Irish Times Notes
Church of Ireland Notes from 'The Irish Times'
Saturday 16 January 2010
Aid for Haiti
The Dean of Belfast, Dr Houston McKelvey, has announced that the cathedral’s pre-Christmas sit-out for charity raised just over £250,000. Donations have already been made to Christian Aid, and to the Order of St John and the Order of Malta for their work in Ireland and the Holy Land. The local charities and community groups who are to benefit form the sit-out will receive their donations at a ‘Good Samaritans Service’ on Sunday 7 February.
Meanwhile, in response to public demand St Anne’s has opened a ‘Barrel for Haiti’ which will be situated inside the door of the cathedral until the ‘Good Samaritan Service’ in February. In the first five days £40,000 was raised and a first instalment of £50,000 has been sent to Haiti via Christian Aid which had a team working there before the disaster.
Christian Aid released £100,000 in immediate emergency relief to help those affected and, with its partners, is sourcing emergency relief for distribution to more than 15,000 people in eight communities, targeting areas that are receiving little help from other agencies.
Christian Aid is also the agency through which the Bishops’ Appeal, the Church's World Aid and Development Programme, has responded to this catastrophe. It has already donated an initial €20,000 towards the emergency relief effort. The Archbishops of Armagh and Dublin have appealed for further donations for relief and have suggested that collections be held in churches as soon as possible and sent through the Bishops’ Appeal. Individuals wishing to donate in euro or sterling may also send contributions to
Haiti Appeal,
The Church of Ireland Bishops’ Appeal,
Church of Ireland House,
Church Avenue,
Rathmines,
Dublin 6.
Today (Saturday) the Crosslinks missionary society will host a conference, in St Saviour’s Church, Dollingstown, Co. Down, on the theme of ‘Him We Proclaim’. The guest speaker is the Rt Revd Wallace Benn, who has been Bishop of Lewes since 1997. Originally from Dublin, Bishop Benn trained at Trinity College, Bristol, and was ordained in the Church of England in 1972. He is President of the Church of England Evangelical Council.
Tomorrow (Sunday) morning RTE1 Television will broadcast a Service of Words and Music for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity with staff, students and friends of the Irish School of Ecumenics. The broadcast will be led by the Trinity College Chapel Choir and the TCD Dean of Residence, the Revd Darren McCallig, and will also feature interviews with Ms. Miriam Haar and Dr. Gillian Wylie of ISE.
Next week John Bell, from the Iona Community, will present the ‘Big Sing ’ in St Mary’s Cathedral, Limerick at 8pm next Monday and, at the same time, in St Mary’s Church, Nenagh next Wednesday. On Tuesday he will lead a Quiet Day for the clergy and lay readers of the Diocese of Limerick & Kilalaoe in Glenstal Abbey. John Bell has led workshops in congregational song throughout the world. A well known hymn writer and composer, he uses traditional tunes in settings that everyone can song. At his ‘Big Sing’ no experience is needed to lean to sing in parts – an experience that can revitalise music in parish churches
In Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin , on Wednesday at 6pm, Dr Catríona Ní Laoire, of UCC, will give a seminar entitled ‘Tell me about yourself: learning from children-centred research with migrant children and youth’. Places are free but limited so early booking is strongly encouraged. To register, please email [email protected] or call 01 497 0033.