Irish Times Notes
Church of Ireland Notes from 'The Irish Times'
Saturday 24 February 2007
New Head of CMS Ireland
The Church Mission Society Ireland has announced the appointment of Ian Smith as its new Director of Mission, in succession to Canon Cecil Wilson who has been General Secretary of CMS Ireland since 1987. This appointment will take effect in June. Ian comes from working for CMS Britain where he has been based in York, heading a team of mission workers working in both the North of England and Scotland.
Having travelled extensively across Africa, the Middle East and Pakistan, Ian has a good understanding of crossing cultural boundaries and the implications of this for mission in the 21st century. A gifted evangelist and teacher, he has worked to commend the Gospel in many difficult and diverse situations. He is currently an elected member of the Church of England General Synod and serves on its Mission and Public Affairs Council.
For Ian?s wife, Carol, there is a real sense of home coming in that she was born into CMS Ireland ? her father was the Revd Handley Vaughan, who at that time was Northern Secretary for CMS Ireland.
CMS Ireland is a Christian Mission and Development Agency, which has been working in partnership with the Church in Ireland and the Church overseas, for over 190 years, to share the Gospel throughout the world.
Tomorrow the preacher at the Sung Eucharist in the Chapel of Trinity College, Dublin, will be the Church of Ireland Chaplain Dr Alan McCormack, who will speak ?On Serving the People?. This will be Dr McCormack?s final sermon as Trinity Chaplain, a post to which he was nominated by the Archbishop of Dublin in 1998 and to which he has brought great energy, remarkable inventiveness and considerable éclat. Early next month he will be licenced and installed in the London city parishes of St Vedast and St Botolph-without-Bishopsgate by the Bishop of London, Dr Richard Chartres.
On Monday evening an 8 pm in Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, the first in a series of Lent lectures will be given by Professor John Kelsay, Florida State University, who will speak on ? Christianity, Islam and the Political Future?. Meanwhile on Thursday in St Columb?s Cathedral, Derry, the speaker at the lunchtime Lenten series will be the former Provost of the University of Ulster at Magee, Professor Tom Frazer, who will address the theme of the series ? ?In the global village does the Irish Church?s claim of a Gospel for all seem shallow?.
On Thursday evening at 8 pm in Rathfarnham parish church the first in a series of ecumenical Lent discussions will begin at 8 pm. The general theme of the series is ?Let Justice Be Done? and the first session is devoted to the topic ?Does Punishment Fit the Crime in Ireland Today?. The speakers will be Mr Justice Joseph Finnegan of the Supreme Court and Fr Charlie Hoey O. Carm, a chaplain in Mountjoy Prison.
The Central Communications Board has released details of the magazine and website competition for 2007. In the print media section entries are invited from diocesan magazines and parish magazines/newsletters and in the website section from diocesan and parish websites. Entries to both sections are also welcome from other committees or groups associated with the Church of Ireland. Entry forms may be had from Mrs J. Compston, Press Office, Church of Ireland House, 61-67 Donegall Street, Belfast BT1 2QH and the closing date for entries in 28 February. The winners will be announced at the General Synod in Kilkenny in May.