General Synod Report

13^th-15^th May 2008 – Part One

This year General Synod was held in Galway in the Diocese of Tuam, Killala and Achonry in which the bishop is Rt. Rev. Richard Henderson. This was the first time that General Synod was held west of the Shannon and it was also the first time that Synod was honoured to receive an address from the President of Ireland, Her Excellency Mary McAlease.

Visit to the Holy Land

In his Presidential address, our Primate Most Revd. Alan Harper, Archbishop of Armagh, reflected on the recent visit of the four Irish Church leaders to the Holy Land at the invitation of Trocaire and Christian Aid. He described his visit as harrowing but not hopeless adding that he was deeply moved by the resilience of West Bank Palestinians in circumstances of intolerable hardship, denial of dignity and severe restriction of freedom and movement. He asked that we put Palestinian Christians at the heart of our continual prayers for peace and justice.

“Mission Statement”

The Primate outlined the identification of a new and sustaining vision for the Church of Ireland in the 21^st century prepared and agreed by the House of Bishops in response to the changing circumstances of contemporary Ireland and needs of the Church. This “mission statement” is as follows:

The Church of Ireland , as an authentic part of the universal church of God, is called to develop growing communities of faith, in and through which the Kingdom of God is made known, and in which the whole people serve together as followers of Jesus Christ for the good of the world to the Glory of God.

Three key words were extracted from that “mission statement” to summarise its key components which are: Growth – Unity – Service.

The Archbishop elaborated on these three elements in greater detail. Space does not permit reproducing them here but they can be read in the transcript of his full address available from the Rector. The bishops intend that under the leadership of each bishop in their own diocese, this statement will have particular relevance in shaping the daily life of all members of the Church of Ireland at diocesan and parish level. It is well appreciated that one size does not fit all.

Training for Ministry

The Primate described dramatic and extensive changes being examined for the creation of a new Theological Institute to succeed the Church of Ireland Theological College for residential and distance learning. This has become necessary to meet the changing needs of ordained and lay training for ministry together with the provision of an educational resource for church people who simply hunger to deepen their knowledge and understanding of the Christian Way. He asked whether there might be virtue in bringing together, on a single site, all the major components of our central church functions: Theological Institute, Church of Ireland House, Representative Body Library and perhaps even the Church of Ireland College of Education.

Closing remarks

The Archbishop concluded his address by commending to all for their personal interpretation the vision of the bishops of the Church of Ireland in their daily lives so that we may discern what God is already doing and then join in.

Nicholas MacGillycuddy, Member of General Synod

Charity Collection

This month’s charity, which we will be supporting, is Cork Indigant Room Keeper’s Society. The Annual Report from the society is available on church notice boards, for those who maybe interested. The Society looks after those in need in Cork City and County. Many thanks to those who supported last month’s collection for Sekamuli Clinic, Luweero, Uganda.

Sunday School Outing

The Sunday School end of year outing is in the process of being planned and an announcement will be made shortly. So if you can pencil the date of 21st June in your diaries now so you don’t miss whatever it may be.

Dates For Your Diary

3rd June, Choir Practice, Abbeystrewry Church, 8.30p.m.

3rd June, Fundraising Meeting, Abbeystrewry Hall, 9.45p.m.

15th June, Holy Communion on Cape Clear

17th June, Select Vestry, Abbeystrewry Hall, 8.30p.m.

29th June, Confirmation, Abbeystrewry Church, 11a.m.

The Welcoming Church

How do we welcome the visitor to our church? We’re really busy, you know, rushing here and there, tossing information to one another,

catching a running child, making sure everyone is ready. We often assume someone else is paying real attention to the visitor.

One story demonstrates the kind of attention we don’t want to pay to visitors... It is about a young man who visited a church several Sundays in a row. He arrived early and chose a seat on the side, near a stained glass window, thinking he could look at the window if he got lost in the service. After several weeks of this, a woman approached him and told him she had observed him and asked him if he liked the service. He responded that he did, that he found it meaningful. “Good,” she replied. “Do you think you would like to join the church?” He replied that he would. “Wonderful,” she said. “But now you have to find your own seat; you’ve been sitting in mine!”

People become members of a church for a variety of reasons. One big reason that they stay is how well they feel welcomed and included in the life of the congregation.

The truth is it is never an accident when a visitor or stranger comes into the church, God is at work. To encounter a visitor is a holy moment; it is to be in the presence of God at work. Welcoming is participating in God’s mission to reconcile all people to God and one another in Christ.

Easter Vestry

                  Thank you to all who were able to attend the Easter Vestry. The following are the results of that evenings deliberations.

The Select Vestry

Samson Abba, June Collins, Margaret Deane, Susan Deane, Robert Fountain, Tony Gibbons, June Kingston,

Freda Salter-Townshend, Mark Salter-Townshend, Linda Shannon, Doris Sweetnam, Ronnie Tanner

Abbeystrewry Church Wardens

People’s Churchwarden: Daniel Jackson

Rector’s Churchwarden: Noelle Salter

Baltimore Church Wardens

People’s Churchwarden: Rose MacGillycuddy

Rector’s Churchwarden: Nicholas MacGillycuddy

Caheragh Church Wardens

People’s Churchwarden: Kathy Armstrong

Rector’s Churchwarden: Richie Ross

Castletownshend Church Wardens

People’s Churchwarden: Shelagh Reid Smith

Rector’s Churchwarden: Robert Salter-Townshend

Glebe Wardens

People’s Glebewarden: Gordon Benn

Rector’s Glebewarden: John Stoutt

Diocesan Synod

Tony Gibbons, Gordon Benn, Robert Fountain, Nicholas Mac Gillycuddy & Freda Salter-Townshend

Supplementalists: Carole Pound, Linda Shannon, Kathy Armstrong,

Richard Ross, Jackie Roycroft

Nominators

Bill Kingston, Rose MacGillycuddy, Freda Salter-Townshend & Karen Benn

Supplementalists: Ronnie Tanner, Nicholas MacGillycuddy,  

Tony Gibbons, Doris Sweetnam

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