The Longford Group of Parishes are holding a Christmas Toy Service at their United Service on the 3rd of December in St John’s Church, Longford. Toy donations will be taken during the service in aid of Temple Street Children’s hospital. Please help by donating a new unwrapped toy for a child aged 0-17 years.
On Sunday 5th November, a service was held in Swalinbar Parish church to welcome Revd. Simon Donohe as the new Minister-in-Charge of the Swanlinbar Group of Parishes (Swanlinbar, Kinawley, Tomregan and Templeport).
Revd. Simon was born and raised in South Dublin where he came to know the Lord Jesus through the ministry of Crinken church and Crosslinks holiday clubs. He is married to Abigail and they have two daughters under three.
Revd. Simon trained at Oak Hill college in London but has always planned and prayed to return to Ireland. Whilst in England he served in churches in Wimbledon, Wilmslow, Wimsford and Cheadle.
In his spare time he enjoys running, reading and keeping up with the Irish rugby team and Premier league football.
We pray for God’s blessing on Simon and his family as they settle in their new home.
Canon Sandra Lindsay Retires
On Sunday 22nd October 2017, a service was held in Cootehill Church of Ireland Church to mark the retirement of Canon Sandra Lindsay. Canon Sandra has served with great love and dedication in the Drumgoon Group of Parishes as well as in the Roscommon, Kildallon and Bailieborough groups since she was ordained in 1993. She is well known and much loved across the Diocese where she has served in so many capacities. We pray for God’s continued blessing as she begins this next chapter.
New Wine Sligo Summer Conference is a week of worship, teaching and ministry for individuals, families and churches which will take place from 8-13 July 2018.
Sligo 18 from New Wine Ireland on Vimeo.
For more information see: newwineireland.org
YKEA – OVER 18’s WEEKEND AWAY BAYVIEW HOTEL KILLYBEGS, DONEGAL 10TH-12TH NOVEMBER
SPEAKERS: Tash Creaney 24/7 Prayer
WORSHIP: NEW WINE
PURPOSE: TO TAKE TIME TO THINK ABOUT OUR WALK WITH GOD AND HOW WE CAN LIVE LIFE FULLY (and just have some fun)
COST: €50 Includes all meals (good food in abundance), luxury accommodation, use of spa, gym, swimming pool, sauna, etc… TOO GOOD TO MISS!
Last Thursday evening, 28th September, Revd. Ruth West was instituted as Rector of the Florencecourt Group of Parishes – Killesher (St John’s and Druminiskill Chapel of Ease and Killinagh. Family, friends, parishioners as well as representatives of the local community and wider Diocese were packed into the beautiful St John’s Church, Florencecourt to welcome Revd. Ruth as the new Incumbent. The service was led by Bishop Ferran Glenfield assisted by Archdeacon Craig McCauley. The Very Revd. Arfon Williams, Dean of St. John’s Cathedral, Sligo stood in as acting Registrar.
Revd. Ruth joins our diocese from the Inver Group of Parishes in southwest Donegal were she was Rector for 5 years. She served her curacy way down in Waterford. While the last 8 years let Ruth live by the sea, she is delighted to move to Florencecourt as she is originally a Fermanagh girl.
The address at the institution was given by the Venerable David Huss, Archdeacon of Raphoe. Speaking from Matthew 9:35- 38, Revd. David highlighted how Jesus’ example provided a challenging model for ministry. His was a ministry of breadth – a ministry to all; a ministry of variety – a ministry that dealt with the needs of the whole person, both the practical needs and the deep spiritual needs; a ministry of depth – of deep love and compassion and a ministry that must be shared. He challenged the congregation to share with Revd. Ruth in the work of the church in these parishes.
The Act of Institution was then carried out by Bishop Ferran Glenfield, after which words of welcome were given by Dean Nigel Crossey on behalf of the Diocese, Andrew Elliott and Lancelot Forde on behalf of the Parish, Alex Baird, Vice Chair of Fermanagh and Omagh Council, on behalf of the local community and Fr. Maurice McMorrow, representing the Roman Catholic Parishes of Kinawley and Killesher.
During the service tokens of appreciation were given to Dean Nigel Crossey, Dean Raymond Ferguson, Canon Billy Johnston and Canon Geoff Bridle as an acknowledgement of all their work and encouragement during the vacancy. Maud Cunningham was also thanked for all the work she had done to help during the vacancy.
The service was followed by a wonderful tea in the Church Annexe which was very welcome on a rainy evening! We pray for the Lord’s blessing on Revd. Ruth as she begins her ministry in the Florencecourt Group of Parishes.
Front Row: Mrs Yvonne Elliott, Mrs Rene Irvine, Revd. Ruth West, Bishop Ferran Glenfield
Back Row: Mrs Moyra Wallace, Mr William Sloane, Mr Lancelot Forde, Mr Mervyn Phair
Front Row: The Venerable Roderic West, Ruth West, Bishop Ferran Glenfield, The Venerable Craig McCauley
Back Row: The Venerable David Huss, Dean Nigel Crossey
Front row: The Venerable Craig McCauley, Mrs Maud Cunningham, Revd. Ruth West, Mrs Viola Dourish
Back Row: Dr Nicholas Lipscomb, Mr Billy Griffin, Ms Mary Collum, Bishop Ferran Glenfield, Mr Michael Wright
The Rt. Revd. Dr. Ferran Glenfield, Church of Ireland Bishop of Kilmore, will deliver as series of three public lectures on the Story of the Reformation in the Johnston Central Library in Cavan on Thursdays 5th,19th and 26th October at 7:30pm.
Five hundred years ago a discovery was made that would change the world. The discovery was not geographical, philosophical or technological but theological. According to Michael Reeves, a Professor of Theology at Oxford, the discovery was simply this: “failing broken people are not loved because they are attractive”, said Martin Luther, “ they are attractive because they are loved”.
Luther’s discovery launched a movement, the Reformation which today is still transforming lives and cultures.
When Luther, a German monk posted his 95 theses on the door of the Castle church in Wittenberg, he was not merely interested in stirring up theological debate. It was much more than that. Luther’s ideas were about life and love.
He himself had found the secret of life and love in Jesus Christ. It was a discovery of good news buried for so long but unearthed for all to enjoy.
The story is well worth retelling and is relevant today as it was 500 years ago. All are welcome.
Oh taste and see that the Lord is good!
This week yKEA hosted two Schools’ Services of Harvest Thanksgiving. The first took place in Sligo Cathedral and was attended by 300 pupils from national school across Elphin and Ardagh. The second, which was attended by more than 450 school children, took place in Kilmore Cathedral.
The yKEA team were joined by members of Operation Mobilisation for a service of prayer, praise, singing, dancing and puppetry. We were reminded that when we are thankful for God’s blessings we are not just thankful for something that He has given us but for something that He has made. A memory verse was taught encouraging us to ‘taste and see that the Lord is good’ (Psalm 34.8) – wonderful encouragement as we celebrate the harvest and thank God for all his love and goodness to us.
