NEWS BRIEFS

Belfast Jewish heritage walk

The next Jewish heritage walking tour in Belfast city centre – Tuesday 29 October, 10am, meet at Jaffe Fountain, Victoria Square. The Jaffe Fountain commemorates the founder of the Belfast Jewish community. The tour will take about an hour and will finish at the back of City Hall. Voluntary donation. Contact Steven at belfastjewishheritage@yahoo.com for more info.

Cinemagic Cathedral

Emma Gilmore, George Best Belfast City Airport, Belfast Cathedral’s Holly Wilson and Cinemagic CEO Joan Burney Keatings, get ready to follow the yellow brick road to the Cinemagic Film Festival Gala Screening of The Wizard of Oz in Belfast Cathedral on Wednesday 30th October supported by George Best Belfast City Airport’s Community Fund! The Gala event marks the closing of the film programme of the 30th Anniversary festival and it is screening as part of BFI Musicals! The Greatest Show on Screen, a UK-wide film season supported by National Lottery, BFI Film Audience Network and ICO. www.cinemagic.org.uk

69th anniversary of ordination

Congratulations to Canon Dermot Jameson who celebrated the 69th anniversary of his ordination on Sunday 20 October. To mark the occasion the 92 year–old preached and celebrated Holy Communion in Saint Bronach’s Parish Church, Rostrevor, where he was rector from 1979–83. After the service, parishioners joined Dermot and Sheila in the Parish Room for a cup of tea and anniversary cake. The Revd Elizabeth Hanna assisted at the service.

Examples of social action in Dublin parishes wanted

The Diocesan Committee for Social Action in Dublin & Glendalough is calling on parishes to share their initiatives on inclusion, social justice and faith in action. Proposing the report of the committee, the Revd Rob Clements said that they were creating a forum for parishes to share the small things they are doing in their communities that make a big difference to those on the margins of society.

“Sometimes people who are passionate about social action can drift into unhelpful territory. We drift into ‘virtue signalling’ whereby we shake our fists at the injustices in the world, and while that might make us feel good about ourselves, it does little to disrupt the ills of our age. We can sometimes take aim at the ‘macro–injustices’ of our age, and while it may be important to do so, sometimes we leave people lost for what to do because the issues and challenges feel so overwhelming,” he said.

Mr Clements said that the forum could showcase ideas for encouragement but also because other parishes might be able to replicate them. The plan is to highlight one initiative each month on social media and asked parishes to get in touch with the chairperson, the Revd Olive Donohoe or secretary, Dr John MacDougald.

He also informed Synod that the ‘Handy to Have’ leaflet, which provides details of a wide range of services, has been updated.

Thanksgiving donation to RVH Liver Support Group

Ballywillan Parish, Portrush, welcomed Aaron Smyth to their Harvest Thanksgiving on Sunday. He shared his story about receiving a liver transplant and told us a little bit about the RVH Liver Support Group. The proceeds from the Sunflower Festival and the Harvest Thankoffering will be shared between the Liver Support Group and the Parish Building Fund.

Tickets available for 5th Methodist All-IN

The President writes – ‘Those of us who attended the last ‘All-In’ in Newry are already on our starting blocks for this one. This is the fifth Methodist ‘All’ – all need to be involved in helping others know the first four. So I encourage you to come, to enable others to come, and to come prepared for the adventure of sharing the gospel in the world of today.’ Tickets available here: https://buff.ly/2VngZi4

West Cork History Festival

The 2020 West Cork History Festival will take place from 6-9 August. Check on our website, follow WCHF on social media or subscribe to its mailing list [by emailing westcorkhistoryfestival@gmail.com] to get updates as WCHF develops its 2020 programme.

Food for thought

“The journey into faith belongs within the wider search for what is important in life.

In today’s world, there are so many attractions and we are constantly under pressure to conform; we are bombarded by advertising for things that we really do not need.

These are not the things that will really fill the voids that are in our hearts.”

Archbishop Diarmuid Martin in his homily to celebrate the canonisation of John Henry Newman