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Photo – The Six Mile River at Antrim

Diocesan Advent Gift Day to assist home and abroad projects

Bishop David McClay of Down & Dromore has invited parishioners to set aside Advent Sunday, 29 November, as a Gift Day throughout the diocese.

Bishop McClay writes –

Dear Friends

I have invited every parish in the diocese to make this Advent Sunday a special Gift Day. God has been merciful towards us in this challenging year and this is an opportunity for us to thank him by blessing others through our generous giving.

I am asking each parish to set aside 80% of what is given on that Sunday for a local project in the parish, to give 10% of what is raised to our link Diocese of Maridi’s COVID–19 relief and recovery fund and 10% towards our own Diocesan Church Planting Fund.

Parishes will know best the needs within their own context and I am looking forward to hearing about the different projects that our churches will choose to invest in.

Please begin to think and pray about what you could give on Sunday 29 November. It would be such an encouragement if, together, we could begin this Advent season of hope with a generous offering that brings hope to others.

C of E response to new restrictions to limit Covid-19

Following the announcement by the Prime Minister of new restrictions to limit the spread of Covid-19, the Bishop of London, Sarah Mullally, chair of the Church of England’s Recovery Group said:

“We have heard with others the announcement from the Prime Minister this evening of a second national ‘lockdown’ in England and how this will affect the life of our communities and public worship.

“We will study the detailed regulations and continue to liaise with Government departments to offer clarity to churches.

“This is a time of real uncertainty for everyone and the Church will continue to be central to the life of our communities in bringing light and hope.”

The last Gaelic speaking bishop of the Scottish Episcopal Church

Rt Rev Ted Luscombe has published a monograph on Padre Duncan MacIness MC, who was the last Gaelic speaking bishop of the Scottish Episcopal Church.

MacIness was with the Highland Division at Franleau with HQ 7th Argylls in June 1940. He was at the Regimental Aid Post when ordered to surrender. A German command ‘Hands up’ was impossible to obey, as he was supporting a badly wounded man in his left arm. MacIness’s immediate reaction was to reply in Gaelic in words that he had not learned in Sunday School.

Pink Paper Bag project supports young women

Caroline Hughes, a parishioner of St Cedma’s in the Parish of Larne, Inver, Glynn and Raloo, Diocese of Connor, has come up with an inspirational scheme to support girls in the school in which she teaches.

The Pink Paper Bag project supplies free sanitary products in toilet cubicles for the use of female pupils at Belfast Royal Academy (BRA).

Caroline, mum to Emily, 8, and six–year–old Alfie, has been teaching Biology with Chemistry and Physics at BRA for 14 years. A granddaughter of the late Dean Alexander Fair, Dean of Connor and a former incumbent in Larne, Inver, Glynn and Raloo, Caroline is a lifelong parishioner of St Cedma’s.

In an interview about The Pink Paper Bag project on BBC Radio Ulster, Caroline said that as schools returned after lockdown and the summer break, she had heard a piece on the radio about Homeless Period, a volunteer–led campaign which provides homeless and vulnerable women across Belfast with sanitary and other hygiene items.

“It hit a chord with me,” she said. “We have such a diverse demographic of pupils in school from lots of different backgrounds. Some of them will be affected by Covid much worse than I have been affected by the pandemic. I still have my job, but their parents may not have their jobs.

“I thought we needed to do something to give the girls one less thing to worry about throughout their day, that expensive products that they might not be able to have at home would be available to them in school.”

Caroline’s idea was to put a pink paper gift bag containing sanitary products in each toilet cubicle – and so the project acquired its name. The items are supplied from within the school community, donated by teachers and parents.

“We should seek to be an example to our daughters and our young girls that we should support each other,” Caroline said.

The bags are restocked, by a group of helpful students, at least twice a week. “There are definitely a lot of girls using them,” she said. “They don’t have to asking for them and they don’t have to let on there may be problems with availability at home.”

