BULLETIN for the week beginning 12 May 2013 The Sunday after Ascension Day [The Eighth Sunday of Easter – Anglican Communion Sunday]

9.15 am PRAYER BOOK HOLY COMMUNION Minster

10.30 am CHORAL MATINS [Leeds Association of Engineers] Preacher: The Rector of Leeds

10.30 am CAFÉ EUCHARIST St Mary’s including drama from St Peter’s School Prayer Group and a choice of contemplative prayer, craft or discussion

12.00 pm BAPTISM BOOKINGS Leeds Minster

3.00 pm CHORAL LATIN VESPERS – CIVIC SERVICE Leeds Minster Choirs of Leeds Minster & Preacher: The Rector of Leeds

6.30 pm PLAINCHANT COMPLINE [Men’s Voices] Leeds Minster Preacher: Canon Ann Nicholl

CUPCAKES AND CHRISTIAN AID Today is the start of Christian Aid Week, a week of support for an organisation that does so much to help those in need around the world. Enjoy a cupcake made by our parishioners – why not have have one along with your coffee after 9.15, 10.30 and 6.30 services? – and please make a donation (minimum £1 please) towards the work of Christian Aid.

Church of – Diocese of Ripon and Leeds – Parish of Leeds City Rector of Leeds: The Reverend Canon Tony Bundock [0113] 278 6237 [home] Precentor: The Reverend Sue Wallace [0113] 278 9339 [home] Pioneer Ministry Curate: The Reverend Hannah Smith [0113] 414 2178 [home] Lay Minister: Canon Ann Nicholl [0113] 245 2036 [office], [0113] 269 4045 [home]

Leeds Minster (St Peter at Leeds), Kirkgate, LS2 7DJ Parish Office: [0113] 245 2036

Holy Trinity Church, Boar Lane, LS1 5HW

Church Office: [0113] 440 0573 St Mary’s Church, Lincoln Green, LS9 7SG ~ Church Office: [0113] 240 7349

St Peter’s Church of England (Aided) Primary School, Cromwell Street, LS9 7SG Headteacher: Mrs. Elizabeth Holliday [0113] 293 4411

Chaplain: Canon Ann Nicholl [see above]

www.leedsminster.org [email protected] Monday, 13 DEO GLORIA TEXTILE EXHIBITION open all this week 9.45 am Morning Prayers Leeds Minster 12.05 pm Celtic Eucharist Leeds Minster 5.30 pm Choral Eucharist [Boys’ Voices] Leeds Minster

Tuesday, 14 MATTHIAS THE APOSTLE 8.50 pm Prayers St Peter’s School 9.45 am Morning Prayers Leeds Minster 10.00 am Coffee Morning Lincoln Green Centre 1.05 pm Holy Communion Holy Trinity 1.00 pm Organ Concert – first recital of the series Mill Hill Chapel

Wednesday, 15 9.00 am Wednesday Worship St Peter’s School 9.45 am Morning Prayers Leeds Minster 12.30 pm Holy Communion [at Leeds Methodist Mission] Oxford Place 5.30 pm Choral Evensong Leeds Minster 6.00 pm Vestry Hour [Weddings] Leeds Minster

Thursday, 16 9.45 am Morning Prayers Leeds Minster 1.05 pm Holy Communion [BCP] Leeds Minster 5.30 pm Choral Evensong [Men’s Voices] Leeds Minster

Friday, 17 9.45 am Morning Prayers Leeds Minster 12.00 noon Midday Prayers Leeds Minster 12.30 pm Lunchtime Organ Music [David Houlder, organist] Leeds Minster 1.05 pm Holy Communion Holy Trinity 7.00 pm Choral Evensong Leeds Minster Saturday, 18 11.45 am Morning Worship [Girls’ Voices] Leeds Minster 7.00 pm Handel Knaresborough Parish Church St Peter’s Singers –National Festival Orchestra &c

Next Sunday, 19 May – Pentecost

9.15 am Prayer Book Holy Communion Leeds Minster 10.30 am Choral Festal Eucharist Leeds Minster Preacher: The Reverend Hannah Smith, Pioneer Curate 10.30 am Holy Communion St Mary’s Celebrant: The Rector of Leeds Preacher: Canon Ann Nicholl 12.00 pm Baptism Bookings Leeds Minster 6.30 pm Choral Festal Evensong Leeds Minster Preacher: The Reverend Professor Simon Robinson, Lecturer

CHRISTIAN AID WEEK: This year Christian Aid Week runs from 12 to 19 May. This is a very significant opportunity to contribute to the work of a charity which, for over 65 years, has been helping some of the poorest people in our world in over 50 countries. Christian Aid is supported by more than 40 Christian denominations, and works with local partners of all faiths and none in the key task of eradicating poverty. Christian Aid collection envelopes are available in Church. Donations can also be given direct to the clergy or Churchwardens and gift aided where appropriate.

