Irish Times Notes
Church of Ireland Notes from 'The Irish Times'
Broadcast Healing Service
Tomorrow (Sunday) the Church’s Ministry of Healing will broadcast a Service of Worship, Healing and Intercession from St John’s Church, Orangefield, Belfast, led by the Rev Dr Pat Mollan, Director of Ministry, and the choir of St John’s under the direction of Tim Wilson and organist Anna Quigley.
The theme of the service in words and music is a reminder that no one is beyond God’s healing touch and is particularly appropriate for those at home or in hospital. Using St Mark’s story which recounts Jesus healing of the demonically influenced man in the synagogue, Simon’s mother-in-law and a leper, who were regarded as ‘outsiders’ or ‘on the edge’ of society, the meditations challenge our attitudes. St Mark makes it clear that it is the disordered man, a mere woman and an outcast leper who sees and touches the good news of God and find new life and dignity. This confronts prejudice as the passage is heard afresh today. Those whom we ignore, exclude or feel have no worth are the very people Jesus seeks to include. This is the story of God’s amazing generosity and grace.
The service will be broadcast on RTE Radio 1 Extra Stream, Long Wave 252, and on RTE Radio 1 Extra on DAB in the Greater Dublin Area, Cork and Limerick.
Previous healing services for those at home or in hospital can be heard on the website at www.healing.ireland.anglican.org or www.cmh-themount.org
The Ministry of Healing in Ireland has its origins in the work of Canon Noel Waring who, in the 1930s, had direct experience of divine healing in England. On his return to Ireland, and with the encouragement of Archbishop Gregg, he began work in Dublin. His work, and that of his successors has been chronicled by George Clarke and Hilda Bleakley in a brief history of the Church’s Ministry of Healing which was published in 2007 to mark the 75th anniversary of CMH.
Today the Church’s Ministry of Healing in Ireland has three centres. In Dublin it is based in Egan House at St Michan’s Church in Church Street. The Belfast centre is at The Mount, 33 Dargan Road, while the Derry centre is based in St Peter’s Church on the Culmore Road. In Dublin there are weekly healing services in St Ann’s Church, Dawson Street, on Tuesdays at 12.45pm. In St Anne’s Cathedral Belfast, there is a service every Friday at 1pm and in St Peter’s Church, Derry, every fourth Sunday a healing service is held at 4pm.
Tomorrow (Sunday) morning the choir of All Saints Church, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, will sing at the Eucharist in St Carthage’s Cathedral, Lismore, where the Dean is the Very Revd Paul Draper.
On Thursday evening at 8pm, as, part of the Dublin City Council Northside Music Festival, Celtic Rose will give a concert in St Pappan’s Church, Santry, where the rector is the Revd David Oxley. Tickets may be booked through Artscope (01-5059582) and admission is free.
In Co, Cork the final recital in the St Barrahane’s Church Festival of Music will be given by Sylvia O’Brian (soprano) and Hanna Shybayeva (piano) who will perform works by Schubert, Schumann, Schoenberg, Wolf and Strauss.
The first of two family fun days for Heritage Week will be held on Friday when there will be a family trail running between Christ Church and St Patrick’s cathedrals in Dublin. This will involve families taking part in a treasure hunt between the two cathedrals with a small prize for those families who complete the trail.