SPIRE MAY 2024

SPIRE

Stephen’s Scribblings

O the month of May, the merry month of May, So frolic, so gay, and so green, so green, so green!

JOURNAL OF HESSLE PARISH CHURCH

Thomas Dekker from The Shoemaker’s Holiday May is one of those months that are difficult to pin down, it’s an in-between time; summer is on the horizon but there’s still a chance of a cold snap - ne’er cast a winter clout till May be out - was the old saying when I was a boy!

So what are the things that you associate with the month of May? Maypoles, Morris dancers, bank holidays, the sound of lawn mowers - all quintessentially English, reminding us that as the days get longer and the temperatures rise there is reason to hope; whilst not there yet, with patience, we can look forward with confidence to the joy of summer.

It was only in May two years ago, when we moved to Yorkshire, that we had our first garden; prior to that we had lived in apartments in big cities – mainly with no outdoor space to call our own.

Being a new build house – with a relatively large garden – we began with a tiny patio and an expanse

of mud, with builder’s rubble just below the surface. Gradually, painfully, laboriously we worked the ground, removing the rubbish, adding manure to improve the soil, and slowly planting trees, shrubs and plants.

Last May we prepared and seeded a new lawn, which with care and tending has taken well – what was a sea of mud, with a large lake when it rained, is now a thriving greensward surrounded by magnificent plants.

Having a garden has been a source of great joy (and expense) as we have watched the changing seasons, the plants emerging from their winter hibernation and slowly clothing themselves in their summer glory. The month of May speaks to me of hope.

As human beings it is essential for us to possess hope in order to achieve well-being. Hope is both a noun and a verb – it is the name of the longing for what we desire but it is also the action to make it happen.

At home we could have desired to have a beautiful garden until the cows came home but, without hard work on our part, it would never have come to fruition – hope is both desire and action.

At Easter God made available to us all the riches of his great love for us; in his dying Christ destroyed

death and in his rising again he restored to us everlasting life. In this way Christ heralded the coming of God’s Kingdom, a society founded on justice, peace and equity; a new way of living – a source of hope for all humanity in a world where so many are in fear for the future.

In baptism we are made citizens of this kingdom; however, whilst access to this new way of living, this new hope, is freely given to us we need to actively choose to accept it for ourselves, to work tirelessly, patiently and sometimes painfully to build that kingdom in our community. At our baptism our parents and Godparents make promises on our behalf that we will follow in the way of Christ and live out the values of his kingdom, but we need to confirm for ourselves when we reach an age at which we are able to do so that this is our desire and intention.

I am reminded of the famous painting by Holman Hunt that hangs in St. Paul’s Cathedral, ‘The light of the world’ – it is a graphic representation of the verse from the Book of Revelation ‘Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.’

The painting shows Christ standing outside the door and knocking, but there is no handle on the outside of the door, so it requires us to actively respond and open the door from our side.

As I write this article in midApril we are looking forward to

welcoming the Bishop of Hull to All Saints’ Church on the 28th April, when some of our congregation will confirm for themselves the promises made on their behalf at their baptism – promises to renounce evil, to turn to Christ and to actively follow him in building God’s kingdom in Hessle.

But that’s not the end of the story. I can work all I want in my garden –gradually, patiently and laboriously – but without the warmth of the sun, the refreshment of the rain, the insects to pollinate and the nutrients from the manure nothing would grow; despite all my hard work I would still just have a muddy yard!

There are two particular feast days that we celebrate in May – Ascension and Pentecost. Ascension is when we rejoice that Jesus, 40 days after rising from the grave and spending time with his disciples, is taken up into heaven to be enthroned at his Father’s right hand. Once Jesus ascended he sent his Holy Spirit on his Church, the feast of Pentecost; the Spirit is given to be our helper and guide, to empower and sustain the Church.

After each of the confirmation candidates have affirmed their intention to take up the commitments made at their baptism the Bishop will then lay her hands on the head of each one and ask God to send the Holy Spirit on them to strengthen, enable and sustain them in the work of building God’s Kingdom on earth.

We are not there yet, we live in an in-between time, and the promise

of a new way of living, a new way of being community is on the horizon; yet there is reason to hope – to desire, work and look forward with patience and confidence to the joy of the kingdom of God being established among us.

Next time I will write to you about my other favourite topic – weeding!

