2022 review: A look back over the last 12 months at Halifax Minster

There are nearly 40 Christmas trees in the Minster so it must be December – where has the year gone?

They say as you get older the years go by faster. Can this be the case?

It’s been a full year in the life of the Minster, as we not only contain to sustain three public services each day but also respond to events in people’s lives, be it the beginning of life, or at the end of life. Sometimes this is for a person who is quite unknown or someone of international reputation.

Thousands of visitors have been through the doors - as visitors, attendees for cultural events and conferences as well as large civic occasions, alongside those who come as their place of work and a place where people come to volunteer in many different roles that are vital for keep the Minster alive. This year has been no exception!

I recall back in January the celebration of Plough Sunday, when Calderdale Young Farmers brought a beautiful plough into the Minster alongside a sack of seed to be blessed. Canon James Allison, Vicar of Coley and Northowram, and Rural Adviser to the Diocese of Leeds came to preach.

February saw Fairtrade Fortnight and our own MP for Halifax, Holly Lynch who also chairs the APPG on Fairtrade in Parliament, came and spoke in the Minster about this issue and the role of the faith communities in supporting Fairtrade.

March saw the beginning of Lent, during which the Minster community explored the issue of what it means to be an ‘Inclusive Church’, with outside speakers covering disability, ethnicity, mental health, poverty, gender, and sexuality.

In April the new Archdeacon of Halifax, Bill Braviner led Holy Week as we marked the celebration of Easter.

June was full of the celebrations for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee with a Flower Festival in the Minster over the weekend, a concert by Elland Silver Band, and a civic service for the whole town and borough. The summer months bring special services including The Royal Society of St George, Heath Founders Day, The Loyal Georgian Society, to name but a few. This year we hosted the Ordination of Deacons for the Huddersfield Episcopal Area.

Towards the end of the month I celebrated 25 years of Ordination, surrounded by many friends and family in a special service in the Minster.

August was full of visitors, organ recitals, and the celebration of Lammas Day, when the first corn is cut and the first loaf is made from the new grain. Celebrating the Agricultural seasons is part of the Minster’s strategy towards the Eco Church kite mark. At the end of the month the Minster Choir had their tour to the North East, singing at Hexham Abbey, Newcastle Cathedral, and a concert at Beamish on the bank holiday Monday.

Having been unable to recruit for two years for the choir because of Covid 19, we are now playing catch up, with some boys voices about to break and them heading off to University, but a whole new group of children have just arrived!

The Autumn is always the fastest term. September sees the Halifax Heritage Festival of which the Minster was a founding member and receives much attention. On the back of this was the Anne Lister Festival marking the week in which she died including a memorial service in the Minster.

This year September was dominated by the sudden death of Her Majesty the Queen. Hundreds came and lit candles and paid their respects during extended opening hours. Plans made two years in advance were put into action, and a Commemoration Service, 48 hours before the Funeral was led by the Lord Lieutenant of West Yorkshire and the Mayor of Calderdale.

October is about Harvest, The AGM of The Friends of the Minster, the RSPCA animal blessing service, and a special service marking baby loss awareness.

There are concerts throughout the year, including the Black Dyke Band, Halifax Choral Society, Overgate Hospice Choir, West Yorkshire Police Band, and our Thursday @ One series of organ recitals from March to October.

November saw the bishop of Leeds come and baptise, admit children to Holy Communion, confirm adults, and a whole gang of adults who wanted to reaffirm their confirmation promises of years ago. This year saw a huge number of children and adults from a wide variety of ethnicities and backgrounds all making promises together as the Minster continues to grow the life of the worshipping community.

This month also includes Remembrance Sunday, the Rokeby Lodge Service, and a special service for Ex School Masters who served in the First and Second World Wars. This year many singers joined the Minster Choir on Remembrance Sunday to sing Faure’s Requiem, with First World War poetry chosen by one of the choir parents who is Professor of History at Leeds University.

Suddenly we are back to December, and the build up towards Christmas. Before the pandemic we used to see some 15,000 people through the Minster during this month, and this year we will not be far off. For the Minster, December is our financial year end and it’s been a tough year financially for us with a predicted loss for the first time in about seven years, with all charities struggling to make ends meet. The Minster is entirely self-financing and receives no government money what so ever.

The Minster tries to be open nearly every day of the year, and from the New Year will provide a safe and warm space for all who need it, with hots drinks, access to Wifi, support to refugees and asylum seekers, those looking for help with their mental health, and those who are lonely and isolated; all of this FREE at the point of need.

The Minster serves the whole community, those who call themselves Christian, those who belong to the other faith communities, and those who hold no faith but love heritage and value what the Minster brings to our community and public life.

I’m so lucky to have one of the best jobs in the Church of England as the Vicar of Halifax. I’ve never worked so hard in my whole life – but then hard work never did anyone any harm!