Connor team members preach in churches in Yei Diocese; Introduction at Christ Church Dun Laoghaire; Dublin Unity service
Connor team members preach in churches in Yei Diocese
The Connor team currently in Yei, South Sudan, preached at a number of different churches in Yei Diocese on Sunday January 20. It was an early start for most, with some of the services getting underway at 7.30am. Bishop Alan preached in Emmanuel Cathedral in Yei, Canon Sam Wright was in St Paul’s Church, Archdeacon Stephen Forde was in Jigimoni Church, Rev Andrew Sweeney was in St Philip’s, Dr Frank Dobbs was in the thatched Nyogwe Church and Judith Cairns and CMSI’s David Gough were in Longamere Parish. Longamere is 13 miles along a very rutted dirt track road. DCO Karen Bushby was at the Cathedral for Bishop Alan’s first English language service, and also travelled to Longamere where Judith was preaching. On Monday January 21 they visited Mongo where Connor Diocese funded the new primary school.
Introduction at Christ Church Dun Laoghaire
The Service of Introduction of the Revd Ása Bjork Ólafsdóttir takes place in Christ Church Dun Laoghaire on Thursday January 31 at 8.00 pm. Refreshments will be served in the Parish Hall after the service.
Dublin Unity service
The inaugural service for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity took place in St George’s and St Thomas’s Church on Cathal Bruagh Street on Friday January 18.
The service was coordinated by the Indian Orthodox Congregation who use the Church of Ireland church and was attended by Church leaders from many Christian denominations including Archbishop Michael Jackson and Archbishop Diarmuid Martin. Fr Brendan Leahy, bishop elect of Limerick, was also present.
The preacher by Revd Prof Fredrick Bliss, Professor of Ecumenical Theology at the University of St Thomas Aquinas, Rome.
In his reflection he said that they were indebted to the Indian Christian students who cited the great injustices done to the Dalits of India in their preparation of the background material for this years Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. They urged congregations to think about the havoc that castes or religious divisions caused for people, communities and the Christian Church.
“To live with Christian division is one option. Another is not to accept the status quo, but to become pro–active disciples of Christ for the restoration of the unity for which He prayed (John 17, 11),” he said.
Prof Bliss shared a series of stories of people and communities throughout the world who had chosen to make Christ’s prayer for unity their own.