The Church Of Ireland
Press Release

This year our Diocesan Synod takes place within the Easter season so an Easter reading seems appropriate. We meet too in the millennium year. There has been plenty of views expressed about the hopes and expectations for the future. A new exciting century has arrived and technology did not collapse as feared, so all systems are surely at 'go' for exciting days and years ahead.

The Church for its part put its necessary spin on this. Jesus claimed the world for Himself on the Cross. His victory was such that His Resurrection followed inevitably upon it so that He is the Risen Living Lord working with His Church for the past 2000 years and for all the years and generations to come. We are His Easter People today so again it is good that the Easter message should point us forward at this Synod.

The story of the Emmaus road reveals two disciples in despair. Their Lord was dead, the party was over and in their conversation as they trudged home they were dwelling on the past and the failure of the whole project caused by the murder of their Master by the authorities. Their heads were down so they failed to recognise the person walking with them. There had been some amazing rumours that the women of their company had found the tomb empty and seen a vision of angels and there was talk that Jesus was alive but what was the use? Wishful thinking and trying to put the clock back will not work.

For the rest of the walk to Emmaus Jesus, starting with the Scriptures and the familiar worked hard to resurrect their faith and hope in Him and to get their heads up. However so slow were they in their understanding that they almost missed out on Him as He made to pass on when they arrived at the village. Their kindly hospitality saved the day for them and, warmed and heartened by His presence, their eyes were lifted up and they recognised Him. Instantly they were Easter People and it was all systems go.

The final quarter of the 20th century saw considerable change in our Diocese. The troubles and the demise of many of our traditional industries causing a considerable movement of population on the one hand and a growing indifference to the Church on the other have made ministry and mission much harder. Some people have even expressed the feeling that they are in a dying Church, the glory days are over and all we can do is keep the wheels turning for the faithful few who come.

Shifting population may well result in the closure of more churches as they become surplus to our needs. Parishes may have to be grouped or united to give strength where numbers are reducing. It could be a doom and gloom scenario. It is easy to drop the head and in a mood of hopelessness look back wistfully to the past and therefore find it hard to motivate ourselves to see a way forward, yet we are Easter People living in the dynamic presence of our Risen Lord. He is always on the move and we must be awake in our faith to move forward with Him. In particular I believe He is moving in our struggle for peace and who knows what churches will need to be in place for people repopulating areas which are being redeveloped especially in Belfast.

I have also seen lots of evidence of resurrection faith and hope in our parishes. Halls are being renovated, at least five new ones are being built or planned. Churches are being refurbished. A new parish has been formed in Carrickfergus, Holy Trinity starting out on its own from its parent church of St Nicholas.

Think about it, lots of our people are acting in real faith for the future. I am delighted with the numbers of adults coming forward for Confirmation which suggests to me fresh enthusiasm for and commitment to Christ. I have taken heart too from the fact that the Decade of Evangelism did not grind to a tired halt in this its tenth year. Instead our Call to Heal produced two of the most positive Training Days since I became Bishop of Connor five years ago. The Ministry of Healing will be a most helpful part of the prayer mission of the Church for the future.

We have a really solid core of Christian service and witness in this Diocese with many people playing a vital part in the ministry of their parishes and not least among our young people. The need to establish Safeguarding Trust and good practice for our work among young people has shown just how many volunteers are prepared to offer their skills in the nurture of our children and in youth fellowship work. Here can I stress the importance of every parish keeping up to date in training those working with young people in Safeguarding Trust so that good practice may at all times protect our leaders and our young people.

Further evidence of a resurrection church is the steady flow of people offering themselves for ordination to the full-time and part-time Ministry or to be commissioned as Lay Readers. We had eleven full-time students in the Theological College this year and five training as Auxiliaries. Eleven people this year from our Fellowship of Vocation have attended, or will attend, Bishops' Selection Conferences to have their vocations tested. The Spirit of Christ is alive amongst us, His people are responding to His call and yet many of us still feel down about the Church. Of course we should not minimise the difficulties, however we still walk with Christ and with Him great things can be done.