Parish Giving Scheme

On 14 April, Phil McBride, Diocesan Generous Giving Officer, came to All Saints’ for the 8am and 10am Eucharist services. Advance warning of his joining us was given in the April magazine. Well, he came, and a memorable visit it was. An address by Phil replaced the sermon, but he linked his talk very closely with the readings and what they tell us about God’s generosity to the world (Genesis 1 vv 27–31) and the generosity of the apostles (Acts 3 vv 43–47: they shared everything they had) and the relationship on mankind with growing things and the source of their sustenance (Mark 4 vv 26–29: ‘This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain).

Phil explained the Parish Giving Scheme (PGS). This is one of the modern instruments for managing giving, designed to support churches to fund their mission and ministry.

It is free to the giver and the church, and it reduces the burden of work on treasurers and gift aid officers. Gift Aid is claimed and paid monthly, producing a more even cash flow through the year. The scheme also features an in-built opportunity to increase giving in line with inflations. Many of their parishes are now members of PGS and experiencing the benefits.

And of course giving does not only mean money. It also means time and talents – with which many of our church members are already very generous.

There are copies of a leaflet on the table at the back of church. It is specific to All Saints’ and includes a profile of our regular giving and a breakdown of where the money goes. You can sign up by completing a form or telephoning, or you can do it online, and it could not be easier.

The Church Times

At the back of the church there are some spare copies of the Church Times. The newspaper is asking existing subscribers to publicize it. It is an excellent newspaper, arriving through the post very reliably. My subscription cost me £113 a year ago, and there is an introductory offer for 10 issues for £10 for the paper copy or £10 for two months for the full digital edition and website access. It has a full online archive going back to 1863. Do borrow a copy and see for yourself.

Eve Johanssson

The

following address was given by Phil McBride, Diocesan Generous Giving Officer at the Eucharist services on Sunday, 14th April

27So God created human beings, making them to be like himself. He created them male and female, 28 blessed them, and said, “Have many children, so that your descendants will live all over the earth and bring it under their control. I am putting you in charge of the fish, the birds, and all the wild animals. 29 I have provided all kinds of grain and all kinds of fruit for you to eat; 30 but for all the wild animals and for all the birds I have provided grass and leafy plants for food”— and it was done. 31 God looked at everything he had made, and he was very pleased. Evening passed and morning came—that was the sixth day.

Prayer

43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favour of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

May the words of my mouth and the thoughts of all our hearts be acceptable in your sight, O Lord our strength and our redeemer.

Amen

26 He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. 27 Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. 28 All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. 29 As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.”

Good morning and what a pleasure it is to talk to you this beautiful morning on the subject of generosity. I wonder how much you think about generosity? Recently, my colleague Jan and I were talking in a deanery synod, and we had two questions on the board – people could choose whichever to answer: when you were growing up what did

you learn about giving money? and, when you were growing up what did you learn about saving money? What initially surprised me was that all the feedback we got was from people answering the second part –about saving money.

We’ve all heard the expression “to save for a rainy day” and gosh hasn’t it rained recently – both literally and metaphorically. Yet here, in all three Bible passages we have examples of God’s abundant generosity – from the very first gift of life, of friendship and of the Earth, through to Jesus giving his life for all of us, the bible is a story of generosity.

In our Old Testament reading, we are treated to the opening salvo of God’s Grace and generosity – he created life and food for us to eat, and the planet for us to look after. Everything he made he gave to us for our stewardship. As Christians we are more keenly aware perhaps of the role we need to play in this and many churches are now applying for Eco-church status: this is a demonstration to the wider public that is an outfacing of our faith.

This is one of our acts in response to God – to care for the planet He has entrusted in us. To look after not just the fish, the birds, and all the wild animals but the planet itself.

Our Gospel reading today touches upon many aspects – both of God’s Grace and also of His mystery.

Though Jesus does make many references to seeds being sown throughout his ministry, this parable is only found in Mark’s gospel although it does invite comparison

with the more well-known parable of the sower. However, whereas the parable of the sower is focussed on the struggles of the seed, the parable of the seed focusses more on the relationship between the seed and the sower. The seed here grows regardless of what the sower does.

The actual growing of the seed happens, regardless of what the sower does – whether he sleeps or gets up. The sower takes account of the growth of the seed, but they do not know how it happens!

But as soon as the seed is ready the sower will put the sickle to it.

In a previous life I was a teacher. I was working in a difficult school in Leeds and looking to move closer to home in York where my wife was already teaching.

When I applied for the job as Head of Mathematics at one of the Church of England schools in York, we felt this was what God’s plan was for me – however the interview didn’t quite go according to plan and I was told that I was unsuccessful.

