Hull Minster celebrates and explores the future of Planet Earth – God’s Creation – with exhibits, speakers, music, worship, an evening with the Archbishop of York and a message from Pope Francis, all within the spectacular 14th Century building that is the heart of the ancient City of Hull and one of the key venues for this year’s Freedom Festival. The events run from August 20th to September 5th.
“Living with Hope – A Future for the Earth” takes place as the Freedom Festival’s ‘Gaia’ exhibition displays a giant inflatable ‘earth’ in the Minster’s Nave. It presents a range of Christian and secular perspectives on the future for the planet, its people and their health and wellbeing. All the details can be found on www.hullminster.org and tickets for the Gaia Exhibition can be booked on www.freedomfestival.co.uk. Entry to the exhibition is free but booking tickets is essential.
The programme begins on Thursday 19th August following the press launch of the Freedom Festival in the Minster’s Nave with a Vigil for the Earth in the Church from 9.00pm to 12.00 midnight.*
Key events include:
• Monday 23rd 11.00am, Hull Minster Chancel: Fair Food for All, with Food Partnership / Fairtrade City. Exhibition, displays, demonstrations.
• Tuesday 24th, 7 – 9.00pm, Hull Minster Chancel. Presentation with the Roman Catholic Diocese of Middlesbrough featuring a message to the people of Hull from Pope Francis.
• Wednesday 25th, 11.00am, under the Gaia globe itself, Professor Mark Jolly will be leading ‘Smart, Clean and Green’ - a chance to learn how technology can aid the survival of the planet.
• Thursday 26th, 7.00pm in the Church ‘Brooding Over the Face of the Earth’; presentation by Believe in Hull.*
• Saturday 28th, 11.00am, Hull Minster Chancel. ‘Give Nature a Chance’, presentation by ‘A Rocha’, an international network of environmental organisations with a Christian ethos.
• Tuesday 31st, 12.30pm, Hull Minster Chancel. Presentation by ‘Christians in Science’, an organisation of scientists, philosophers, theologians, ministers, teachers, and science students concerned with the dialogue between Christianity and science.
• Wednesday 1st September, 11.00am, Hull Minster Chancel; ‘Blue Planet; Green Church’, presentation by the Diocese of York’s Environment Group. How can we become Eco-Churches?
• Thursday 2nd, 7.00pm – 9.00pm in the Church. Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell speaks on his book, ‘Dear England’ and engages in conversation on Christian responses to environmental issues.*
• Friday 3rd, 12.30pm, Hull Minster Chancel. ‘Like There is No Tomorrow - Climate Crisis, Eco-anxiety and God’; priest and leading theologian Frances Ward speaks on her book published last year.
• Saturday 4th, 9.00pm – 12.00 midnight in the Church. A Vigil for the Earth.*
The Minster’s usual cycle of services and prayers continues throughout, building on the themes of the festival; full details of services, the events above and more can be found on the Hull Minster website at www.hullminster.org. The events listed above with an * can be booked only through the Hull Minster website as the exhibition is closed to the public for these times.
Bishop Frank White, who leads the team co-ordinating the Minster’s contribution alongside this years’ Freedom Festival programme, said, “Hull is superbly-placed to celebrate the richness of nature and God’s provision for the world and its people; on land and at sea, through both faith and science, through centuries of history and into what we all hope and pray will be a brighter future. Hull Minster is glad to partner Hull Freedom Festival in opening up the whole of this wonderful building to explore how people can play their part in one of the greatest challenges of our time.
“We believe the planet has a future and that we are to take responsibility to see that it is a good one for all the forms of life which exist together on this beautiful globe."