Irish Times Notes12 Sep 25

Church of Ireland Notes from ‘The Irish Times’

The Ploughing

Much of the public converse about the Church of Ireland, modest though that is these days, is from an urban perspective. This is, perhaps, not surprising: most of the Church’s major decisions are made in Dublin, most of the bishops are from cities and live in cities, and much of the Church’s intellectual and cultural interaction with the wider world is mediated through universities, colleges and cathedrals which themselves are largely located in cities. But this perspective overlooks a significant point: many of the Church of Ireland people who operate in large towns and cities are from the country. They have been born, baptised and schooled in rural parishes or in the small towns which serve them. Some return home on a weekly basis and others, since the advent of ‘working from home’ spend the greater part of the week in their rural retreats where they clearly thrive.

Nest week there is an opportunity for the wider world to take notice of rural Ireland for the National Ploughing Championship is upon us. Billed as Ireland’s Farm Festival, it is believed to be a Europe’s largest outdoor agricultural exhibition, and the Church of Ireland will be there.

The event begins on Tuesday and continues until Thursday at Screggan, Tullamore, Co. Offaly. The Dioceses of Meath and Kildare have been making preparations to welcome visitors to the Church of Ireland stand where they are sure of a warm welcome and cup of tea.

In association with the Churches Ministry of Healing, there will be a number of prayer stations as well as a prayer tree for you to leave your prayer requests and there will also be a large selection of resources to help you pray. The Church of Ireland Youth Department will have a number of fun activities for our young people, including some VR games.  Children will love the activity zone with crafts, colouring sheets, Bible stories, and space to play. A special highlight of the event will be a farmyard Bible trail, so do drop in to participate in our interactive scavenger hunt based on parables and farming metaphors.

Tomorrow (Saturday) the Archbishop of Dublin will conduct the Pioneer Ministry Licensing and Commissioning Service for Aaron Halliwell in Crinken church.

The annual service of the commemoration of the life of celebrated Anglo–Irish authoress Elizabeth Bowen, will take place this year on Sunday at St Colman’s Church, Farahy, at 3.30pm. The service of Sung Evensong will be led by The Very Revd Dr Robert MacCarthy and the Clerks Choral will be directed by Dr Ian Sexton. The speaker this year is The Very Revd Dermot Dunne, Dean of Christ Church cathedral, Dublin. The Office of Public Works has kindly invited the congregation to tea at Doneraille Court after Evensong.

On Sunday All Saints’ church, on Co. Dublin’s Carysfort Avenue, Blackrock, will continue its 155th anniversary celebrations with a Songs of Praise service at 7pm.