Irish news digest – June 16

Photo above, Revd Craig Cooney

HOPE Church mobilises for local community

Last week HOPE Church in Craigavon distributed over 100 ‘essential grocery’ parcels to their local community. The boxes included items from washing powder to breakfast cereal and hand wash to tinned food.

The recipients’ details were provided by local community groups and included the elderly, housebound, single parents and socially disadvantaged.

Each parcel contained around £40 of groceries from Tesco.

Revd Craig Cooney, Minster–in Charge of HOPE commented: “It was such a great experience for our church to be mobilised at this difficult time to reach out into the local community. We received many messages after the distribution of the parcels thanking us.

“One person wrote: ‘I would like to thank you all for the food parcel you sent me, it was wonderful. I split it with two of my family members as well – a widowed man, a pensioner was glad of the bits and pieces and a single pensioner mum. You are so kind, it’s lovely to know people are thinking of me. I’m disabled with MS, wheelchair–bound. I have been in isolation for 18 weeks. It has been a hard road, but to know there are people like you I thank God. Thank you all so much.’ Another simply wrote: ‘Thank you for thinking about others outside your own congregation.’”

Cork online synod

Saturday, 13th June 2020 was in the diary as the day for this year’s Diocesan Synod of the United Dioceses of Cork, Cloyne and Ross. ‘Synod’ is rooted in the idea of gathering and meeting. But that, of course, cannot happen this year

So instead? You are invited to take a 30–minute break and to join the clergy and people of the diocese for the Cork, Cloyne and Ross Diocesan ‘Synod’ – a gathering and celebration –
[[] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KybBzw_woRA ]

 BBC Radio 4 Sunday programme

Feature on the Church of England’s record on black, Asian and minority ethnic clergy including interview with Augustine Tanner-Ihm, Helen Fraser, Head of Vocations for the Church of England and the Bishop of Loughborough, Dr Guli Francis-Dehqani.
[ https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m000k1b4 ]

 Clogher online institution

A new rector for the Grouped Parishes of Trory and Killadeas in Clogher Diocese of the Church of Ireland has been instituted during a special online service through Zoom. Revd Mark Gallagher, who has served his curacy at Bangor Abbey in the Diocese of Down, conducted his first online services at the weekend from his new parishes.

The online service of institution took place on Thursday, 11th June through Zoom because of the Covid 19 restrictions on churches and among those taking part were Archdeacon Brian Harper, Archbishop of Armagh’s Commissary, who conducted the service; Revd John Woods, Rural Dean, who presented Revd Gallagher for institution; Canon Paul Thompson, neighbouring rector of Derryvullen North (Irvinestown) and Castle Archdale; Canon Shane Forster, Assistant Provincial Registrar and Canon Ronnie Nesbitt, Rector of Bangor Abbey. Representing both Trory and Killadeas parishes were churchwardens and secretaries as well as Diocesan Pastoral Assistants.

Prayer of preparation for re-opening of churches

The Archdeacon of Cork, Cloyne and Ross, the Venerable Adrian Wilkinson, who celebrated the silver jubilee of his ordination as a priest on Saint Columba’s Day, 9th June, has written a prayer for his parish and for use in the United Dioceses of Cork, Cloyne and Ross.

It is for use as preparations are made for the reopening of church buildings. It is now shared more widely as others may like to use it. Here it is:

Creator God, not limited by time or space;
your Son worshipped in synagogue and Temple,
and your Spirit came in power on the disciples as they met in the Upper Room.
By that same Spirit,
guide us as we prepare to reopen the churches in this parish/diocese.
May they be places of safety,
where all feel your welcome, experience your love and are equipped in your service.
We pray for those who through age or vulnerability will continue to worship at home,
that together we may all rejoice in your goodness and know your blessing,
until we can offer unceasing praise in your heavenly kingdom,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Weddings at Hillsborough

Hillsborough Parish Select Vestry has approved an idea by its Rector, Canon Dr Bryan Follis, that they make the grounds of their beautiful Church available for other parishes wishing to conduct a wedding during the current situation.

Under the latest guidelines, Church of Ireland clergy are now permitted to conduct a wedding (involving up to 10 people) in the grounds of their Church.

However, for some parishes, especially those in Belfast, they may have very limited grounds to use and so the wedding would effectively be taking place on the street. So Hillsborough is inviting other Rectors who wish to, to make use of the grounds at Hillsborough Parish. As Bryan Follis explained, ‘We here in Hillsborough have one of the most magnificent Church settings in Northern Ireland and during this time of crisis, we just want to be a blessing to other Churches and to the wider community.’

The weddings from other parishes would be conducted by the clergy of the home parish and if you are interested in making use of Hillsborough, then contact Hillsborough Parish by email a
[ admin@hillsboroughparish.org.uk ]

Food for thought

Points for Prayer

Pray for the Right Reverend Stephen Cotterell who is Chair of the Board of Church Army as he prepares to take up his new role as Archbishop of York.

God in Creation