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Daybreak Service at Gartan marks start of Columban year of celebration

Church leaders in the North West gathered at St Colmcille’s Abbey near Church Hill in Donegal, early yesterday morning, for a Service marking the beginning of a year of celebrations of Saint Columba, his life and legacy.

The lakes at Gartan provided an icy but stunning backdrop for the service, which began shortly after daybreak, just a few hundred metres from where the saint is reputed to have been born.

The Church of Ireland, Roman Catholic and Presbyterian Churches were represented at yesterday’s service, which was recorded for broadcast on the Colmcille 1500 website.

The Bishop of Derry and Raphoe, the Rt Rev Andrew Forster, the Bishop of Raphoe, the Rev Alan McGuckian, the Moderator of the Donegal and Derry Presbytery, the Rev Thomas Bruce, the Curate at St Colmcille’s Church, Glendowan, Fr Micheal McKeever, the Rector of Conwal with Gartan, the Rev David Houlton and Associate Minister, the Rev Heather Houlton, prayed together in an outdoor service that complied with public health guidelines. Music was provided by Donegal singer Maggie McAteer (Photo above).

After the service, the two bishops and the two Church of Ireland ministers visited Gartan National School, near Church Hill, where senior pupils performed a hymn they had written about St Columba.

See lead report here on CNI yesterday on other events and aspects of this year

The Bishop of Derry and Kingspan

Irish Church Leaders’ Group supports BBC Christmas Appeal on Loneliness and Staying Connected at Christmas

The Church Leaders’ Group yesterdayday issued the following message of support for the BBC Christmas Appeal 2020 on Loneliness and Staying Connected at Christmas:

“Reaching out to those who are feeling lonely and isolated is an important part of the Christmas preparations for local churches. This year, we have had to think even more creatively about how we do that while protecting public health, but we are conscious that this pastoral and community outreach will be more important than ever.

“This has been a particularly difficult year for so many, bringing experiences of loss and separation, especially for those who have been bereaved. At Christmas time, Christians reflect on God’s gift to the world in Christ who would know the reality of human suffering. We pray that those who are struggling will experience the comfort of God’s love and protection in these challenging times.

“We welcome this important contribution from the BBC and its charity partners in encouraging those who are feeling isolated to seek help, and reminding all of us not to underestimate the value of the contribution we each can make by taking the time to share simple messages of care and concern for our neighbours. The unprecedented challenge of a global pandemic has seen communities pull together in solidarity and concern for the most vulnerable. This inspires us with hope as we experience a very different Christmas and look ahead to the New Year.”

The Group comprises – Most Revd Eamon Martin, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland; the Most Revd John McDowell, Church of Ireland Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland; the Rt Revd Dr David Bruce, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland; the Revd Tom McKnight, President of the Methodist Church in Ireland; and the Very Revd Dr Ivan Patterson, President of the Irish Council of Churches.

Carols by Runway Lights: a unique drive–in experience

Photo above – The Revd Mark Gallagher, Rector of Trory Parish Church, along with Jane McKinley, who will both be singing at the Carols by Runway Lights event.

A unique drive–in carol concert, Carols by Runway Lights, is being held at St. Angelo Airport, Enniskillen, on Friday 18th December at 7pm, under the illuminated backdrop of the runway lights on one side and Trory Parish Church on the other side.

Soloists Jane McKinley (Soprano), who sings in St Macartin’s Cathedral, Enniskillen, and the Revd Mark Gallagher (tenor), rector of Trory Parish Church, will lead in a selection of favourite carols and Christmas pieces, interspersed with bible readings and poems.

Mr Gallagher has pointed out this is a carol concert, not a carol service. The sound will be transmitted through everyone’s car radio.

There are no tickets for this event, and parking spaces will be allocated on a first come basis. As there is no charge for entrance, there will be collection buckets as cars leave the airport.

