EU refugee talks disappointing - fairness and vision needed - Christian Aid; Celebrating 20 years of PCI’s Aaron House; C of I’s new hymnbook is for both small congregations and large cathedrals; NI supply convoy is bound for refugees on Greek island of Kos; Son of executed Rising leader celebrates 102nd birthday; Global prayer wave planned for Rugby World Cup 2015; Vatican releases list of participants for synod on the family; For Pope’s visit, Obama invites a pro-abort nun, gay Episcopal bishop, and LGBT ‘Catholic’ activists; Media digest
Inspirational Mizen parents to speak at National Eucharistic Congress in Knock; All Ireland Methodist Women’s President installed in Enniskilen; Community boost at May Street Presbyterian Church, Belfast; Bishop of Cork takes part in Harvard international conference on church law; Lough Derg is tough - Bishop of Derry; Youth Officer joins Connor staff team; Rector has surprise meeting with the President of Ireland on recent holiday; Re-hallowing of Christ Church, Strabane; First Minister praises Scottish inter faith work; Tributes paid to retired Anglican priest killed in Achill flash flood
The peace processors should stop running off to Dublin and London, says Ruth Dudley Edwards
Elvis has C of I roots; First Cork 5K Memorial Run for St Luke’s Home; Worldwide appeal to Pope on clustering of parishes - “it is a business model not a pastoral one”; New report to churches reveals changing shape of Britain’s families; Out Now: September’s edition of the Presbyterian Herald; St. Patrick’s, Millisle, gets a make-over; Cathedral talk focus on Famous Notorious Trial; New Year Begins at C of I Theological Institute; Schumann Quartet, Rathgar Methodist Church ; Belfast service for International Day of Peace; The Future of NI - Dr Duncan Morrow; Centering Prayer - Divine Therapy; Safer Social Networking Masterclass; Leading in the Local Methodist Church Seminar; Reconnecting the Disconnected; Media digest
MPs overwhelmingly reject Assisted Dying Bill; Derry Catholics direct mailed with invite back to Mass; NI Squad leave East Belfast Mission for for 2015 Homeless Word Cup; Trócaire welcomes Irish Government’s decision to receive 4,000 refugees; New Organ Recital Series in Armagh; Sistine Chapel Choir to release its first ever album in time for Christmas; History comes alive at St Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin; Jim Class focus for Connor youth weekend; Billy Parish Church Wedding Dress Festival; West Cork parish youth buy a cow for Ethiopia; Former Bishop Heather Cook to be jailed for 10 years following hit-and-run; Media digest
Cardinal Nichols thanks Queen for safeguarding the Christian faith; C of I Archbishops call for prayer, engagement and collections in response to refugee crisis; Newtownabbey churches respond to refugee crisis; Guide helps NI clergy support suicide families; Hungarian assignment for former Moderator and his wife; Armagh’s contribution to European Heritage Open Day; Divine Healing Ministries Youth Service; Clergy news and moves; Christian Aid launches refugee crisis appeal; Media digest
Launch of North Belfast Centre of Mission; PCI launches first digital prayer devotional; Collections of £4,200 for Syrian Refugees in Lebanon from Down and Dromore Bible Week; Syria: Moderator calls for prayer and encourages practical support; Powerscourt Parish School Collecting Hygiene Kits for Calais Refugees; Carlisle Memorial Methodist Church – ‘Unlovely and unloved’ no more; Archbishop of Armagh Conveys Good Wishes to Queen Elizabeth II; C of I Glen Community Church celebrates first anniversary; Concern at New Star Wars being filmed on historic Christian site in Ireland; Vulnerable Adults Awareness Training; CofE vicar wins Funeral Celebrant of the Year; Pope issues major marriage annulment reforms; New Dean for Christchurch, New Zealand to succeed Dromore woman cleric; Media digest
Launch of North Belfast Centre of Mission; PCI launches first digital prayer devotional; Collections of £4,200 for Syrian Refugees in Lebanon from Down and Dromore Bible Week; Syria: Moderator calls for prayer and encourages practical support; Powerscourt Parish School Collecting Hygiene Kits for Calais Refugees; Carlisle Memorial Methodist Church – ‘Unlovely and unloved’ no more; Archbishop of Armagh Conveys Good Wishes to Queen Elizabeth II; C of I Glen Community Church celebrates first anniversary; Concern at New Star Wars being filmed on historic Christian site in Ireland; Vulnerable Adults Awareness Training; CofE vicar wins Funeral Celebrant of the Year; Pope issues major marriage annulment reforms; New Dean for Christchurch, New Zealand to succeed Dromore woman cleric; Media digest
