Irish news digest – June 15

Photo above – Victoria, a Sunday School teacher at Newbuildings Methodist Church, helped their young people celebrate the birthday of the Church with some Pentecost buns

Thanks expressed to Mayor of Cork

Bishop Paul Colton expressed all good wishes to Cllr John Sheehan on his last day as Lord Mayor of Cork. He commented, “Thank you from myself and from us all in C of Ireland Cork for all your support, encouragement and wisdom throughout your year in office and most especially in recent months.”

You Tube action

All Saints’ Kids, Antrim

“Well folks it’s another cracking episode of the show with the best yolks!” The Vicar and Holy Harry enjoy their weekly chat and some brilliant dancing and prayers.
[ https://youtu.be/zvQeb8zJoQo ]

All Saints’ Belfast children’s ministry

[ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ol7pGVjVCg8 ]

Kilbride Parish Church

The latest Aid to Worship is now available to watch by following this link –
[ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gk2EuMazgc ]

Armagh Cathedral Great Fantasia

This week’s virtual voluntary takes us to the composer who is most associated with the organ, Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750). Bach wrote many hundreds of organ works, some very brief and some large scale. The “Great” Fantasia and Fugue in G minor, BWV 542, is one of his most substantial and thrilling works.
[ https://youtu.be/G5aYhWQnT20 ]

The Very Rev William McMillan

A most senior minister and friend in the Non-Subscribing Presbyterian Church, Rev Mac sadly passed away in January but his great legacy lives on in the denomination. In May members were delighted to see photographs of the ‘Rev Mac’ Hosta in full growth and many members have shared stories and memories of his wit, ministry and friendship.
Here is a link to a wonderful tribute to Rev Mac –
[ http://www.nspresbyterian.org/sermons/80-address-given-at-the-funeral-of-the-very-rev-william-mcmillan-mbe-ma-at-dunmurry-thursday-23-january-2020.html ]

The Reverend Robin Laird

The Reverend Robin Laird died on 8 June 2020. Robin was ordained in the Church of Ireland and later became an army chaplain. He had been suffering an illness for some time, and died in hospital, near to his home in south Devon. Robin joined the Royal Army Chaplains’ Department in 1968 and served in BAOR, Northern Ireland and Hong Kong. Robin’s ministry also saw him serving in the UK in a variety of senior appointments before being promoted to the Chaplain First Class in 1988, when he was appointed senior chaplain in HQ SE District. He retired in 1993. He was appointed a Queen’s Honourary Chaplain in 1991. For a number of years, he served as a trustee of the RAChD Association.

 Belfast Orange rector and leader was anti-slavery

Rev Dr Thomas Drew, 1800-1870, was the first rector of Christ Church, Belfast, which was consecrated in 1833. A Grand Chaplain of the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland, following his death the Grand Lodge passed a resolution which described him as ‘the unflinching upholder of Protestant Truth’.

He was a member of the Belfast Anti-Slavery society stating that ‘No conscientious man is innocent who does not protest against the atrocious injustice of slavery’.

On 13 July 1846 he chaired a meeting in the Primitive Wesleyan Chapel, Donegall Place, Belfast, which was addressed by the fugitive slave, Frederick Douglass.

Food for thought

Every night before I go to sleep
I say out loud
Three things that I’m grateful for,
All the significant, insignificant
Extraordinary, ordinary stuff of my life – Carrie Newcomer

Points for Prayer

God in Creation