NEWS BRIEFS

Harvest 2019 and Food banks

Belvoir Parish (photo above) and First Antrim Presbyterian Church (photo below) reflected the link be tween Harvest Thanksgiving and enabling local food banks.

Guiding award

Congratulations to Maureen Adair who received a Girlguiding Ulster Award on Wednesday for outstanding service and commitment to guiding in Dromore. Maureen, who is a leader at 1st Dromore Guides, was presented this along with her 60 Years Service Award by Chief Commissioner Brenda Herron and Deputy Chief Commissioner Tracey Braziel.

Upcoming events

On Wednesday the Cashel, Ferns & Ossory Diocesan Synod will take place in the Woodford Dolmen Hotel, Carlow, while in An Grianan Hotel, Burt, the Derry & Raphoe Diocesan Synod will meet.

On Thursday there will be a Lunchtime Healing Service in St. Macartin’s Cathedral Hall, Enniskillen, from 1.00–1.35pm, led by Canon Henry Blair.

The Annual Seminar of Affirming Catholicism Ireland will take place on Saturday 26th October in the Church of Ireland Theological Institute. The subject is ‘Reconciliation’ and the speakers are the Revd Earl Storey, recently retired editor of the Church of Ireland Gazette, and Revd Dr Alex Wimberley, the newly appointed Director at Corrymeela. Registration begins at 10.30 and costs £20/€20 including lunch. The day will finish with Evening Prayer at 3.30. To reserve a place, please email affcathire@gmail.com

Uncertain Future – Our Society and Faith, Lord Eames

The Church of Ireland Mens’ Society (CIMS) is hosting an event on Friday October at 8.15pm in Holywood Parish Church. The Rt Revd the Lord Eames OM will give a talk entitled: Uncertain Future – Our Society and Faith as we face post-Brexit. The talk will be preceded at 7.30 pm by the CIMS Triennial General Meeting. 71 Church Road, Holywood, BT18 9BX

Armagh organ recital tribute to former mentor

The third in this year’s recital series will be given by Revd Dr Peter Thompson on Sunday 3 November 2019 in St Patrick’s Church of Ireland Cathedral, Armagh at 4.15pm.

Peter is the Cathedral’s Assistant Organist, so greatly familiar with the Cathedral’s organ. Speaking ahead of this year’s recital, he said, “November is traditionally a time of remembrance, beginning with the commemoration of All Saints and All Souls. My choice of recital programme this year picks up that theme, but in a very personal way. A few weeks ago, my former teacher, mentor and friend, David Drinkell, died quite suddenly. This recital is a personal tribute to him.”

Peter continued, “David was an extraordinary organist, who, since moving to Canada in 2002, gave a weekly recital of organ music. He performed a cycle of the complete organ works of Bach, and I remember from my lessons with him his particular love of the G minor Fantasia and Fugue with which my programme will open.”

It was as a performer of Howells’ organ works that David truly excelled, and his recording of Master Tallis’s Testament is regarded as one of the finest of this work. Peter will pair this with another piece from the same collection, the Preludio ‘Sine Nomine’. On another recording David included the spine-tingling Choral Fantasia on Wachet Auf by Karg-Elert which will conclude the programme.

David had a policy of including a piece in every recital which was new to his repertoire, and, following his example, Tim Knight’s Irish Cantilena, written for Peter earlier this year as a thank you for performing some of his other organ works will receive its recital premiere. The final choice is a majestic piece by the French virtuoso Dupré in which the final journey of both body and soul are depicted in music, and the bells of heaven ring as the soul is welcomed into paradise.

Admission to the recital is free with a retiring collection most welcome towards the further endowment of the Cathedral choir through the Archbishop’s Choir Fund.

Kids programme at major Methodist Church event

The Methodist Church in Ireland is offering a free kids programme for children who attend primary school (& additionally Year 8 in NI) at #ALLIN19! To register, please complete the following form: [https://buff.ly/2VJPgbv]

Hospital Chaplaincy insight

Rev Michael Anderson, Presbyterian Church chaplain in Musgrave Park Hospital, Belfast, has discovered during his visits the severe impact arthritis and autoimmune conditions have on people. Pray for increased funding for research, treatments and key staffing posts.

Mother’s Union reconciliation work in Ethiopia

Some of the women from the Mother’s Union in Gambela, Ethiopia who do some amazing reconciliation work between different tribes.

From the President’s Desk

I went back to school last Monday – my old primary school at The Bush, which I left 51 years ago, which is now in a slightly different place, and which is no longer monochrome but highly colourful! It was a wonderful experience. I enjoyed every minute of my primary years at The Bush and every minute of my return visit. Lots of dormant memories were stirred up and much reflection ensued. I noted that the education we received was not just academic – one spring morning we watched a lamb being born in a field near the school. And I remembered that we learned what Henry learned: when he came home from his first day at school his mother asked him, ‘What did you learn today dear?’ Henry replied, ‘Not enough. I have to go back tomorrow.’ I hope we’re all still learning: about the world we live in, about the environment we’re abusing, about the people we share this world with, about how we best can live together in this world, about what is right and what is wrong in the world, about the God whose world it is, about the Son he sent to be the Saviour of the world, about the purpose of the people of God in the world today, and about the glorious world to come. #GodIsOurAdventure. Every blessing.

The President’s Diary:
Sunday 20th: Tallaght, Rathgar and Dublin Korean Church
Monday/Tuesday: Pastoral Visits in and around Dublin
Wednesday: Focolare Conference in Larne
Thursday: Dundrum Church and Wesley College
Friday: McVerry Trust and Capuchin Community
Saturday: Mountjoy Prison and Garda Station
Sunday 27th October: Glastry

New parish centre

Archbishop Diarmuid Martin blessed and opened the new Parish Pastoral Centre at St Francis of Assisi Parish, Priorswood

Food for thought

God’s power to bring the dead to life is not first a promise concerning our bodily death at the end of our earthly pilgrimage but it is a promise that each time we go astray, each time we fall into the death trap, God is ready to help with his grace, calling us back to life. Benedictine Monks, Rostrevor