Irish Times Notes17 Feb 18

Church of Ireland Notes from ‘the Irish Times’

Lenten Resources

Lent is quickly upon us this year, As well as being a season of abstinence and self–denial it is also a period for reflection and learning both in a personal context and as part of a group experience.

The Biblical Association for the Church of Ireland’s Bible studies for Lent focus on mission. As the Father sent me, so I send you has been designed to foster a biblical approach to the Five Marks of Mission of the Anglican Communion – Tell, Teach, Tend, Transform, and Treasure. The writers are the Revd Jack Kinkead, the Revd Lesley Robinson, Mr Philip McKinley, Canon Paul Houston and Mr David Ritchie. Copies of BACI’s Lent 2018 studies are available at £2.25/€2.50 each by post from the Book Well at info@thebookwell.co.uk or from the BACI treasurer, Barbara Bergin, at berginba@gmail.com

Alternatively there is a Bible study course, PILGRIMAGE: A Journey of Faith through the Holy Land, designed to help all those who wish to learn more about various biblical sites, either in preparation for a visit to the Holy Land, while there, or as a Bible student. It may be used chronologically throughout the church year or geographically in various regions of the Holy Land. Written by the Revd Ken Rue, Chairperson of the Dublin & Glendalough Council for Mission and Assistant Priest in Killiskey parish, the Course Guide is priced at €4.00/£3.50 and each booklet costs €6.00/£5.50. The entire course may be purchased for €33/£30. Orders should be sent to Heather.Jestin@rcbcoi.org) or sales@messenger.ie

The Church of Ireland Youth Department’s new resource, Fuel, seeks to help young people to read the Bible regularly over Lent. The booklet includes a reading plan for St John’s Gospel and a 50–page journal. Fuel is free and copies are available from the CIYD offices in Belfast (048 9082 8890) and Dublin (01 497 8422) or by email at admin@ciyd.org. Fuel contains questions to help young people engage with what they are reading, and to think about what the Bible is saying and teaching. Space is also provided for writing down notes, prayers and thoughts.

Belfast Cathedral will host a series of reflections each Friday afternoon until 23 March which will explore ‘The Form and Art of Prayer’. The talks will be held in the Chapel of Unity from 4.15pm to 5.15pm, and will be followed by Choral Evensong from 5.30pm until 6pm. The speakers will be Fr Tom Layden SJ, Province Coordinator for Ecumenism, the Revd Cheryl Meban, Chaplain at University of Ulster, Padraig Ó Tuama, Leader of the Corrymeela Community, Canon Mark Niblock, Dean’s Vicar, St Anne’s Cathedral, and the Very Revd Gregory Dunstan, Dean of Armagh.

For those who prefer a more contemplative Lent, the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Lent Book is Say it to God: in search of prayer, by Luigi Gioia, Professor of Systemic Theology in the Pontifical University of Sant’ Anselmo, Rome.

This evening (Saturday), at 8pm in the Chapel of Trinity College, Dublin, the Mornington Singers and the Laetare Vocal Ensemble will present an evening of a cappella choral music featuring works by John Buckley, Sean Doherty and others.

Next Tuesday morning, at 11/30am, the Munster Retired Clergy will meet in Kingston College, Mitchelstown, where they will be addressed by the Dean of Cashel, the Very Revd Gerald Field.

On Thursday evening at 6.30pm in St Fin Barre’s cathedral, Cork, Grande Symphone, a CD of organ music, will be launched with a short recital by David Leigh, Assistant Organist in St Patrick’s cathedral, Dublin.