Return after controversy, Clerical vacancies in Down & Dromore
Return after controversy
The Very Revd. Ian Corbett, the former Church of Ireland Dean of Tuam and who is gay, is returning to Ireland 12 years after his resignation to resume his contribution to the Church’s ‘Listening Process’ on gay sexuality. He resigned from his post in the west of Ireland in 1999 following local criticism of his pro-gay contribution to the 1998 Anglican Lambeth conference. Mr. Corbett had a subsequent highly commended ministry in Africa and in the USA where in 2008 he was granted a humanities award by the state of Utah.
Ian said “It is moving for me to be invited back to Ireland as it was the reaction to my speaking out in the context of the 1998 Lambeth Conference that led me to leave Ireland prematurely”.
Rev Corbett has been invited back to Ireland by Changing Attitude Ireland a Church of Ireland organisation with ecumenical friends working for the affirmation of gay persons within the Churches. According to Dr Richard O’Leary a spokesperson for Changing Attitude Ireland “We are delighted to welcome Very Revd. Ian Corbett back to Ireland. Thirteen years ago he courageously spoke up for gay persons at the Anglican Lambeth Conference and for which he paid a personal price. Fortunately since then Irish society and the Church of Ireland have become better informed and accepting of gay persons, although this process still has some way to go.”
Rev Corbett will be giving a public lecture in Dublin on the topic “Living as a sexual and spiritual being in contrasting cultures” on 22ndOctober at 2pm at St. Catherine Church, Donore Ave. Dublin 8. He will also preach the following morning at the 10.45am Sunday service in the chapel of Trinity College Dublin. His visit comes a month after the revelation that the Dean of Leighlin the Revd Tom Gordon had entered into a same sex civil partnership.
Clerical vacancies in Down & Dromore
The Parish of Saint Mark, Dundela seeks to appoint a rector.
The parish is situated in East Belfast stretching out from the Holywood Road to Craigantlet. It includes a representative mix of housing – private, public and care for senior citizens. It is staffed with a curate and a parish administrator and has about 650 families. The worship style of St. Mark’s is welcoming and traditional.
We wish to appoint a rector who will:
• Seek to deepen the spiritual life of all who worship, while maintaining and developing the existing traditional worship, dignified liturgy, and choral music
• Offer pastoral care to all our parishioners, including those families who have limited involvement in the parish
• Seek to further, in a creative fashion, the existing outreach with the local community and the wider church family
Closing date: 14th November 2011. For further information please contact:
Tracey Taggart, Church of Ireland House, 61–67 Donegall Street, Belfast, BT1 2QH.
ttaggart@diocoff@belfast.org
Parish of Seapatrick, Banbridge
The Parish of Seapatrick, Banbridge, seeks to appoint a rector.
The Parish is centred on the provincial town of Banbridge, some 25 miles south of Belfast on the main A1 route to Dublin.
This dynamic parish, one of the largest in the Church of Ireland, has an established ministry team and seeks an experienced rector to lead it.
The parish seeks to:
• Develop both traditional and contemporary forms of worship
• Maintain its pivotal role in community relations
• Offer sustained pastoral care
• Promote a varied and supportive range of organisations for all age groups
• Prioritise spiritual growth through sustained prayer fellowship, mission support and parish Bible study groups
Closing date: 16th November 2011. For further information please contact:
Tracey Taggart, Church of Ireland House, 61–67 Donegall Street, Belfast, BT1 2QH.
Email: ttaggart@diocoff@belfast.org