God however had plans that I didn’t even know about! It turned out that the other CofE school in York had a job going for a maths specialist and, in a move that was unprecedented, the first school had contacted them and said that I would fit their role perfectly. I taught there for 9 years before taking up this role. This was God’s generosity to me – I didn’t understand or even know the path I was on, like the parable of the seed we do not know how and when it happens but we are blessed to receive it.

The final reading is such a lovely one as it demonstrates the generosity of the early church towards each other.

It must have been amazing to be part of that early core of believers –in fact they don’t actually get called Christians until Acts 11 in Antioch – but here they are demonstrating another fundamental part of our response – that of time and talents. They gave their money to those who had need yes, but they meet together, they prayed, and they reflected God’s grace to their community. “And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved”. They gave their time to dedicate it to supporting each other. This is an act of generosity that can go unrecognised.

We, at times might feel that it is hard to give of our time, to be generous, but the original church was, and we can look at them as an example of growing by faith.

Recent studies have investigated the effect that being generous has on us. They have found that if you see someone doing something like giving a donation or giving something like a bar a chocolate to a stranger, that the observer is more likely to do something similar. Generosity breeds generosity!

Also, a study in 2017 found that the actual physical effect of giving sparks part of the brain that control happiness – being generous makes you happy, which makes you more generous! Isn’t that amazing?!

As the author Henri Nouwen wrote in his gem of a book – A Spirituality

of Fundraising - “[Giving] is a very rich and beautiful activity. It is a confident, joyful and hopefilled expression of ministry. In ministering to each other, each from the riches that he or she possesses, we work together for the full coming of God’s Kingdom.”

As I close now, please would you to consider your next step. How will you respond to God’s overflowing love and generosity in your life? I know from my own experience that trusting God has far exceeded my expectation!

The fellowship and love that is demonstrated by this church in Hessle is a gift from God. Trust Him, and I would encourage you to pray together to discern your response.

As I finish this talk, here is a message of thanks and encouragement from the Rev Dr Sam Wells, Vicar of St Martin-inthe-Fields in central London:

“If you don’t give because no one’s ever asked you, I’m asking you now. If you don’t give regularly because you’ve never got round to it, I’m saying today’s the day. If you don’t give much because you think All Saints’ doesn’t need it, I’m telling you that it does. If you don’t give a lot because you don’t have a lot, I’m saying your giving of something is an example to everyone else. If you don’t give more because no one’s ever said thank you, I’m (we’re) thanking you right now. If you already give until the pips squeak, I’m saying that’s wonderful, and to nudge the person next to you to do the same.”

Amen

Spreading Kindness

I was working in my office on a cold Friday morning in January 2024 and I had a lovely surprise visit from Miss Austin (from North Ferriby Primary School) and some of her pupils who gave me a mug full of sweets and a lovely poem.

They said they were doing a “Kingness Tour” and wanted to spread some kindness. It was a lovely gesture. My little granddaughter Emily very kindly helped me dispose of the sweets which she rather enjoyed. I then filled the cup with some more edible treats and passed on to someone else to carry on the kindness tour. I believe it is now doing the rounds in Beverley.

I thought our Spire readers might enjoy reading the poem. The school have given us permission to put it in the magazine

Elaine Wright

“GIVE A SMILE” By Miss Austin’s Class (Year 3/4)

If kindness means a lot to you, No one cares what you do. Always try to do your best, No one cares if you fail a test. Sometimes life can get rough, No one cares if you’re not tough. Try to be calm and not angry, No one cares if you don’t agree.

Have Friendship, Courage, Perseverance, Respect, No one cares if you’re not correct. Be the best that you can be, You’re always got a friend in me.

“Spreading Kindness” North Ferriby C of E Primary The Kindness Tour 2023

Prayer Calendar

For May

1st Wed Philip and James, Apostles

2nd Thur

3rd Fri

4th Sat

5th Sun Easter 6

6th Mon

7th Tues

Those who come for Baptism during the month Elsham Rise, Fenby Court, Fern Court

Those who come for Weddings during the month Ferriby Lane, Ferriby Road, Ferry Road

Those who come for Funerals during the month Field View Drive, First Lane, Fishemore Avenue,

Growth in our Church in response to LYCIG Fishwick Avenue, Fleet Close, Fletcher Close

Those who clean the Church and halls Florence Avenue, Fountain Close, Frontier Walk

