A resume of current events and efforts
Deanery Launch
On Thursday evening, in St Patrick’s Deanery, the Church of Ireland Historiographer, Dr Kenneth Milne, will launch the fifth volume in the RCB Library ‘Texts and Calendars‘ series. The Vestry Records of the Parishes of St Bride, St Michael Le Pole and St Stephen, Dublin, 1662–1742 has been edited by Mr W.J.R. Wallace and published by Four Courts Press.
The parish of St Bride served an area just outside the city walls and was based around Bride Street, Ship Street, Golden Lane and Stephen’s Street. Its vestry records reveal how the parish recovered following the Restoration and developed in the eighteenth century. Information on the church, clergy, worship and the interaction of the parish officers with the city in areas such as poor relief, fire fighting and policing provide valuable insights into the life, both ecclesiastical and civil, of inner city Dublin.
Mr Wallace has been a prolific editor and author since his retirement from the High School where, for many years he taught English and history. He is the editor of Clergy of Dublin & Glendalough, and Clergy of Meath & Kildare, and the author of Faithful to Our Trust, a history of the Erasmus Smith Trust and the High School.
Choral Evensong rebirth
This evening (Saturday) at 5pm, in St Nicolas Collegiate Church, Galway, the parish choir will sing Evensong. This will mark both the beginning of All Saints–Tide and the introduction of a regular pattern of monthly Evensongs to mark special seasons and feast days.
Studentship in Religious Education
In order to encourage the teaching of Religious Education in secondary schools in the United Dioceses, the Dublin and Glendalough Diocesan Board of Education offers at least one Studentship each year to a graduate in Biblical Studies and/or Theological Studies or other suitably qualified person, who is a member of the Church of Ireland and who is interested in teaching Religious Education or undertaking school chaplaincy work.
The Studentship will make a payment to a suitable candidate in lieu of a fee for hours of Religious Education he or she teaches while studying for the Post Graduate Diploma in Education or chaplaincy training course if the candidate is not being paid a fee by some other body. A contribution towards the candidate’s college fees for the Post Graduate Diploma in Education or chaplaincy training course will also be paid if the fees are not being paid by some other body.
Applications are invited from graduates or those who expect to graduate next June – closing date 31st January 2012.
Application forms and further details may be obtained from Mrs. M. Dunne, Secretary, Dublin and Glendalough Diocesan Board of Education, Southgreen, Kildare, Co. Kildare. Tel. 045 521229. Email: mkdunne@eircom.net.
Clogher’s Scots Episcopal cleric
Maghercloone Church was full to overflowing on Sunda, 23rd October as Canon Bertie Breaden, originally from Drumond, Magheracloone, who is a priest in the Episcopal Church in Scotland, celebrated the 50th anniversaryof his ordination. He was joined by his wife, Glennis, his children and their families and many friends and neighbours as he celebrated Holy Communion in St. Molua’s. He is currently rector of Portree on the Isle of Skye. With no intention of leaving full time ministry his friends in the diocese wished him every blessing in the years ahead.
Running New York Marathon
Superfit Stephen Brown, a parishioner at St Patrick’s, Ballymena, will be competing in the New York Marathon on Sunday November 6 to raise funds for a Nepalese church.
This will be Stephen’s ninth marathon and he hopes to raise enough money to help buy a mini–bus to transport sick patients to and from hospital.
In October 2009 Stephen travelled with a group of parishioners from St Patrick’s to Nepal where he spent some time with CMS Ireland Global Partners in Kathmandu.
Since returning from Nepal Stephen has kept in contact with the link church where he made many friends and he feels that he would like to be involved in their current project of raising money for the purchase of a mini–bus.
This bus would be primarily used to transport patients. At the moment the church has to hire taxis to transport the sick to and from hospital. Stephen saw at first hand the need for a mini–bus and is hopeful that through sponsorship for his marathon effort he will be able to help this church buy a mini–bus and make life a little easier for its many sick and disabled members.
Youth app
A different type of publication is by Greg Fromholz, Diocesan Youth Officer of Dublin & Glendalough. Liberate Eden is a spirituality bookApp and is exclusive to iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch. From the publishing house of Matthews and Owen this venture blends the written word with compelling video.
Grangegorman Festival
The Church of All Saint’s, Grangegorman, will celebrate its patronal festival next Tuesday evening at 8pm. The Vicar, the Ven. David Pierpoint, will be the celebrant, the Archdeacon of Glendalough, the Ven. Ricky Rountree, will preach and the service will be sung by the parish plainsong schola.
RCB Library awarded grant
The RCB Library has been awarded a grant of €12,000 under the BuiltHeritage element of the Environmental Fund by the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.
This grant will enable the pilot project to digitize and catalogue the Library’s collections of architectural drawings of church buildings, which was funded by the Esme Mitchell Trust, to be developed further. As before, the work will be undertaken by the architectural historian, Dr Michael O’Neill.
Festival attraction
A flower festival and historical exhibition held in St Mark’s Parish Church, Ballymacash, Lisburn, Diocese of Connor, attracted almost 2,000 visitors
The event celebrated the completion of a renovation scheme at the church and sought to engage with the local community which has been served by St Mark’s Church since 1892.
The rector of Ballymacash, the Rev Canon George Irwin, said interest in the festival, which took place over the weekend of October 7–9, had exceeded all expectations.
The parish is now hoping to create a historical archive which will be available to anyone interested in the history of Ballymacash to view.
Entitled ‘Celebration,’ the festival of flowers was designed and co–ordinated by world–renowned flower artist, the Rev William McMillan, MBE, and members of Ballymacash Flower Club