Church Army leader comforts C of E murder victim’s widow; Memorial Eucharist for Canon Brian Mayne; The Four Corners Festival seeks to inspire the people of Belfast; Call to report abuse suspicions
Church Army leader comforts murder victim’s widow
Newsletter – A former Co Armagh man who is chief executive of the Church Army in England is foremost in comforting the family of Alan Greaves, the Church of England lay reader and organist who died after an attack in Sheffield at Christmas.
Mark Russell, originally from Richhill, described Maureen, 63, and Alan Greaves, 68, as “a wonderful, Christian couple who served the deprived High Green estate area of Sheffield with true devotion”.
Mrs Greaves was in court yesterday to see two men stand accused of attacking her husband when he made his way to church for a midnight service on Christmas Eve. Ashley Foster, 21, and Jonathan Bowling, 22, were remanded in custody accused of murder when they appeared before magistrates in Sheffield.
Mr Greaves, a grandfather, died three days after he was attacked. At a service after her husband’s death, Mrs Greaves said she had wept over the “evil that has been done”.
She sat at the back of the court during the four-minute hearing. As she left court with Detective Superintendent Matt Fenwick, who is leading the murder inquiry, she said: “Justice will be done.”
Asked if her faith was helping her through this difficult time, she said: “Immensely. The support of the congregation and the police has been outstanding. I just want to pay tribute to all they’ve done, the sensitivity with which they’ve dealt with the case.”
Maureen is a Church Army evangelist, and Alan – a retired social worker – carried out voluntary work, supporting his wife of 40 years.
Mark said: “As well as being a talented Christian worker among the community, Alan was a marvellous musician. He was on his way to the Christmas Eve night service at St Saviour’s Church to play the organ and was set upon in what can only be described as recreational murder – so senseless and such a waste of a fine gentleman.”
Mark, 37, moved the headquarters of the Church Army from London to Sheffield in 2006 after which he really got to know Maureen Greaves, one of 300 full-time evangelists within the Church Army in England.
“She is a truly inspirational woman,” he said. “She and Alan were inseparable and wherever she went, he was almost sure to be there, backing her up. This murder is horrendous, but Maureen’s faith is rock-solid and she will use this truly awful experience to add another dimension to her ministry and bring the people she serves closer to God.”
Mark heard the news of the attack on father-of-four Alan while he was spending Christmas at the Richhill home of his mother Elizabeth. He broke the news of his death on Twitter, stating he was devastated. Alan was found lying on the pavement, about 300 metres from the church, by a pizza delivery man and died in hospital from serious head injuries.
Mark said: “Alan was a fundamental part of Maureen’s ministry. I knew him really well. If you look on the Church Army website, you’ll find videos of Maureen and in every scene you’ll see Alan in the background, playing instruments or talking to kids.”
Mark started off his ministry with the Methodist Church in Co Armagh. He read law at Queen’s University and was one of the youngest licensed local preachers in the Methodist Church in Ireland. For three years, he served as youth pastor of Lurgan Methodist Church.
He moved to the Church Army in London in 2000, was appointed chief executive six years later.
Memorial Eucharist for Canon Brian Mayne
A Memorial Eucharist in Thanksgiving for the life of Canon Brian Mayne will take place on Saturday 19th January 2013 at 3.00pm in St John’s Parish Church, Malone.
The service will followed by refreshments in the Church Hall
The Four Corners Festival seeks to inspire the people of Belfast
The Four Corners Festival seeks to inspire people from across the city of Belfast to transform it for the peace and prosperity of all. Innovative events are taking place from 8–25 January, during and around the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. They are designed to entice people out of their own ‘corners’ of the city and into new places where they will encounter new perspectives, new ideas, new friends.
The Festival was conceived by a group of Christians who wish to promote unity and reconciliation in the midst of our city’s – and our islands’ – troubled past. See www.4cornersfestival.com
You are warmly invited you to attend the events which include:
The History of the Book of Kells – Dr Angela Griffith, Trinity College Dublin Thursday 17 January, 7.00 pm, Cultúrlann McAdam Ó Fiaich Dr Angela Griffith from Trinity College Dublin will be taking a lecture on the history of the Book of Kells.
Cross Community Prayer Breakfast – Friday 18 January, Clonard Monastery Invited guests from across Belfast will converge on Clonard Monastery for the first “Four Corners Festival” Prayer Breakfast. Invited guests only.
The Gospel According To … Christy Moore – Friday 18 January, 8 pm, Clonard Monastery The musicians at Fitzroy Presbyterian Church have been doing a series of Gospel According To… events for a few years.
Architectural Tour of Skainos (East Belfast) and St Oliver Plunkett Church (West Belfast) – Saturday 19 January, 2.00 pm–5 pm
Seminar on the Agreed Statement on Justification
– Thursday 24 January, 7.30 pm– 9.00 pm, St Patrick’s Church, Donegall Street.
Speakers:
Mrs Gillian Kingston (Methodist)
Revd Tony Davidson (Presbyterian)
Sister Geraldine Smyth OP (Roman Catholic)
Chairman:Very Revd John Mann, Dean of St Anne’s Cathedral
4 Corners Prayer and Worship – Festival Closing Event Saturday 26 January, 11.30 am – Various Locations but St Dorothea’s is the East Belfast venue whilst the Dock Church at Titanic is the joint ‘Four Corners’ venue.
Organisers – Rev Lesley Carroll, Fortwilliam and Macrory Presbyterian, North Belfast Jonny Currie Gladys Ganiel, Irish School of Ecumenics, Trinity College Dublin at Belfast Glenn Jordan, Skainos, East Belfast Nigel Kirkpatrick, Rector of St Dorothea’s, Gilnahirk Fr Martin Magill, St Oliver Plunkett Parish, Lenadoon Michael McRay, Irish School of Ecumenics, Trinity College Dublin at Belfast Brian O’Neill Pádraig Ó Tuama Ed Petersen, Clonard Reconciliation Project Rev Steve Stockman, Fitzroy Presbyterian, South Belfast Rev Paul Symonds OBE
MEDIA REVIEW
Call to report abuse suspicions
BBC News – Most people who suspect children are being abused do not report their suspicions quickly enough, a children’s charity is warning.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-20992710