During the year the Archdeacons and I have been consulting with the Rural Deans and through them with the clergy to find out what they see are the needs of ministry and mission in our Diocese and parishes for the future. Having talked our way through some very real difficulties we have identified things we need to do.

We have to invest:

1. In our vibrant youth
2. In our senior citizens and those in early retirement
3. In our Clergy and Lay Reader ministry teams
4. In our young families
5. In communication, and
6. In training.

We have plans and are formulating a strategy which we want to launch at our Diocesan Generation Day on 7th October at the University of Ulster, Coleraine.

The name 'Generation' is important. We want to involve each generation bridging the generation gap. At the same time we are in a new generation with the Risen Lord generating new spiritual power if we are confident in the Lord and are recognising His presence with us. Please take a look at our new logo for our Diocese "Building for Generations".

Our Generation Day will be part pilgrimage, part rally, part vision and strategy and part financial. We will pilgrimage by steam train through our Diocese from Whitehead through Carrickfergus where St Nicholas Church is our oldest church still used for worship, through Belfast with its many changes in our parishes to our Cathedral town of Lisburn and then progressing on through our growing provincial town of Antrim, Ballymena, Ballymoney and Coleraine to the University Halt. Three hundred can travel by train which means approximately four from each parish however we hope that many more will travel by car direct to the University of Ulster at Coleraine to join our hosts from the Rural Deaneries of Coleraine and Carey so that one thousand people from all over Connor will fill the Diamond Hall at the University. A video of Connor Diocese will be shown and our strategy and plans for the future will be presented. We will share a meal together followed by an act of worship to focus our attention clearly on our Risen Lord. The challenge is that our strategy and vision for the future will require fresh money which is why we are proposing to create a Millennium Fund to help us finance new initiatives.

I am asking every member of Synod to make a point of being at our Generation Day on 7th October whether you come by train, car, bicycle or on foot.

Engaging with the Community

There is much talk these days of the need for Churches to be more involved in the community and neighbourhood in which they are situated. This sometimes fails to recognise that we ourselves are the community or its representatives at worship. Each one of us is a member of the community and we should bring that part of it in which we live and work to Christ. At the same time He is sending us out to live and work for Him by addressing the community needs about us. A Church which lives to itself will die by itself We already contribute much in our organisations to community benefit, however both clergy and lay people need to be involved in the growth and upgrading of our community life and help with the efforts being made to engage with the many problems that affect our neighbourhoods these days. We cannot take one every issue that arises, but we can identify areas in which we can make a contribution.

Jubilee 2000

The same applies to our approach to our world. A world issue is highlighted by Jubilee 2000. The national debts of the poorest countries of the world are a scandal in the modem age. A scandal because innocent people are suffering, a scandal because of the faults, and sometimes the greed of former or present leaders, a scandal because western affluence demands cheap products to maintain its standard of living often putting its own people at home out of work, a scandal because in a world that God has made plentiful people still go hungry, or without medicine or education.

Jubilee 2000 has campaigned for the debts of the poorest nations to be cancelled. We should appreciate that our own government and other governments in the Western World are doing something about it. Contrary to usual Church opinion the World Bank is also playing a positive role. I still maintain that if we want to put "our money where our mouth is" we will need to say to our government that we are willing to pay extra in tax to help repayment. The process will take time, a rushed programme could well defeat its purpose and just lead to more unpayable debt. At the same time it is not for us to sit back.

The Diocesan Council appointed a Jubilee Committee to see if we could respond to the call of the Lambeth Conference to give 0.7% of our income towards the needs of the poorest countries. We have become aware that there is substantial giving in our parishes to Bishops' Appeal, Christian Aid, our Missionary Societies and other Aid Organisations. During this past year our giving in this area has increased. What we need to decide is whether there is a project or projects that we might engage in as a Diocese as our contribution to Jubilee 2000.

