Presbyterian Assembly reports; Parish trip to Zambia; Antrim girl to sing for Queen; TCD Chapel Choir to sing Evensong at Eucharistic Congress Symposium; Laity to set up church reform groups; Watchdog works with those abused by priests as children to prevent recurrence; Irish universities reorganisation; Irish Student passport numbers increase in Dundee
Assembly – Christianity ‘at society’s margins’
Belfast Telegraph – Christianity has been pushed to the margins in Northern Ireland, new Presbyterian Moderator Dr Roy Patton has said. It is no longer central to the community, with significant shifts within society leaving it only one of many voices, the senior cleric said. The moderator was addressing the Presbyterian general assembly in Belfast. The Presbyterian Church in Ireland has a total membership of 300,000 people in around 560 congregations and is the largest Protestant denomination in Northern Ireland.
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/northern-ireland/christianity-at-societys-margins-16164899.html
Assembly – Presbyterian leader says old order is ‘passing away’
Irish Times – The response of a Christian to “a society that increasingly doesn’t ‘do’ God” should “not be one of panic”, the new moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, Rev Dr Roy Patton, said last night. “We know that God is still on his throne – that the …
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2012/0529/1224316866982.html
Assembly – Remarks from the outgoing and incoming PCI moderators, sandwiching “the walk …
Alan in Belfast – Even with the air conditioning installed last year, the Assembly Hall is normally (short) sleeve territory on the opening night of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. “We talk about grace and we rejoice in the richness of God’s …
http://alaninbelfast.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/remarks-from-outgoing-and-incoming-pci.htmlAssembly –
Cycle Tour in aid of trip to Zambia.
Brian Acheson and Ronny Martin set out from Down Cathedral early on Saturday 26 May and were greeted mid–morning by Bishop Harold and well–wishers before climbing into the saddle again.
They completed their 180 mile tour around the Church of Ireland’s 8 northern Cathedrals in two days and Saturday’s route also included St. Anne’s, Lisburn, Dromore, Armagh and Clogher Cathedral. They were joined in Clogher by their wives Alison Acheson and Jayne Martin.
Early on Sunday morning, Brian and Ronny rode on to Enniskillen Cathedral where they were invited by the Dean, the Very Reverend Kenneth Hall to join the congregation. They received a warm welcome and the Rector of St. Columba’s, Knock, The Revd John Auchmuty, gave a short address about the forthcoming Zambia trip. The Dean presented the cyclists with the loose cash collection from the offertory at the service before they left to begin the final stage of their marathon to Derry Cathedral.
The Rector of St. Columba’s, Knock said, “In my Address at last year’s Easter Vestry I spoke about my hopes to explore the feasibility of providing parishioners with an opportunity to serve God overseas. I am delighted that those hopes will shortly become a reality. This marks the beginning of a new and exciting chapter in the life and ministry of our parish.
“They are a strong team with many diverse gifts and talents which I experienced for myself when I visited them recently in the Church of Ireland Theological Institute in Dublin for a training weekend that was facilitated by David Gough, the CMSI Partnership Co–Ordinator.
“It is very encouraging to see the team members receiving such strong financial and prayerful support from the parish and the community and I wish to convey my grateful thanks and appreciation to the Deans and the cathedral congregations for their support throughout the cycle marathon.”
Those who wish to contribute to the marathon are asked to send their donations with cheques made payable to St. Columba’s Parish Church to The Revd John Auchmuty, St. Columba’s Rectory, 29 King’s Road, Belfast. BT5 6JG.
Antrim girl to sing for Queen
Belfast Telegraph -An Antrim girl has been chosen as one of only 40 children from across the UK to sing in a special Diamond choir to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.
Victoria McClements, from the Dublin Road, will travel to London on Sunday, June 3 to rehearse with the rest of the lucky few chosen to form the choir before the event in St Paul’s Cathedral on Tuesday, June 5.
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/northern-ireland/antrim-girl-to-sing-for-queen-16164685.html
TCD Chapel Choir to sing Evensong at Eucharistic Congress Symposium
The faculty of theology at the Pontifical University at Saint Patrick’s College, Maynooth will host an international symposium on Eucharistic Ecclesiology from Wednesday 6 June until Saturday 9 June. The conference takes place during the week before the 50th International Eucharistic Congress which will be held in Dublin from 10 until 17 June.
One of the daily themes of the symposium is “Learning from Ecumenism” and so on that day (Friday 8 June) the Trinity College Dublin Chapel Choir will sing Evensong in the College Chapel in Maynooth at 5.00pm. The service will follow the traditional pattern (Rite 1) in the Book of Common Prayer 2004 and the TCD Dean of Residence, the Revd Darren McCallig, will intone.
The music will include: Preces and Responses (Thomas Morley), Magnificat (Orlando Gibbons) and If ye love me (Thomas Tallis).
Laity to set up church reform groups
Irish Times – Following the Toward an Assembly of the Catholic Church gathering in Dublin’s Regency Hotel three weeks ago, which was attended by over 1000 Catholic laity, priests and nuns calling for dialogue in the Irish church, two further events are planned for …
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2012/0528/1224316807412.html
Watchdog works with those abused by priests as children to prevent recurrence
Irish Times – Measures taken by the church in Ireland to make it a safer place for children are showing their effect. The most recent publication of statistics by its Child Safeguarding and Protection Service show a marked decline in alleged child sexual abuse …
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/opinion/2012/0529/1224316867744.html
Irish universities reorganisation
http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/university-heads-back-shake-up-of-governing-bodies-195360.html
Irish Student passport numbers increase in Dundee
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-18236547