York Minster is a living church with a thriving community made up of people of all ages. For many, York Minster is their regular place of worship, as part of one or more of our Sunday and weekday congregations.

There are lots of ways to get involved with the Minster Community.

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Meeting and Learning

One of the easiest ways to get to know people is to chat with us after any of our services. We would be delighted to talk to you about what is going on in the Minster and what might interest you.

The Minster Community Walking Group is an active group of all ages who walk every first Saturday of the month and welcomes new members. For more information and details of the next walk, visit the York Minster Walkers’ website

Children, young people and families

We are delighted to welcome children to worship with us throughout the week. We want to provide ways for children and families to worship together at York Minster.

Children’s and young families

In term time, two groups meet monthly during the 11am service:

The Minster Community Roll and the Minster Community’s next Elections

We have, every three years, routinely held elections for certain voluntary roles that we invite members of the Minster Community to carry out for us as part of the Minster’s engagement work.  Currently, if you are aged 16 or over and you worship, volunteer or work at the Minster, you are eligible to join the Minster Community Roll, our electoral register.  This is about to change.

As part of the governance reforms introduced by the 2021 Cathedrals Measure, we must close and archive our current Community Roll and replace it with a brand new Worshipping Community Roll.  We will be launching this new Roll in January 2023 and will publish full details nearer the time explaining how you can join it – essentially, all that is needed is for you to confirm that you are (1) baptised and aged 16 or over, and (2) that you have attended Minster services regularly for at least 6 months (and ‘attendance’ in this context includes joining Minster services via our online live-streaming facility).

The next Minster Community elections will be held in May 2023, when we will appoint lay representatives to serve a three-year term on the York Deanery Synod – full details will be published nearer the time.

The governance reforms introduced by the 2021 Cathedrals Measure also require Chapter to review the role and membership of the new group that will replace the current Minster Community Committee, and to decide how its members will be elected or selected for appointment – again, details will be confirmed in due course.

If you need to update your details on the current Minster Community Roll, or if you are not on the current Roll and would like to be added, please complete a Minster Community Roll application form and return it to:  Minster Community Roll, 8-9 Minster Yard, York, YO1 7HH.  Application forms are available from the Vestry or from the Chapter Clerk at chapterclerk@yorkminster.org

For more information about our Community Roll and Community elections, please contact Andy Oates, Chapter Clerk, at 8-9 Minster Yard, York, YO1 7HH (email chapterclerk@yorkminster.org or direct line 01904 557210).

*The Minster Community Committee

The Committee of the Minster Community is elected by members of the Cathedral Community Roll and seeks to encourage the life and mission of the Minster.

There are a number of sub-groups where members of the Community Committee are joined by other members of the community to contribute to various areas of church life.

Sub-groups

The Social Action Group was set up three years ago to develop and organise events and activities that promote, encourage and challenge the whole of the Minster’s Community and congregations to engage in effective social action in whatever way they can.

We are currently actively supporting three charities:

Practical Action, for international environmental and sustainability activity,

MIND, for national mental health support, and

York City of Sanctuary for local support to resettle refugees.

We do this by raising money and promoting their work in the Minster and amongst our community. For more information, contact socialaction@yorkminster.org

The Social Group exists to organise and run a programme of affordable events to foster a sense of community within the congregation, staff and volunteers. Events include talks, visits, musical evenings and a Harvest Supper and Barn Dance. Tickets are sold after the 11am Sunday Eucharist service, usually in the North Transept over coffee, or by emailing communitysocial@yorkminster.org.