Diocesan News
The Rev Carmen Hayes instituted as Rector of Errigal and Desertoghill
“Don’t be greetin’,” the new Rector of Errigal and Desertoghill told a tearful former parishioner, in her best Ulster Scots, after last Thursday evening’s emotional Service of Institution in St Paul’s Church, Garvagh. There were tears and hugs aplenty after the Archbishop’s Commissary, the Ven Robert Miller, instituted the new incumbent on a glorious autumn evening.
Clearly, Ms Hayes will be sorely missed in her old haunt, Kilcronaghan, Ballynascreen and Six Towns, which is just up the road from her new surroundings. Yet, only minutes earlier during the Service – at which Archdeacon Miller was assisted by the Rural Dean, the Rev Colin Welsh, and the Diocesan Registrar, the Rev Canon David Crooks – there was laughter in church when the preacher, Bishop Ken Clarke, shared a confidence with Ms Hayes’ new congregation. “I regret to inform the parishioners of this parish this evening,” he said, “your new Rector is not perfect.”
It took a couple of seconds for the humour of Bishop Clarke’s remark to sink in, and a second or two more for its truth to sink in as well. “My wife and I were at a wedding recently,” the Bishop said, “and the groom, when he was speaking at the wedding reception, said, ‘I didn’t know I had any faults until I met this girl.’ Have you ever found that? The people who love us the most tell us the truth.
“Your new Rector is not perfect,” Bishop Clarke said, “but the one she serves is. And the message she has come to share with you is the message about Jesus Christ and him crucified. That’s the good news we all have to share, that Jesus Christ – who loves us so much, who gave himself for us on the cross – he was raised from the dead, he was ascended into heaven and he’s coming back again. This is good news, folks, and we are a people of good news. It’s free. Share it.”
In the Church of Ireland, the preacher said, there is a tradition that if someone is elected a bishop, the parish where he or she is rector gives them a pectoral cross. “Coleraine gave me this cross,” the Bishop said, holding his Celtic cross out for worshippers to see, “and I asked that on the back of it would be inscribed First Corinthians, chapter 2, verses one to five – this passage this evening – it’s foundational for our ministry, folks, and Carmen, it’s foundational for you. As you are here, for whatever length of years God calls you, share Jesus Christ and him crucified. And we do it together. The church of God is called to do that. Yes, there will be problems at times but let’s be open and honest with each other.
“I just read, this morning, these words – I thought this was brilliant, I wish I had said these first – ‘When you’ve got a problem, don’t go to the phone, go to the throne’, the throne of God. Isn’t it amazing how often we go to our phones these days, from early morning till late at night? Folks, phones can’t save us, almighty God can, and he can help us in whatever our circumstances are.”
Bishop Clarke told the new incumbent that at the heart of ministry was ‘the ministry of the heart’. And as Ms Hayes began a new ministry in Garvagh, he pleaded with her to concentrate on the heart. “Isn’t it fascinating in that passage in John 21 [the Gospel Reading, John 21:15–19], we read about an interview between the risen Jesus and Peter? Remember, Peter had denied him three times, at least. And three times Jesus asked Peter this incredible question, ‘Peter, do you love me?’
“It’s a hard question,” the Bishop said. “We’ve read Peter’s answer. What’s our answer? Do we love him? Do we love him enough to respond in the way Isaiah did? ‘Here am I. Send me.’ I want to be available. I want to be obedient. Or are we putting up resistance? We know how Peter answered that question. How do we answer?
“As we love our Lord Jesus Christ with all our heart, soul, mind and strength, we can see communities transformed, we can share acts of kindness, we can live out the good news and not just think about it, and that is so important in Ireland today.”
At tea, afterwards, in the Parish Hall, presentations were made to Mr Welsh and his wife Anne. And there was almost an instant falling–out between the Rural Dean and the new Rector when the latter professed her support for Liverpool Football Club.
“Everybody has a part to play in making this church a success for the Lord,” Ms Hayes said. “I don’t want to be a manager on my own, even if it is Jurgen Klopp – you might learn that I am a Liverpool supporter – but the manager is only as good as the team on the pitch. And, folks, I am expecting a good team on the pitch that is Errigal and Desertoghill and so the training will be starting on Sunday. There’s loads and loads of stuff that needs done, I understand that, it’s been a time of vacancy, so we need all hands on deck. That’s my challenge to you.”
For further information please contact:
Diocesan Communications Officer, Derry & Raphoe
Mr Paul McFadden
028 7126 2440
07525 826290
press@derryandraphoe.org