Today is the last of the four Sundays in the weeks of preparation for Christmas. There is a greater observance in churches of the custom of the lighting of the candles on an Advent wreath with four candles being lit gradually, one more as each Sunday comes.
10 carols everyone should sing this Christmas, Keith Getty writes - World Meeting of Families 2018 share the ‘Joy of Love’ with special family Christmas card - Irish Presbterian missionary and Bible translator dies - Funeral for rector’s son who died in US - Archbishop Justin Welby attacks 'harmful' gambling machines - Pope criticises the Vatican’s ‘traitors of trust’. Click here - CNI -news - December 23
Christmas Carol Singing in Dublin supports projects in Zambia - Former President opens Nano Nagle Place in Cork - The Archbishop of Canterbury's Ecumenical Christmas Letter 2017 - Fr Brian D'Arcy: Ex-taoiseach Albert Reynolds kick-started my writing career. Click here - CNI -news - December 22
Belfast Civic award to 81 year old church volunteer - Broadcast service on Sunday from St Columba’s Church, Knock - Launch of Archbishop Clarke’s book, ‘Shouldering the Lamb’ - Bishop of London appointment shows female Archbishop of Canterbury is 'possible' - Cardinal Nichols congratulates first female Bishop of London - Bishop calls for Christmas Day online sales boycott - Anti-Communist cardinal and Irish ‘Rosary Priest’ declared venerable. Click here - CNI -news - December 20
The Pope and the pizza - Moderator officially opens new Garvagh home - Sculpture and service honours inspirational Co Down missionary - Christmas cheer comes to a former Belfast parades flashpoint - Nurse, civil servant and the most senior ordained woman in Church of England - Lord Carey slams Archbishop Justin Welby over abuse report reaction. Click here - CNI -news - December 19
Advent service prepares most northerly C of I parish for Christmas - Dublin teacher honoured by France - Ahoghill Churchwarden wins prestigious 2017 Industrial Chemistry award - Belfast cathedral charity sitout online video - Friends of Cathedral Music award grant to Armagh cathedral - Bishop’s tribute to Sir William Hastings - Pope calls fake news a sin - Welby criticised for not fully apologising for ruined reputation of Bishop Bell. Click here - CNI -news - December 18
Dublin’s Black Santa Sit Out off to a chilly start - Retreat for C of I clergy couples - Clergy appointments in the Diocese of Dromore - Members of royal family attend Grenfell Tower memorial service - UK government doubles the impact of Christian Aid’s Christmas Appeal - Pope Francis: It’s not enough just to ‘be good’. You must go to Mass - Archbishop of Canterbury: The Church of England “is very confident in its faith”. Click here - CNI -news - December 15
Bark the herald angels sing - Carol service support for Newtownbutler pipe organ installation - Cork graduates in pastoral care - Sub-Aqua Christmas tree in Kilkenny Cathedral festival - Cork’s interfaith calendar launched at City Hall - Pain in the faces of mothers in South Sudan whose children are starving, is ‘devastating’, Irish Christian Aid chief - ExxonMobil concede defeat in climate change battle with Church of England. Click here - CNI -news - December 14
Down tree represents 13 decades of love and service by Mothers’ Union - Inter-church carol service at City of Derry airport - Launch of Journeying in Faith: A Walk with Christ, by Canon Cecil Hyland - Sudden death in USA of C of I rector’s son shocks local community - Lent Bible studies highlight Five Marks of Mission. Click here - CNI - December 13
Dogs carol service in Dublin Cathedral today - Pope Francis appoints Bishop Brendan Kelly as Bishop of Galway - Derry parish raises 12,000 pounds for Poppy Appeal - New Christmas CD from Belfast Cathedral - Dublin & Glendalough Mothers’ Union vigil Against Gender Based Violence - Bishop aims to raise £1.2 million by cycling across Canada - 45,000 Christians singing in the rain at Borneo Christmas celebration. Click here - CNI -news - December 12
Congo highlighted in Presbyterian Church’s 2017 World Development Appeal - Dublin Black Santa Appeal gets underway on Wednesday - Generosity at Christmas memorial service in Belfast - New history of Strabane Parish launched - Rival Anglican church in UK ordains nine new clergy in controversial service - Pope Francis prays for 'world without nuclear weapons' - Evangelists and Zionists praise President Trump at White House Hanukkah party - Events this week . Click here - CNI -news - December 11
