The Pointer July-August 2021

The Pointer July - August 2021

Rector The Rt Rev Darren McCartney 028 4175 3497 suffragan1@gmail.com

The Magazine of the Church of Ireland Parishes of Clonallon & Warrenpoint with Kilbroney in the Diocese of Down and Dromore Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls”.

Matthew 11:28 As you read this, I wonder do you know the rest that Jesus is talking about, a rest for a battered and weary soul? I have the privilege of ministering to people in many different circumstances of life and I am humbled and impressed at how brothers and sisters in Christ can face adversity, with a peace and a rest that only God by His Spirit can give.

Perhaps you could take a moment and come to Jesus, bring Him those things that are burdening you down and allow the Holy Spirit to minister to your soul.

Come Holy Spirit and minister to us just now …

Blessings +Darren Two Saturdays past my brother Don and I managed to get a day out together on the motorbikes. Don had come down early in the morning to the rectory at Clonallon. I thought it would be nice for him to see something of the beauty that is all around us. So I took him up the Clonallon Road, Coyles Hill, Yellow Road. We dropped back down the mountain and onto Rostrevor – Hilltown road, then across to Leitrim Lodge and up to Spelga Dam. It was a beautiful day, and the views were equally as beautiful.

Don and I have spent quite a bit of time in the Mourne Mountains over the years. I remember, on one occasion arriving late on a Friday at the BB hut, beside Leitrim car park at the foot of Rocky Mountain. As the light was starting to fade, we headed off up the track leading in the direction of the mountains.

We carried one rucksack between us, and it contained all we would need in case of an emergency. The track was easy going and before we got 500 meters it was dark. The stars were out, it was beautiful and up we continued. Three quarters of the way up my brother offered to carry the rucksack and I happily obliged.

What a difference! I almost felt I could run up the hill, almost, being the word!

Orly Watson, Organist Recital Kilbroney Parish Church Friday 16th July, 2021 7.00 pm Admission: Suggested Donation: £8 Programme:

François Couperin (1668 – 1733) Offertoire sur les Grands Jeux (from Messe pour les Paroisses)

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 – 1750) In dir ist Freude, BWV 615

Felix Mendelssohn (1809 – 1847) Organ Sonata in D minor, Op. 65, No. 6: Chorale and Variations Fugue: Sostenuto e legato Finale: Andante

Clonallon and Warrenpoint Facebook https://www.facebook.com/warrenpointcoi/

Eugène Gigout (1844 – 1925)

Sunday Services live streamed at 10.00 am.

Compline at 9.00 pm each evening.

Toccata in B minor

Louis Vierne (1870 – 1937) Vingt-quatre pièces en style libre, Op. 31: XVII. Lied XIV. Scherzetto

Kilbroney Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ KilbroneyParishChurchRostrevor/

Jean Langlais (1907 – 1991) Pièce modale No. 1: Mode de ré (from Huit pièces modales)

Sunday Services live streamed at 11.30 am.

Compline at 9.00 pm each evening.

Sigfrid Karg-Elert (1877 – 1933) Clair de Lune (No. 2 of Trois Impressions, Op. 72)

César Franck (1822 – 1890) Pièce héroïque

Clonallon & Warrenpoint with Kilbroney

Important Notice Numbers attending are restricted due to current Covid-19 guidelines, so seats will be allocated on a first come, first served, basis. To book your place text or email Liz Farnan on 0780 7172 893 or liz.farnan@yahoo.co.uk stating your name and contact number for track and trace purposes, before 4th July. If booking for more than one person, please give all names and contact numbers, and whether the extras are part of your bubble which will inform the seating plan. Please notify Liz if, once booked, you are unable to attend, so that places may be reallocated.

All attendees are asked to follow current guidelines by sanitizing hands upon entry and by wearing a face mask when entering and exiting the church, as well as for the duration of the performance (approximately 1 hour).

Orly Watson is currently organist at Dromore Cathedral, and Official Accompanist at Queen’s, and works extensively as a pianist and composer. Recently he has worked for the Royal Irish Academy of Music and NI Opera. He is doing a PhD in composition at the moment, and previously studied at the Royal Academy of Music and at Oxford. Orly is a fellow of LCM, studied the piano with Michael Dussek in London and studied the organ with George Minne and with Theo Saunders.

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Free call 116 123 24 hours a day … 365 days a year

Bible Burst Three afternoons in August (two hour sessions)

Monday 16th Wednesday 18th Friday 20th

There will be more details advertised nearer the time … but young folk … please keep those afternoons free.

