Cork cathedral Opera House concert; Christian Aid bites back at hunger; JIMS Crew wanted; St Paul’s, Glenageary restored
Cork cathedral Opera House concert
Celebrated singer/songwriter Eleanor McEvoy, who composed the popular song “Only A Woman’s Heart” (part of the best-selling Irish album in Irish history), is to play Cork Opera House for one night only next Friday (19th April), supported by the Cathedral Choir.
Tickets, priced at €20 and €25 (booking fee applies), for the Eleanor McEvoy concert at Cork Opera House on Friday 19th April can be purchased at the box office or online at www.corkoperahouse.com
According to Very Revd Nigel Dunne, Dean of Cork:
This concert has tremendous appeal and should be a sell-out. People relate to Eleanor McEvoy and her music, but above all to her wonderful song ‘Only a Woman’s Heart’. The Cathedral Choir is thrilled to share a stage with Eleanor as part of her ‘Girl in a Black Car’ Tour. We know the people of Cork will have an uplifting and memorable experience and we are encouraging families and groups of friends to make a night of it – all in aid of our on-going restoration project, which at present is focussed mainly on the Cathedral Organ.
Led by the Director of Music, Malcolm Wisener, the choir will perform a selection of pieces, demonstrating the unique sound of children’s and adults’ voices singing from a wide ranging choral repertoire. The concert will also see the premiere of a version of the song ‘Something so Wonderful’, which was composed by Eleanor and Henry Priestman formerly of The Christians, arranged specifically by Eleanor for the Choir.
Renowned for her intimate, emotional and uplifting performances, Eleanor’s 10th and latest studio album, ‘If You Leave…’ has received considerable critical acclaim both in Ireland and internationally and she will perform songs from that album at the Opera House.
Christian Aid bites back at hunger
Christian Aid Week, 12-18 May 2013, Ireland and Britain’s longest running fundraising week, will this year be urging the public to ‘bite back at hunger’ and ask why, in a world where there is enough food for everyone, 1 in 8 people go to bed hungry every night?
Hunger is the world’s biggest health risk. It kills more people every year than AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis combined. In developing countries, a third of all child deaths are linked to hunger.
But tackling hunger with sustainable solutions has long-term benefits. Nourished women have healthier babies, reducing hunger helps economies grow and it builds a safer and more secure world.
This year’s Christian Aid Week highlights how many of the organisations it works with are helping communities to grow their way out of hunger.
In Zimbabwe the Dabane Trust is helping families in the drought-prone area of Matabeleland South to adapt to the changing climate.
In 2011 more than 70% of households in the area did not harvest enough food to last them for a year, and most had to reduced their meals to one per day.
The Dabane Trust worked with these families to adapt their farming methods in order to cope with the increasingly arid environment. By building a sand dam on a dry river bed they were able to secure a constant supply of water. Two market gardens with water holes now provide the community with much needed clean and safe water for them and their crops.
A Processing Centre, where food grown by the community is processed and packaged, was set up, complete with a cold storage unit to keep perishables fresh. Farmers pay a small membership fee but can now earn more from their crops. The whole community has benefited as they can now grow more food, buy locally-produced foods and eat greens in the winter months, providing them with a more nutritious and varied diet throughout the year.
Another local organisation that Christian Aid supports, this time in Bolivia, works with indigenous communities in Beni, the second poorest region in the country, to secure rights to the land where they have lived for generations. Historically these families have survived by farming rice, fishing, hunting and collecting wild plants. Now, deforestation is devastating these areas; communities are displaced and increasing floods and droughts, and the threat of forest fires, leave families struggling for food.
The Centre for Research and Training of Peasants (CIPCA) is helping local communities grow and maintain organic cocoa groves. Cocoa trees grow well in Beni, are resilient to natural disasters and bring in a much higher income than other traditional crops like rice.
The local cocoa crop has increased threefold in value thanks to the organisation of an association of cocoa producers setting a minimum price for the crop. They are now also building a chocolate processing factory to further develop this local sustainable industry.
Like many regions in the Amazon, Beni has fallen victim to large companies and cattle ranchers who have used threats and intimidation to force communities off their land. But through the help of CIPCA, two indigenous territories now have the legal title deeds, and an area the size of counties Fermanagh and Cavan combined has been officially granted to the indigenous communities, protecting it from deforestation. Over a thousand families now have secure homes, no longer face eviction and are able to grow crops to feed their families.
Rosamond Bennett, CEO of Christian Aid Ireland, said: ‘With 1 in 8 people in the world going to bed hungry every night, Christian Aid Week offers the public the opportunity to bite back at hunger. The money raised will help poor communities around the world grow more food by adapting to climate change and securing land rights, so they can meet their immediate food needs.
‘By taking part in Christian Aid Week people here can make a real difference to those trapped in poverty in developing countries across the world. Alongside this, Christian Aid is encouraging everyone to get involved in the IF campaign, which aims to tackle the root causes of hunger and ensure everyone has enough to eat in the future.’
The theme of Christian Aid week ties in with the organisation’s involvement in the ENOUGH FOOD FOR EVERYONE IF campaign, launched in January. Christian Aid has joined a coalition of more than 100 development and faith organisations calling on the governments in the UK and Ireland to take action on global hunger.
To donate to Christian Aid Week, give online at www.caweek.ie, call 08080 006 006 (Northern Ireland), or 01 775 8080 (Republic of Ireland).
JIMS Crew wanted
The Crew is a program started by the JIMS Project to give young adults an opportunity to volunteer for a year, serving God by serving the community of Kilkeel.
The Crew members play a vital role in nurturing the young people of Kilkeel towards a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ. This is youth work at it’s best: staying up late to talk, having cups of tea with a young person, staffing JIMS programs and activities, and encouraging fellow youth workers.
Crew members are nurtured with weekly group Bible Studies, a two week training course at the beginning of the year, one–on–one time with their supervisor, and on–going training throughout the year.
Who is it for?
The Crew is for any young adult (18–25) ready and eager to give up one year of his/her life and be committed to the work of God through Jims Youth Centre.
The Crew programme corresponds with most university school years. The start date is in late August, and the year finishes early the next August.
The Crew programme costs £1000 and covers the following living expenses: house, internet, heat, and training for the entire year.
Contact: Ivan Henderson, email: ivan@thejimsproject.org.uk
Website: www.thejimsproject.org.uk
St Paul’s, Glenageary restored
Following the restoration of St Paul’s Church, Glenageary, there will be a Service of Thanksgiving and Celebration on Sunday April 21 at 7.00 pm at which Archbishop Michael Jackson will preach. The service will be followed by a reception in the Parish Centre.