The Church of Ireland Youth Department are holding a Day of Prayer for Young People and Youth Ministry on Sunday the 11th February. Parishes across the island will be organising events and services to pray for the needs of young people and for the you the leaders and ministries that serve them.
» Click HERE for resources to help you organise these events.
Pentecost marked the launch of the Christian mission. The risen Jesus commissioned his disciples to proclaim “the forgiveness of sins in his name to all nations” but he also commanded them first to stay in Jerusalem until they were “clothed with power from on high” (Luke 24:44-49). What followed on the day of Pentecost was as perplexing as it was dramatic – and would have remained so, were it not for the Apostle Peter’s intervention, “Let me explain this to you’ he said, ‘listen carefully to what I say” (Acts 2:14). Peter goes back to the Old Testament prophet Joel and finds there the key for grasping what Pentecost is all about. Strangely, in our day, Joel is one of the least visited corners of the Old Testament. The result is that the events of Pentecost often remain perplexing and its implications–as spelled out by Peter–are widely unknown.
The 2018 day conference will explore the meaning and significance of Pentecost for mission today in the light of Peter’s exposition of Joel.
The Last Day and the last days conference promises a fresh encounter with the apostolic teaching that laid the foundations of Christian mission.
Our Speaker: Rev Alan Purser is a bible teacher who specialises in expository preaching and the theology of mission. As an Anglican clergyman Alan has served in a number of parishes in the UK and abroad and, most recently, spent 13 years working for Crosslinks. During this time he also travelled extensively in Europe and Africa. Alan retired in 2016 and, with his wife Anne, now lives in Buxton, Derbyshire where they are active members of Trinity Church.
Booking: £10 / €10 (This includes all refreshments and lunch)
Book online: www.crosslinks.org/lastdays or contact Valerie Ellis at [email protected]
Christmas is on the cards. Sending and receiving Christmas cards is still very much part of our Christmas experience. There is a whole variety of greetings on the cards :Merry Christmas, Season’s Greetings’, Nollaig Shona Duit and Ho Ho Ho are but a few offered this year.
The greeting is key because it was at the centre of the Christmas story in the Bible. In St. Luke’s Gospel, the Angle Gabriel was sent by God, to Mary a young unmarried girl. His greeting frightened Mary and his message from God astounded her. She had found favour with God and was to conceive and to bear a son without human agency. He was to be called Jesus and he would be great and be called the Son of God.
The angel Gabriel’s greeting and Mary’s response lie at the heart of Christmas.
God comes to us in Jesus, born of Mary. God steps into our world and shares our human experience, being born into a family and be raised to adulthood. His coming has transformed the world through his life, death and resurrection.
The babe of Bethlehem is Lord of all and at Christmas we wonder at the purposes of God and marvel at his ways. This is His story we celebrate and it is our story too. Like Mary we are favoured by God’s Grace, and like her we are asked to believe and receive God’s gift, Jesus Christ his Son as our Saviour and King.
May we wish you and yours God’s favour and presence this Christmas as you gather with family or friends and as you gather in parish churches to hear again of the greatest story ever told.
+Ferran
On Sunday 10th December Revd Canon Edward Yendall was Installed in St. John’s Cathedral, Sligo as Prebendary of Tibohine.
Pictured (L to R) Dean Arfon Williams, Canon Edward Yendall, Bishop Ferran Glenfield and Canon Patrick Bamber.
The Revd. Alison Calvin was installed as Prebendary of Annagh at an evening service on Advent Sunday 3rd December in St Fethlimidh’s Cathedral, Kilmore. It was a beautiful service with the promise of advent running through all the hymns and readings. Canon Ali said it was ‘a reminder of what a privilege it is to serve God and his people while we eagerly await and look forward to his return’.
After the service there was a reception in the Kilmore Parish Hall at which Canon Ali was warmly welcomed to the cathedral chapter. The people of Killeshandra marked the occasion by presenting Canon Ali with flowers and a beautiful engraved lamp – a symbol of the light in the darkness.
St John’s Cathedral are hosting a Christmas Tree Festival from the 1-3rd December.The festival will close with a service of Advent and Christmas Songs of Praise on Sunday at 7:30pm. Everyone welcome.
The Longford Group of Parishes are holding a Christmas Toy Service at their United Service on the 3rd of December in St John’s Church, Longford. Toy donations will be taken during the service in aid of Temple Street Children’s hospital. Please help by donating a new unwrapped toy for a child aged 0-17 years.
On Sunday 5th November, a service was held in Swalinbar Parish church to welcome Revd. Simon Donohe as the new Minister-in-Charge of the Swanlinbar Group of Parishes (Swanlinbar, Kinawley, Tomregan and Templeport).
Revd. Simon was born and raised in South Dublin where he came to know the Lord Jesus through the ministry of Crinken church and Crosslinks holiday clubs. He is married to Abigail and they have two daughters under three.
Revd. Simon trained at Oak Hill college in London but has always planned and prayed to return to Ireland. Whilst in England he served in churches in Wimbledon, Wilmslow, Wimsford and Cheadle.
In his spare time he enjoys running, reading and keeping up with the Irish rugby team and Premier league football.
We pray for God’s blessing on Simon and his family as they settle in their new home.
Canon Sandra Lindsay Retires
On Sunday 22nd October 2017, a service was held in Cootehill Church of Ireland Church to mark the retirement of Canon Sandra Lindsay. Canon Sandra has served with great love and dedication in the Drumgoon Group of Parishes as well as in the Roscommon, Kildallon and Bailieborough groups since she was ordained in 1993. She is well known and much loved across the Diocese where she has served in so many capacities. We pray for God’s continued blessing as she begins this next chapter.
