The Church of Ireland
Diocesan Press Release

The 200+ participants  at this first ever  Diocesan Forum will include the clergy and two lay representatives of each parish in the Dioceses of Dublin & Glendalough.

Short keynote addresses will be made by the Bishop of Cork, Cloyne & Ross, the Right Revd Paul Colton, and Dr Patricia Barker, Registrar of Dublin City University, following which the delegates will go into working groups to consider the following  issues:

1. Ministry/support for the clergy
2. Faith development
3. Social ministry and Care of the Elderly
4. Children and Youth
5. Planning/attracting and Keeping Members

Planning for the Forum has been going on for almost a year and wide consultations have taken place throughout the dioceses. The topics were identified as priority issues following meetings at parish and rural deanery level.

Forum facilitator David Meredith says, “The Forum is exciting and challenging. It’s a different type of event to diocesan synods and councils which people have been used to in the Church of Ireland. The whole process has been consultative and participative and everyone has had a chance to be involved.”
“The process so far has been characterised by a feeling of energy and forward movement and I expect that this will be carried forward from the Forum meeting.”

Further information is available on the Diocesan Website at http://www.dublin.anglican.org