In this season of carols, thoughts turn to the chapel of King’s College, Cambridge. On Christmas Eve its service of nine lessons and carols will be heard around the globe. The chapel is one of the architectural wonders of the world, Simon Heffer writes in The Daily Telegraph. Click here - PRESS WATCH
Holy Family at the heart of new double issue of Intercom - Theological Institute’s annual Advent Carol Service - Bishops call for increased efforts to counter homelessness - New Rector from Belfast to Cobh via Westminster - Photographer revisits Auschwitz for exhibition - Controversial 'missionary' bishop defends ordination service - Ex- C of E bishop jailed for abuse wants to join Catholic Church for 'anonymity' . Click here - CNI -news - December 8
Nine lessons and Carols in Irish in Belfast parish church - Spirit of Cork Award 2017 Presented to Bishop Paul Colton - Fraudsters swindle £20,000 from church - Christian Aid pays £844k to exiting workers - Pope urges dialogue amid Jerusalem controversy - US Supreme Court ‘divided’ over gay wedding cake case. Click here - CNI -news - December 7
Trócaire appeal asks to give the gift of love for Christmas 2017 - Celebrating 175 years of Groomsport Parish Church - Bishop Fintan Monahan to lead third ‘Mercy on the Mall’ in Skycourt Shopping Centre, Shannon - Saintfield Parish sit–out raises £1,600 for Clic Sargent - Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2018: That All May be Free - Paper-based social-media campaign links Anglicans against gender-based violence - Connor MU vigil marks 16 Days of Action Against Gender Based Violence. Click here - CNI -news - December 6
Successful Antrim Christmas Tree Festival aids Lough Neagh Rescue and Macmillan Cancer Support - Derry MP calls on Parliament to commemorate missionary Amy Carmichael - St Patrick’s lights up Ballymacarrett - Diocesan Boards take part in Clogher Advent Carol Service - C of I and Welsh clergy share their priorities - Christian cake maker to appear before US Supreme Court - Pope Francis urged to visit troubled South Sudan after making donation - Australia's Prime Minister insists on protecting religious people from same-sex marriage amendments - Energy price increases knock the joy out of Christmas in Ireland says St Vincent de Paul. Click here - CNI -news - December 5
Famed satirist and poet Dean Jonathan Swift features on latest silver coin - Keith and Kristyn Getty shape their music inspired by Reformer Luther - ‘Show people the power of our faith’ new Archbishop challenges churches - St Patrick’s Christmas Tree Festival in Dublin - Pro Bono Choir to present Carols at the Courts - Services mark the beginning of Advent - I raised concerns about Rohingya with Burma’s leaders, says Pope. Click here - CNI -news - December 4
Archbishop Diarmuid Martin asks parishioners to support annual Crosscare food appeal - ‘Families are the heart of the life and mission of the Church.’ Irish Inter-Church Meeting in Dromantine - First RTÉ Mass using new Irish translation of the Roman Missal to be broadcast live tomorrow, Sunday - Organ dedicated at St Mary’s Church, Passage West, Co Cork - Christ Church Bray invites you to walk in a Winter Wonderland this Week - Ground-breaking eldership book sells 10,000 copies - First Persian woman to be ordained bishop consecrated in Canterbury Cathedral. Click here - CNI -news - December 2
Irish Council of Churches study visit to EU institutions - Church representatives to meet with An Taoiseach in New Year - Launch of Crazy Chronicles of a Parish Life by Derry priest - Eco–Congregation Ireland newsletter highlights Irish churches response to environment - Archbishop Eamon Martin launches online Advent 2017 Calendar - Archbishop of Canterbury intervenes in Anglo-American diplomatic Twitter row - Giant Bible returns to Britain after 1,300 years for British Library show - Priest accused of not praying hard enough after satellite launch failure. Click here - CNI -news - December 1
