Church of Ireland Gazette, March 2025
Our March 2025 issue is out now, and full of great news and features from across the island.
As Lent begins, the March issue of the Gazette is a perfect companion for seasonal reflection. Paul Arbuthnot explores the nature of Lent as what he calls ‘a feast for the soul’, while Conor O’ Reilly considers the way we pray, and thinks about prayer as enchancing individual spirituality and fostering connection.
We report on positive news from the Representative Body, with a comprehensive breakdown of new projects and increased allocations in areas such as the training of ordinands, Pioneer Ministry, and Children and Families Ministry, among others.
In our Mission report, we highlight the work of SAFE (Support for Afghan Further Education), an Irish charity focusing on supporting education for women and young people in Afghanistan.
In local news, we report on the sentencing of the arsonist who apologised for ‘jeopardising a national relic’ after he set fire to the crypt of St Michan’s (Diocese of Dublin), in what Archdeacon David Pierpoint described as ‘an act of desecration and sacrilege’. And we tell the story of Isabel Scott from Ballymure in the Diocese of Connor – Isabel has been singing in her church choir for an incredible 75 years.
Continuing our series of interviews with influential figures in the Church of Ireland, Scott Hayes of Ecclesiastical Insurance sits down with Geoff Scargill of Protestant Aid to discuss the charity’s work, and to get Geoff’s take on managing the challenges of his role, and the future of faith and giving across the island.
As always, we have a broad range of opinions from our regular contributors. Christopher West considers the theme of maternal sacrifice – very apt for the month in which we celebrate Mothering Sunday, International Women’s Day, and the Annunciation. John Deane-O’Keeffe reflects on the nature of evil and the global political climate. Maithrie White-Dundas interrogates the meaning of Jesus’ command to ‘love your neighbour’. And Stephen Farrell puts forward the case for Sunday evening services as a means of getting busy families back in the pews.
Archive of the Month returns with a celebration of two inspiring women in the history of the Church of Ireland – Rosamond Stephen and Cecil Frances Alexander. We consider the Church as an intergenerational activity, and suggest bright ideas from the Board for Ministry with Children and Families to nurture a living faith in children. And our new Devotional contributor, Scott Evans, extols the value of breaking bread together as a means for fostering a strong and thriving ministry.
Our Diocesan Focus comes from the Diocese of Clogher, and we have all our usual great features such as Mothers’ Union, Gardening, Food, and Liturgical Notes.
All this and more in your March 2025 Gazette!