring us at last to your heavenly city

where we shall see you face to face;

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

October Prayer Diary

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

Guest User

23 September 2020

Minster Lifeline #27

Guest User

23 September 2020

BBaptismal Font and Evie Parker’s baptism

Rev. Irene writes:

Last week I was able to share with you the news of the choir singing again, today it is good to share with you that there are two baptisms taking place this week. The first one was 22nd September when Sophie Bow was baptised and on Sunday 27th Adrian Musialowski will be baptised. How great to see that great font that William Wilberforce was baptised in being used again. It is also a first for Rev. Dominic to carry out baptisms at the Minster.

As we are all aware everything is different now and so our usual celebration of Harvest is not able to take place. However, on Sunday we will be celebrating and thanking God for the generous harvest that we receive. We are not able to decorate the church fully this year and are not able to receive gifts in the usual way so we are asking that people make a money offering – plates will be available in the church – or donations can be sent to the office (10a Market Place, Hull, HU1 2JJ) All donations will be given to the local food bank to help those struggling during these difficult times.

More good news, as our morning service time changes to 10:30am from October, Mandy will be offering activities for the children during that service too so do come along and give it a try but please remember to book in beforehand as spaces for Minster Kids are limited. By the beginning of November, we will also be holding a regular 3:30pm service on a Sunday so hopefully, along with the 4 pm on Saturday there will be something to suit everyone. In the meantime, we all pray that the virus will start to decline, and the Minster doors can be open and welcoming for many more hours a week!

This week Heather Black is bringing us up to date on the Mustard Seed Project and a little on how she and the family are settling in on their return to Hull….

"Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.” Psalm 27:14

This year has been full of change, things that we have been longing, waiting, and praying for over months or years, suddenly taking shape, and falling into place. I find God’s timing is often like that, sometimes we find ourselves becoming impatient, longing for God to move or change things, and then suddenly the way opens, and we see God’s plan unfold. For me, this year has been another lesson in trusting in God’s time and purposes.

We knew back in January that this was the place that God was calling Dominic to after months of listening and praying. We began preparations to leave our home and parish of 16 years to move and begin a new life in Hull. Then we had the long wait, made even longer by lockdown, and then a sudden flurry of activity as at last we could move, arriving just in time, on the day of Dominic’s licensing. We are settling into our new home, enjoying the wonderful view, and the boys are beginning their new life in college and school. Thank you for your love, prayers and welcome, we are slowly getting to know people and look forward to our new life with you. It has felt like the end of a long journey, and at the same time, the beginning of a whole new adventure!

The same is true for the Mustard Seed programme, which I have the privilege of leading.

Last week saw the beginning of Stepping Up in Hull and Middlesbrough. The end of a long journey that began over three years ago with careful listening to parishes. Clergy and lay people asking for the opportunity for ‘ordinary’ local people to be able to come together to learn and grow in mission in places where ‘life is tough.’

The beginning of a whole new adventure as eleven people came together to form the first Stepping Up learning communities. It has been a joy to begin to get to know each other, share our faith stories and explore how we want to grow through Stepping Up. Being together as a learning community from across churches seems particularly important, and although we may feel small and insignificant rather like the Mustard Seed there is faith and hope about what is going to grow in our lives and communities. Kat Cross from Hull Minster is part of the Hull Stepping Up group, so do chat to her and find out more.

‘When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realised that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished, and they took note that they had been with Jesus.

(Acts 4:13)

Many local people who come to faith may see themselves as just ‘unschooled ordinary people.’ The Stepping Up programme is a movement of courageous ordinary people beginning in Hull and Middlesbrough in September and growing next year in our coastal communities. We will be sharing Stepping Up stories over the coming weeks, so do follow us on social media and the Diocesan website www.dioceseofyork.org.uk/mustardseed, Facebook @DioYorkMustardSeed, Twitter @MustardSeedDofY -Heather Black

Rev Irene concludes:

OPENING TIMES FOR PERSONAL PRAYER AND VISITORS

Thursday, Friday, and Saturday 12-3 pm.

WEDNESDAY Holy Communion at 12:30pm. Entry through the north church side door.

This 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.

FROM OCTOBER:

Sunday morning Holy Communion (Common Worship) will be held at the new time of 10:30am instead of 11:15am. Including Minster Kids group, please book your place.

There will also be a Reflective service every Saturday at 4pm, starting 3rd October with Choral Evensong.

There is now 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 still 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:

The Collect for this week.

Lord of creation

whose glory is around and within us:

open our eyes to your wonders,

that we may serve you with reverence

and know your peace at our lives’ end,

through Jesus Christ our Lord,

AMEN

September Prayer Diary

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

Guest User

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.

Guest User

11 September 2020

Minster Lifeline #25

Guest User

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;