NEWS BRIEFS

Photo above – Thornhill College, winners of last year’s senior title

Derry venue for Primary School Choir of the Year

Derry’s Guildhall will host the final of this year’s BBC Northern Ireland Primary School Choir of the Year competition.

Following on from the success of previous years, more than 50 choirs from across Northern Ireland will be singing to impress as they battle it out for a place in the finals.

The first programme was aired yesterday at 2.00pm on BBC Radio Ulster.
The second programme, to be broadcast at the same time on Sunday week, March 15, will see Thornhill College, winners of last year’s senior title, among 10 schools bidding to clinch a place in the semi-finals.

The finals of both competitions will take place in the Guildhall next month, on dates yet to be confirmed.

Derry tenor George Hutton is among the judges who also include Richard Yarr, senior classical music producer with BBC Northern Ireland; Ciaran Scullion, head of music with Arts Council of Northern Ireland and Lynsey Callaghan, conductor of the Dublin Youth Choir.

Galway church members meet Royal visitors

Catherine Moore Temple, of St Nicholas Galway was among the a community representatives introduced to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge when they visited Galway. The Rector, the Very Rev Lynda Peilow, also met the Duke, and he congratulated her on the programme marking the major anniversary of St Nicholas.

Ballysillan says thank you to ‘a very special person’

Mr Jim Patterson (Churchwarden), the Rev Campbell Dixon MBE, Mrs Jacqui Dixon, and Mr Jack Briggs (Churchwarden), at the farewell service in St Mark’s, Ballysillan.

The parishioners of St Mark’s, Ballysillan, recently said a fond farewell to the Rev Campbell Dixon MBE, who has retired as priest-in-charge.

A special service in St Mark’s celebrated the career and retirement of a man described by people’s churchwarden, Jack Briggs, as ‘a very special person.’

The service also acknowledged the parish’s ‘pain at the departure of a very dear fellow worker,’ Mr Briggs said.

The Parish of St Mark, Ballysillan, was formed in 1852 and during its lifetime of 167 years, has been served by 18 incumbents.

“During Campbell’s three years, he compiled numerous special orders of service with appropriate prayers. He was also instrumental in gaining the grant that financed the installation of a new toilet suite in our redecorated hall,” Mr Briggs said.

“Campbell has been active on the board of governors in Ligoniel Primary School where his input was really appreciated.”

Mr Briggs added that in 2016 the parish had acquired not only a minister, but also Campbell’s wife Jacqui who, he said, had been ‘an inspirational, enthusiastic asset.’

“She entered fully in the life of the parish, reading lessons and prayers in our worship also participating on the social side. Their ministry has been performed as unto each one of us. We will miss them both tremendously,” Mr Briggs said.

He added that Campbell was a man of ‘Compassion, Honour, Reliability, Integrity, Sincerity, Trust. A man who preaches/teaches Christ Jesus as Lord!’

Mr Briggs said everyone in St Mark’s had profited for having known Campbell, and wished him and Jacqui every blessing as they entered another chapter.

Mr Briggs’ wife Mamie presented Campbell with a gift, and Ellie Moore, one of St Mark’s youngest parishioners, made a presentation to Jacqui.

Installation of Down Archdeacon and Canons

The Revd Canon Ken Higgins will be installed as the Archdeacon of Down and Revds Bill Press and Helene Steed will be installed as Chapter Canons at a service in Down Cathedral on Tuesday 31 March at 7.30 pm. Clergy and Lay Readers are invited to robe. Please notify the cathedral office if you intend to do so. Email: [ info@downcathedral.org ]Tel: (028) 4461 4922

 Lent Choral Compline

On the Fridays in Lent Choral Compline will be sung in Sandford parish church, Ranelagh at 7pm. This beautiful meditative service provides a welcome respite from the busy Friday rush–hour.

Larne recitals

The recitals by the Rev Dr Mills are free to attend, but donations will be welcomed for parish funds.

Concert for Raphoe Cathedral

A unique blend of music will fill the Derry air next month when two of Ireland’s most historic Church of Ireland cathedrals – St Columb’s, Derry, and St Eunan’s, Raphoe – join together for a Spring Gala Concert. The concert, in aid of the Raphoe Cathedral Restoration Fund, will take place in St Columb’s Cathedral next Friday at 7.30pm.

Performers will include the Britannia Concert Band (under Musical Director Stewart Smith), St Columb’s Cathedral Choir (Musical Director Dr Derek Collins), the Raphoe Ulster–Scots Pipe Band (Pipe Major Mark Hassan) and two clergy of the diocese, the Rev Sean Hanily (button accordion) who will be accompanied by the Rev Nigel Cairns (organ). Guest soloists will include Robert Goodman (trumpet), Gail Quigley (oboe) and Martyn Goodman (trombone). The programme will include a variety of genres, with the music of Holst, Elgar, Vaughan Williams, Saint–Saens, Philip Sparke and many others.

The Spring Gala Concert is part of an ambitious campaign to raise €650,000 to pay for the restoration of Raphoe Cathedral. Work will begin just after Easter 2020 on phase one of the restoration, and will continue throughout the summer.

The Dean of Raphoe, the Very Rev Arthur Barrett, is hoping people from across the Diocese of Derry and Raphoe, and people of all faiths and none, will lend their support to the fundraising effort. He said the Spring Gala Concert would be an unprecedented musical event. Dean Barrett has described St Eunan’s Cathedral as a site of enormous spiritual, ecclesiastical and cultural significance – regionally and nationally. “Christian faith has flourished in Raphoe for over 1,400 years,” he said, “and the Cathedral Church of St Eunan has been there for 800 of those years.

God in creation

Grant, O God, that we may be united to you and to our
neighbour with an undivided love;
serve you and your children with an undivided heart
and reverence you and your creation with an undivided will.