Irish news digest

Resource Pack for An Irish Blessing

The Resource Pack which contains everything you’ll need to contribute to this project is now available. Happy Recording everyone!

The Irish Blessing is an initiative for Christian people from all of the Irish Churches to join together seeking God’s blessing on the people of Ireland and to join our voices in praise of God on Pentecost Sunday. This unprecedented pandemic requires a collective response from Irish Churches.
A dynamic group of Irish Christians moved by the international recordings of Elevation Worship’s, The Blessing have gathered together to develop an adapted Irish response.
[[] https://theirishblessing.com/resource-pack/ ]

Enniskillen Church Mouse tackles PPE shortage

For nearly seven years, The Church Mouse Shop on East Bridge Street in the County Fermanagh town has taken in clothes, toys, general bric-a-brac, things for the garden and even doors, to sell and raise money for the church.

Staffed by an army of volunteers, shop manager Eleanor Harpur, said they gratefully receive all donations. “Quite some time ago, we received a large boxed up consignment of white shirts with minor defects that you wouldn’t have noticed. A large number of boxes had been sent to Operation Rescue in Ethiopia and we were able to sell some in the shop, but we still had a lot left over when we had to close in March because of the lockdown,” Eleanor explained.

“Watching the news one night I wondered whether they would be of any use to the NHS at this anxious time. I knew that Gordon and Alison Annan, who are members of our church, were the folks to chat to as Gordon, along with his fellow-bikers known ‘Bikers Coming Through’, had already helped to distribute much needed PPE equipment across the island. He was able to let me know that the shirts, almost 1600 of them, could be altered and made into scrubs, which was great news.”

As a result, Gordon was able to get 440 shirts to Margaret Houston of NI Scrubs, a wonderful seamstress in Dromore, County Tyrone. Margaret was able to coordinate her team of 60 homeworking machinists who removed the collars and cuffs. They sowed a v-shaped neckline cut into the front and made other alternations, which included sowing on pockets, to produce scrubs for the South West Acute Hospital in Enniskillen.

“Another 440 shirts went to County Kildare by van, where Gordon met up with fellow bikers for the onward journey to County Kerry and machinists there to make more scrubs for care homes in the area. The final 700 shirts went to the machinists in Dromore again, where they were altered for use in the new Nightingale hospital in Belfast,” Eleanor said.

“Little did we know, when we received this large consignment of shirts, how useful they would actually become. We are so grateful that we have been able to play a small part in helping those who are doing so much for us all. At the same time, to our mind, this is a wonderful example of God’s providence, seeing ahead to what we could not see, knowing the blessing that they would ultimately bring – and we are so thankful for that.”

Talking about the initiative, Enniskillen Presbyterian’s minister, Rev Dr David Cupples, said, “Right from the outset, we have wanted the Church Mouse Shop to be a ministry that gives to the community and blesses all who come through the door. Thanks to some ingenuity and creative thinking, this story is the latest example of that coming true and a wonderful demonstration of how we can show the love of Christ to our neighbours, whoever and wherever they may be.”

Points for prayer

Pray for universities and students asking that God would enable a good end to the academic year under current unusual circumstances. Pray for a sense of God’s peace for graduates facing uncertainty about future employment prospects

Pray for the Church Army’s Wilson Carlile Centre. Normally it is a hub of activity offering award winning accommodation, room hire for events and meetings as well as a bustling café in the heart of Sheffield city centre. All of this is managed day in, day out by an amazing Conference Team. At the moment the centre is closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Some staff can not work at the moment so have been furloughed, as have many in the wider hospitality industry. Pray for the staff this week – God who loves, give continued strength and energy to the Conference Team who make the Wilson Carlile Centre feel like a home to everyone who visits. Be with them as they wait to reopen. Amen.

God in creation

“In our baptism, we hear the promise of an advocate, your Spirit that will accompany us in this life. By this gift, grant us the grace to know your love abiding in us.”
LWF – Lutheran World Federation – Communion Prayer for the Easter Season