NEWS BRIEFS

Friends of Cathedral Music… B is for…Belfast

Friends of Cathedral Music came over the Irish Sea to visit St Anne’s Cathedral, Belfast. They commented –

As Advent Sunday marks the beginning of the new church year, it is appropriate that this Advent heralds an exciting new beginning in the musical life of Belfast Cathedral. During Advent, the new Belfast Cathedral Children’s Choir will be rehearsing for their first performances at the Cathedral carol services later in December. The Children’s Choir is the idea Matthew Owens, the new Director of Music. It provides a unique solution to the fact that Belfast Cathedral is one of the few cathedrals in the UK without a dedicated choir school, instead drawing boy and girl choristers from schools across Belfast and beyond. From now on, the Belfast Cathedral Children’s Choir will rehearse once a week and sing at the Sunday morning Eucharist and special services throughout the year.

Today is one of the few days between Advent Sunday and Christmas Day when there isn’t a carol service. Yesterday, as well as the Advent Carol Service featuring music by Guerrero, Stainer and Rachmaninov, the Cathedral hosted a carol service for Northern Ireland Hospice, the first of 16 carol and other seasonal services to be held at the Cathedral, many for charities and organisations from across Northern Ireland. This includes two Cathedral carol services, on the 22nd and 24th December, Midnight Mass and Christmas Day Eucharist. Alongside all these, the normal round of daily services continues.

C of I education board reps at international assembly

Dr Peter Hamill and Dr Ken Fennelly recently attended the General Assembly of the International Association for Christian Education in Vienna on behalf of the Boards of Education (Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland). The theme of the assembly was on Sustainable Development and how our spiritual life and a responsibility for the world around us go hand in hand. The assembly was held in Evangelische Volksschule (church primary school) in Vienna, one of a small number of Protestant schools in Austria.

The International Association brings delegates together from around Europe and beyond. The assembly provided networking opportunities with Christian schools across Europe. Dr Hamill and Dr Fennelly hope to explore links between schools in Ireland and schools in Holland in the near future. Dr Hamill also hopes to organise a European study visit in Belfast in 2021 on behalf of the association.

St Andrew’s Night Ceilidh in Eglantine

All Saints’ Parish, Eglantine, held a St Andrew’s Night Ceilidh with the Alastair Scott Ceilidh Band on Friday November 29. A great night was had by all! Supper was provided by the ladies of the parish and the evening raised more than £600 for parish funds. Spot the rector in the photos.

Capella Caeciliana concert and CDs for Christmas

If you’re looking for a Christmas present for a music lover check out Capella Caeciliana’s CDs for sale at [ http://caeciliana.org/buy\_cds\_online ]Cost from only £6 inc. postage. Track listings at [caeciliana.org/recordings/]
Capella Caeciliana will send a tied bundle of all 5 of our CDs anywhere in the world for £30, inc. postage.

Cappella Caeciliana returns to the beautiful surroundings of St John’s Church, Malone, to present a Christmas Concert at 7.30pm on December 7, 2019.

“We will present a Christmas concert, including audience carols, favourites such as “O Holy Night”, and “A Ceremony of Carols” by Benjamin Britten. We will be joined by the accomplished harpist Tanya Houghton.”

The concert will last for around 75 minutes and will be followed by refreshments. The programme is available online. Tickets including refreshments cost £15 and are available online, and from Matchetts Music, 50 Wellington Place, Belfast. Under 25s will be admitted free of charge – no ticket required. For the Sat nav – 141 Malone Road, Belfast BT9 6SX

Fun, food and faith at Derry Alpha Youth event

Almost 40 young people took part in the last of this year’s Youth Alpha meetings at Glendermott Parish Halls near Altnagelvin Hospital.

The course for teenagers Is run by the interdenominational group, Youth Initiatives, on behalf of Derry Rural Deanery and mainly comprises youth from the All Saints Clooney and Glendermott parishes.

The rectors of both parishes, Rev David McBeth and Rev Robert Boyd, joined youth leaders for the final session of 2019. They were aided and abetted by the curate at Glendermott, Rev Nigel Cairns, who crosses the River Foyle in the new year to become Rector of St Augustine’s.

The Youth Alpha meetings take place most Sundays in the year and offer a creative way of Introducing young people to the Bible through activities and worship.

As we know, an army marches on its stomach, and that holds true for youth groups as well; the Rector of Glendermott’s wife, Mrs May Boyd, was on hand on Sunday evening to feed the multitude, none of whom went home hungry

 Parish Reader commissioned for St Patrick’s, Broughshane

Photo – Julie Thompson, Diocesan Reader; Henry Montgomery, preacher; the Rev Dr Andrew Campbell, rector of St Patrick’s, Broughshane; and the Rev Peter Jones, Connor Warden of Readers.

Mrs Julie Thompson was commissioned as Parish Reader at a service in St Patrick’s Broughshane, on November 24.

The preacher at the service was Julie’s uncle, Henry Montgomery, from Asia Link Ireland. He spoke of the family’s pride in Julie for taking this step and encouraged her and the congregation of the need to reach out with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Julie’s mother Violet led prayers, and Julie’s daughters Ella and Rebecca read during the service which was very much a family affair.

New Parish Reader Julie Thompson with her mother Violet, daughters Rebecca and Ella, and husband Ryan.

Julie has been an active member in St Patrick’s for more than 10 years, singing in the choir, serving on the Select Vestry and helping with Holiday Bible Clubs.

She said: “Sunday was such a special day and I really appreciated so many friends and family joining with me and supporting me. I am really looking forward to what is to come.”

Welcoming Julie to her new role, the rector of St Patrick’s, Broughshane, the Rev Dr Andrew Campbell said: “I am delighted that Julie has taken this next step in her own ministry, she is a woman of boundless ability and a committed love of Jesus Christ. It is my hope that other’s will see how Julie has stepped out in faith and like her step into new ministry roles in our church family.”

Julie’s commissioning is part of a wider parish strategy that seeks to grow leaders and enable the parish to reach out in its mission to the community in Broughshane.

Changes in Cashel, Ferns and Ossory

The Reverend Patrick Burke takes leave of Castlecomer at the end of the year. Bishop Michael comments in the diocesan magazine, “We recall his manifold spiritual gifts, his pen which is that of a ready writer and in particular his period of editorship of this magazine.

“We learn with sadness of the decision of the Reverend Michael Stevenson to retire from Bunclody in February. In his years in the diocese Michael’s parishioners have found him to be a rock of pastoral wisdom, always steady and calming and with an ordered careful approach to worship which has enriched many. He will be a great loss to the diocese, not least as Chair of the committee which oversees the business of this very magazine.

“We might have wished to hold onto the Reverend Dr David Compton after his fruitful years as curate and Bishop’s vicar in the Kilkenny Union, where his varied talents and scholarly approach have been much valued. However, he has decided after much thought to return home to the USA in the new year and take up ministry in Virginia.”