US Presiding Bishop encourages congregation and country in Christ Church Cathedral sermon during Primates’ Meeting

Seeing eye to eye: The Dean of Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, the Very Revd Dermot Dunne, welcomes Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori to his Cathedral. (Photo: Órla Ryan)

Preaching in Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, during an inter-Anglican Primates' meeting, the Us Presiding Bishop, the most Revd Dr Katharine Jefferts Schori, called for all people to aid in the healing of 'this broken world’.

Dr Jefferts Schori called on Christians to work together as the Body of Christ, telling the congregation: “when you or I came to the baptismal font, each one of us was presented and dedicated to God to share Jesus' healing work.”

The Presiding Bishop noted how people often weighed down new leaders with unrealistic goals, saying: “when we elect or install them, we load them up with quite phenomenal expectations. the United states invested amazing hope in our first African-American President.

President Obama bears the desire of generations for the healing of prejudice and injustice and the ancient wounds of slavery.”

She added that, somewhat inevitably, disillusion descended when the masses discovered that one human being could not possibly fulfil such enormous hopes.

Referring to the Republic's impending general election, the American church leader asked the congregation: “what hopes is this nation laying on its next Taoiseach? will your next prime minister be expected to solve the entire fiscal crisis in his or her first week of office? that person will take office overloaded with urgent desires for healing and resolving all the ills of this nation, or maybe even larger parts of the world.”

With this in mind, Dr Jefferts Schori asked the country to be gentle with its new leaders, “but not too gentle”.

She also discussed global concerns, adding that in order to bring about tangible change in the world, people needed to act with haste, saying: “If we're going to cooperate with God's ancient vision for a healed and reconciled world, we have to have a sense of urgency. People are dying, including too many newborn children, because we haven't been urgent enough.

“Lives are lost through sickness, war, neglect and murder because we avoid and ignore those hard realities. 30,000 children die of preventable illness every day. those deaths wouldn't happen if there were clean water and effective healthcare, adequate food and vaccinations. Another new child dies every three seconds because we haven't worked hard enough to prevent it.

“We already have a cosmic saviour, yet those who share God's dream are all partners in healing this world. God can't do it without us.”

Whilst calling for Christians to be active as God's partners, Dr Jefferts Schori pointed out that doing so was not always the easiest option. On the contrary, it was at times dangerous, she said, adding that those wishing to aid the marginalised often mend up sharing Jesus' road to Calvary’.

Bishop Jefferts Schori spoke of the recent murder of the Anglican gay rights' activist in Uganda, David Kato, “a man who's been a strong voice for the basic human rights of gay and lesbian people”. She went on to say that, although his own voice had been silenced, people could pray for others to continue his work. She added that she hoped people “will be challenged by the brutality of his death into some conversion of heart” and “respect the dignity of every human being”.

The Primates Meeting was held at the Emmaus centre at swords, near Dublin Airport. the Primate of All Ireland, the most Revd Alan Harper, welcomed his colleagues to Ireland, and a letter of welcome from the Taoiseach, Brian Cowen TD, was read. (Editorial, page 2; Report and photograph, page 6)

Editorial

The Primates' Meeting

The 18th Primates' Meeting, held at the Emmaus Centre, near Dublin, concluded last weekend. The Anglican Communion Office indicated that the Primates had met in “an atmosphere of prayer and purpose”.

Of course, the absence of seven Primates due to the presence at the gathering of the US Presiding Bishop, the Most Revd Katharine Jefferts Schori, because of the US Episcopal Church's stance on human sexuality, was regrettable.

Had the absenting Primates been present, they would have been able to express their views and assist their colleagues in considering the current inter-Anglican situation. Whatever Christian people's different views on gay relationships may be, they should not be a barrier to them meeting and talking and communing in Christian fellowship. More>>

Rehallowing service a ‘significant milestone’ in life of Diocese of Connor parish

The Archbishop of Armagh, the Most Revd Alan Harper, was the special preacher at a recent service of thanksgiving and rehallowing in St Mark's, Ballymacash, Lisburn, Diocese of Connor, following a six-month period of extensive renovations.

The renovation work, which began in July 2010, involved the reroofing and redecoration of the church, parochial hall, side chapel and ancillary rooms, as well as the installation of a new gas-fired heating system throughout the suite of buildings.

