On a bright
Sunday afternoon at the end of June, the Church minibus left the car park
carrying about sixteen of us to Wales. With the exception of Mike Atkinson, we
were all ladies including our driver Margaret Squire. At various times and from
various places, others had set out for the same destination St John’s Methodist
Church in Colwyn Bay. It was Conference time and we were going to an Ordination
Service. We arrived early and sat in the sunshine and had our picnics in the
pleasant gardens next door to the church. We sat and chatted - and there he was,
with his dad, the reason for our trip (and he hadn’t changed one bit!) He was
just as we all remembered him - jolly, and twinkly and cuddly as ever, with a
smile as broad as the ocean. Ian Hu, our Ian, who many of us had not seen since
he left Preston two years ago.
The Church for the service was packed! and a fair
percentage of the worshippers had come to support Ian. It was a very warm night
and Moira’s skills were needed as several folk felt faint. It was a very moving
service which included communion and we were all so very glad that we had been
there to share it with Ian and his parents. It was quite late when Margaret
drove back into the carpark but although we were feeling tired, none of us would
have missed it for the world!
During a recent conversation with Ian, he said that
he was overwhelmed by the number of cards and letters he had received. My reply
was "That, Ian, says it all!"
Barbara Hothersall
I asked Ian if he would pen a few words for the
magazine about his life since he left us. Read on!
I send my fondest greetings and "Howdy, y’all!" from
East Yorkshire! First of all, I need to thank everyone from the Fulwood
Methodist Church community for the wonderful cards, letters and notes of
affirmation that I received upon being ordained at this year’s Conference in
Llandudno! (Yes, another scrapbook is in the making as we speak!)
But the most memorable experience is seeing all of
you at St. John’s Methodist Church, Colwyn Bay, for the Ordination service. It
was such an overwhelming experience to see so many folk from the Preston
Circuit, together with folk from the York and Hull District! I noticed that
there was some ‘friendly’ repartee between Lancashire and Yorkshire folk,
relating as to who truly lays claim to me. While I was a little embarrassed to
witness this, I know that it was all in good fun and I appreciate the kind
thoughts! My mom and dad enjoyed meeting as many people as possible. After
ordination, the three of us headed south to Laugharne in Carmarthenshire. We
stayed in Laugharne for a week and had a lovely holiday. We went on walks,
visited castles, watched Wimbledon (even though I’m a fan of Tim Henman, I was
still hoping that Andy Roddick would make it to the final!) and explored the
south coast of Wales.
Well, I am beginning my third year in my five year
appointment here in the Hull East circuit. I have pastoral responsibility for Holderness Road Methodist Church and assist
with Portobello Methodist Church. When I arrived in circuit in 2001, I also had
pastoral responsibility for Preston Road Methodist Church, which ceased to
worship in June 2002. The building was subsequently sold. Closing a chapel is
without a doubt the most difficult responsibility so far in my young ministerial
career. I still hold pastoral responsibility for the Preston Road Estate and am
a director on the Preston Road New Deal for Communities regeneration board.
There is a strong outreach on the estate which is co-ordinated between the
Methodists, Anglicans and Baptists, and God is doing a lot of exciting
things.
Holderness Road Methodist Church is located in the
heart of the commercial shopping district which runs through East Hull. On one
side of us is a lovely fish & chip shop, while on the other side is an
off-licence and a laundromat. This church has active Beaver, Cub and Scout
groups, Rainbows, Brownies, Guides, Boys’ Brigade and Girls’ Brigade groups.
Holderness Road has the largest amount of uniformed youth organisations in the
circuit.
Our circuit has a staff of seven, including myself. I
am currently working with the Local Preachers meeting as the Circuit LP Tutor,
with primary responsibility for guiding the candidates through their studies.
Currently, I am working with four preachers ‘On Trial.’ I enjoy this role very
much. I am also on a two year rotation as convenor of the Circuit Worship
Committee. Some of the upcoming projects which this group has planned is a
‘Wesley Hymn Sing’ in October, a ‘Circuit Watchnight Service’ on New Year’s Eve,
and an outdoor ‘Songs of Praise’ evening next June.
Living in East Yorkshire has been lovely, and I have
been readily accepted and adopted into the community! When I walk into a shop on
Holderness Road and open my mouth, folk know immediately that I’m not from Hull!
Actually, being an American in Hull has helped to reinforce many first time
meetings and relationships. Just today, I gave a passing motorist some
directions, and he smiled, "Imagine getting directions from an American vicar in
Hull!"
Hull is located at the terminus of the M62, which
converts into the A63 as you continue east. The area seems quite isolated in
comparison to the excellent accessibility I used to enjoy in Preston. One of the
consolations is the Hull Trains rail service between Hull Station and London,
which is excellent, convenient and quite reasonable at £27 return (advance
purchase). And, of course, it’s no problem for me to drive west onto the M62
west to go to Leeds, Manchester, or Preston!
Here in Hull, you are who you are by the colours you
wear. You either wear the black and white (Hull FC Rugby) or the red and white
(Hull Kingston Rovers). To be perfectly honest, I still follow the blue and
white! In fact, not only do I still follow Preston North End, but now that David
Moyes is at Everton, I also keep tabs on how Everton are doing!
I always think of everyone in Preston and of how
nurturing, affirming and encouraging my year in the Preston Circuit was. I smile
when I think of the Fulwood Wednesday morning fellowship, or being invited to
the Scouts open night, or singing "Shine Jesus Shine!" (that hymn was obviously
not retired during my year in Preston!) at the picnic at Fairhaven Lake, or
being heckled by those two dreadful critics at the Robin Hood panto! I wish all
of God’s goodness and grace upon everyone at Fulwood, and look forward to the
future when our paths will definitely cross again! May you continue to be God’s
instruments of the love of Christ, and may you continue to challenge injustice
and prejudice – no matter how unpopular the challenging may be. And,
finally…thank you for being the Church!
Revd. Ian J. K.
Hu