Service of Enthronement of Archbishop of Armagh; Hundreds attend Belfast city peace vigil; Community Carols in Clogher Cathedral; Archbishop of Canterbury commissions Mothers’ Union’s new Worldwide President; Church Planting event in Dublin; Media review – five reports
Service of Enthronement of Archbishop of Armagh
The Service of Enthronement for the new Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland, The Most Revd Dr Richard Clarke, took place at St Patrick’s Cathedral, Armagh on Saturday 15 December. Those attending included Lord Caledon, Lord Lieutenant of County Armagh, and Lady Caledon; the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, The Rt Hon Theresa Villiers, MP; Colonel Brendan McAndrew representing the President of Ireland and PSNI Chief Constable Matt Baggott.
The large congregation included representatives from a wide number of Christian traditions, including the Secretary General of the Anglican Communion; the President of the Irish Council of Churches; the General Secretary of Churches Together in Britain and Ireland; the President of the Methodist Church in Ireland; the Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland; and Cardinal Sean Brady. Also attending were: the Archbishop of Wales; the Bishop of Aberdeen representing the Primus of Scotland; the Bishop of Bath & Wells representing the Archbishop of Canterbury; the Archbishop of Dublin, The Most Revd Dr Michael Jackson; bishops and a number of retired bishops of the Church of Ireland and Chapter members from Armagh, Meath & Kildare and the Dean and Chapter of St Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin.
The new Archbishop gave the address (see posting this site on Saturday last), and the Bible readings were led by Mrs Ethne Harkness, an Honorary Secretary of the General Synod, and Archdeacon of Armagh, The Venerable Raymond Hoey.
The Enthronement Service was followed by a reception in the Royal School, Armagh.
Hundreds attend Belfast city peace vigil
Several hundred people have linked arms to encircle Belfast City Hall during a five minute prayer vigil in response to trouble over the past two weeks in Northern Ireland.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-20739202
Community Carol Service In Clogher Cathedral
On 6 December, St Macartan’s Cathedral, Clogher was once again the venue for the annual Clogher Community Carol Service. This year the chosen charity was Cancer Focus NI. Over 500 people packed the cathedral for this popular event which this year included the switching on of the new Christmas Lights provided by the Clogher Traders Association and Clogher Women’s Institute. A representative from each of the four schools taking part assisted the Rector, The Revd Canon Noel Regan, and the Revd Alistair Warke to switch on the lights before the service began.
The Service was a traditional Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols which was preceded by festive drinks and refreshments. The lessons, telling the story of the world’s redemption, were read by Fiona Wilson, Mary McCaffrey, Conor McCaughey, Maeve Wilson, Ciaran McKenna, Sylvia Lucy, Avril Robson, Ruth Warke and the Dean of Clogher, the Very Revd Kenneth Hall. The Christmas Collect was read by the Revd Canon Lawrence Dawson PP and the blessing was given by the Bishop of Clogher, The Rt Revd John McDowell. Mrs Diane Whittaker, Cathedral organist, played the organ to lead the congregational singing.
The four local primary schools, St Macartan’s Primary, Clogher, Carntall Primary, Augher Central Primary and St Brigid’s Primary, Augher helped to lead the praise with songs and musical pieces. They were assisted by Yahweh Nisi and the Clogher Guides and Brownies. Over 150 children and young people took part in the service. The choir of St Macartan’s Church sang three anthems and to end the service they were joined in harmony by the members of the choirs of St Macartan’s Cathedral Group of Parishes to jointly lead an inspirational singing of Silent Night.
Following the service Mrs Fiona Wilson, Chairperson of the local Augher and Clogher Cancer Focus Group, thanked all who had taken part and who had helped to plan and organise the service. Canon Noel Regan joined in the thanks and spoke of the importance of the community coming together to worship and the appropriateness of the venue which was part of the common heritage of all in the community. There was a very positive reaction to the service from all who attended with many valuing the opportunity to meet and worship with
their friends and neighbours in a common cause and in support of a charity which does such splendid work throughout the whole community irrespective of religion or denomination. The collection at the service amounted to over £1,200.
Archbishop of Canterbury commissions Mothers’ Union’s new Worldwide President
In a ceremony held on Monday 3rd December at St. Matthew’s Church, Westminster, UK, Archbishop Rowan Williams commissioned Mrs Lynne Tembey as the new Worldwide President of Mothers’ Union’s four million members worldwide.
Speaking during the service, Archbishop Rowan called Lynne Tembey to a service of obedience to meeting the agenda of the needy, and commended Mothers’ Union’s outgoing president, Rosemary Kempsell, for doing just that during her six years in office.
Lynne, a Mothers’ Union member for the past 33 years, will head up the most culturally diverse Board of Trustees in the organisation’s 136 year history, with six elected trustees from Zambia, Kenya, Ghana, DR Congo, Guyana and Isle of Man joining with nine trustees from the UK and Ireland to form the new Board from January 2013. Elected representative members from Tanzania and Mozambique will sit on advisory committees to the board.
“With a new Board structure that truly reflects the international scope of Mothers’ Union, we will be able to use the experiences we have from all over the world to bring cohesion and focus to our activities right across the organisation.” Said Lynne. “We have a vision of worldwide equality and a desire to see Mothers’ Union grow and flourish so that it will be fully equipped to serve the communities in which we live.”
Speaking during the Mothers’ Union election process earlier this year, Lynne called on all members of Mothers’ Union, to consider how they might bring about this vision of a flourishing, and empowering Mothers’ Union. “We need to make disciples of all ages, encourage entire family membership and support people to grow in faith so they are excited to witness to the gospel of Christ.”
Church Planting event in Dublin
Ric Thorpe, who is the Bishop of London’s Advisor on Church Planting and also a Church Planting Tutor at HTB will be in Dublin on Wednesday 9 January.
This event is an opportunity for church leaders and planters to hear Ric and to ask him questions) – he also runs his own Church Plant in the East End of London.
There is further information on www.growthforum.net or contact Andrew McNeile, email amcneile@eircom.net if you are interested in attending.
MEDIA REVIEW
Dudley-Edwards warns journalists about canonising of lawyer Pat Finucane
The News Letter follows up on Dudley-Edward’s comments in the Daily Telegraph
http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/headlines/top-writer-warns-over-canonising-finucane-1-4591417
Expert questions Facebook memorials
Following the suicide of another Irish teenager, an expert asks searching questions about the impact of social media.
http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/internet-expert-calls-for-ban-on-facebook-memorials-217091.html
Priest guilty of indecent assault
The former administrator of Newry Cathedral has been convicted of indecently assaulting a teenage girl.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-20728990
Ulster Unionist fragmentation
Recent editorial in Belfast Telegraph
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/opinion/viewpoint/editors-viewpoint-internal-rows-are-destroying-ulster-unionist-party-16250497.html
Shared education best way forward
Contributor to News Letter
http://www.newsletter.co.uk/community/your-view/shared-education-key-part-of-area-planning-1-4584683