Irish Presbyterian focus on church planting; Internment was nothing less than torture – alleges priest; Dublin chorale Peregryne on tour in the West Country; Come and Sing: Fauré Requiem; A new movement in music ministry; 76 year old MU member’s sponsored fun run; Bishop’s wife to cycle across Wales in a day – for Christian Aid; Australian to be Dean of St George’s College, Jerusalem; Media digest
Gay scout leader pulled out of race for top role after receiving e-mail full of ‘insinuations and threats’; Methodist President visits Africa; PP warns only catholic parents can chose to divest schools; Catholic neighbour to preach at C of I rector’s institution; C of I Children’s Ministry Harvest Newsletter; The BIble’s Unexpected Stories - Biblical Association AGM; Celebration as major project in Derry parish is completed; Thanksgiving for life of Marlene Jefferson - Londonderry’s first female mayor; China honours Christian missionary and Olympic athlete Eric Liddell; Media digest
Patsy McGarry writes - I was in Belfast last month for the Twelfth “festivities”. It was awful. Those “festivities” were held on a Monday, as the Twelfth this year fell on a Sunday. Yet the awesome Eve of the Twelfth bonfires went ahead on July 11th. Those bonfires were another story.
Irish immigrant council calls for law to protect trafficked sex workers; New suite of parish halls for Dunboyne & Rathmolyon Group; Connor Archdeacon on the airwaves; Tipperary church’s 150th anniversary celebrated; Cambridge tour for Finaghy parish choir; Cathedrals in England welcome over 10 million annually; Church of Scotland urges members to sign global education petition; New warden for retreat house on Cumbrae; Media digest
I hope Pope Francis pays close attention to the call of the women that they be ordained - Paddy Clancy writes
Independent report into sex abuse in Catholic church in Scotland released; Prayer request for team from Dromore parish in Thailand at present; More Action Needed to Tackle Homelessness - C of I; Church focus on northern education; Northern Ireland teachers to attend training school at own expense following government cutbacks; Tenth annual visual arts project at Lismore Cathedral; New healing service at First Lisburn; Archbishop warns over immigration scaremongering; Mothers Union welcomes Age Ratings being added to UK Music Videos; Media digest
Sign up for the Tour de Foyle Charity Challenge; Galway Cathedral celebrates 50th Anniversary; Derry organ recital; Another milestone in life and witness of Belfast’s Dock Cafe; Orange Order reaches out to local community; Out today - Restoring Trust Between Faith and Culture – Greg Fromholz’s new book; Buy local, ask questions - C of E National Rural Officer; Media digest
Irish Government urged to take role in banning nuclear weapons; Dublin exhibition of the photographs of Fr Browne; Musical events; Catholic Historical Society of Ireland Annual Conference; Archbishop welcomes pilgrims to Novena; National Maternity Hospital Annual Remembrance Service; Methodist Church app; Obituary: John Scott; Media digest
Chaim Herzog in Belfast online exhibition; Bishop McAreavey supports ‘Christian Bells’ initiative in solidarity with persecuted Christians; Former President’s son challenges Irish primate on pastoral care for gays; Bangor Parish seminar on sharing Gospel with Mormons; National Eucharistic Congress 26-27 September 2015; Employment obtained via Christians Against Poverty job club; Great Welsh churches join UK network; Media digest
Bird of Paradise Ministries support team commissioned in Bangor Abbey; Council of Europe honours Irish missionary nun; Tuam Team Mission Support with Kajiado; Death of former MU World President; Catholic Women of the Year 2015 announced; Rural partnership begins innovative project tackling financial exclusion; The Tablet 175 Awards and Bursaries; Christian Aid support for local partners in flood-hit areas of Pakistan and India; Media digest
Engaging faith creatively as Electric Picnic returns for a fourth year; Teams return from Africa to three Belfast Presbyteries; Documentary on Knock seeks funding from public; ”Criminally naive" to think assisted dying bill wouldn't put vulnerable at risk - Irish adviser to C of E; The Middle Eastern tree that has prospered at St Columba’s, Portadown; Mothers Union at first Church and Community forum in Africa; Bird of Paradise Ministries - Revd Jerome and Mary interviewed on BBC Radio Ulster; Media digest
Dublin archbishop defends allocation of school places; Are Syrian refugees welcome here? Belfast seminar asks; Mary Sumner Day Celebrated at Derry See House; Canon Robert Reed - a brother’s tribute; Lough Derg is tough - Bishop Donal McKeon on a recent visit; Heritage Week events in Dublin and Glendalough; The Voice of Ireland needs you; Psalms on the go - C of E launches new mobile app; Anglican archbishop says China cross removals must stop; Pope Francis thanks Jordan for welcoming; Christians escaping from ISIS persecution; Media digest
Open day at Historic Dominican church in Cork city; Gallipoli Commemoration service in Lisburn Cathedral; Methodist President’s visit to Dundrum, Newcastle and Downpatrick circuit; Knock shrine - New York pilgrims take first flight to Irish Catholic site; ISIS captures Syrian town - home to thousands of Christians; Media digest
The billboard at Belfast airport spelt out the words sun, sky and ski. A better résumé of my few days in the Mediterranean would have been sun, sex and church - writes Denis Bradley in The Irish News.
