Press Releases17 Jun 04

New styles of ministry mark the ordination season

NEW STYLES OF MINISTRY MARK ORDINATION SEASON

Thursday 17th June 2004

This month sees 32 ordinations taking place in the Church of Ireland in all parts of the island ? 12 deacons and 20 priests.

Next week is particularly ?busy? with seventeen ordinations.

Canon Cecil Hyland, former Director of Ordinands, says, ?Our understanding of ministry is changing and it must change. There is a new emphasis on team ministry, on collaborative ministry and on the ministry of God?s people. This change in emphasis calls for a change in attitude that will affect the way ordinands are trained and it will affect the way we see Church. Already there are many examples of new styles of ministry and obviously there will be more as we seek to work for the renewal of the Church under the guidance of God.?

Canon Alan Abernethy, Rector of St Columbanus, Ballyholme, Bangor, who succeeds Canon Hyland as Director of Ordinands, is enthusiastic about the trend towards a team based ministry.

A keen, even fanatical, Manchester United fan, Canon Abernethy says: ?Team work, involving clergy and lay people, is now at the core of ministry. As in football, ministry needs good team players with all kinds of skills and above all a genuine respect for each other?s contribution to the service and witness of the Church in local communities and in society generally. That respect and affirmation of others is the essence of what makes for good teamwork. All ministry is God?s gift to the church and is not the possession of one individual. Ministry belongs to the church community that is both parochial and catholic, or both local and universal.

Figures at January 2004 show that there are 482 stipendiary clergy serving in the Church of Ireland supported by around 100 Non Stipendiary Ministers (NSM).

Ordinations:

• Sunday 20 June. Archbishop John Neill will ordain two deacons in Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin ? Ian Cruickshank and Norma McMaster(NSM)
• Sunday 20 June. Bishop Harold Miller, Down and Dromore, will ordain four priests in Down Cathedral, Downpatrick.
• Sunday 20 June. Bishop Alan Harper, Connor, will ordain four priests in Christ Church Cathedral, Lisburn.
• Thursday 24 June In Dromore Cathedral Bishop Harold Miller, Down and Dromore, will ordain two deacons ? Trevor McKeown (NSM) and Christopher Woods while Bishop Alan Harper, Connor, will ordain George Beattie (NSM) and David Ferguson (NSM).
• Thursday 24 June In Christ Church Cathedral, Waterford Bishop Peter Barrett, Cashel and Ossory, will ordain two priests.
• Thursday 24 June In St Fin Barre?s Cathedral , Bishop Paul Colton, Cork will ordain one priest.

For further information please contact Canon Alan Abernethy, Tel: 028 9127 4912(O) or 028 9127 4901(H)