Those who hire the Church Hall Gisburn Road, Gladstone Street, Glamis Road

Those who hire the St James Centre Green Lane, Green Way, Greenfield Avenue

8th Wed The Flower Arrangers Grove Hill, Hase Walk

9th Thur ASCENSION DAY Coffee/tea refreshment providers Hawthorne Rise, Hazelwood Drive

10th Fri

11th Sat

All Saints’ Infant School Headlands Drive, Heads Lane

All Saints’ Junior School Hearfield Terrace, Hemmingway Walk

12th Sun Easter 7 Penshurst School Hillcrest Avenue, Hillman Road, Holly Drive

13th Mon Hessle High School Hourne Court, Howlett Close, Hoyle Grove

14th Tues Hessle Mount School Hudson Court, Hull Road, Humber View

15th Wed

16th Thur

17th Fri

18th Sat

Those who serve as School Governors

Hull and the Hessle & Anlaby Foodbanks

Innes Close, Itlings Lane, Jameson Keep

Jenny Brough Lane, Jenny Brough Meadows

Our MP Jill Grove, Kelston Drive

Our Mayor and elected representatives

Kingston Avenue, Kirkham Close, Lawton Walk

19th Sun DAY OF PENTECOST Town Hall Lawnswood, Lendal Close

20th Mon Shops and Businesses Limetree Avenue, Locke Way

21st Tues Restaurants and Pubs Lodge Close, Lodge Gardens

22nd Wed Hessle Health Centre Maple Grove, Margaret Grove

23rd Thur Emergency Services

24th Fri Funeral Directors

Marlborough Avenue, May Grove, Maxsted Close

Milne Garth, Miriam House Yard, Mollison Road

25th Sat Health Centre Monic Avenue, Newlyn Close

26th Sun TRINITY SUNDAY Woodleigh Manor Northfield, Northfield Avenue

27th Mon Rosewood Lodge Northgate Place, Northolme Circle

28th Tues

29th Wed

Bluebell Residential Home

Northolme Crescent, Northolme Gardens

The Weir Hotel Northolme Road, Northwood Drive

30th Thur CORPUS CHRISTI Those who work on and use the Humber Bridge Oaklands Drive, Park Avenue

31st Fri

Members of the Congregation who live outside the Parish Our fellow Christians in Hessle

Holy Week saw several services attended by the community. An Ecumenical Procession of Witness took place on Good Friday followed by a service in the Square attended by members of All Saints’; Our Lady of Lourdes and Tower Hill Methodist churches. The enthusiastic singing drowning out the background traffic noise! On Easter morn in All Saints’ we carried out the Easter Ceremonies. Lighting the Paschal Candle followed by the congregation held candles, lit from the Paschal candle, transforming the church from darkness to light. Easter culminated in a Eucharist presided over by the Revd Gemma Turner.

Baptisms

17th MarchLAYLA MAY STAINTON

24th MarchCELYN RHYS MCDONAGH

7th AprilGRACIE ARABELLA COLLINS

MILLIE LOUISE WALKER

Weddings

22nd March MARY MACHARIA and ASHLEY SMITH

Funerals

28th March SHIRLY ABLETT Aged 89

Hessle 1500 to 1800 (Hessle

Local History Society, 2024)

I feel it is right to draw attention via the eclectic Spire to the recent publication of this eagerly-awaited volume by Michael Free, Ian Wilkinson and All Saints’ own archivist Eve Johansson.

The attractive cover of the neatlypresented paper-back book includes the Society’s logo with a drawing of the Humber Bridge, which is rather misleading, but after that, all is scholarly. Because of the potential cost of larger maps, those included are few and too small for comfort.

As with Hessle in the 19th Century I found the opening pages a little dry, but it’s well worth persevering. Throughout, the authors explain the difficulties in researching this period of our history, pointing out the scarcity of legible written records, especially about the poorer residents. The frequent changes of road and area names and the various spellings of people’s names were confusing for researchers (and for this casual reader.) Even expensive memorials such as the two engraved brass plaques to Dame An Percy on the north wall of the Barnabas Chapel in All Saints’ Church can mystify: one is now illegible and its copy almost certainly inaccurate. Did she really bear 17 children?

I’ll briefly mention some stories that intrigued me.

The 17th C chapter mentions that the less affluent had only three staple drinks: water, which could be infectious; ale, the safe one,

and milk. The book does not point out that milk might have been handled unhygienically and carry several serious diseases, but does include many examples of rules and penalties relating to the protection of water sources and the health of livestock (Value your taps and larders and your pasteurised milk!).

