Irish Times Notes
Church of Ireland Notes from ‘The Irish Times’
New Church guide
One of the more alarming aspects of the Church of Ireland is that a great many of its adherents know little or nothing about the governance of the Church. What is even more alarming is that they do not know that they do not know. And so, many, blithely, accept election to parish vestries, cathedral boards, the RC B and the General Synod with little awareness of the responsibilities they have accepted.
There is, of course nothing new about this. Publications by such as Bullingbrooke (1770), Stopford (1861) , Leslie (1946), Deane (1962) and, most recently, through the Church of Ireland website, are ample testimony that those in authority realise that the faithful need guidance. The latest initiative in this area is a Commentary on the Constitution of the Church of Ireland, an illustrated guide to how the Church operates as an organisation, which has been compiled to make this text more readable and also to offer suggestions as to how future legislation within the Church might be handled. Produced by a group chaired by Sir Paul Girvan, a former Lord Justice of Appeal for Northern Ireland, the book includes chapters covering all aspects of the life of the Church, a history and glossary, and a wide range of photographs showing the ministry and mission of the Church. Throughout it is enlivened by the creative genius of designer Wendy Dunbar. The Commentary, published by Church of Ireland Publishing, can be purchased at £10/€12 and is now available through the Church’s online store (store.ireland.anglican.org).
Today (Saturday) the second study day for those on the Foundation Access Course will take place at the Church of Ireland Theological Institute. It will also be the second study day for those on the 2018 Reader Course and the introduction to module three for those on the 2017 Reader Course. The study day will be facilitated by Rev Dr David Hilborn, Principal of St John’s College, Nottingham, and all the CITI staff.
This morning (Saturday) the Archbishop of Dublin will be the celebrant in St. Columba’s church, Swords, at a service of Holy Communion in thanksgiving for 200 years of Christian witness in the present building. The service will be followed by a reception in the parish hall at which a new a parish history will be launched.
On RTE 1 television tomorrow (Sunday) at 11.10 a service with the Ven. Stephen McWhirter and a congregation from Kilmoremoy union of parishes, based in Ballina, Co. Mayo, will be broadcast. The Bishop of Cork will preach at the Sea Sunday Ecumenical Service in St Multose church, Kinsale, while the Bishop of Derry & Raphoe will preside at the annual St Columba Service at Gartan.
In association with the current exhibition in the Armagh Robinson Library, Professor Michael Burton, Director of Armagh Observatory and Planetarium, will give a lecture on ‘A Short History on Measuring the Heavens from Armagh’ on Wednesday at 7.30pm. Admission is free but pre–booking is required at admin@armaghrobinsonlibrary.co.uk
On Friday the Choristers of St Patrick’s cathedral, Armagh, will give the final recital in this year’s series. The recital will be held at 7.30pm in the Music Hall at 9 Vicars’ Hill, Armagh.
The Director of Music, Dr Stephen Timpany, has indicated that the members of the Choir will perform a variety of instrumental, vocal and choral items from a wide range of styles including music by Handel, Joseph Corfe and Eric Clapton. Admission is free, with a retiring collection towards the further endowment of the Cathedral choir through the Archbishop’s Choir Fund.
Published in the Saturday edition of The Irish Times