Church Services

Lectionary Year B

10.00 am

11.30 am

Meet in Clonallon

Kilbroney

4th July The Fifth Sunday after Trinity

Clonallon/W’point Holy Communion

11th July The Sixth Sunday after Trinity

Old Testament

Epistle

Gospel

Kilbroney Holy Communion

2 Samuel 5:1-5, 9-10

2 Corinthians 12:2-10

Mark 6:1-13

Clonallon/W’point Morning Prayer

Kilbroney Family Service

2 Samuel 6:1-5, 12b-19

Ephesians 1:3-14

Mark 6:14-29

18th July The Seventh Sunday after Trinity

Clonallon/W’point Holy Communion

Kilbroney Holy Communion

2 Samuel 7:1-14a

Ephesians 2:11-22

Mark 6:30-34, 53-56

25th July The Eighth Sunday after Trinity

Clonallon/W’point Morning Prayer

Kilbroney Morning Prayer

2 Samuel 11:1-15

Ephesians 3:14-21

John 6:1-21

1st August The Ninth Sunday after Trinity

Clonallon/W’point Holy Communion

Kilbroney Holy Communion

2 Samuel 11:26-12:13a

Ephesians 4:1-16

John 6:24-35

8th August The Tenth Sunday after Trinity

Clonallon/W’point Morning Prayer

Kilbroney Family Service

2 Samuel 18:5-9,15,31-33

Ephesians 4:25-5:2

John 6:35, 41-51

15th August The Eleventh Sunday after Trinity

Clonallon/W’point Holy Communion

Kilbroney Holy Communion

1 Kings 2:10-12, 3, 3:3-14

Ephesians 5:15-20

John 6:51-58

1 Kings 8:22-30, 41-43

Ephesians 6:10-20

John 6:56-69

Song of Solomon 2:8-13

James 1:17-27

Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23

Proverbs 22:12, 8-9, 22-23

James 2:1-10 (11-13)

Mark 7:24-37

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22nd August The Twelfth Sunday after Trinity

29th August The Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity

5th September The Fourteenth Sunday after Trinity

Clonallon/W’point Morning Prayer

Kilbroney Morning Prayer

Drive in at 11.00 am United Service at Warrenpoint

Clonallon/W’point Holy Communion

Kilbroney Holy Communion

Sundays at 10.00 am

Compline

During July and August (except the last Sunday in August) the ten o’clock service for Clonallon and Warrenpoint will be in Clonallon Church.

Each evening at nine o’clock.

This alternates between the Facebook pages of Clonallon and Warrenpoint and Kilbroney and is available on both!

Deadline for the September edition of The Pointer is Friday 27th August 2021.

The text is on Page 154 in the BCP, or on the Church of Ireland Website, or in the Daily Worship App on your mobile phone.

Please keep sending in articles!

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Greetings from Bishop Moses

When a ten–strong team from Down and Dromore and Albany visited Maridi Diocese in October 2012, the country was getting back on its feet. Although the problems facing South Sudan (and the church) were enormous, largely there was peace, and a sense of hope for the future.

Greetings and best wishes to the Down and Dromore 2021 Diocesan Synod from our brother, Bishop Moses Zungo, Maridi Diocese, South Sudan.

All of that changed in 2013 when civil war broke out again with devastating results for the country:

“On behalf of the Diocese of Maridi, I want to extend the love and the greetings of the people of the Diocese of Maridi to our brothers and sisters in the Diocese of Down and Dromore, and to our beloved brother Bishop David. And I would like to bring good wishes to our brother David as he conducts his first Diocesan Synod as Bishop of Down and Dromore. I want to thank the Diocese of Down and Dromore for their partnership with the Diocese of Maridi, for the love and the partnership that we have been surviving and enjoying all this time, and especially for the support that the Diocese of Down and Dromore has done to the people of Maridi when we had tragedy of wild fire - and many people suffered because of that one. The support that you have made to the people of Maridi has really changed their lives. Thank you very much for your support and love to your brothers and sisters in Maridi. I wish you the best in your deliberations in this Synod.

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Almost 400,000 people killed

•

2.2 million refugees and 1.5 million displaced inside the country

•

More than 6 million are living on the brink of famine

•

Fewer than half of the country’s health care facilities are functioning, and many in operation are poorly equipped and understaffed

South Sudan is currently experiencing a period of relative calm following a nationwide ceasefire in 2018 and a deal to create a unity government. If fragile talks break down, South Sudan faces a high risk of renewed conflict; there is well–founded fear that parties excluded from the peace deal will disrupt humanitarian efforts.

Please pray for lasting peace and for the church as it continues to play its vital part in sharing the gospel and supporting the Maridi community.

Maridi Diocese and a Conflict–Torn History The Diocese of Maridi is situated in Western Equatoria, due west of Juba, the capital city of South Sudan and shares a southern border with DR Congo.

In 2011, South Sudan became an independent country after over 20 years of guerrilla warfare which claimed the lives of at least 1.5 million people and displaced more than four million.

The civil war saw many people in Maridi Diocese forced into exile and much of the country’s infrastructure destroyed. However, when people began to return home and start a new life from scratch, the Church, under the leadership of the then Bishop, Justin Badi, played a pivotal role in the rebuilding of Maridi.

Maridi Diocese

This meant that, amongst other things, the diocese became involved in providing primary and secondary level education, ensuring basic healthcare and enabling HIV/AIDS awareness training.

www.facebook.com/marididiocese/ I had a brilliant thought once but it got lonely and left.