World Vision ambassador Meghan Markle will bring 'vast energy' to royal work, Christian charity says - Revealed: number of gay weddings at churches - Christ Church Concert Raises Funds and Awareness for Refugee Accommodation Programme - Moderator affirms Forces Chaplaincy as a unique kind of ministry - Cork’s Saint Fin Barre’s Cathedral Choir launch new CD of Christmas Carols - New booklet challenges church members to become Missionaries of Mercy and Ambassadors of Reconciliation - Study: young Catholics divided between traditionalists and modernists. Click here - CNI -news - November 30
Stunning chapel at Windsor Castle a more intimate venue for Royal wedding - 3,000 attend first performance of Handel’s Messiah in Knock - Pre-Christmas witness of Dublin Churches ecumenical Walk of Light - Swift’s moral outrage would be focussed on Ireland’s homeless children - ‘A rigged global tax system': Oxfam says Ireland is a tax haven by EU standards - Former Archbishop of Canterbury invites faith leaders to join 16-Days of Activism - Pope Francis walks tightrope in Myanmar as UK MP returns from 'heartbreaking' visit with Christian Aid to Rohingya in Bangladesh. Click here - CNI -news - November 29
Justin Welby asks God to bless Prince Harry and Meghan Markle as they announce engagement - ‘Gay cake' case going back to court - Cork C of I plots its future with confidence - Irish bishops online Advent calendar starts December 3 - Willowfield Parish opens free community gym - Church of Uganda in race to end gender-based violence - Keith and Kristyn Getty urge Anglicans to ‘rediscover’ congregational singing this Christmas. Click here - CNI -news - November 28
Emotional vigil in Derry cathedral as Mothers Union confronts gender-based violence - Commissioning of new Chaplain to Bandon Grammar School - Dr John Sentamu keeps pledge to wear collar again after Mugabe's exit - Record-breaking medals bid provides £700,000 boost to Anglican mission charity - British missionary slain after singing hymn - Bangladeshi religious leaders have high hopes for Pope’s visit. Click here - CNI -news - November 27
Irish priest blasts Catholic Church for lack of training in exorcisms - Lisburn parish celebrates its 175th anniversary - DCU Chaplain attends Pope Francis’ audience on refugees - Interested in becoming a Presbyterian Minister? - Every pupil leaves Co Tyrone school, speeding up its closure. Click here - CNI -news - November 25
Bible Society spreading Christmas cheer with Advent Challenge - 19 young leaders in Down & Dromore graduate from Serve course - Inter-church blessing of Window of Reconciliation in Tralee - A very 21st century Christmas song for the NI Children’s Hospice - Pope Francis to visit Baltic States in 2018 - At Texas church that suffered shooting, pastor still celebrates thanksgiving - Church commemorations mark centenary of WWI explosion that killed 2000 Canadians. Click here - CNI -news - November 24
Carnalea church looks to future with new extension - Senior Lurgan priest resigns after 'historical complaint' probe - Inter-church blessings of new Farm Relief Services offices in Rosscrea - Purpose-built Anglican church opens in London for first time in 40 years - Dublin launch of new book by Canon Cecil Hyland - Irish Columban Missionary, Fr. Shay Cullen, receives the 2017 Martin Buber Award - Aled Jones' family reveals allegation 'hell' - Archbishop of Canterbury and Patriarch of Moscow appeal for Middle East Christians - Press watch: John Cushnahan: Gerry Adams never condemned the divisive terrorism of the IRA. Click here - CNI -news - November 23
Mothers’ Union use 16-Days to Break the Silence, Lift the Shame, and Shift the Blame - Inter-church ‘get together’ for flood victims in Eglinton, Derry - Presbyterian Moderator in solidarity visit to Egypt - Dublin organists’ success in Church Music Course - Down director for film about Irish war hero priest Willie Doyle - Christian Aid calls for stricter tax avoidance rules after new poll - Archbishop Justin Welby on Russia visit. Click here - CNI -news - November 22
Bell’s peal at Westminster Abbey to mark Queen and Duke’s platinum anniversary - Down Mothers’ Union members learn about gender-based violence as part of 16-days of activism - Irish church leaders call for end to paramilitary attacks on Children’s Day - New group to help LGBT Presbyterian Church members - Victorian style at Whitehouse Presbyterian Church 150th anniversary - Archbishop Michael Neary presents 545 young people with John Paul II Awards. Click here - CNI -news - November 21