Irish Times Notes
Church of Ireland Notes from The Irish Times
Saturday 28 January 2006
Hard Gospel Project
The Hard Gospel project, which is one of the largest initiatives that the Church of Ireland has undertaken in confronting sectarianism and difference, has appointed two project officers. Stephen Dallas, who will be based in Northern Ireland, worked for the NE Education & Library Board where he specialized in delivering training, with a key part of his work involving community relations work. The Republic of Ireland Project Officer is Philip McKinley, a TCD theology graduate, who has a background in voluntary work with immigrant communities in Dublin.
The Project Officers will assist the Project Director, the Revd Earl Storey, and they are responsible to the Hard Gospel Committee which is chaired by the Archdeacon of Dalriade, the Ven.Patrick Rooke. The Revd Doug Baker is a consultant to the project..
The functions of the project are to facilitate the creation of structures which will overcome sectarianism, community conflict and deal with difference, both within the Church of Ireland and, through cooperation with other Churches and agencies, in society at large. The origins of the project are to be found in The Hard Gospel. Dealing Positively with Difference in the Church of Ireland which was a scoping study report to the Sectarianism Education Project which was prepared under the direction of Gareth I. Higgins and published by the General Synod in 2003.
Tomorrow (Sunday) morning the preacher at the Sung Eucharist in the Chapel of Trinity College, Dublin, will be the Most Revd Jeremias Schroeder, Abbot of St Ottilien, Bavaria, who is also President of the Missionary Benedictines, while in Cashel Cathedral there will be a memorial service for the late Eve George, a longtime churchwarden and friend of the cathedral.
In the afternoon in St Brigid?s Cathedral, Kildare, the Bishop of Meath and Kildare will preach at the patronal festival service which will also mark the retirement of the Dean of Kildare, the Very Revd Robert Townley, and the launch of the first CD by the Cathedral Choir, directed by David Verso. St Edan?s Cathedral, Ferns, will also celebrate its patronal festival with a service at which the preacher will be the Bishop of Lund.
At 4.40 pm in St Ann?s Church, Dublin, the choir of St Patrick?s Cathedral will sing in the series of performances of Bach cantatas undertaken by the Orchestra of St Cecilia while in the cathedral, Evensong will be sung by the Lassus Scholars. In Christ Church Cathedral, at 5 pm, the end of the season of Christmas will be marked with the Candlemas Procession ? a candlelight procession and Sung Eucharist with readings and carols. At 6 pm the Archbishop of Dublin will take part in the Holocaust Memorial Day at the Mansion House.
On Monday the Chief Executive of the Mothers? Union, Reg Bailey, will visit the Diocese of Armagh to receive money which ahs been raised by MU members for overseas workers. The Diocesan President, Mrs Mary Caldwell, will make the presentation at an Action & Outreach function in St Mark?s Church Hall, Portadown.
Tuesday is the final day for the receipt of applications for the organ scholarship in Christ Church and St Patrick?s cathedrals for the year 2006-7. The scholarship is intended for organ students who wish to gain experience in all aspects of cathedral music, either before or after their university or music college course. Details may be had from peter.barley - at- stpatrickscathedral.ie or dom - at- cccdub.ie
On Wednesday at 8 pm St Brigid?s Day will be marked in Zion Church, Dublin, where the church choir will sing the monastic Office of Compline.