Diocesan Finances

When we consider our Diocesan Council Report at Synod we very often pass over the accounts without comment. They are always excellently presented by David Cromie and his staff and we have every confidence that everything is in good order, however we have to keep in mind that as a Diocese we are not awash with money. In fact we have considerable financial difficulties. We still owe a considerable amount on Church House. Our proposed Millennium Fund is for future progress in Ministry and Mission but we are finding it hard to do all we need to do in the Diocese on our existing budgets. We are in fact year by year steadily getting our finances back on track but to save us paying large amounts of interest to the Bank, we asked for a substantial grant of £68,000 from the RB, however it proved impossible for us to receive a grant like that. In the meantime in an act of true Christian friendship and support our neighbouring Diocese of Down and Dromore has lent us £150,000 to reduce our bank overdraft. This money is interest free for the first year. In expressing my thanks to Down and Dromore I want to say that this generosity is an example of the family of Christ really working together for the common good of the Church.

Renewal and Outreach to the City (ROC)

The Rev. Don Gamble has resigned from his Parish in Clogher Diocese to come to Belfast to launch his vision for Renewal and Outreach to the City. This is based on the CORE initiative founded by the Rev. Willy Stewart in Dublin. It is a Church of Ireland movement in mission of young people to young people in the city. Don Gamble has received considerable support. The Parish of Mallusk is employing him part-time to enable him to get ROC established. Other people and parishes have been supplying some financial help. St James Church on the Antrim Road has provided a centre for the ROC team to meet for worship, prayer and discussion. This is an attempt to break new ground among young people who are separated from the Church and I think Don Gamble should be congratulated for his vision and for his spirit of adventure in taking on this task in faith.

The Theological College

Earlier I mentioned that we have had eleven students this year at the Theological College from Connor Diocese. Preparing students for Ordination in the Church of Ireland is the College's priority. The Church of Ireland embraces a wide variety of theological views and the students who come to the College reflect this diversity. This is a good thing as they have the opportunity to share their views and learn from one and another.

Mounting criticisms from outside the College this year directed at the theological course, the Principal and the staff have made this sharing more difficult and in particular it has resulted in things being said and written in public which were damaging, unreasonable and very hurtful. These attacks from outside should not be repeated. The students in the College have been affected by this, as I have discovered when talking to the ones from Connor. They have a comprehensive training to undergo, not only in their studies, but in practical pastoral experience. They and the staff should be left in peace to get on with their essential work.

Before this recent controversy arose, the House of Bishops arranged for a College Council to be established, which is now in place. This is to co-ordinate the management and to determine the policies of the College providing a mechanism whereby the House of Bishops can support and monitor the work of the College and its staff and ensure that the training and pastoral needs of the Ordinands are being adequately provided for. If people have reasonable concerns they can express them to the Council and have them dealt with in an appropriate manner.

The way forward in Northern Ireland

The Good Friday Agreement was part of our Easter hope two years ago. No doubt it has its flaws which have appeared as our politicians have tried to make it work in practical structures for devolved government. Nevertheless it is a remarkable document because it seeks to include every citizen and bring all sides to some consensus and commitment to collaborate together. It is difficult for any society which has suffered a great deal of hurt and lived in fear and total distrust to come to terms with a peace that does not encourage a search for a perceivable victory for one group or another. We can keep looking back to our grievances, which have a right to be aired and recognised, but then we have to move forward acknowledging that we are in a new situation. I believe that we need to make the best of the new deal and see if devolved government along the lines of the Agreement can be made to work. Business, farming, education, health, transport, tourism need the process to work if they are to prosper. Our Police who have borne the brunt of the conflict, and who have on the whole done a superb job, and indeed an impartial job, in almost impossible circumstances, need the process to work if their lives are not to be put at risk again and if they are to be able to provide a new Police service which depends on peace and upon being accepted by a wide majority of people. The politicians who have invested their political careers in trying to achieve the compromises necessary for collaboration to happen, need the system to work. It isn't just Unionists who feel the hot breath of opposition on the back of their necks. The Nationalist community also has its opponents to an inclusive way forward.