Methodist Church to Reflect on Human Sexuality Issues; Moderator pays tribute to ‘selfless and steadfast’ Queen; Former Moderator leads Sunnyside's weekend celebration; Waterfront finale for Bangor Worldwide 2015; Quaker economist on Faith Justice & Corporation Tax; Special Services at St Columb"s Cathedral, Londonderry; Theology of the Body Course; Bible Week 2016 speaker; Rural partnership begins innovative project tackling financial exclusion; New Anglican Communion secretary general commissioned; Nigerian bishop kidnapped; Media digest
Refugees in Northern Ireland face destitution, warns British Red Cross; 2,000 strong - Largest Irish Pilgrimage departs for Lourdes from Dublin diocese; Dana to address 30th anniversary of Cursillo movement in the Diocese of Derry; Sienna Miller spotted at Methodist College, Belfast; Choral Evensong in Belfast to mark Queen’s reign; Resource ideas to help enrich worship in Connor; Mozart in Limerick - A Leaving Cert Guide to Piano Concerto 23; Perth service to launch Scottish Episcopal Institute; New rector instituted in Derry parish; Church of England raises £100 million for clergy retirement homes; Media digest
Northern Ireland rallies to aid of refugees; Trócaire urges Dáil recall and immediate response from Government on European refugee crisis; Dublin parish prayer night for refugees; Archbishop Martin of Armagh writes to NI MPs about Assisted Dying Bill; Faith leaders join to oppose Assisted Dying Bill; Catholic and C of I bishops provide prayers for Stormont and community; Junior BB asked to help build schools in Nepal; Irish-born priest collects more than $500,000 for Berkeley victims; C of I bishop at consecration in Sweden; 95 year old Northern Ireland soccer fan Canon Edgar Turner, travelled to Faroe Islands; Britain’s Chief Rabbi praises Pope Francis as a “truly outstanding spiritual leader”; Mothers’ Union affirms its commitment to support refugees fleeing conflict; Former SNP leader Alex Salmond "prefers people of faith”; Media digest
Irish Church leaders want doors opened to save refugees; Irish Methodist Church statement on refugees; Statement from the Archbishop of Armagh on the Refugee Crisis; Urgency and solidarity needed on refugee crisis – Moderator; Belfast vigil to highlight refugee crisis; President of Ireland to visit Enniskillen churches; Anglican Provincial Secretaries strengthen bonds at Dublin meeting; Young Fermanagh singer returns to give a parish concert; New Ballycastle Parish Centre opened; Belfast Cathedral choir’s successful tour in France; Paradoxology at Electric Picnic; Christ Church Dublin clergy fundraising for charities; Sunshine and roses fundraiser for Donegal Parish; Media digest
The image of Aylan Kurdi’s lifeless body being carried from the beach where it was washed up has moved us in our millions. - writes Ken Good
Primus Chillingworth calls on UK government to act compassion to refugee situation; Bishop calls for church and Irish state to co-operate on refugees; Refugee crisis : Focus on the need, not the numbers - Christian Aid; Archbishop to establish Laudato Si prize for schools; Hundreds at court to support Pastor McConnell; Dungannon Methodist Cleric hikes to 15 churches in England on his first day; Top Salvation Army honour for actress Roma Downey; Derry & Raphoe Youth placement; Desmond Curran brother of murdered Patricia Curran reported dead in South Africa; Massive mural of Pope Francis to look out over New York; Media digest
Dublin launch of New C of I hymnal supplement ‘Thanks and Praise’; Renewal of Columbanus link with Bobbio; Ballintoy Parish Church in The Lost City of Z; St Patrick’s Cathedral Choir has returned; Heritage Day first for Belfast Parish; Ardoyne Parish Scouts re-open; Stormont Parish clean Greenway effort; Gay clergyman faces wait for ruling in discrimination case; Bishop of Carlisle opposes Assisted Dying Bill; New Bishop of Newcastle; Nigerian cardinal joins ‘Bring Back Our Girls’ campaigners to mark 500 days of captivity; Media digest
Methodist President and C of I Bishop on peace pilgrimage to Israel and Palestine; Alpha Ireland has its gaze fixed on the youth; New C of I secondary school building in Greystones; Two traditional pipe organs wanted; Climate Change and Kenya: A resource for GCSE and Transition Year Geography; Archbishop of Canterbury contributes to new blog on Europe; Church of Scotland piloting Volunteering Vocations; Pope Francis holds ‘virtual’ meeting with Catholics in three US cities; Media digest
