MBE for former Archdeacon; Bishop condemns attempt on PSNI officer’s life; Living Worship 2013 – A short course in music and worship; Bishop’s New Year message; Heaven in a Nightclub; Texting and internet use are growing difficulties for Irish couples; Irish children among worlds top readers – international survey
MBE for former Archdeacon
The Venerable John Scott, formerly the Archdeacon of Dromore, has been awarded the MBE in the New Year’s Honours List. Archdeacon Scott, who retired as Archdeacon and as rector of Seapatrick in September 2011, has been honoured for voluntary service to the Air Training Corps in Northern Ireland. He has been the senior chaplain in Northern Ireland since 1980 and served as a squadron chaplain before that.
Bishop condemns attempt on PSNI officer’s life
The Bishop of Down & Dromore has condemned the attempted killing of a PSNI officer. Bishop Harold Miller said – The placing of a bomb under the car of a serving police officer put the officer, his family and others nearby at serious risk. Everyone in our society must unite to condemn such an action and to bring those who carry out such despicable acts to justice. It is vitally important for us all to hold the members of the PSNI in our prayers at this difficult time.
Living Worship 2013 – A short course in music and worship
Saturday mornings 10 am to 12.30 pm, 12th & 19th January 2013, Mageough Hall, Cowper Road, Rathmines beside the Cowper Luas stop.
The annual Living Worship course aims to demonstrate the meaningful use of music in worship, by helping musicians to see their role as being wider than just playing an instrument or singing in a choir. Now in its 8th year, Living Worship has something to offer everyone who has an interest or involvement in the music of worship – musicians, singers, those with pastoral responsibility (not only clergy) and those who sit in the pews, Sunday by Sunday.
There are just two sessions this year which participants will certainly enjoy, will find stimulating and where they will meet an interesting group of people.
12th January: The Revd Dr Stanley Monkhouse, rector of the Port Laoise group of parishes, is a priest-musician and a former lecturer at medical school. His wide exerience makes him well-placed to review the role of the church musician. Dr Monkhouse’s talk will be constructive, informative, amusing and at times, perhaps, a little irreverent!
19th January: The Revd Dr Peter Thompson, rector of the Donaghmore group of parishes, Succentor at St Patrick’s Cathedral, Armagh, and Secretary to the Hymnal Committee, will talk about the contents of the forthcoming supplement to Church Hymnal and how the Committee has gone about its work. He then will give some practical advice as to how how clergy and musicians should approach the task of selecting music for Church of Ireland services.
Course fee for the two sessions: €25. Book and pay online at churchmusicdublin.org/training or call David on 087 668 3998
Bishop’s New Year message
The Rt Revd Harold Miller, Bishop of Down and Dromore, urges people to“to be peacemakers, and not just peace–talkers, together in 2013”.
Bishop Miller writes –
Hogmanay is a great opportunity to look back over the past year and forward to the next. It is a ‘hinge moment’. In many ways 2012 was a great year, with so many important celebrations. It was the Queen’s diamond jubilee, the centenary of the Titanic, with the opening of the fabulous new interpretive centre, Titanic Belfast, and a great year of sport with the Olympics, the Paralympics, and our great local hero, Rory McIlroy, in golf.
But it is with a real sense of foreboding that many of us approach 2013 because of the threatening events of December. It is so sad to see images of division and sectarianism yet again projected to the world. These are damaging to tourism, local business and inward investment at a time when this province needs these things most.
Part of the reason we find ourselves in this dangerous time is that we have not really managed to agree a shared future together where all have a place, all cultures are respected, victims are honoured, and we can rejoice in what different communities have to bring to the common table. It is more than urgent for this matter to be progressed at Stormont, and the focus on a shared future needs to be given absolute priority by all of us. Otherwise a dangerous vacuum is created which paramilitarism can fill, when underlying, and usually hidden, tensions are brought to the surface.
But it is also vitally important for the Christian faith to bring hope to the table. The Jesus born on Christmas Day has not gone away by 1 January! He finds himself as a little baby in an even more dangerous political situation than ours. The cruel ruler, Herod, is out to destroy the message of peace, and the Jesus is exiled to Egypt for his safety. It looks, as it always looks, as though the way of peace is about to be snuffed out. But the truth is that this message, Christ’s way of peace and reconciliation, is the only truly lasting and loving option.
We all need to commit ourselves to be peacemakers, and not just peace–talkers, together in 2013.
Heaven in a Nightclub
The Presbytery of Derry and Donegal and Contemporary Christianity (NI) bring a unique one-night-only event to the Waterside Theatre as part of the City of Culture programme for 2013. Heaven in a Nightclub is a jazz concert interspersed with historical information about the spiritual roots of jazz, which features Bill Edgar, Ruth Naomi Floyd and Randy Pendleton from Philadelphia, at the start of their UK tour. The audience will have the opportunity to hear examples of ragtime, blues, spirituals, funeral bands and others.
Dr Bill Edgar is a professor at Westminister Theological Seminary, Philadelphia. His approach is that “jazz ought to entertain” but its background is deeply rooted in the history and social and spiritual experiences of African -American people who were reared in slavery yet nurtured on the Gospel message in every aspect of life.
Tickets on sale at the Box Office or for block bookings from congregations contact Billy McIIwaine on 02871 346718 or billymcilwaine@hotmail.com
http://www.watersidetheatre.com/events/byevent/223
Texting and internet use are growing difficulties for Irish couples
Last year, Accord saw a 12 per cent increase in demand for its counselling services.
http://www.thejournal.ie/texting-and-internet-use-are-growing-difficulties-for-couples-736195-Dec2012/
Irish children among worlds top readers – international survey
http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/irish-pupils-among-the-worlds-top-readers-218166.html