Irish Times Notes20 Jan 18

Church of Ireland Notes from ‘The Irish Times’

New Book on Preaching

A new book, Perspectives on Preaching: A Witness of the Irish Church, published by Church of Ireland Publishing (CIP) in conjunction with the Church of Ireland Theological Institute (CITI), will be launched by the Bishop of Derry & Raphoe, in the Music Room of Christ Church cathedral, Dublin, next Monday evening at 5.30pm. Featuring contributions from a wide range of notable preachers and thinkers, the book has been edited by Canon Maurice Elliott (Director of CITI) and the Revd Dr Patrick McGlinchey (Lecturer in Missiology and Pastoral Studies at CITI).

The book engages with the themes of preaching scripture, denominational charisms and preaching to the culture, across twelve different chapters. In addition to the editors, the contributors include three bishops, the Archbishop of Armagh, the Bishop of Down & Dromore and the Bishop of Kilmore, Elphin & Ardagh; Katie Heffelfinger from CITI and her former colleague, Canon Patrick Comerford; the Revd Barry Forde, Chaplain in QUB; and the Revd Dr Robin Stockitt, Rector of Donemana. There are contributions also from outside the Church of Ireland by the Revd Dr Shane Crombie, Curate of Tullamore; the Revd Dr Brian Fletcher, Minister of Cullybackey Methodist Church; and the Rt Revd Dr Trevor Morrow, Minister Emeritus of Lucan Presbyterian Church.

At €11/£10, the book will be available at the launch and thereafter from https://store.ireland.anglican.org/store/product/140/perspectives-on-preaching-a-witness-of

The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, which began last week, continues until next Thursday. This year’s theme – ‘That All May Be Free’ – highlights victory over oppression and is based on material from the Church in the Caribbean which has focused on Exodus 15. More information is available on https://www.facebook.com/trinityknotunity

Tomorrow (Sunday) at 4.15pm in St Patrick’s cathedral, Armagh, there will be a recital by Orly Watson, Organist of Dromore cathedral, who will play works by Rheinberger, Bach and Vierne. Admission to the recital is free with a retiring collection towards the endowment of the Cathedral choir through the Archbishop’s Choir Fund.

The Archbishop of Dublin will launch the Biblical Association of the Church of Ireland’s (BACI) Bible studies for Lent 2018 on Tuesday at 1.15pm in Church of Ireland House, Dublin. These have been designed to foster a biblical approach to the Five Marks of Mission, originally formulated in the Anglican Communion in 1984 and much emphasised in the Church of Ireland in recent years.

Edited by Canon Ginnie Kennerley and titled ‘As the Father sent me, so I send you’ (John:20.21), the five studies focus in turn on the Tell, Teach, Tend, Transform, and Treasure aspects of mission, moving from the teaching and pastoral care required after initial conversion to the wider social and environmental challenges of the Gospel. The writers are the Revd Jack Kinkead, Rector of Wicklow; the Revd Lesley Robinson, Rector of Clontarf; Mr Philip McKinley, Chaplain in DCU; Canon Paul Houston, Rector of Castleknock; and Mr David Ritchie, Chief Officer of the RCB.

Copies will be available at the launch at a 10% discount in bundles of 10 copies. Copies at £2.25/€2.50  will be obtainable from the larger cathedral bookshops or by post from the Book Well in Belfast (info@thebookwell.co.uk) or BACI treasurer Barbara Bergin in Dublin (berginba@gmail.com).

The current issue of the Jesuit journal, Studies, carries the papers which were delivered at the Reformation 500 conference, held in Christ Church cathedral, Dublin, and the St Patrick’s campus of DCU last October, together with a preface by one of the conference organizers, the Revd Dr Adrian Empey. Studies is published by Messenger Publications at €10.