Diocesan News
‘Excited but daunted’ Bishop appeals for congregation’s prayers
The Rt Rev Andrew Forster has been installed as Bishop of Derry at a Service in St Columb’s Cathedral in Londonderry which took place four weeks to the day after his consecration as Bishop of Derry and Raphoe. The Service of Installation, which was led by the Dean of Derry, the Very Revd Raymond Stewart, was the first such Service in the Diocese in almost 18 years.
Among those who attended were the Lord–Lieutenant for the County Borough of Londonderry, Dr Angela Garvey, the Lord–Lieutenant of County Londonderry, Mrs Alison Millar, and the Deputy Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District, Cllr Cara Hunter.
There was a great deal of symbolism in the Service which began with Bishop Forster knocking three times with his pastoral staff on the Cathedral’s west door before he was admitted and welcomed by the Dean and members of the Cathedral Chapter.
Early in the service, the Diocesan Registrar, the Revd Canon David Crooks, read the Archbishop’s Mandate for the Induction, Installation and Enthronement of Andrew Forster into the Bishopric of Derry. Dean Stewart then led the new Bishop to the episcopal Throne where he took his seat.
During his sermon, the new Bishop appealed to the congregation to pray for him. “I’m excited to be your bishop,” he told them. “I’m also daunted to be your bishop. And the one thing that has been so evident for us as a family over these last weeks and months has been the prayers of people like you. I covet your prayers and I need your prayers. And as I pray for you, please continue to pray for me, so that God will lead, God will bless and God will help us to live out our call in His world.”
Reflecting on the second reading (Matthew 2: 1–12), Bishop Forster described King Herod as “one of the bad boys of history.” The economy of Judea had flourished under him, but it was because of Herod that Jesus and His parents were driven to become refugees.
“Refugees, persecution, fear, insecurity – it sounds pretty familiar to our broken world, doesn’t it,” Bishop Forster said, “our broken world where so many followers of Jesus face persecution and even death for Him, where refugees are so often put at the very bottom of the pile and where refugees are often ignored, and lost and left behind?
“I want us – as a follower of Jesus – I want each one of us to have bigger hearts, to have bigger hearts for those who are on the margins of society, for those who come to us as refugees, for those who are persecuted for their faith, for those who know day by day what it is to live with insecurity and in fear. We need to be people with bigger hearts, generous hearts and giving hearts.”
Bishop Forster said it was strange that in one way we had never been so connected in the world through the internet and social media but yet we had never felt so disconnected from each other. It seemed so easy to become isolated and disconnected nowadays. “In those circumstances, I think there’s nothing that beats a warm–hearted church, serving God at the heart of its community, with the community in its heart, serving in hope and love as a family.”
Bishop Forster reflected on the Magi – the “wise, learned men” from the “higher echelons of society” – who brought gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to the Baby Jesus. They had been preceded by a group of shepherds, hard–working men, living quite isolated lives, eking out a modest living caring for sheep. “To both of those groups,” the Bishop said, “their goal was to meet Christ. And you see what we have here, from the highest in society to some of the lowliest in society? Jesus was for all of them. And Jesus is for all of us. Jesus is for our community here in the North West. Jesus is the one who brings light and hope and help on our journey. You see, whatever background, whatever education, whatever colour, creed, class, they came to worship Him and bowed down and worshipped Him. He’s for you and He’s for me and our goal must be to worship Him.”
Bishop Forster told the congregation that the word ‘Gospel’ meant ‘good news’.
“And I want to tell you, that’s all I can do, that’s all I can do as a bishop, is to share the hope and the good news of Jesus, and to help each of us journey with Him. That’s who I am and that’s what God’s called me to be throughout my life – a messenger of His hope.”
Clergy and readers from throughout the Diocese of Derry and Raphoe took part in Sunday’s Service of Installation. Afterwards, many members of the congregation made their way to the city’s Guildhall for a reception hosted by the Deputy Mayor.
Next Sunday afternoon, Bishop Forster will be installed as Bishop of Raphoe at a Service in St Eunan’s Cathedral in Raphoe.
For further information please contact:
Diocesan Communications Officer, Derry & Raphoe
Mr Paul McFadden
028 7126 2440
07525 826290
press@derryandraphoe.org