Dear Friends, It struck me recently that a lot of people who have had quite an influence on my life have died in the past 6 months. My two immediate predecessors as Rector of St. Finnian’s have died in this period. Canon Noel Battye and Bishop Jim Mehaffey built on the foundations laid by Canon […]
Dear Friends, Reflecting back on the past couple of months of church life I made a rather shocking discovery today. As someone who has tried to keep reasonably fit all of my life and who has been blessed with good health for almost half a century, I discovered that during the past couple of months […]
Dear Friends, It has been a habit of mine every couple of years to buy an Advent book to reflect on some of the key themes of this Holy Season through Bible readings and reflections. Just as I will endeavour to be as prepared as I can for the season of Christmas by buying gifts […]
Dear Friends, November is a month in which we pause in the church to do some remembering. On the evening of the first Sunday we pause to give thanks for and remember those from our church family who have died in the past year. It’s always a poignant occasion as we welcome families and friends […]
Dear Friends, I recently had the privilege of attending the ordination service for Reverend Peter Hilton, our former youth worker who was ordained Priest in St.Malachy’s, Hillsborough alongside Reverend Karen Salmon and Reverend Jonathan Brown. The preacher at the service was Reverend Rob Jones, the Rector of Rathmines and Harold’s Cross in the diocese of […]
Dear Friends, As we prepare to begin a new season of church activities, I write this letter with a great sense of thanksgiving in my heart. I’m very grateful, in the first instance for you, whoever you are, as you are reading these words. I’m thankful that you have an interest in the life and […]
Dear Friends, I received news last month that a great hero and inspiration of mine, the French Canadian, Jean Vanier had died at the age of 91. Jean was the founder of the L’Arche and Faith and Light communities for adults with learning disabilities and their assistants. Although we only met about 6 or 7 […]
Dear Friends,I always associate May Bank Holiday Weekend with the World Snooker final from Sheffield. Although I haven’t seen as much of this year’s tournament as I would have liked to, I watched the dramatic concluding frame of the semi-finals between John Higgins and Dave Gilbert. It went down to the wire and after a […]
I wonder if you have ever had a really excellent customer experience when you have visited somewhere or attended an event. We recently had a couple of such experiences when we spent some days at half term with my brother-in-law near Dungannon. Our visit coincided with Lucy’s birthday and as I walked past a café […]