Traditional carol services have to be curtailed this year due to the restricted numbers able to attend churches due to the Coronavirus Covid–19 pandemic.

NI chorister misses out on title

Northern Ireland singer Leah’s Radcliffe’s dream of becoming BBC Young Chorister of the Year on Sunday night.

Fans of the Banbridge teen had been hoping she would take the title in last night’s grand final — but it was not to be.

The year 13 Banbridge Academy pupil reached the illustrious final of the joint Songs of Praise and BBC Radio 2 competition after she performed ‘The Power of the Cross’ in the semi-final.

Judges included composer John Rutter, singer Laura Wright and organist Carl Jackson.

Welsh mezzo-soprano singer Katherine Jenkins, who had tutored Leah in the run up to the final, described Leah’s voice as “beautiful” and “emotional”.

Chorister Alexander Olleson, from Bedford, was named winner of the prestigious annual BBC award, while Lichfield’s Josie Sim received a ‘Highly Commended’ rating.

Evensong felt like an epiphany after months of lockdown

Jane Shilling writes in the Daily Telegraph –

To the Temple Church last week, for a service of choral Evensong, ingeniously modified to combine ancient tradition with modern restrictions. The choir were in civvies and socially distanced; the choirmaster’s feet remained rooted to the floor throughout; the clergy wore chic scarlet masks to match their cassocks. The congregation joined in the prayers but were urged not to sing the hymns. Afterwards we went to the pub for a glass of wine and a (substantial) pie.

This was only the third time I have been to central London since the first lockdown; the other occasions were rather depressing solo excursions, from which I was glad to come home. This time was different.

Over the past nine months we have become almost accustomed to experiencing things at second hand: music, drama, meetings with family and friends, even church services have been delivered via our screens – often with brilliant ingenuity. But now I found myself suddenly back in a world of unmediated sensation: of live music in the soaring acoustics of the Temple Church; of the austere and lovely cadences of the Prayer Book, spoken by priest and congregation gathered together in the same physical space; of walking afterwards through the deserted Inns of Court, brilliantly lit for Christmas and busy with the ghosts of centuries past. A year ago these things would have been a normal part of the preparations for Christmas. Now they had the surreal brilliance of hallucination.

In his book, A Time To Keep Silence, Patrick Leigh Fermor describes leaving the Benedictine Abbey of St Wandrille in northern France, where he had been staying for some weeks to work on a book. Having found it almost impossible at first to adjust to the monastic calm of his surroundings, he found re-entry into the everyday world equally disturbing: “an inferno of noise and vulgarity”. This was the opposite experience: a dazzling reminder of a reality which, before the events of this year, would have seemed quite unremarkable. By this time next year it will – one must hope – have become unremarkable again. But it may be a while before we forget what an extraordinary thing ordinary life can be.

Pointers to prayer

Lord, when we hear again the prophetic words of your messengers told many years ago, our faith is strengthened. We praise you as we contemplate their wonderful fulfilment through the coming of our Messiah, Jesus Christ.

God of Compassion, please fill God’s people in Rwanda with the courage to protect their neighbours’ safety, with the generosity to help the needy. May they be giving and loving, wherever they are, for as long as it takes, wherever you call them.

Today we give thanks for vaccine development around the world. A vaccine has been approved for use in the UK and the roll-out will begin soon.

Lord, we pray for all to follow Christ’s example of treating women and girls with equality and respect. We pray for the dawn of a better world where justice and peace may flourish.

Pray for Keith & Lyn Scott who return to Ireland this weekend for six months of Home Assignment, and are waiting on God’s leading and direction for their future steps. Pray for the Scotts and the CMSI staff as they pray and discuss possible options in the months ahead.

in Zambia where Keith & Lyn ministered, St John’s Theological Seminary lecturers are planning for a new term with a reduced staff team and limited resources. Pray for the seminary as it adjusts without the Scotts. Pray for the students as they prepare for leadership roles in the Church.