Belfast Cathedral in renewed controversy

BBC report last week revealed that Belfast A Cathedral served a High Court injunction against long-standing parishioner and former Supreme Court judge, the Rt Hon. Sir Donald Murray, preventing him from circulating any information about two Board inquiries at the Cathedral.

The Gazette understands that the injunction against Sir Donald was issued before Christmas. Sir Donald was required to pay £15,000 towards the Cathedral's costs.

Earlier this month, Sir Donald circulated a letter to registered vestry members of the Cathedral, outlining his understanding of the certain matters at the Cathedral in recent years. Last week, Sir Donald supplied the Gazette with a copy of his circular but, in view of legal considerations, we do not feel able to report the details.

Primate proposes special General Synod meeting

The Archbishop of Armagh, the Most Revd Alan Harper, informed members of the Standing Committee last week that he proposes to summon a special meeting of General Synod regarding the current episcopal vacancy in the United Dioceses of Tuam, Killala and Achonry.

The Archbishop told the Standing Committee that he had received a communication from the bishops requesting that, under the provisions of the Constitution of the Church of Ireland (Chapter 1, Part II, Section 15), a special meeting of General Synod be called "to provide that the Electoral College for the Dioceses of Tuam, Killala and Achonry be not held for the time being, in order to give opportunity for consideration of the requirements for episcopal ministry in that Diocese".

Archbishop Harper indicated that he "proposes to proceed" to summon a special General Synod for Saturday 5th March, at Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, beginning at 11.00am, preceded by a service of Holy Communion at 10.00am.A definitive calling is not required by the Standing Orders of General Synod (4[b]) until at least seven days prior to the meeting.

The Archbishop has arranged to meet the Diocesan Council of the United Dioceses on 14th February to discuss the situation (Editorial, last week; Audio Interview available here

The Revd Stanley Gamble, curate-assistant of Knockbreda, Diocese of Down, was recently elected to the Standing Committee of the Convocation of Queen's University Belfast at its annual meeting.

The Convocation comprises the entire Queen5s University graduate body and certain categories of staff and members of Senate, whose authority is delegated to the Standing Committee. Mr Gamble explained: "The Convocation provides graduates with the opportunity of participating in the life of the university, long after graduation, by organising social and academic events throughout the year and providing an annual scholarship of W5,000 for post-graduate research. I am excited by the prospect of serving on it for the good of the university."

Following its recent, ground-breaking survey on a wide range of areas surrounding marriage (see: www.nationalmarriageweekni.co.uk), Marriage Week NI will host three evening events early this month to discuss issues which married couples are facing; how Churches are - and could be - responding; and what resources are available to support Church ministry in the whole sphere of marriage.

Bishops’ Appeal donations

Christian Aid and its partners - through Christian Aid Ireland5s Chief Executive, Margaret Boden - has thanked Bishops5 Appeal for its recent )generous donations“ towards both development projects in Sudan and Ethiopia and relief work in Niger, West Africa.

Local football club manager urges men to join “the Jesus team”

Roy Walker, the manager of Ballymena United Football Club and the Director of Crown Jesus Ministries, was the guest speaker at a recent Men's Breakfast at Knockbreda parish church, Belfast, Diocese of Down.

Challenging the men present to join “the Jesus team”, he affirmed that “the call of Jesus is very clear - follow him and serve others”.

Shock expressed at tragic death after Bray church fire

As this issue of the Gazette was going to press, Gardaí in Co. Wicklow were trying to establish the identity of a badly-charred body found following a recent intensive fire in a prefabricated, one-room cabin in the grounds of Christ Church, Bray, Diocese of Glendalough.

It is understood that the body was of a male in his twenties who was known to local Gardaí and who is believed to have been sleeping in the building - which was used by the church for Sunday School classes - when the fire broke out.

Primates’ Meeting meets Archbishop of Canterbury’s ‘chief hope’

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has said that the outcomes of last week's Primates' Meeting in Ireland met his 'chief hopes' for the week. Speaking at a press conference, Dr Williams explained that, when inviting the Primates to the meeting, he had indicated what things might be considered at it. These included decisions about an effective Primates' Standing Committee, reflections on primacy itself and expectations of the Primates' Meeting.

“My chief hope was to emerge with greater clarity and agreement about what we expect of the Primates corporately and how best we can realise our expectations,” he said.

