Porvoo Communion Consultation in Dublin; “Together & Different” The Porvoo Communion’s ‘Keys to Interfaith Engagement’ workshop in Galway; C of I – Moravian Church relationship review; New President of Connor MU; Belfast’s Black Santa prepares for Good Samaritans’ Service; Towards the Healing of a Wound – Derry Parish initiative; Media review
Porvoo Communion Consultation in Dublin
The Church of Ireland is to host a Porvoo Communion Consultation on the Diakonia in the Church of Ireland Theological Institute in Dublin 15–18 April 2013, states The General Synod Christian Unity Committee
This will be the third Porvoo Consultation held to address some aspect of the area of vocation and will have the theme “Diakonia as a proclamation of the Gospel”. The Consultation will be co– chaired by the Most Revd, Michael Jackson, Archbishop of Dublin.
The Scandinavian and Baltic Lutheran Churches of the Porvoo Communion have a permanent diaconate, whereas most of the Anglican member Churches of Porvoo do not. The nature and scope Diakonia has been a source of some perplexity within the Communion and an area of persistent misunderstanding.
The Church of Ireland will assist also in resourcing the Consultation which will have participants from Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Denmark, Latvia, Lithuania, Finland, Estonia, England, Ireland, Wales, Scotland, Spain and Portugal.
“Together & Different” The Porvoo Communion’s ‘Keys to Interfaith Engagement’ workshop in Galway
A Workshop with Canon Andrew Wingate to be held in the Chapel of St Columbanus on the campus of NUI Galway on Saturday 2nd March, starting at 11am.
The aim of the Keys to Inter Faith Engagement document, and of this Workshop, is to enable people to consider the situation where they live with their neighbours from different faith communities, and to support and develop interfaith engagement. In particular, a number of themes will be explored:
• Who we are in our communities; what are the local, national and international issues?
• How do changing patterns of living in Ireland impact on faiths?
• What is needed to build long term trust?
• How should we share our faith with a Hindu or Muslim?
• What are our theological foundations?
The cost of the Workshop (including lunch and tea/coffee) is £20 or €25. Students may attend free of charge. The fee can be paid by cash or cheque on the day, but those wishing to attend should register in advance with the Revd Darren McCallig by email mccalld@tcd.ie or by telephone +353 (0)1 896 1402.
C of I – Moravian Church relationship review
The Standing Committee has requested the Anglican Affairs Working Group of the C of I General Synod Commission for Christian Unity & Dialogue to consider the relationship between the Church of Ireland and the Moravian Church.
A spokesperson states – In doing so we were to bear in mind the continuing possibilities of the Fetter Lane agreement, but also to consider the report ‘Finding our delight in the Lord’ (please click here for the report), which has brought about full communion between Anglicans and Moravians in the US and if appropriate to make suggestions to the Standing Committee concerning the possibility of similar developments in Ireland
This work is now being progressed with enthusiasm and commitment on the part of all concerned. While the Moravian Church in Britain and Ireland is structured as a single province, its discussions with the Church of Ireland are taking place as a bilateral conversation and the participants include bishops of both traditions. This amounts to a significant ecumenical initiative. Representatives of both churches are engaged in detailed and cordial face to face dialogue with the encouragement and prayers of both our churches. It is hoped that a full report on this dialogue and the ideas for enhancing our relationship which will derive from it will be made available in the near future.
For further information please contact:
The Commission for Christian Unity & Dialogue
Church of Ireland House
Church Avenue
Rathmines
Dublin 6
E–mail: unity@ireland.anglican.org
www.ireland.anglican.org/ccud
www.ireland.anglican.org/resources/ccud
www.ireland.anglican.org/news/ccud
New President of Connor MU
Mrs Valerie Ash is the new Diocesan President of Connor Mothers’ Union.
Valerie is a parishioner of St Patrick’s, Whitehead, and has been Coordinator of Prayer & Spirituality Unit for the last five years.
Before that she was rep who looked after Indoor Members and has been Branch Leader in Whitehead.
Valerie has represented MU on Women’s Forum. She also serves on the Diocesan board looking into the problems of dementia and the Church.
Widowed almost seven years ago, Valerie loves to help look after her grandchildren and had a deep interest in her two dogs.
She succeeds Moira Thom as President.
Belfast’s Black Santa prepares for Good Samaritans’ Service
Good Samaritans from all walks of life will be gifted monies raised by the Christmas 2012 Black Santa Sit–out on the steps of St Anne’s Cathedral.
The annual Good Samaritans’ Service takes place in the Cathedral on Sunday February 3, when a total of £192,000 will be handed out to 207 charities.
The amount raised, while not hitting the Dean of Belfast’s target of £200,000, was up on the 2011 total of £185,000, and Dean John Mann said this was a ‘fantastic result’ considering the economic climate and disruption in Belfast due to the flag protests.