So often has the power-sharing arrangement in Northern Ireland teetered on the brink of collapse that the temptation is to turn a blind eye until the threat is either averted or comes to pass - writes Mary Dejevsky
Colombanus link - Down and Connor priests invested as Hon Canons of Bobbio Cathedral, Italy; C of I clergy visit to Chile and Peru; East Antrim venue for CE convention; Reconnecting the Disconnected seminars; Arklow Children’s Ministry training morning; Crew wanted for Connor Kids Big Adventure; Mossley Parish community family day; Sr Stan celebrates 30 years of homeless charity Focus Ireland; Pope will visit Kenya, Uganda, and the Central African Republic in November; Media digest
Provincial Secretaries of the Anglican Communion meet in Dublin; Catholic preacher at Dublin rector’s institution; Friars walk to Dublin in bid to save church; Cregagh churches create colourful mural at local flats; Writing Workshop with Maureen Ryan; Survey indicates 1.5 million Scots identify with Church; Catholic canon’s funeral Mass to be celebrated in Anglican church; Majority of US Catholics favour same-sex union - Pope Francis urged to clarify stance; Media digest
Only a public inquiry where counsel can cross-examine Gerry Adams and his comrades will reveal big picture about Sinn Fein - Maria Cahill writes in Sunday Independent
New President of the Methodist Women in Ireland; Open Night and courses at St Luke’s Home Education Centre, Cork; Church music workshop in Doagh; Youth Work Coordinator Appointed for Dublin and Glendalough; C of I Longford Rose responds to unsavoury social media comments; Hospitality and Sanctuary For All - Racial Justice Sunday 2015; Oldest Bible to be displayed at British Museum; Vatican backs plan to name square in Rome after Martin Luther; Media digest
Politics in Ireland North and South is as predictable as the awful weather, a never ending cycle of orchestrated outrage and carefully managed crisis - Alison Morris writes
Brigid’s Way walk for National Heritage Week; Friel’s Columba drama in Belfast church this Saturday; Godfrey Day Memorial Lecture 2015 and Visitors from Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui; Renowned Benedictine monk’s contribution to Bere Festival; New Braille Church of Ireland songbook does double duty; Relief and disquiet as controversial church split minister resigns; The Future of Northern Ireland - Duncan Morrow; Media digest
Newton Emerson writes -
New Seafarers Centre opens in Warrenpoint Port; Knocknamuckley minister formally quits; Windsor organ scholar wins NI International Organ Competition; ‘Of what earthly use is the Bible?’ - Belfast Cathedral course; Methodist President Visits Africa; Rose of Tralee is a Lourdes volunteer; Derry clergy abseil challenge helps raise 5K for Parkinson’s; Appeal to churches on farming safety issues; Belfast Healing services recommence; WCC general secretary reflects on 75th anniversary of Taizé Community; Media digest
Drone captures stunning views of inside of St Patrick’s Cathedral; Priest says demand for secular schools is low; Methodist Newsletter Art Competition; 17 men begin studies for priesthood at Maynooth; Lack of priests in Irish Catholic Church: The problem is becoming more acute; Methodist and C of I students study tour to Rome; Conserving Buncrana’s iconic Christchurch; Kells parishioners visit Áras an Uachtaráin; New coordinator of Down diocesan link with Albany; Anglicans called to join worldwide Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation; Media digest
Rector to celebrate historic Royal anniversary; Kerry missionary wins Mgr Hugh O’Flaherty award; Dublin and Glendalough mission focus - Come and C; Legion of Mary founder Frank Duff a model of robust lay leadership; BBC stands by ‘unpopular’ religious Radio 4 programmes; Popemobile shipped to USA ahead of Papal visit; Media digest
Canon Robert C (Bob) Reed, who has died aged 68, was a teacher in Wesley College, Dublin, for 42 years, during most of which time he was housemaster. He was also closely associated with St Patrick’s Cathedral for almost 30 years.
Heritage Week 2015 - August 22 - 30; Summer music events; Bishop cancels talk by liberal priest Fr Tony Flannery; Major South Korean honour for Irish missionary; Irish cleric’s change of post in C of E; Dublin visit by Secretaries of the Anglican Communion; Papal nuncio warns Catholics against becoming ‘caricatures’; ‘Families ministering to families’ could be new model for evangelisation in Ireland; Stop lowering the level of immigration debate, churches tell UK government
Martin Magill writes……