Have your say about the new Anglican Communion website

After many years of providing members of the Anglican Communion with news, information, resources and prayers, www.anglicancommunion.org is being redesigned. The main aim of updating the site is to enable visitors to connect better with the life of the Communion and with other Communion members around the world.

Letters to the Editor

1. Christian unity

2. Age limit for clergy officiating?

3. Resolve to help housing

Gender representation on diocesan committees

By Canon Doris Clements

As we enter another calendar year, we need to look afresh at decision-making bodies in our Church.

This year will see Triennial Elections, when we appoint people to diocesan synods, diocesan committees and General Synod. These good people serve our Church well, but, unfortunately, there are too few representatives from large sections of our membership: youth, women and ethnic groups.

In 2005, the Anglican Consultative Council (ACC) passed Resolution 13-31b, which states that the ACC “acknowledges the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) for equal representation of women in decision-making at all levels, and so requests all member-Churches to work towards the realisation of this goal in their own structures of governance.”

Down at St. David's

“We have left the Church of Ireland” was the subject on the Revd Terrence's email. The message gave no explanation of why the husband and wife had left. The particular folk, David and Janet, who were in their mid-30s, had been members of St David's for 10 years; they had been regular communicants, active but unobtrusive participants and loyal contributors. In the email, they thanked St David's for 10 happy years of fellowship and wished the church well for the future. “Why,” wondered Terrence, “are they moving on? Has anything in particular upset them?” He decided not to let the matter rest. After all, from the little he knew of them, they appeared to be the sort of people upon whom one would like to build the Church.

Rethinking Church

What the church can learn from the Pub

Some years ago, I spent a couple of days in Boston while en route to New Hampshire Diocese, then twinned with Limerick and Killaloe. Arriving late at night, I walked around the immediate vicinity of my hotel to get my bearings, only to find myself standing at the top of the steps leading down into the original Cheers bar which had inspired the TV show of the same name. It was - and still is - one of my favourite programmes of all time.

So late was the hour that the bar was closed, but nonetheless, it was quite something to see it for myself, albeit it only from the outside.

I don't know how many of you are fans of Cheers, but most of you will have at least heard the theme music and the familiar lyrics:

Where everybody knows your name, and they’re always glad you came, You want to be where you can see our troubles are all the same. You want to be where everybody knows your name.

It was George Orwell with a stroke of prophetic genius, who gave us - in his terrifying, futuristic novel 1984 - the phrase which I've used as the title of my column this week.

He envisaged a surveillance society, mirroring what he knew was happening in the USSR. In his fictional Oceania, everyone(s thoughts were monitored by networks of cameras, hidden microphones and secret informers.

We too have contributed towards the fear of surveillance. I remember as a little boy being told I had to behave, otherwise, my parents said: “The bin men will put you down the drain”. So I learned to be afraid of bin men (in modern-speak, waste disposal operatives). God too comes in useful at this point. “Behave yourself. If you're bad, God will see it and he'll be angry,” parents have been known to say to the kids; it might well be a great way of keeping them in order, but it's awful theology.

Book Reviews

A number of tributes were paid to the Archbishop of Dublin, A the Most Revd John Neill, at a special Eucharist and reception held in Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, on Tuesday 25th January, to mark both the Archbishop's 25th anniversary of his consecration as a bishop and his retirement at the end of last month.

In the course of his address at the Eucharist, the Dean of Christ Church Cathedral, the Very Revd Dermot Dunne, described Dr Neill as “a brilliant bishop, loving husband, caring father and loyal friend”.

The Dean noted the appropriateness of the date of the service - the Feast of the Conversion of St Paul - saying that the life of St Paul was “a living example of what Christian discipleship is about and what ministry in the Church of God should be”.

Arlene Foster MLA, Enterprise Minister in the Northern Ireland Assembly, and the Revd Simon Richardson, Rector of Hillsborough, Diocese of Down, are pictured in the Good Book Shop, Belfast, after they had read a number of chapters from the King James' Bible as part of the KJV@4.00 project. Looking on is Richard Ryan, manager of the Good Book Shop. The initiative is designed to ensure that the entire Bible will be read aloud in the shop by a wide range of readers on each weekday of business over the course of this year to mark the 400th anniversary of the publication of the King James' Bible.