Creation Time to focus on climate justice; Documenting Archbishop Gregg’s Papers; Garvagh Spark programme grows in popularity; New church is planned for Lisburn; Bishop Crean calls for special prayers for all involved in Mediterranean refugee crisis; Calais has become a place of ‘tension, violence and death’, says French bishop; Media digest
Next time round I will think twice about voting for the Alliance Party, following the revelation that it is demanding that its candidates for election must accept its ruling in favour of same-sex marriage - Alf McCreary in the Belfast Telegraph
Dock market at Titanic Quarter church is a year old; Faith in Marriage Equality group responds to Presbyterian and Catholic churches vote call; Pro Life Campaign blasts Amnesty Ireland’s 8th amendment rally; Derry diocese climate talks with Foyle MP; Archbishop Ben Kwashi speaking in Belfast on Sunday; Pace of change afflicts RE in Ireland; Stained-glass windows exceed expectations in auction; WCC pilgrims remember atom bomb's deadly destruction 70 years ago in Hiroshima; Media digest
Technology helps bring St Patrick’s Cathedral to life; Presbyterian and Catholic Churches want a free vote on same-sex marriage in Northern Ireland; Reminiscence Exhibition at Belfast Methodist care home; Dean’s Tribute to Canon Robert Reed, Precentor of St Patrick’s Cathedral; Pope urges true welcome for divorced and remarried; New Church of England leadership training already showing 'first fruits’; Media digest
The challenge to sectarianism - Bishop Harold Miller at New Horizon
Tributes for Team Ireland’s successes at Special Olympics; Singing Priests will help Galway Cathedral celebrate its Golden Jubilee; Clergy conversion - from Couch Potato to Marathon Runner; Moira’s Bible Club kids on Polar Express; Pastoral Worker commissioned for St Clement’s in East Belfast; If Not Now, When? British Jews pray for Middle East Christians; Tributes paid to the well known Catholic peace activist Jerry Berrigan; Media Digest
A senior Church spokesman has called on Catholic politicians to resist taking the The Alliance Party could be headed for a clash with the Churches, particularly the Catholic hierarchy, over a new rule that its MLAs must pledge to vote in favour of same-sex marriage in the Assembly - writes Liam Clarke in The Belfast Telegraph
Religious education in Ireland not taken seriously, says study; From Strabane to Peru - Making a Difference; Fr Peter McVerry receives the ‘Spirit of Mother Jones’ honour; Clogher canon at St Patrick’s Dublin; New Mothers' Union Chief Executive to continue support for families; Churches reveal Welsh data on benefit sanctions; Media Digest
Gay marriage is now legal across the land. But some conservative Christians see gay marriage as sinful, and feel it’s their right, consistent with their religious beliefs, to discriminate against marrying gays, by for example refusing to sell them wedding cakes or weddings invitations. Must we tolerate their religion-based intolerance? - Kevin McGee writes from USA
Valuable witness of Irish Methodist City missions; Killyleagh says farewell and thank you to Jerome and Mary Munyangaju; Major re-roofing project underway at Derry church; Salisbury Cathedral harmony ruined by row over choristers' school; Scots minister’s shed is focus of vocation video video; Archive focus on the Most Revd Richard Whately, Archbishop of Dublin 1831–1863; New York holds last mass services before dozens of Catholic church closures; Media digest
We want to give our kids an Irish childhood surrounded by the people and places that matter most to us. But at what cost?- writes Seattle resident Kevin O’Donnell
100m Christians face discrimination and persecution; Fond farewell to Portadown rector; Glenstal may close to public over insurance claims; Armagh service recalled penalty kick pioneer; Recalling 1966 commemoration; New history of Lisburn parish published; We have not recovered yet, says Dean of Nepal; Media digest
The Church of England is being asked for a liturgy to rename transgender people. It's happening already writes Christopher Howse.
Down nurse joins Mercy Ship off Madagascar; Trócaire Human Rights Talk in Derry; Down ordinations; National Eucharistic Congress at Knock; Pipe Organ at Holy Trinity blessed; Almost £1billion sets new record for Church of England parish giving; Young Syrians marry in the ruins of church in devastated city of Homs; Media digest
A pilgrim place with its own vocabulary, culture, ethos, writes John Lynch
Corrymeela opens "space of celebration”; Presbyterian Moderator visits Malawi; Gallipoli centenary service in Lisburn Cathedral; Congo violence recalled by Irish missionary family; The Church of Ireland and the Labour leadership race; Methodists to confer on changing face of family ministry; Church of Scotland urges action on religious freedom in Nepal; Media digest