New book by rector takes readers on journeys to Africa; Dublin Black Santa Sit Out Gets Underway Next Week; Members sought for the Education and Skills Authority in Northern Ireland; Christmas With Discovery Gospel Choir; Civic Carol Service at St Ann’s; Media review – School survey for border pupils; Historic child abuse enquiry in NI will have jail powers; Dail suspended amid furious row between Kenny and Adams over IRA Disappeared; MP states gay marriage plans in England will not affect NI; Census reveals NI religious figures
New book takes readers on journeys to Africa
The Rev Canon James Carson, rector of St Paul’s Lisburn, takes readers on journeys to Africa in his latest book to be launched on December 13.
In ‘Baraka – Journeys to Africa,’ Canon Carson explores the meaning of mission and partnership. He shows how members of teams who have visited Kajiado Diocese in Kenya have been blessed and challenged and how this has impacted on their lives and their churches in Ireland. Baraka is a Swahili word for blessing. This book also contains unique insights on partnership from clergy in Kenya and Ireland and contributions from members of the teams. Ronnie Briggs, Mission Director C M S Ireland, praised James Carson’s latest publication. “The unique quality of this book is that it takes the theory of what a partnership might look like and puts it into practical reality,” Ronnie said. “It sets out clearly the relationship between all three partners – the Diocese of Kajiado, St Paul’s Lisburn and CMS Ireland. This book stands as a challenge to other parishes and Churches across Ireland to get involved in God’s mission throughout the world to see lives transformed by the Gospel.”
Bishop Gaddiel Lenini, Bishop of Kajiado , stated: “Christians of Kajiado and even others in Northern Ireland have been saying, we have two ‘manyattas’ (homes), one in Kenya and another in Northern Ireland. This is very encouraging.” ‘Baraka – Journeys to Africa’ will be launched in the Good Book Shop, Belfast, by Ronnie Briggs and Bishop Alan Abernethy, Bishop of Connor at 12.30pm on Thursday December 13.
A second launch will be held on Saturday January 12 at 11am in the Cathedral Hall Enniskillen, and this will be attended by Mr Briggs and Bishop John McDowell, Bishop of Clogher. James Carson is the author of ‘Love, Joy and Peace,’ published in November 2011. ‘Baraka – Journeys to Africa’ is designed and printed by Impact Printing, Coleraine and Ballycastle . ISBN: 978 1 9066 89 43 8. It is available from The Good News Book Shop, Belfast.
Dublin Black Santa Sit Out Gets Underway Next Week
The 2012 Black Santa sit out at St Ann’s Church on Dawson Street will get underway on Monday December 17, at 2pm. The annual Christmas charity appeal will be launched by the Archbishop of Dublin, the Most Revd Dr Michael Jackson and the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Naoise Ó Muirí. It is also hoped that members of Ireland’s inspirational Paralympic team will be present at St Ann’s for the launch. The children’s choir of the Kildare Place School will provide festive songs for the occasion.
The annual sit out will continue right up until Christmas Eve. The Vicar of St Ann’s, the Revd David Gillespie, joined by clerical colleagues from around the diocese, will sit outside the Dawson Street Church from 10am until 6pm each day collecting money for a number of charities. They will be joined by different choirs each lunchtime, including this year for the first time the Mater Dei School and Catholic University School choirs, until Christmas Eve when the Stedfast Band will perform.
The Black Santa sit out is modeled on a similar appeal, which has been run by successive Deans of St Anne’s Cathedral in Belfast for many years. It became known as the Black Santa appeal because of the long heavy black cloaks worn by the clergy to keep out the cold.
The money collected this year will be distributed to St Vincent de Paul, the Salvation Army, the Simon Community, Protestant Aid, Trust and the Church of Ireland Overseas Aid.
Last year, despite the difficult economic conditions, the Black Santa Appeal raised a record–breaking €30,000. “It was a strange thing to think that the appeal last year raise the largest amount of money ever collected during the sit out,” the Revd David Gillespie commented. “But it was very humbling to meet people who had come especially to donate to the appeal and who had been collecting all year round for it.”
Members sought for the Education and Skills Authority in Northern Ireland
Revd Ian W Ellis, Secretary to the Church of Ireland Board of Education NI, writes:
The legislation to enable the establishment of the Education and Skills Authority (ESA) is currently at the committee stage in the NI Assembly. The legislation will bring together the five Education and Library Boards, the Youth Council, Staff Commission and the statutory functions of the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools (CCMS).
