Connor diocesan training events, Dublin concerts, Clergy appointments, Clogher Pentecost on Devenish Island
Connor diocesan training events
Dr Dickie Barr from Love for Life will lead a seminar on pastoral Care around Sensitive Issues, in Antrim Parish Halls, from 10am until 3.30pm on Tuesday May 24.
He will look at what the Bible says about sex, the current cultural perspective around sex and whether this concurs or conflicts with a Biblical model, and how we respond pastorally to the situations we face in our church communities.
Dr Barr works in General Practice in Moira and has contributed in the past to Pastoral Care training in Belfast Bible College. He also has been involved for many years with Love for Life, a charitable organisation with the vision of influencing change within society so that young people have a healthy respect for themselves, relationships and sex.
James Lawrence on CPAS is the guest speaker at a Growing Leaders event on Friday June 10. The venue is again Antrim Parish Halls and the day gets underway at 10am and finishes at 3pm.
James is Director of Leadership Development at CPAS and his visit will be a valuable opportunity to discuss leadership issues.
Details at: http://www.connordiocese.org.uk/?do=news
Dublin concerts
A concert will be held in Kilternan Parish Church on Saturday, 21 May at 8pm. It will feature the Kilternan School of Music wind band, choir and guitar trio, Kilternan Parish Junior and Senior Choirs, acclaimed harpist Anne-Marie O’Farrell and some “special home-grown talent” from within parish ranks – not to be missed!
Tickets can be purchased from Kilternan Church of Ireland National School (01-2953235) or the parish office (01-2952643) at a cost of €10.
An Evening with the Discovery Gospel Choir will be held in Kill O’ the Grange Church, Kill Lane, Blackrock on Saturday, 21 May at 8pm., Kill Lane, Blackrock on Saturday, 21 May at 8pm.
This is a fundraising concert and the proceeds from ticket sales will be divided between the Discovery Gospel Choir and the CMSI/ Kill O the Grange Payawa School Project in the Sudan. Tickets can be reserved by contacting Ian Horner at ianewhorner@gmail.com or 087 6223609 or bought from any Discovery Gospel Choir member. Tickets are €20 (€15 for students).
Details for both concerts at: http://dublin.anglican.org/index.php
Connor clergy appointments
The Rev Louise Stewart has been appointed as Incumbent of the Grouped Parishes of Finaghy and Upper Malone.
Louise is currently curate-assistant of the parishes. The 39-year-old is married to the Rev Brian Stewart, rector of St George’s, Belfast, and is mother to Catherine, 14; John, 12; Emma, 11; Thomas, 9 and Peter, 7.
A native of Coleraine, Louise was formerly an Education Welfare Officer for the Belfast Education and Library Board. She was ordained as a deacon in 2000 and as a priest in 2001. From 2000 until 2009 she was a Non-Stipendiary curate in St John’s Parish, Malone, and in October 2009 moved to the grouped parishes of St Polycarp and Epiphany. With the departure of the rector the Rev Garth Bunting to Dublin in September 2010 Louise was curate in charge of the parishes.
She completed further training for the Stipendiary ministry in January this year.
Louise is enthusiastic about the challenges ahead. “I am looking forward to getting my teeth stuck in,” she said. “It is different thing being a curate to being a rector. We are going through a period of natural change, and I know people in both parishes are looking forward to the future.”
She admitted being half of one of Connor Diocese’s ‘clergy couples’ would mean plenty of diary planning, not to mention juggling the mum and dad taxi service, but said this would be achieved with ‘patience, negotiation and give and take!’
The date of the institution is yet to be confirmed.
The Bishop of Connor, the Rt Rev Alan Abernethy, has appointed two Domestic Chaplains. They are the Rev John McClure, curate-assistant in St Michael’s, Belfast and the Rev Tracey McRoberts, curate-assistant in St Thomas’s, Belfast.
Clogher Pentecost on Devenish Island
On the afternoon of Sunday 12th June 2011 at 3.00pm, the Day of Pentecost, the annual open-air interdenominational service which has customarily been led by both Bishops of Clogher will take place this year on the historic site of Devenish Island in Lower Lough Erne.
This will be the first time that the service takes place on Devenish Island, a site of substantial importance for the early Christian Church in this region. This will also be a significant year for the service, as it will be first time in which the two previous Bishops of Clogher, the Most Revd Dr Joseph Duffy and the Most Revd Dr Michael Jackson will not be leading the service, having pioneered it in the past to something that has become an annual event.
Since last year’s service Bishop Duffy has retired and Bishop Jackson has translated to the position of Archbishop of Dublin and Glendalough. Therefore it will be the first occasion for the new Roman Catholic Bishop of Clogher, the Most Revd Liam MacDaid to lead the service, and as there is currently an Episcopal vacancy in the Church of Ireland Diocese of Clogher, with the appointment of the new bishop awaited, the Very Revd Kenneth Hall, Dean of Clogher and Rector of Enniskillen Cathedral Parish will join with Bishop MacDaid to lead this special Pentecost service on Devenish Island.
A warm invitation is extended to all to join in this occasion, however as transport to the island by boat will be a necessity, there are only a limited number of places available on the boats, and therefore places will be allocated on a first come first serve basis.
To register for a place, please contact the Diocesan Office on 02866347879 or email admin@clogher.anglican.org