Listen in to Caroline’s full Radio Ulster interview at [ https://bbc.in/3oFJ4PI ]

Healing Ministry at The Mount update

Rev Pat Mollan writes – A number of people have asked about when we might be open. We have been ministering, covid safe, since July. We have full precautions in place, and we monitor the safety closely.

There are restrictions on the number of people admitted for our services, so it is best to phone the office to arrange visits. You can find the full range of help and ministry on the website www.cmh-themount.org

The AGM is next week on Zoom and the full details and financial statement for 2019 is in the news section.

Please help with the fundraising and donations as we enter a very challenging time, but most important pray…the Board, staff and volunteers are committed to prayer every Thursday at 7-8.00 am at home and if you would like to have our focus each week which is planned by David Matchett, Rab Mollan can add you to the email distribution.

For example last week the guidance was;
CMH (TM) -Board Prayers for Thursday 29/10/2020
During our prayers last week we contemplated God’s commission to Moses for the building of the Tabernacle and we drew upon the two Psalms (67 & 51) with which Benedictines greet each new daybreak.

This week we might note further that St Benedict prescribes the addition of Psalm 88 & 90 within each Thursday’s observance of Lauds. By taking up these two further Psalms today we find ourselves back in the company of Moses,(to whom Psalm 90 stands attributed).

In Psalm 88 we find the deep lament of one who does not know where to turn. Psalm 90 offers a more rounded outlook. The difficulties of the earthly life are present but the song resounds with hope and confidence in God.

Let us take courage this week and embolden our hearts to pray in the light of Psalm 90 verses12-17 trusting that God may indeed “Establish the work of our hands”.

Joan Baez – her Scottish Episcopal Church connection

Photo above – Joan Baez confronts a highway patrolman as she carries a girl’s books to school in Mississippi in 1966 as she campaigns against racial segregation

The Sunday Post featured a new biography of folk singer Joan Baez which references her Scottish Episcopal Church connection. ‘Joan Baez: the Last Leaf’ by Elizabeth Thomson, recalls the singer’s 2003 performance at Princes Street Gardens, Edinburgh, the city where her mother was born. Joan and fellow performer, Chrissie Hynd of the band The Pretenders, visited St John’s Episcopal Church earlier the same day, where Joan’s maternal grandfather had preached when he was a curate. The Sunday Post article is here –
[[] https://www.sundaypost.com/fp/from-scotland-with-love-and-peace-folk-icons-songs-of-justice-would-be-heard-around-the-worldthe-songs/ ]

Well said

Speech is silver, silence is golden

Pointers for Prayer

When rations were halved at refugee camps last November, people started returning to Kajo Keji in South Sudan. Now, due to the C-19 lockdown, Bishop Emmanuel reports that many are “crying out in starvation”. Pray for relief for those who don’t have enough food.

Today we pray for areas of the world affected by extreme weather. Thunderstorms and flash flooding are affecting eastern Australia after a surge in wildfires worldwide this year. We pray for safety for residents and action on the climate crisis from governments.

Please pray for Church Army key workers who are involved in distributing food and supplies; that they will have new opportunities to make connections with the people who visit.

Today we pray for children in west and central Africa. Unicef has warned that the closure of schools during the pandemic has led to millions being unable to access education, leaving children at risk of child marriage, early pregnancy and recruitment by local armed groups.

Homelessness – Today we give thanks for charities working to support rough sleepers and other homeless people during the pandemic. Homeless Sunday past stressed that a difficult winter lies ahead for those without a home or facing homelessness.

Tearfund NI – We have recently implemented a new project in Sierra Leone to help end cases of Female Genital Mutilation or Cutting (FGM/C). This will help to empower women in their communities, and sit alongside our other initiatives to reduce this horrific abuse. Pray for an end to FGM/C.

CMSI – Urgent prayer for Olo: Eight people, including four young women, have been taken from an archdeaconry within Olo Diocese by a team of armed men. Bishop Tandema of Olo Diocese, South Sudan asks for your urgent prayers for the abducted people, for the remaining Christians who are now living in fear and for wisdom for the Archdeacon of the area Ven. Justin Kembo.

God in creation