The creation of this single authority for all schools in Northern Ireland represents the most significant change in administration of education in forty years. ESA will be the employing authority for all staff in grant–aided schools and its main functions and role will be: Improving education and raising standards in schools, planning the schools’ estate, providing support for school governors and providing key services to schools e.g., school transport, school maintenance, school meals, and youth services.
ESA will be governed by a Board of 20 members of whom 8 will be persons nominated by the political parties determined by their representation in the Assembly. The Minister will appoint a Chairperson and 4 Catholic Trustee nominees, 4 Transferor nominees and 4 persons representative of the community in NI.
It is anticipated that ESA will become operational during the latter half of 2013 and until that time the ELBs etc will continue to deliver key services to schools. In the interim a shadow ESA will begin work to ensure everything is in place to enable a switch over of authority at an appropriate future date. The Minister has placed advertisements in local newspapers seeking applications for a Chairperson and the four community representatives of ESA. The closing date for applications to these public appointments is 19 December.
The Church of Ireland Board of Education NI welcomes the principle of the establishment of a single authority for school and looks forward, following any necessary amendments, to the legislation receiving Assembly approval. The Board strongly encourages Church of Ireland members with the appropriate experience and interests in either formal or informal education, to consider applying to become community representative members of ESA. This is an exciting opportunity to be involved in the shaping of schools and influencing the quality of education of children for the future. Further information regarding the appointment of Chairperson or community representatives can be found on the Department of Education website here: http://www.deni.gov.uk/
There will be another opportunity for interested members of the Church of Ireland to possibly find membership of the ESA Board. As indicated above, the transferor churches, that is, the Church of Ireland, Presbyterian and Methodist Churches, which transferred their schools into state control in the early 20th century, have a right to nominate a total of 4 persons to the Minister for appointment to the ESA Board.
The three denominations have devised their own processes to bring forward nominations.
The Board of Education NI on behalf of the Church of Ireland has decided to seek expressions of interest from church members. A panel from the Board will meet interested persons in order to make a decision on nomination. The exact division of the four places between the three churches will be agreed by the Transferor Representatives’ Council.
An advert will appear in the Church of Ireland Gazette and diocesan websites shortly giving details of how persons might indicate their interest and provide some other details.
In the meantime the Board encourages Church of Ireland members with a deep interest in the education of children in schools to seriously consider both of these possibilities for service either as a community representative or as a transferor representative. This is a wonderful opportunity to serve the church and bring faith–based perspective and expertise to a really important area of public life.
Christmas With Discovery Gospel Choir & Special Guests
Discovery Gospel Choir has announced its annual Christmas Show for two nights only on Friday 14 and Saturday 15 December. Join this acclaimed inter–cultural gospel choir in the intimate setting of St George & St Thomas Church in the heart of Dublin city. With some very special guests representing the broad spectrum of music in Ireland today. Get into the Christmas spirit with an evening of festive melodies, rich harmonies and ethnic beats. Be inspired and uplifted by tunes from around the world, not forgetting lots of Christmas favourites with a Discovery twist! Doors open at 7.30 pm. Tickets are on sale now on www.tickets.ie at a cost of €15/€12. RSVP on their facebook event page.
Civic Carol Service at St Ann’s
The Civic Carol Service takes place in St Ann’s Church on Dawson Street, Dublin, on Sunday December 16 at 7pm. Among the readers at the service of 9 lessons and carols will be the Lord Mayor of Dublin Naoise Ó Muirí, representatives of the Irish Paralympic team, the Head Chaplain to the Defence Forces, Fergus Finlay of Barnardos and Fr Peter McVerry.
MEDIA REVIEW
School survey for border pupils
The Irish Republic’s Education Minister launches a survey of families living in its border area to assess the demand for the option of sending their children to school in Northern Ireland.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-20682684
Historic child abuse enquiry in NI will have jail powers
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/northern-ireland/abuse-inquiry-to-have-jail-power-16249105.html
Dail suspended amid furious row between Kenny and Adams over IRA Disappeared
http://www.independent.ie/national-news/dail-suspended-amid-furious-row-between-kenny-and-adams-over-ira-disappeared-3323852.html
MP states gay marriage plans in England will not affect NI
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/northern-ireland/gay-marriage-plans-unlikely-to-affect-northern-ireland-16248952.html
Census reveals NI religious figures
The latest census figures for Northern Ireland show there has been a continuing decline in the Protestant population.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-20673534