Irish Times Notes
Church of Ireland Notes from The Irish Times
Celebrations in Kilmore, Elphin & Ardagh
Tomorrow (Sunday) afternoon the United Dioceses of Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh will hold a Diocesan Service of Celebration in the conference suite of the Slieve Russell Hotel, Ballyconnell. The Bishop of Kilmore, the Rt Revd Ken Clarke, will be the preacher, music will be provided by the Shankill Parish Choir from Lurgan, co. Armagh, and there will be children?s activities led by the Kilmore M.A.D. group. Some 1,000 people are expected to attend and, in addition to the worship, there will be displays and information stands on the work of number of mission agencies.
The celebration is part of a programme entitled ?Forward? which is designed to promote growth in every parish in the dioceses. It seeks to involve parish members, to foster cooperation between parishes, and to release financial support. The programme is focusing on worship, building church families, reaching out and service. The implementation of these themes, will include making worship relevant and attractive, involving and listening to young people, helping congregations to be friendly and sharing, developing ministry teams in every parish.
Launch dinners for the programme were held in Cavan and Carrick-on-Shannon in February and parishes are now engaged in the process of implementation. Bishop Clarke has asked every parishioner to consider what part he or she might play to ensure that their parish is growing and moving forward.
Another diocesan initiative has taken place in the Dioceses of Derry and Raphoe which have established companionship links with the Diocese of Bristol in England and the Dioceses of Luweero in Uganda. The Bishop of Derry and Raphoe, the Rt Revd Ken Good, recently attended the consecration of the new Bishop of Swindon in St Paul?s Cathedral, London. The Bishop of Swindon is an assistant bishop on the Diocese of Bristol and Swindon Deanery has a companionship link with Luweero.
Today (Saturday) the Diocesan Synod of Cork, Cloyne and Ross will be held in the Rochestown Park Hotel, Cork, while the Limerick, Killaloe and Ardfert Synod will assemble in Villiers School. In the evening the Haifa Chamber Choir from Israel and the Frikirkjukorinn from Iceland will give a concert in St Cathage?s Cathedral, Lismore. The Haifa Chamber Choir will sing again on Tuesday evening in St Mary?s Church, Killarney.
Tomorrow (Sunday) morning the preacher in St Patrick?s Cathedral, Dublin, will be the Revd Dr Nigel Biggar, Professor of Theology in Trinity College. In the afternoon, at 4 pm, all young people are invited to an ?Encounter with 3rock? in St Andrew?s Church, Malahide, which will feature worship, fellowship, praise, drama and music.
On Monday the annual mid-week retreat of the Fellowship of Contemplative Prayer will begin in St Columbans House, Navan, Co., Meath, and continue until Thursday. The witness will be Canon Bryan Ellis and details may be had from Mr Tony Dunton at a.dunton-at-virgin.net
The Standing Committee of the General Synod and the Executive Committee of the Representative Church Body will meet in Dublin on Tuesday followed by a meeting of the House of Bishops which will continue on Wednesday.
On Wednesday the organ recital in St Patrick?s Cathedral, Dublin, at 6.15 pm, will be given by Huw Williams, Sub-Organist of St Paul?s Cathedral, London. St Patrick?s will also be the venue, on Friday evening, at 8 pm, for the Three Choirs Concert which is part of the Pipeworks Festival (formerly the Dublin International Organ Festival) 2005. The choirs of St Patrick?s, Christ Church and the Pro-Cathedral will perform Joseph Jorgan?s large scale Mass Op. 130.
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