I am well aware that in the pews of our Churches there are many differences of opinion about the way ahead. There are those who say "No" as well as those who say "Yes" to the political process, yet we all worship together and co-operate in Parish activities. Living with difference in Christian love is nothing new, so it would be good, now that a decision has been made to go back to devolved government, if we could all join together to encourage our Politicians, whatever their views, to make a go of it to see if things will work out and new trust be earned for the common good. Bitter recriminations can only divide us further. Point scoring only creates hurt and resentment. I have been involved with a large group of clergy who have visited the Politicians at Stormont to encourage them in their efforts to find a way forward. Many of the clergy here today have also been involved. We need to keep encouraging. Our words can encourage, but so to can our prayers. We tend to pray as we reach each crisis, as we did in Belfast Cathedral last Saturday during the meeting of the Unionist Council. Brother David Jardine, who keeps calling us to these prayer times for our land, reminds us regularly that we need to pray not only through crisis days but also through ordinary days. It is important that we make sure that our Province is never off our Prayer Agenda.

Companionship Link

Inter-Parish visits have continued this year between our Diocese and the Diocese of Linkoping. I went to Sweden in January to preach at the Preparation Service for those to be ordained Priest and I then took part in the Laying on of Hands at the Ordination itself. Bishop Martin Lind is coming to Belfast to preach at our Priests' Ordination on 25th June in St. Peter's Belfast. Our involvement in each others Priests' Ordinations, Anglican and Lutheran, is a reminder of the universal Church of Jesus Christ to which we all belong and to the universality of the Priesthood.

On the morning of Sunday 25th Bishop Martin will preach and celebrate Holy Communion in St. Thomas' Belfast according to the Swedish Lutheran Rite. The Swedish community in Belfast will be joining with the Parishioners of St. Thomas' for this special Service. You would be welcome if you wish to attend. I have found their liturgy, style of worship and singing very moving and devotional.

Diocesan Office Staff

Neill Wilson completed 25 years of work on our Diocesan Staff last September. It was a time to appreciate again the enormous contribution he has made towards the smooth running of our two Dioceses - Connor and Down & Dromore. His knowledge of the needs of the two Dioceses and of the individual Parishes in both, and the efficient and kindly way he organises the administration, has been a great benefit to our Church and to those of us who have to make decisions. We all hope that Neill will long continue to help us with our administration. He is supported by an excellent back-up team in our Diocesan staff.

I would also want to include in my words about well-ordered administration my appreciation of the work, which Canon Edgar Turner does as Registrar. Time and again he has helped me and the Clergy through difficult situations with very sound advice on Church Law and practice.

In Memoriam

During the year three valued lay members of our Diocesan Council died. Darcy Chillingworth from St. George's, Belfast, Normal Kelly from St. Patrick's, Ballymena and Irvine Barton from St. Patrick's Coleraine. All three played very active roles in their Parishes where their contribution will be much missed, but they also gave many years of service to the Diocese on its Council and Committees. Death brings it sadness and its difficult adjustments, so our sympathy goes to their family and friends. At the same time they and we are Easter people and rejoice in the knowledge that the risen Lord draws his own to himself and to "the place where he has gone to prepare for us".

Conclusion

That same risen Lord is calling us to walk and progress with him. There is much to be done for the Kingdom and the Church and we are the ones He is depending upon to help Him in the task. Our eyes should be seeing Him before us in this new millennium of His Kingdom. We look to Him to help us with our vision for the way forward in Ministry and Mission. This will be the Theme of our Generation Day on 7th October. I look forward to seeing you there.