Annual Service of Remembrance at Cork University Maternity Hospital; Church Army celebration; Holywood presents £40,000 to Fields of Life; Fields of Life 20th Anniversary Concert; Harvest Gathering to Take Place in St Audoen’s
Annual Service of Remembrance at Cork University Maternity Hospital
The death of a baby is recognised as one of the most difficult bereavements that has a life-long impact for families. Each year our local Cork University Maternity Hospital hosts an ecumenical Service of Remembrance where parents gather with staff to remember and honour their baby.
The 2013 service will take place on Friday 11 October at 7pm at the Sacred Heart Church, Western Road, Cork and will be followed by refreshments.
One of the Hospital Chaplains, Daniel Nuzum, said, “The death of a baby before or after birth is a devastating experience for parents and family members. Our multi-denominational Service of Remembrance is an important part of our ongoing care and support when we as a hospital community gather with parents and families to remember your baby, to offer support and to comfort one-another during what is a very gentle and moving ceremony. During the service of readings and music there will be an opportunity to light a candle in memory of your baby, write an inscription in our Book of Remembrance and to spend some reflective time with others who share in your journey.”
According to Dr Keelin O’Donoghue, Consultant Obstetrician and lead clinician of the Pregnancy Loss services at CUMH, “Pregnancy loss has considerable impact on parents, physically, emotionally and spiritually, altering their health and social wellbeing, and also carries implications for the woman’s long-term health and future pregnancies. Our annual Service of Remembrance is an important and supportive experience for parents and families on their journey of bereavement.”
All who have experienced the loss of a pregnancy or the death of a baby are invited to attend.
For further information please contact Daniel Nuzum or Linda Walsh (021) 4929500
Church Army celebration
Bishop Harold Miller led the devotions at a special Church Army Celebration and Thanksgiving event at the Jethro Centre last month.
The organisation’s Chief Executive Mark Russell addressed the gathering and described Church Army as, ‘a provocative organisation,’ both in calling the church to mission and in drawing people to ask about God and as a ‘movement of mission’. He also said that, over the next year, Church Army would be creating resources ‘to help clergy and parishes do evangelism better.’
Other contributors included Sister Myrtle Morrison, Church Army Evangelist in Charge in St Saviour’s, Portadown, in Dromore Diocese. She spoke about Church Army’s Craigavon Centre of Mission and gave examples of her wide engagement in community work in an area which is in the top 25% most deprived in Northern Ireland.
Willowfield parishioner and CA Evangelist, Jasper Rutherford, who works for Summer Madness, shared about his work with young people and their experience of spiritual renewal at the annual youth event. He also said that he was hoping to extend his work from the teens/20s to the 20s/30s age group.
Holywood presents £40,000 to Fields of Life
On Sunday 29 September, Holywood Parish celebrated the presentation of a cheque for £40,000 to Fields of Life. The money will help to extend the school in the village of Kkalwe, Uganda.
The Vicar, The Rev’d Roger Elks, lead a team to visit the village last October and will return with a second team in February 2014 to open the new school classrooms.
Fields of Life 20th Anniversary Concert
As part of the Fields of Life Celebration Tour, there will be a special Anniversary Concert at 7.30 pm on 10 October 2013 in the Assembly Hall, Assembly Building, Fisherwick Place, Belfast.
The concert will feature the Fields of Life Choir with Kingsway Worship Artist, Nathan Jess, and players from the New Irish Arts.
Tickets cost £10 and you can purchase them by contacting Helen at the Fields of Life office on: helen.keown@fieldsoflife.org or by telephoning +44 (0) 28 3839 0395.
Harvest Gathering to Take Place in St Audoen’s
St Audoen’s, Cornmarket, Dublin 8, location of the Office of Public Works Visitors’ Centre, is hosting a “Harvest Gathering” on Friday October 18 2013 at 7.30 pm with a revival of a Harvest Thanksgiving in St Audoen’s, the only surviving medieval Church in Dublin. The church is next door to the other St Audoen’s on High Street, centre for the Polish Chaplaincy.
The Church will be decorated with flowers, foliage, fruit and vegetables, and the Gathering will be celebrated in singing and with music, poetry and readings.
The ancient bells of St Audoen’s will be rung before the event which will be followed by a reception in the Visitor Centre, where traditional Harvest and Halloween fare will be provided. This free event is open to the public.
The produce of fruit and vegetables, donated towards the decoration of the church for this thanksgiving will be on display over the weekend of October 18 to 20. All produce will then be donated to the Morning Star Hostel for the homeless.
The event will be covered by Dublin Community Television, recently returned from covering (sponsored by St Audoen’s) the Homeless World Cup in Poznan Poland, in which the Homeless Irish Soccer Team took part.
If you wish to contribute or participate:
please contact markgardner@eircom.net or valerieanddavid63@gmail.com