Manor Courts set rules for farming and penalties for failure to conform in for instance keeping their lands tidy and with proper boundaries, livestock healthy, a good supply of fresh water and fire precautions.

The Reformation (the split from Rome by the ruthless King Henry VIII) caused many headaches as people accepted or resisted the changes expected of them, and these are discussed at length. For instance William Stapleton attempted to use his influence in Hessle to calm the rebels but became the successful leader of one of their armed troops and was tried for treason.

Henry’s successor Queen Mary reversed her father’s reforms but then her sister Elizabeth I made herself head of the Church of England again. One sympathises with Hessle-cum-Hull vicar William Peres, who had repeatedly to adapt or very quietly resist these major changes, and Thomas Fugall who was less circumspect and was sacked for many offences including persecuting protestants, destroying an English Bible and adultery. Successor Melchior Smyth on the other hand was reprimanded for his over-enthusiastic low-church protestantism and wife-beating. Yet Richard Perrott caused offence by being too high-church, was reported to Parliament by his own curate

and eventually dismissed. William Styles was prosecuted for refusing to swear loyalty to the anti-monarchist Commonwealth and minor offences of ritual. Presbyterian Joseph Wilson was the last minister of Hessle-cumHull and helpful to the village, but at the Restoration he had to leave: his supporters then caused ructions in Beverley as they tried to secure him a position there and he preached without permission.

I see subsequent vicars did not mind being listed with those men on the honours board in the church!

An invitation to be a churchwarden (without pay) had to be accepted. Duties in the early 18th C were surprising, for instance looking after all the money, but they had to meet all their own out-of-pocket expenses until repaid (if funds allowed!) at the year’s end. They were expected to visit pubs on Sunday to remind people to attend services. They paid bounty for corpses of malodorous polecat vermin. They looked after the churchyard which was used for impounded livestock and the village bull: I wonder how welcome was the gift of a beehive to provide wax for

candles! They had responsibility for fundraising, communion bread and wine, surplices, prayer-books and bible, the salary of the sexton and for other church lands and payments to the needy. They funded celebrations: November 5th, the King’s coronation and birthdays.

I am surprised now, when visiting All Saints’, to find a warden sitting down!

A similarly surprising list of duties applied to the nonvoluntary, unwaged, unloved constables. For what did they have to pay bounty? What did they have to bury? Read about them!

There is a useful index and the extensive Chronology helps us to see the stories in the context of the wider history of Britain during these centuries.

Congratulations to the authors. Every Hessle household and expatriate should have a copy.

Purchase at Hessle Bookshop, Northgate, or from the Society via Ian Wilkinson on 07549 027967 or Wilkinson.i1961@yahoo.co.uk.

Alan Edgar

100+ Club Winning Numbers

April Draw:

1st Prize: £21.00 - No. 14

2nd Prize: £14.00 - No. 31

3rd Prize: £7.00 - No. 61

Many thanks to all who have supported the club in 2022/2023 when £1518 was raised for the Tower Appeal and we wish you good luck in the next twelve months.

Thanks, Christine, Penny, Linda and Emma

Hessle West Open Gardens 2024

Hessle West Open gardens is fast approaching (Sunday, 19th May, 11am to 5pm) and we are delighted to be supporting the following charities in this, our 30th year:

• Dove House Hospice

• Let’s Play Toddler Group

• Find 3

• Hessle Scouts

• Fire Fighters Charity

• Rooted in Hull

• Hessle Hedgehog Hospital

• Hessle and Anlaby Food Bank

• Hessle Community Centre

Tickets are £5 per adult (children free) and this gives you entry to about 20 gardens on Southfield,

Davenport Avenue, Woodfield Lane, Dunston Drive, Barrow Lane, Boothferry Road and South Lane.

Tickets and maps are available on the day from gardens with balloons and ‘Garden Open’ signs. The Community Centre minibus (kindly driven by the Scout Leaders) runs throughout the day on a circular route from Southfield to Boothferry Road. It’s free – just hop on and off!

We also offer plants for sale and plenty of refreshments including tea & cakes, ice cream, bacon butties and BBQ.

Please note this is a CASH ONLY event.

We look forward to seeing as many of you as possible on the day – the more people who come, the more money we can donate to these wonderful local charities. Thank you.

DISCLAIMER

The editor reserves the right to decline to publish any item, to amend, shorten or hold items over to a later date. Articles do not necessarily represent the views of the PCC, the Vicar or the Editor.

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