News
19th March 2026
Healing & Wholeness: A Reflection
‘It maybe wouldn't wash saying it to a hungry person, but our greatest poverty is connection; the best healing of any and everything is connection; the only way to wholeness is connection.
Its why Jesus came and what he re-made possible: connection.
The day we spent together at St Paul's felt to me like it spoke to, and was a balm for, our poverty. It was a kind of, a vision of and a start of some healings, and was a least a good stab at making some wholeness between, and around, this thing called 'Hull Deanery' and/or maybe, the body of Christ in and around Hull.‘
The Healing & Wholeness Workshop Day took place on Saturday 14th February. There were a range of workshops and activities including Blokes United and Women United.
Blokes United has been running for 10 years (with Women United set up some years later). It allows people to explore well being in a safe setting where relationships and trust are built first and an opportunity to share faith can follow.
The day also included a session on Food Pantry Best Practice, an interactive creative session, time to enjoy fellowship and food, and space for prayer and reflection.
‘In October last year we'd hoped to be in three places and 'showcase' three other things as well as what we experienced at this gathering but this was a really very special start, or step along the way.
We had a very generously and sacrificially offered insight into how both Blokes United and Women United work - creating deep connection, healing and robustly holding struggles towards wholeness with people around St Paul's. If there aren't kind of copies as a result, I'd be surprised.
And it was clear that the St Philip's 'food community' addresses both the need for food - at scale - and the need for connection.
In both, or rather all three of these 'things', the people of God and their fellow travellers are so far beyond 'do gooding', so desirous of connection with 'the other'; they who become friend and are being healed and made whole as a result.
And people came with food and serving and washing up from St Aidan's.
And there were other elements too.’
‘Dry Bones’ was a creative session run exploring the passage in Ezekiel 37: 1-14. Reflecting on what our dry bones are and how God gives us life.
‘It felt like we connected. It was a lot more than a laugh, but it had a lightness - it was enjoyable, serious as much of it was.
We really hope to make more spaces for us to learn and share and connect.
We hope you may join us next time.’