For the last number of months, Amy McCrea and Andrew Frame from the Church of Ireland Youth Department have been working on a new Confirmation Resource called ‘I Believe’ to be used by Rectors and those involved in preparing young people for Confirmation.

‘I Believe’ has been created in response to a perceived need for this type of resource. The Youth Department are regularly asked for help or advice on Confirmation Preparation and the alternatives currently available are either outdated or not specifically relevant to Confirmation in the Church of Ireland.

The resource is 12 sessions long and is based round the Confirmation Service, the Ten Commandments and The Apostles’ Creed. Topics include ‘Who is God?’, ‘Why we need a Saviour’, ‘The Sacraments’ and ‘Serving God/Serving others’.

Each session offers a blend of teaching, games, worship and prayer activities and discussion questions. The sessions are aimed to last between forty and ninety minutes at the discretion of the facilitator and the resource offers the flexibility for sessions to be tailored to the needs of the particular context.

In commending the resource, Bishop Pat Storey (CIYD’s President) wrote, “it is current, fresh and orthodox in its presentation and teaching.” and also “this is the first all Ireland resource specifically written for the Church of Ireland. It is our hope, as a Youth Department, that this will be of great help to clergy and youth leaders, from Derry to Cork, and everywhere in between!”

As well as a well-designed Leader’s Manual, an interactive Participant’s Guide has been developed to complement the course and it is hoped that young people will enjoy using this as they undergo their Confirmation preparation.

The resource will be launched at General Synod in May. Each Parish will receive a complimentary copy of the Leader’s Manual and a Participant’s Guide. Further copies will be available for purchase through the CIYD office and other outlets.

On Friday evening 22nd April family, friends and parishioners past and present gathered to celebrate the institution of the Revd Tanya Woods as Rector of the Annagh Group of parishes (Belturbet, Cloverhill, Drumaloor and Drumlane). The service, which took place in a packed Belturbet Parish church, was led by Bishop Ferran Glenfield assisted by Archdeacon Craig McCauley with Maud Cunningham acting as stand in registrar.

The parish praise band led the congregation in worship and the Belturbet Community choir were a fantastic contribution to the singing on the night. It was fitting that the music was a real highlight of the evening given Revd. Tanya’s interest in church music. Scripture readings were read by George Davidson and Canon Liz McElhinney whose reading was delivered by recording.

The address was given by The Venerable Craig McCauley, Archdeacon of Kilmore. He said that the symbols used in the Service of Institution remind us that ministry requires a person to be servant-hearted, pastorally minded, bible focused and prayerful. He said that the readings chosen by Revd. Tanya highlight her understanding of ministry as a call to preach Jesus Christ and his grace and to encourage us into a living faith. He said ministry means reaching out beyond our boundaries to build relationships to bring the gospel message to all. But he reminded us that ministry is a collaborative effort. The role of the minister is to equip, teach and encourage parishioners but the ministry of the church is to be carried out by all.

The Act of Institution was then carried out by Bishop Ferran Glenfield, after which words of  welcome were given to Revd. Tanya by Father Gerry Comiskey, Parish Priest of Drumlane, Canon Mark Lidwell on behalf of the Diocese of Kilmore, Sylvia Quinn (GFS Central President) and Violet Morton (GFS Diocesan President) on behalf of the GFS, David Coles on behalf of the Annagh Group of Parishes and Mavis Mcgee on behalf of the Mother’s Union.

Refreshments were served in the Seven Horses Hotel after the service. The warmth and the atmosphere of the evening were a real affirmation of the ministry of Revd. Tanya who has been serving as Minister-in-Charge of the Annagh Group of Parishes. We pray that the Lord continues to bless Tanya and her family as she continues to preach Christ and serve as Rector in this Group.

 

Left to Right: Dean Nigel Crossey, Bishop Ferran Glenfield, Revd. Tanya Woods, Archdeacon Craig McCauley.

Belturbet Community Choir and the Parish Praise Band

 

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For further information contact the Diocesan Communications Officer:
Jennifer Horner
Tel: (042) 967 5822
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.dkea.ie

Prayer is critical to the Christian life lived out as individuals and collectively as church communities. In the diocesan 20/20 Vision we have committed ourselves to be people of prayer, who depend on God for everything. This year
2016 is one in which prayer is being emphasized. In this we draw our inspiration and instruction from the Bible. In his letters to the emerging churches of the 1st Century AD, the Apostle Paul, is a church leader who models the vitality of prayer.In his Letter to the Colossians, for example, he makes two prayer requests in verses 9 to 11 of the opening chapter.

Paul pays first of all that these Christians in Colossae may be filled with an ever-growing knowledge of the will of God. It is a great thing to know the will of God. In prayer we do not seek to persuade God to act on our will, but that his will be done. In prayer we speak to God, but we also must listen to him.

Knowing God’s will, Paul maintains will be translated into action. So when Paul prays that these Colossians may have spiritual wisdom and understanding, he asks that his friends may live in such a way as to please God. In this way prayer is a very practical thing. Prayer and action go hand in hand. We pray not in order to escape life but in order to be able to meet the daily demands of living. In this we need God’s power to enable us to live out the life God intends for each one of us.

For Christians, prayer is the air we breathe. Without breath we will not live and without prayer we will not live as God intends. So let us pray.

The YWCA is running a training course for young women on peace and justice between 12th and 15th June 2016 in Newcastle Co. Down. As part of the training, young women aged 30 and under from Ireland, the UK, Palestine and Denmark will come together to discuss their experiences of peace and justice and to learn skills and to develop their expertise in order to become effective peacemakers in their communities, countries and internationally. This training is fully funded by the World YWCA Power to Change Fund, however, places are limited.

The full details of the training are here: http://ywca.ie/applications-open-ywca-peace-justice-training/.

The closing date for applications is 22 April 2016.