Diocesan News21 May 04

Cork, Cloyne and Ross launch of BCP 2004

UNITED DIOCESE OF CORK, CLOYNE AND ROSS LAUNCH OF BCP 2004

There was a sense of history unfolding in St Fin Barre's Cathedral, Cork, on the evening of Thursday May 20 at the Cork Cloyne and Ross Diocesan Launch of The Book of Common Prayer 2004 as the cathedral filled with clergy, lay readers, Church and Civic representatives and parishioners from all over the diocese.

In welcoming members of the congregation, Bishop Colton said that the new Book of Common Prayer offered us all a new beginning and he hoped we would "lift the words and make them our own to shape our worship."

The Reverend Gilly Myers, Succentor of Durham Cathedral, preached and said, "Ascension Day is a marvellous day to launch a Prayer Book as Ascension is very much about worship and mission." She feels that the Book of Common Prayer has much to commend it in its unity and diversity, its traditional and contemporary services, language, shape and structure and it is also a book to be used to help people pray "beyond the church walls and beyond the gathering."

Following the very celebratory service, congregation and clergy were invited to gather in the cathedral forecourt for refreshments and conversation. The celebrations ended with Dean Michael Burrows, assisted by the children present, releasing green balloons into the bright evening sky.

Dean Burrows sending green balloons on their way into the Cork sky to celebrate the Launch of The 2004 Book of Common Prayer	The Reverend Gilly Myers is welcomed to St Fin Barre's Cathedral by Bishop Paul Colton.  The Reverend Myers preached at the Cork Launch of the new Book of Common Prayer.