Press Releases14 Sep 09

Bishop Michael Burrows' Harvest Tide Organ Fund-Raiser

Bishop of Cashel Reaps Harvest for Charity in Organ-playing Marathon

The Rt Revd Michael Burrows, Bishop of Cashel and Ossory, has just completed a huge tour of all 149 churches in his dioceses where he play a well-loved Harvest Tide hymn on the organ of each to raise money for good causes. Completing the venture at the organ of St Canice’s Cathedral, Kilkenny, yesterday (13th September 2009), he will conclude the fund-raising effort by handing over the monies raised to charity representatives at Kilkenny College next Saturday, 19th September.

Two years ago, Bishop Michael Burrows undertook a major fund-raising endeavour by visiting every railway station in his Church of Ireland United Dioceses. In 2009, he used his interest in church organs and church music to concentrate efforts on visiting every single church in the diocese to play whatever instrument exists in each and to lead people in singing ‘Come, ye thankful people, come’. Not every church has an organ or ‘live’ music normally ¬but if there was an ancient and little used harmonium still there he played it and if there was no instrument he improvised with a portable keyboard.

This musical marathon began on Thursday 27th August at Freshford and concluded on Sunday 13th September at St Canice’s Cathedral. The Harvest Tide time of thanksgiving put the bishop in mind of the needy of the world. Each parish/congregation and individuals were invited to respond to the Harvest pilgrimage and to raise something towards the named charities, with funds handed over at each visit. The monies raised on the tour across the churches are to be divided between three causes:

• The Bishops’ Appeal (the bishop is chair of its central committee). Specifically, a partnership between the Bishops’ Appeal and USPG Ireland (an Anglican mission agency) ¬for a project concerned with food sustainability and agricultural training in Swaziland where USPG Ireland is working through the Anglican Church. The population is but 1 million, but there are about 80 000 orphans, largely as a result of HIV AIDS which is possibly at the highest level of incidence in the world ¬ 40 per cent of the population are infected. As a result 15 per cent of households are headed by a child. With Bishops’ Appeal support, USPG is working with the local church to provide feeding programmes and concentrating on training in horticulture and market gardening which can significantly improve diet. It has been possible too to make use of hitherto underused church lands in this work. All this is set in the context of the local church¹s anti HIV programme and the need to give people confidence that there can be a sustainable future for their communities.
• Outreach in Seoul, Korea: The Diocese of Cashel, Waterford, Lismore, Ossory, Ferns and Leighlin has also been supporting through its Boards of Mission the ministry of the former Archdeacon of Ferns, Paul Mooney, in building the ministry and outreach to English speakers of the Anglican Cathedral in Seoul, Korea. While it is expanding wonderfully, it is doing so in the context of a huge and problem-laden city where many who benefit from the ministry can give little to support it.
• Protestant Aid: As a result of the recession, a great number of people in Ireland have become unemployed and are under huge financial pressure. Protestant Aid is a charity which works quietly within the Church of Ireland dealing with situations where people are under stress in regard to everything from heating costs to school books.

The presentation of the funds raised to appropriate representatives of each charity will take place on Saturday 19th September at 11am in Kilkenny College. The recipients will display information about their work and show examples of mission and charitable work that is being carried out both at home and abroad at the event.
ENDS

For further information, please contact: Mr Herbie Sharman, Diocesan Communications Officer on: (00 353) (0) 86 2653191 or by email on [email protected]

Bishop Burrows accepting a donation from Mr Tom Rothwell of St John's Church of Ireland Church in Kilkenny following their fund-raising for the bishop's Musical Marathon