Irish news

New Archdeacon of Down appointed; Rebranding of USPG; 800 select vestry members commissioned for mission; Belfast hosts major peace conference

New Archdeacon of Down appointed

Bishop Harold Miller has appointed Revd Canon David McClay as the Archdeacon of Down.

David was ordained Deacon in 1987 and Priest in 1988. He served as Curate Assistant in the parish of Magheralin (Diocese of Dromore) from 1987–1990 and was incumbent of Kilkeel (Dromore) from 1990–2001.

David became incumbent of Willowfield Parish Belfast (Diocese of Down) in May 2001 to the present date, during which time the church has gone through significant change and growth. He is Chair of the Board of Willowfield Parish Community Association, which was set up by the parish in 2002 to work in the local east Belfast area which has significant social problems.

David was appointed a Canon of St Anne’s Cathedral Belfast in 2004 and is a member of the Cathedral Board. He is a member of the General Synod of the Church of Ireland. He was formerly an Under 45 clerical member of Standing Committee, a member of the Church in Society Committee and Chair of the Social Justice and Theology Group (NI). He is the author of “Go and Do Likewise” (Church of Ireland Publishing 2005).

In 2011 David became Diocesan Clerical Honorary Secretary and part of the Secretariat. He is a Diocesan Nominator, a member of Diocesan Council, of the Diocesan Strategic Planning Group, the Permanent Commission on Parochial Vacancies and the Diocesan Finance Committee.

David leads New Wine Ireland, an organisation whose brief is to stimulate mission and growth in churches across Ireland, with the mission statement “Local Churches changing Nations.” He works closely with clergy and various groups from churches across Ireland to help stimulate church growth and spiritual development, and hosts a summer holiday week in Sligo attended by approx 1000 people from all over Ireland.

He is currently a member of the Northern Ireland Faith Forum and a member of the Belfast Inner East Forum. He is also involved with the Church Pastoral Aid Society, Tearfund, Christians Against Poverty, and has mentored several Arrow participants.

David married Irene (Coulter) in 1986 and was widowed in 1993. In 1996 he married Hilary (Saunders) and they have three children – Cherith (24), Ruth (19) and Jordan (14).

Rebranding of USPG  

Africa’s first Anglican woman bishop will be in Ireland this week to join the celebrations marking the rebranding of USPG as the United Society – Us.

The Rt Revd Ellinah Wamukoya, Bishop of Swaziland, will preach at a special service of Holy Communion in St Michan’s church, Dublin on Wednesday at 7.30 pm.

Bishop Ellinah was consecrated last November and her visit to Ireland will be her first official trip overseas. The Archbishop of Armagh will preside at the service which also marks the organisation’s new home in Egan House, St Michan’s Church, Church Street, Dublin 7.

Us. is the new name for the United Society for the Propagation of the Gospel – an organisation which works in direct partnership with Anglican Churches in over fifty countries, helping to support vital work, including healthcare, education, leadership training and action for social justice. Us. in Ireland works directly with the Diocese of Swaziland where they have been building up strong networks over the last five years working with all members of the community.

The Anglican Church in Swaziland works to respond to the huge difficulties faced by the country. However, the church has few resources and currently relies on overseas donations to run its programmes which include local care points and feeding stations for the many child–headed households. Life skills training is provided for young people.

800 select vestry members commissioned for mission

In the first major events associated with the Diocese of Down and Dromore’s Year of Mission 2015, Bishop Harold last week addressed more than 800 select vestry members over 4 nights.  

Vestries and clergy were invited to a special evening in one of 4 venues – Dundonald and Saintfield in Down Diocese and Kilkeel and Magheralin in Dromore. Almost all of the parishes were represented and each night the hall was full and buzzing with anticipation.

The Bishop noted that this was the first time in the 16 years of his episcopal ministry that he had gathered the select vestries together. He took the opportunity to thank them for their faithful work and to remind them that they were “gatekeepers” who could either encourage or stifle mission in their parishes.  In a wide–ranging address, drawing from the Parable of The Great Banquet in Luke 14, Bishop Harold presented 3 pictures of how he would like the diocese to be transformed in the run–up to and throughout 2015.

Firstly, he said that he wanted us to be “turned inside–out,” meaning that, together, we should face outwards, rather than being consumed by our own parochial needs and preoccupations.

Secondly, the Bishop urged parishes to begin to see everything through a “missional filter” – questioning all our activities, our use of money, our worship and welcome. “Even the three Fs can be missional!” he said.

Thirdly, he issued a challenge to the diocese to move from plateau to growth and, indeed, to believe that growth was possible. He encouraged the select vestries to lead by example and to tend the ground, creating the right environment for growth.

Returning to Luke 14 in closing, Bishop Harold noted that this joyous, generous banquet was of most interest to those who are far away – those who know their need and respond enthusiastically – yet in most cases we are failing to reach them. He drew the analogy of churches comfortably fishing in a swimming pool when all the fish are out in the sea.

“Let’s embrace the Year of Mission,” he said, “and allow God to transform us so that we are missional all the time and become places of transformation for others.”

Following Bishop Harold’s address, vestry members heard 3 presentations about the missional use of money, of buildings and how to build teams of volunteers. The Mission 2015 logo was also unveiled for the first time.

After refreshments, each select vestry was asked to discuss what they had heard and to complete a short worksheet. Bishop Harold closed the evening with an Act of Commissioning.

Belfast hosts major peace conference

Six women Nobel Peace laureates, including Mairead Maguire, attend a major peace conference in Northern Ireland.

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