Irish news digest

Mothers’ Union isolation photographic competition

Mothers’ Union in Ireland will run a photographic competition during the month of May. Members are being asked to submit a photograph – taken by camera, mobile phone or ipad – with the theme “What I will remember from isolation in the spring of 2020”.

The five categories for the photographs are:
Family Time
Going the extra mile (Knitting, crafts, sewing scrubs, helping others etc)
Back to nature
Something that made me smile
My abiding memory – with the most imaginative caption
The closing date for entries is 31st May 2020 and the photographs should be sent by that date to the Fundraising and Communication Unit Coordinator in each Diocese.

BBC Service from Bangor Cathedral this Sunday

The Very Reverend Kathy Jones leads the service for the Fourth Sunday of Easter from BangorCathedral with hymns sung by the BBC SoP congregation recorded back in March 2018 and filmed before the closure of all church buildings. Sun 3 May at 10:45 on BBCOne

RTÉ service this Sunday from Limerick Cathedral

RTÉ News Now will broadcast a live service of Holy Communion from St Mary’s Cathedral this coming Sunday at 2pm. The service will be led by the Very Revd Niall Sloane, Dean of Limerick, with music from Mr Peter Barley, Cathedral Organist and Director of Music. RTÉ News Now is available in the Republic on Saorview channel 21, Sky 521, Virgin 200 and Eir 517, as well as at
[ www.rte.ie/newsnow] and on its freely downloadable app.

Christian Aid Facebook quiz tomorrow

Taking part in Christian Aid’s first Quiz Aid event tomorrow are the brilliant Rev Kate Bottley, Giles Fraser. Dr Rownan Williams will be your host on Facebook at 7.30pm tomorrow.

Please join them for 5 rounds of questions for the whole family: [ caid.org.uk/n1 ]

Phone Ministry by Divine Healing Ministry

You can leave a prayer request for yourself, a family member or for a friend on our dedicated phone line.
​We have a team of intercessors who will pray for you and your situation daily over the next 30 days, and this intercession can be extended as long as you wish.
You can also leave a message and contact number for one of the prayer ministry team members to arrange a prayer appointment to pray with you
over the phone
​Call. 02890311532
​Text. 07713400402
Email. [ dhmprayer@gmail.com ]

USPG General Secretary 24-hour ‘Zoom around the World’

The Rev Duncan Dormor, General Secretary of USPG.

From Aotearoa to the Windward Islands, the Rev Duncan Dormor, General Secretary of USPG, will be ‘Zooming around the World’ on Sunday May 3.

Virtually travelling to 22 countries and covering over 60,000 miles, he will save approximately 15,000 kg of carbon dioxide from being emitted into to the atmosphere from flights alone.

Duncan said: “At a time when the world is facing a common threat, albeit the impact of Covid-19 varies in different in parts of the world, now is a really important moment to reach out and express our global solidarity as sisters and brothers in Christ. As a global mission agency, USPG is seeking to do that via its General Secretary bringing greetings to churches, offering biblical reflections and preaching across the world.

“I will be ‘virtually attending’ services around the world over 24 hours on May 3. USPG supports climate justice initiatives, and it is important to demonstrate what can be done by judicious use of technology, whilst sharing Christ’s love for one another.”

Starting his virtual journey on Saturday May 2 at 23:30, Duncan will reach out to USPG partners in Bangladesh, Belize, Brazil, Cameroon, Fiji, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, India, Liberia, Malawi, Malaysia, Morocco, Pakistan, The Philippines, Senegal, Sri Lanka, Sierra Leone, Samoa, American Samoa, Tonga and the Windward Isles.

Duncan should be addressing anticipated world-wide congregation numbers in the thousands in less than 24 hours. USPG believes this is a ‘first’ for virtual preaching and very possibly a world record too. Please join Duncan and USPG partners in prayer this weekend.

Points for prayer

Pray for Wenchi Methodist Hospital which is the designated COVID-19 response centre for their region in Ghana. Wenchi Methodist Hospital in Ghana has been designated the COVID-19 response centre for the Western region. Together with World Mission Partnership, the Irish Methodist World Development & Relief has sent €5000 to help Wenchi source the equipment they need to make their facilities ready to care for Covid-19 patients.

Please pray for Wenchi (Methodist Hospital, Wenchi) as they adapt and prepare for this.

➡️ Give thanks for the doctors and nurses at Wenchi, for their skills, expertise and knowledge and for the compassion and care in their work

➡️ Pray for much-needed funding as they quickly acquire new resources needed for isolation and treatment

➡️ Pray for protection for staff and patients

➡️ Pray that the virus will not spread throughout the country, but will we be contained

➡️ Pray for anyone already infected by the virus; for healing, strength and a good recovery

Keep us, good Lord,
under the shadow of your mercy
in this time of uncertainty and distress.
Sustain and support the anxious and fearful,
and lift up all who are brought low;
that we may rejoice in your comfort
knowing that nothing can separate us
from your love in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen

God in creation