Irish news digest May 29

Belvoir Creative Arts Festival goes online

Belvoir Parish Church will go online this Saturday and Sunday for the Belvoir Creative Arts Festival which takes place annually over the Pentecost weekend.

Pentecost is the festival celebration that remembers the outpouring of the Spirit of God, the source of all things creative and artistic.

One of the highlights of the weekend is always the Belvoir Craft and Food Virtual Fair 2020 on the Saturday – celebrating local creative talent! Some of the crafts include pottery, jewellery, cards, candles and many more! Plus jams, cakes, sweet treats etc!

2020 Weekend Schedule
Saturday 30 May from 9.00 am–4.00 pm: Belvoir Craft and Food Virtual Fair 2020
Sunday 31 May from 11.00 am: Scattered Together ‘Featuring the Big Sing’ at belvoirparish.co.uk/live
At 7.00 pm on Sunday, Worship & Prayer at
[ belvoirparish.co.uk/live ]
The Festival will be online via Facebook so join in using the links below.
Belvoir Creative Arts Festival
Belvoir Craft and Food Virtual Fair 2020

Crosslinks online summer series in June

Rev Nick Jones will be speaking at this year’s Crosslinks online summer series in June. Participants will be encouraged by mission stories from church leaders, partners and those recently returned from the field as they open up the bible and think of how we can ‘Love Thy Neighbour’.

Appointment to Aghaderg, Donaghmore and Scarva

Revd Rodney Magennis is to become Bishop’s Curate for the grouped Parishes of Aghaderg, Donaghmore and Scarva.

He is currently serving his internship as a deacon in Belvoir Parish, Belfast.

Rodney will be ministering close to where he grew up and, before ordination, spent all of his worshipping life. He was baptised in St. John’s Church, Rathfriland and confirmed in Drumgooland (Ballyward).

Rodney will continue to serve in Belvoir until he is ordained priest at the end of the summer.

Research into Irish Churches’ Covid–19 response

Research based on a survey of around 400 clergy from across the island of Ireland summarises potential lessons for Churches which could be learned from ministering through the Covid–19 pandemic.

‘People Still Need Us’ – authored by Dr Gladys Ganiel from Queen’s University Belfast – indicates that Christian leaders and communities have not only played important roles in providing pastoral care and social services during the pandemic, but there is also evidence of increased prayer and high levels of online religious practice among people on the island.

The survey was collaboration between Queen’s and the Irish Council of Churches/Irish Inter–Church Meeting (ICC/IICM). Dr Ganiel, worked with the General Secretary of the ICC, Dr Nicola Brady, and representatives of member denominations to develop the survey questions. It was distributed to more than 2,000 faith leaders, with 439 usable responses received from every county on the island.

The report provides a snapshot of how leaders and communities are adapting in a time of rapid and disorientating change. It also shows how people of faith are grieving, coping, moving religion online and serving the wider community, and how leaders are coping with the stresses of ministry.

You can read the full report here:
[ https://www.irishchurches.org/cmsfiles/resources/People-Still-Need-Us-May-2020.pdf ]

Issued by Irish Council of Churches & Irish Inter–Church Committee
Contact [[] info@churchesinireland.com ]

Food for thought

“God loves each of us as if there were only one of us” – Augustine

Points for Prayer

Pray for those with mental health challenges who feel isolated and anxious, asking that God will bring peace and calm and that they will receive every possible support

Loving God, we thank you for teachers, for students and for parents.
We ask that you would be with each and every one of them as they navigate a road never journeyed before…

We pray for teachers as they continue in committed service to their students, will they experience moments of refreshing by your Holy Spirit this week. We pray for the students, amidst the unknown, may they know your warm embrace.

Finally, we pray for the parents who are juggling school work, child care, jobs and sometimes all three at once. Give them strength, fresh energy and the knowledge that you are beside them in the day to day.

May they know your wisdom and guidance even in the busiest of moments. We pray all of this in your name, Amen

God in Creation