NEWS BRIEFS

Spiritually challenging expressionist art

Added works… spectacular… from Expressionist Artist Michael Mulcahy at St Iberius’ church Wexford. Spiritually challenging? The rector believes so. He commented “Wonderfully so… creating an opportunity of engagement…”

Maintaining Far Eastern Mission links

On Sunday the Director of Chapel Music at Trinity College, Dublin, and Dublin University Far Eastern Mission committee member, Dr Kerry Houston, attended the rededication of St Philip’s church in the Diocese of Western Kowloon. This follows extensive renovations after damage sustained during a strong typhoon last year ([http://dwk.hkskh.org/stphilip]). The service was led by Bishop Andrew Chan who delivered the Godfrey Day memorial lecture at Trinity some years ago. The Director of the Church of Ireland Theological Institute, the Revd Dr Maurice Elliott, and Dr Houston will attend the ordination of Kenneth Lo to the diaconate in St John’s cathedral, Hong Kong, on All Saint’s Day. Kenneth spent a short time at the Church of Ireland Theological Institute in January of this year.

C of I reading list on Irish Independence and its aftermath

Are you curious about Ireland’s history? ‘Divided States: Irish Independence and its Aftermath, 1918-1923’ is a reading list that presents a selection of what is best in the historical literature covering this contentious period.

This 20-page booklet, produced by the Church of Ireland’s Historical Centenaries Working Group, seeks to guide the reader to make his or her own discoveries. The front cover depicts continuity and change in that time as seen at the pillar box – with King George V’s monogram – on Dublin’s Westmoreland Street.

It includes an introductory essay by Archbishop Richard Clarke and covers the wider context of Irish history, nationalism and unionism, biographies and local studies, the role of women, the Anglo-Irish Treaty and the Civil War, partition and the development of Northern Ireland, and the experiences of the southern Protestant community.

Please feel free to read and download at [http://bit.ly/2OXsslf]

Songs of Praise in Larne parish this Saturday

St Cedma’s Church, Larne, will host a special evening of ‘Songs of Praise’ this Saturday (November 2) at 7pm. Borrowing its title and format from the long-running television series, the event will be an opportunity to join in singing favourite hymns under the baton of Richard Yarr, presenter of BBC Radio Ulster’s ‘Sounds Sacred’.

Accompaniment will be provided by organist Rev Dr Ian Mills, curate of St Cedma’s, and a brass ensemble.

Mr Yarr is no stranger to the town, having adjudicated at the Larne Music Festival on several occasions in recent years. A senior producer at BBC NI, he has many musical strings to his bow, not least creating the hugely successful BBC School Choir of the Year competition, and chairing the annual Charles Wood Festival in Armagh. In recognition of his contribution to music, he was awarded the Freedom of the City of London earlier this year.

Rev Ian Mills, who has been serving as Curate at St Cedma’s since September 2018, is the current President of the Ulster Society of Organists and Choirmasters.

Prior to ordination he was Organist and Master of the Choristers in St Columb’s Cathedral, Londonderry, and a busy teacher, choral director and recitalist.

Looking forward to the evening, Rev Ian said: “The singing of hymns is the lifeblood of the church’s worship across many of our traditions. I can guarantee that you will be uplifted by joining us as we sing songs of praise.”

The event will include a musical tribute to the late Archy McNeill, the well-loved Larne musician who died in June.

In addition to inspiring many young musicians through his teaching at Larne High School, Archy was for many years the organist and choirmaster in St Cedma’s. He was also a member of the concert group ‘Gaslight’.

The evening is free of charge, although contributions to a retiring collection will be shared between St Cedma’s Building Fund and Cancer Focus Northern Ireland.

Refreshments will follow in the Parish Hall.

Mission history on the Shankill Road in Belfast

In 1898 – the Shankill Road Mission, Belfast, was erected. The buildings had a large amphitheatre to seat about 2,000, medical mission , soup kitchen, with four shops fronting the road. It closed in 2009. The mission originally started in a large tent in 1869 and was founded in order to help the people of the Shankill who were at that time living in extreme poverty. In 2010, the Shankill Road Mission congregation was amalgamated with the Townsend Street congregation.

This block of buildings, of which the foundation-stones were laid on Oct. 23rd, has a frontage of 92ft. and a depth of 13.5ft. free from ancient-light restrictions on every side. A present day aerial photo shows the amphitheatre is now removed.
More to read here – [http://archiseek.com/2014/1898-shankill-road-mission-belfast-co-antrim/]

Predictive livers