HANDEL’S SAMSON: at Knaresborough Parish Church on Saturday 18 May at 7.00 pm. Paul Dutton takes the title role, and is joined by other soloists Sarah Potter, Helen Strange, Lucy Appleyard, Christopher Trenholme, Quentin Brown and Philip Wilcox. Tickets are now available from the City Centre Box Office at the Carriageworks Theatre here in Leeds – 0113 224 3801.

HOLY TRINITY: Members of the Congregation are warmly invited to attend the special service for the rededication of Holy Trinity, Boar Lane by the Diocesan Bishop, at 6.00 pm on Friday evening 24 May. The Choral Evensong lasts around 40 minutes.

ORGAN MUSIC: David Houlder’s four Friday Lunchtime Concerts at the Minster this month feature music with Hymn Connections, including both the well-known titles themes for BBC TV’s Songs of Praise by Herbert Chappell and Robert Prizeman. Souvenir Programme books for the month are now ready. Minster Organ Scholar Jack Spencer plays on Friday 31 May. Dr Lindley opens the Mill Hill Chapel Recital Series on Tuesday this week 14 May at 1.00 and also plays at Leeds Cathedral on Thursday of next week (20 May) at 1.10 pm. Special thanks go to all who welcomed visitors to the Yorkshire Organ Day 2013 last Saturday morning for the recital by Darius Battiwalla. Everyone enjoyed the occasion enormously. Is this year’s Battle of the Organs date at Leeds Minster in your diary yet? – Wednesday 12 June at 7.30 pm

PARISH CONFIRMATION: This year’s Leeds City Parish Confirmation takes place on Sunday 23 June at 10.30 am. Please speak to one of the clergy if you would like more information about confirmation or about our PCC policy to admit children to Holy Communion who are baptised, regularly part of our Church family, and whose age corresponds with school year 3 upwards.

DEO GLORIA EXHIBITION: This exhibition of textile art work based on themes of creation is this year touring cathedrals and greater churches. It will be on display in Leeds Minster until 17 May. PLEASE PRAY FOR: MEMBERS OF OUR CHURCH COMMUNITY: in residential care Christine Caines, Maureen Coles, John Cooper, Kathleen Holway, Ted Marks, Veronica Rutkowska, Sylvia Wilkinson, Susan Williams [in hospital currently]

THOSE WHO ASK OUR PRAYERS: Albert Andrews, Bahram Bairmi, Heather Barker [in hospital], David Bywater, Sonia Bywater, Eileen Christmas, Keith Christmas [CO Lawnswood Air Training Cadets], Bridget Durkin, (R) Logan Firth, Ivy Frampton, Ted Garrett, Ann Goddard, Pauline Holladay, Catherine Ladds, Anne Matthias, Marjorie Milner, Gordon Rees, Margaret Rhodes [wife of Lay Clerk Peter], Jack Robins, Cathryn Robinson, Iris Rutkowska, John Sheldrake, Althea Shevill, Barbara Siggins, Mavis Simpson, Peter Simpson, Denis Stenning, Patricia Wagstaff, Hazel Ward, Doris Webb, Mavis Whitehead RIP: Joan Lewis-Ogden [mother of Jonathan and Simon Ravens], Malcolm Roughton YEAR’S MIND: Dennis Wharham [14 May 1993], Canon Kenneth Stapleton, Vicar of Halton and Lecturer of Leeds Parish Church [15 May 2000] Derek Thompson [18 May 2012]

FOCUS ON: SINGING The first thing that many of you will think of when you think of Leeds Minster is the singing. We have a fantastic choir: men, boys and girls who make beautiful music week in, week out. People travel a long way to hear our choir.

St Augustine is quoted as saying: ‘He who sings, prays twice’ and, in different ways, singing has always been a key part of Christian discipleship through the ages. Many of you will be able to quote many hymns and psalms off by heart much more easily than you can quote pieces of scripture.

Charles Wesley understood how memorable a good hymn-lyric can be and therefore had a strong belief that hymns were one of the best ways that ordinary people learn theology. He intentionally wrote hymns rich in meaning that early Methodists would remember better than any sermon.

Our reading from Acts today suggests the enormous impact that singing for God can have. We hear of Paul and Silas being arrested and being put in prison for their demonstration of their faith. After being severely beaten, they were thrown into the innermost cell. Yet their response is astounding. Instead of licking their wounds and feeling upset at their unfair treatment, we hear that Paul and Silas had a midnight bout of hymn-singing, keeping the other prisoners awake as they listened to the early apostles singing praises to God.

Paul and Silas’ singing had an impact on those around them, not only those who were listening, but it also seems that they had an impact on the spiritual world. As they sang through the night hours, suddenly there was a massive earthquake which freed all the inmates and was the source of the conversion of the jailer and his family.

On the feast day of John and Charles Wesley, Friday 24 May, St Peter’s Singers will be starting a 24 hour hymn-a-thon here at Leeds Minster. Although we hope their midnight hymn-singing won’t cause an earthquake, we do hope they will raise valuable funds. Do come and join in - you don’t have to stay for the whole 24 hours!

And remember, next time you are singing in the Minster, that we are not just making a beautiful noise for God, but we are praying twice, we are learning theology and we are having an impact on the physical and spiritual world around us.

Hannah Smith