Irish Times Notes15 Jun 19

Church of Ireland Notes from ‘The Irish Times’

St Patrick’s Gift Day

Last year, at his annual Gift Day, the Dean of St Patrick’s cathedral, Dublin, sought funds to install a new chair lift in the south west porch and to redecorate the area. This work has just been completed in time to move on to this year’s Gift Day which will be held today. (Saturday)  From 11.30 until 1pm Dr William Morton will be in St Patrick’s to receive gifts and to discuss the cathedral’s latest project.

This year’s project will be to restore the green frontal and super–frontal for the high altar. This Victorian work is well known to worshippers and visitors to St Patrick’s. Its provenance is uncertain but it is likely to have been the work of the Royal Irish School of Art Needlework in the early 20th century and may have been designed by Sir Ninian Comper.

For well over thirty years this annual appeal has focused on initiatives which would not have been possible without the support of the Friends of St Patrick’s and others, and which have greatly improved the fabric of the cathedral. Lat year’s appeal realised €26,803. Those who are unable to visit St Patrick’s tomorrow (Saturday) may forward a donation to the Cathedral Office, St Patrick’s Close, Dublin D06 H6X3, made payable to Saint Patrick’s Cathedral.

The RTÉ broadcast service for Trinity Sunday will be led by Canon Andrea Wills, Priest–in–Charge for Straid parish church, Foxford, Co. Mayo, and will feature a congregation and choir from the parish.  The service will be broadcast tomorrow morning (Sunday) on RTÉ One television and RTÉ Radio 1 Extra from 11am to 11.45am, and will be available afterwards at www.rte.ie/player

In Christ Church cathedral, Dublin, at 11am the Archbishop of Dublin, Dr Michael Jackson, will be the celebrant at the Patronal Festival Eucharist at which the preacher will be the Revd Dr Alex Wimberley, newly appointed leader of the Correymela Community. The Friends of Christ Church will gather for lunch in the Deanery followed by Evensong and, at 4pm, the Friends AGM in the Chapter House.

Services resume for the summer in Templeconnor church, Clonmacnoise, at 4pm. These will be on a fortnightly basis. Clonmacnoise is part of the Athlone group of parishes.

On Sunday evening at 7.30pm, the Belfast Community Gospel Choir will be singing in St Anne’s cathedral, Belfast. Hailed as ‘the soul of Belfast’, the Belfast Community Gospel Choir (BCGC) are relentless ambassadors for the city of Belfast and the whole of the province as they spread the message of love, joy and peace through their music.

The Down & Dromore Diocesan Synod will take place next Thursday in the Jethro Centre, Lurgan.

In Calary church. Co. Wicklow on Friday evening, Musici Ireland with Lance Coburn (piano) Miriam Roycroft (cello) and Beth McNinch (viola) will perform Beethoven’s Eyeglass Duo, Schumann’s Marchenbilder, Da Falla’s  Suite Popular Española, Carl Vine’s 5 Bagatelles and Brahms’s Piano Trio in A minor Op. 114.

On Friday at 1.10pm ‘Summer Music in Sandford’, in Sandford parish church, Ranelagh, will feature pianist Kevin Ayesh.

The latest newsletter from Eco–Congregation Ireland features highlights from the General Synod, including a short film, introduced by the Revd Andrew Orr, Priest–in–Charge in Youghal; the All Ireland Pollinators campaign; local actions by parishes; and Tearfund’s ‘This is a Rubbish Campaign’ to prevent plastic pollution. Details of Manorhamilton parish’s forthcoming talk on bee–keeping, eco–tips from Killiskey parish, and a reflection by the Revd Trevor Sargent, Curate of Waterford, on St John the Baptist are also included.