Welcome to our September 2025 e-News!
Minster Musings
Being pressed for time, who isn’t these days, I fear that there’s nothing original this month, rather something different. I thought I’d offer some reflection on a book read, then offer a suggestion of another far more worthy of attention. These days, although I would consider myself to be an avid reader, I tend to listen rather than enjoy the printed word. So, for fans of the spoken, rather than the written word, there’s the ongoing debate about whether listening is in fact reading, but as you are reading this, I’ll leave it you to make up your own mind.
Whilst at School in the 60’s my English teacher, suggested I keep a diary of all the books I read. In years to come, looking back through this book, she claimed, would not only refresh my memory as to what I had read, but would bring many stories flooding back. At some stage this little ‘black book’ became wet and smudged, and I painstakingly made a new copy. Regrettably, this too was lost in a move, and over forty years of treasured memories were lost.
Because I owe a debt of gratitude to my teacher; for she gave an incalculable gift with her advice, and not wanting to lose these treasured memories, I spent quite some time attempting to reconstruct that diary. Inevitably a patchy attempt, but one that I continue to work on. It is certainly true that looking through it, memories come flooding back.
Anyway, casting my eyes through this diary to 2010 my eyes landed on a book that stirred up quite a controversy at the time, namely The God Delusion, by Richard Dawkins. I wrote a book review at the time which I now share with you.
“I say I have read this; the truth is that I gave up three quarters of the way through. This is unusual for me, when necessary, I am prepared to stick it out. I feel bad about giving up and intend to revisit (I never have) because I couldn’t work out what Dawkins doesn’t believe in. When Cardinal Murphy O’Conner appealed for dialogue between believers and atheists, Dawkins replied that he could see no point in discussing with someone who believed in talking to ‘an imaginary friend’, but as Timothy Racliffe points out in his book ‘Why Go To Church’, dialogue with atheists is important at least for one reason: they can be free from wasting their time disbelieving in a god whom no traditional Christian accepts anyway.
Dawkins falls as much into the trap of fundamentalism and dogmatism as those he would criticise, and the version of God is not one that I, or the many I know who are serious about their faith would espouse. Dostoevsky wrote: ‘it is not like a child that I believe in Christ and confess the faith, but my hosanna has passed through the great crucible of doubts’. Come on Richard, try to engage with a theology and with theologians who are some match to your obvious intellect – stop playing around trying to court popularity”.
I’ll leave this with you but with an addendum. The crucible of doubt may be coupled with the crucible of hurt, pain and struggle. If you want a good read, I could do no better than offer you ‘Pastrix (the Cranky, Beautiful Faith of a Sinner and Saint)’ by Nadia Bolz-Weber. In it she speaks, as someone put it, of ‘the life-changing reality that God is not far off, but here among the brokenness of our lives.’
It’s not Lent, but why not have a go?
Revd David J Carpenter
Lecturer
August in the Minster
The month began with the Minster’s bells ringing out to celebrate Yorkshire Day. The Friends of the Minster have served Afternoon Teas and arranged Guided Tours each Saturday.
There has been quite a lot of activity on the tower and roof this summer with surveys made of the state of the stonework on the tower and the start of the long-awaited repairs to the south aisle roof.
The choir had a successful and eventful tour to Southwell Minster, singing the Sunday services there and also performing at Clumber Park.
Behind the scenes, negotiations are going well for the Minster Office to move into a larger unit at Causey Hall. The new unit will also provide much-needed meeting space for groups and allow the choir to rehearse in warmer and less cramped conditions. We hope to move soon!
September at the Minster
The beginning of September is the Halifax Heritage Festival. This year to coincide with the Festival the Minster is launching its Conservation Management and Liturgical Plans. All are welcome to the launch afternoon on Thursday 11th September at 2pm with speakers including Bishop Michael Ipgrave, Chair of the Liturgical Commission, the Very Revd Andrew Nunn, retired Dean of Southwalk and representatives of the Purcell Architects practice. More details below.
There are a number of guided tours over the weekend of September 13-14th which can be booked in advance via the website. We also welcome the Royal School of Church Music’s Northern Cathedral Singers to sing Evensong at the Minster of Saturday 13th September at 4pm.
The Thursday @ One Organ Recitals continue with recitals by Will Campbell on Sept 4 th and Alan Horsey on Sept 18th . Admission is free, with a retiring collection and buffet lunches served from 12.15pm.
Experience an unforgettable evening of world-class brass music as Black Dyke Band performs at the Minster on 17th September at 7.30pm. Joining them for this special concert are the Five Lakes Silver Band from the USA. Tickets: £18, available from the Minster shop or online – HERE!
The Anne Lister Memorial Weekend runs from September 19th with the Memorial Service at 7.30pm preceded by a buffet tea – to book click HERE! There are also guided tours running over the weekend.
A concert presented by Rotary in Calderdale, performed by the Hammonds Band to raise funds for the ‘Big Build’ Appeal at Overgate Hospice. Tickets – £15 available from the Minster Shop and online – HERE!
Just into October we have the first of a number of tribute concerts this autumn with local singer Joe Tilly performing as Freddie Mercury. Tickets – £25 available from the Minster Shop and online – HERE!
We are very grateful to our team of volunteers who steward and serve drinks at our pop-up bar for events like the concerts above. If this is something you’d be interested in helping with, please contact Andy Barber at the Minster Office.
Launch of the Minster’s Liturgical Plan and Conservation Management Plan
Hilary writes: Bishop Michael will explain why these plans are so important as we plan for the future, protecting the heritage entrusted to us, and making the Minster fit for purpose in its ministry in the 21st century. The Liturgical Plan explores how the Minster has been used for worship in the past, how we use it today, and points towards things in the future we need to address. Andrew Nunn, former Dean of Southwark and I have been working on this for the past 12 months, using Andrew’s extensive experience of liturgy in Cathedrals, and how he has experienced worship here in the Minster, both as a clergy practitioner, and as a member of the congregation.
Tom Street (whose Father was Vicar of Warley some years ago) has led the team from Purcell Architects on the Conservation Management Plan. This maps out the history of the Minster wall by wall, exploring the significance of each section, and how significance is measured in historic terms. It helps to inform us which areas are of more significance than other areas, and where change has happened over the centuries. It’s a large document with detailed descriptions and provides a shopping list of priorities for the next 50 years.
Both these Plans were commissioned by the Minster Development Board, representing the Minster Council, the Friends of Halifax Minster, and the Halifax 900 Trust. The Board is actively looking to raise an additional £26K for a Sustainability Plan to sit alongside both these plans, providing the bedrock of hard evidence to inform any future changes to the building that might support our Benedictine ministry of daily worship and hospitality for future generations. We already know that very soon we shall need to replace our heating system from old gas boilers to something far more environmentally responsible and helps us play our part in working towards Net Zero and carbon reduction, protecting the earth’s resources that God has given us. It will be a fascinating afternoon – and everyone is warmly welcome to come and join us. The plans can be downloaded above and will also be available on the Minster website for everyone to see. A small number of hard copies will be printed for those unable to access the website and in line with our environmental policy of trying to use less paper than necessary.