Dean Mann said that the 1p, 2p, 5p, 10p and 20p coins, which people brought in great quantity in everything from plastic bags to sweet tins, amounted to over £4,700 alone.
“I would like to thank everyone who has contributed to the Cathedral Charity Sit–out last Christmas and my friends and colleagues who helped in the collection,” the Dean said.
“The generosity of people in our community is proven time and again from large cheques and thick envelopes of notes to a child emptying a piggy bank. As much as anything, it is the cheery smile and greeting with which it is given.”
The Dean added: “It is a privilege to be part of this annual effort for the City of Belfast and if we all start now, putting away a few coins each week, I have every hope we will reach the £200,000 target at the next sit–out, Christmas 2013, but let us acknowledge at this point that £192,000 is a fantastic result!”
The cheques will be distributed by the Lord Mayor of Belfast, Alderman Gavin Robinson, and his wife Lindsay, Lady Mayoress, at the service beginning at 3.30pm on Sunday February 3
The Exile – Towards the Healing of a Wound – Derry Parish initiative
How do we deal with the past in a wounded community? Is it possible to do it in a way that doesn’t stir controversy but that heals?
The Exile – a series of forum–theatre workshops, run by the Church of Ireland, will address a wound in the history of Derry / Londonderry. Taking place in venues right across the city, in the first week of February, it will look at the large–scale movement of the Protestant population during the Troubles.
Over 90% of the Protestant people living on the west bank of the River Foyle moved away from the city side between 1969 and 1979. This movement, referred to by many as ‘The Exodus’, is one of the most significant and yet untold stories of the city’s recent past.
The Exile is being organised by Christ Church, a Church of Ireland Parish in the city. It has commissioned playwright Jonathan Burgess to write a series of short dramas to bring the events of that time to life. Run in a very informal atmosphere each drama is followed by facilitated discussion, as people share their experiences and perceptions of that time. It is hoped that people from all across the community will attend.
So why is it worth looking at difficult events from the past? Is it not better to simply leave well alone? Perhaps in our community we can only take so much ‘truth’ in case fragile relationships begin to unravel? One historian describes the past in Ireland as “a convenient quarry which provides ammunition to use against enemies in the present”.
Talking about the motivation behind The Exile, Archdeacon Robert Miller, Rector of Christ Church said, “The Exile is about finding a way of dealing with a wound in our city in a way that heals rather than divides. We know only too well that memories have helped shape life and our relationships in this community”. He continued, “Hurt that is not addressed damages everyone. Our aim is not to reopen old wounds but to allow them to find healing”
Rev Earl Storey is the Project manager for The Exile. He said, “The story we tell about ourselves as well as ‘the other’ shape much more than our relationships. It shapes our own psyche, self–belief and enterprise to create a place for our neighbours and ourselves”.
Bishop Ken Good, in commending The Exile said “This is an attempt to create a safe space for people to begin to hear stories and to understand the experience of others from that time. It is all with the purpose deepening understanding”.
Playwright Jonathan Burgess summed it up when he said, “The past forty years have shaped the psyche of all of us who share this city. In The Exile we want to create a healthy process for reflection that has integrity, honesty and humility in it”. Quoting the words of Queen Elizabeth during her visit to Dublin, “With the benefit of historical hindsight, we can all see things which we would wish had been done differently or not at all” he concluded, “The Exile is about allowing a story to be told, and heard. The purpose is not about point scoring – its about building peace”.
Admission is free and no booking is necessary. The Exile Project is being run by Christ Church Parish (Diocese of Derry and Raphoe). For details of times and venues visit www.derryandraphoe.org or www.cccmsp.derry.anglican.org
MEDIA REVIEW
State agencies to share data to tackle bullying
Examiner – More information is to be shared between State agencies about school students as part of plans to counteract the effects of bullying.
The step is one of a number of moves to be considered in addition to those being rolled out as part of the Government’s Action Plan on Bullying unveiled yesterday.
From this autumn, all schools will have to follow national procedures by having very specific policies on bullying, and they must ensure every incident is reported and followed up.
Schools’ compliance with the new rules will be monitored by Department of Education inspectors, with support for the changes being favoured over new laws or regulations to deal with the problem.
http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/state-agencies-to-share-data-to-tackle-bullying-221122.html
Church defection website seeks records
Irish Times – The founder of a website formerly used to allow people leave the Catholic Church is asking people who still wish to defect to retrieve their records from their parish.
Paul Dunbar, who runs countmeout.ie, is asking people to request a copy of their records from the parish they were born in. Mr Dunbar hopes that data protection legislation can be used to force the church to amend their records to reflect the member’s desire to leave the organisation.
A spokeswoman for the Archdiocese of Dublin would not comment on Mr Dunbar’s campaign, but reiterated the statement issued in 2010, saying it was a change that did not just affect the Church in Ireland, but also the world. “The Archdiocese of Dublin …
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2013/0129/breaking36.html