Reflections by Rev Hilary Barber.

Nearly 40 trees arrived this week and were all erected by the apprentices from Calderdale College, who dragged all the supporting equipment from out of the storage area underneath the Minster, and carefully placed each tree in its stand and in its rightful position.

Thankfully every tree has been sold to organisations across the town and borough representing the private, public and third sectors and now the decorating can begin. This year there are some amazing baubles hanging in the tower, replacing the poppy exhibition that hung there throughout November.

This column provides me with an opportunity to thank everyone for their support, especially as the economy starts to falter and the cost of living crises takes hold.

The Minster is a charity, and receives no funding from either the government or the Church Commissioners towards its running costs or the upkeep of the building. The Minster not only has to pay for the upkeep of the largest mediaeval building in the borough, but also towards staff salaries who support a growing volunteer army, as we try to keep the Minster open nearly every day of the year.

Every day people come to the Minster to work, to volunteer, to pray, the casual visitor, and when attending cultural events, conferences, civic occasions, or through our developing education department.

With temperatures dropping and winter fast upon us the Minster

provides a warm hub where people can come for free and find warmth and shelter, hot drinks and wifi access. On Wednesdays we now run sessions for people learning English as their second language for refugees and asylum seekers, and on Fridays starting in January a craft group for people isolated and vulnerable to poor mental health.

We are seeking financial help towards helping to pay for energy as we light and heat the building every day to meet the needs of the community we serve, as we can’t do this on our own.

The Tree Festival is a good example of how Calderdale can come together to create a distinctive and resilient community. There was a genuine buzz as organisations came together to decorate their trees and to renew friendships with friends old and new. And whilst it’s great to do this at Christmas time, we need to continue bringing people together after the New Year, when the trees have all gone, and the days remain dark and gloomy, and many people find the months of January and February some of the hardest months of the year.

Love came down at Christmas Christina Rossetti tells us in her poem, but that love which we find in Jesus, Emmanuel, God with us, is with us everyday day and every month of the year, and we find that love expressed in daily worship and in action throughout the year, be it through our vocation as teachers, doctors and nurses, magistrates and the emergency services, or as volunteers in the Minster, running food banks and night shelters.

Here’s hoping that you all have a very Happy Christmas when it finally arrives.