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Turning to apostleship, the bishop said he believed it was again a time in history when the church must courageously and lovingly speak truth to power. He said: “Today’s world needs a church that will demonstrate in practical ways God’s grace and kindness, a church that addresses issues of poverty, of justice and of social need, while at the same time proclaiming clearly the good news of the gospel through saving faith in Jesus Christ as Lord.”

Bishop David expressed his gratitude that, even during lockdown and a worldwide pandemic the diocese had exercised apostolic type leadership – initiating new ministries, planting new churches, employing new staff and putting in place new initiatives.

Diocesan Synod 2021 The Down and Dromore Diocesan Synod met on 24th June for the first time since 2019 and the onset of the COVD–19 pandemic. The meeting was Bishop David’s first as our bishop, and the first ‘hybrid’ Synod in our history. Shankill Parish hosted a small number of people whilst Synod members joined on Zoom.

“Like the apostles in the New Testament, we move forward prioritising evangelism as the life blood of the church, preaching and teaching the air that we breathe, pastoral care and healing, our hands and our feet, in every way doing the work the apostles did,” he said.

In this season of uncertainty but also of opportunity, Bishop David used his first Presidential Address to share what he described as “my dream, my hope, my prayer and my intent” for the diocese.

Bishop David concluded: “We build, we rebuild, we move forward believing in the God of the one true holy catholic and apostolic church, a church that is built on discipleship, leadership and apostleship on a sure and solid foundation, the rock who is Jesus Christ.”

He began, however, with the assurance that his thoughts and prayers were with those who had been bereaved or impacted adversely by the pandemic.

People have, the bishop acknowledged, “suffered in a multitude of ways and are still being affected”.

Bishop David’s Presidential Address is available to read on the Diocesan website:

www.downanddromore.org

“However,” he said, “the church is a community where faith, hope and love triumph,” and called the diocese to the work of Discipleship, Leadership and Apostleship.

Synod Business The usual Synod business took place in the afternoon with Synod members participating live over Zoom. The Report of the Diocesan Council was grouped under the three headings of Discipleship, Leadership and Apostleship and was accompanied by a series of short inspirational videos which you can view using the link on the website. The Synod also voted over Zoom to adopt the amendments to the Diocesan Regulations.

“Regardless of where society around us is at, the Great Commission and command of Jesus to make disciples always remains at the centre of the church’s task,” he said. “Nothing negates that, not lockdown, not Covid–19, not apparent lack of finance – quite literally ‘in sickness and in health’, the command of Christ to His Church in every age and in all circumstances and in every place is to make disciples.”

The bishop went on to outline some key elements of this work in a parish context.

We are very grateful to the team at Shankill Parish for hosting us and taking on the substantial technical challenges of a ‘hybrid’ Synod. Even with all the limitations upon us it was a very encouraging day!

On leadership, Bishop David emphasised the need for the diocese to raise up, train, equip and release godly leaders at every level in the life of our church, diocese, parishes and communities. He set out 10–year goals including putting forward a significant number of men and women for ordained ministry and training more Diocesan Readers, Evangelists and Church Plant leaders.

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Family Services On the second Sunday in each month there is a family service at 11.30 am in Kilbroney. This is designed as a shorter time of worship and suitable for even the youngest members of our church family. Children, parents, grandparents, and everyone else have the opportunity to take part in the service. If you’re reading this, and have younger folk that you’d like to bring to church, just drop in at 11.30 am when you’ll find a welcome!

August Monday 16th Wednesday 18th Friday 20th Afternoons Keep your eyes peeled for more details!

Has anyone used WD40 to get rid of mice? It doesn’t work, but it stops them squeaking!

The Pointer is printed by

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to scrape up enough money to buy a piece of stair carpet. I am sure she considered it a worthwhile investment if not an insurance policy on the life of her dear husband.

The Incident on the Stairs Carpets were a rarity in our home, the old parochial house at Glen, except for the parlour which had one covering most of the floor. The remaining border was stained. The most popular alternative floor covering in those days was lino. It was inexpensive and easy to clean. The hallway, landing and stairs were covered in it.

PS. By strange coincidence our favourite comics were “accidently’ left off Mammy’s shopping list for the next two weeks. Was this our ‘involuntary’ contribution towards the cost of the new stair carpet. Perhaps?

John Kennedy

It was the lino on the stairs that was the cause of the ‘incident’.

Puns (if you like them)

Daddy had an important appointment that dictated him wearing his Sunday best for the occasion. He went to his bedroom to get changed while Mammy made the tea. Someone in the family had taken Daddy's shoes from the bedroom and brought them down to clean and polish them.

• • • •

We were all gathered around the table for the tea.

Mammy called up to Daddy, ”Jack your tea is ready”.

We heard the sound of his footsteps as he walked across the landing to the top of the stairs. Then we heard the ‘bump, bump, bump’ of his six foot three frame as it impacted on each step on the downward journey.

• • • •

He'd slipped and lost his footing on the lino on the top stair and came down on his backside. There was silence when he reached the bottom. We all looked at each other. Mammy looking with supplicant eyes at the Sacred Heart picture on the wall, no doubt praying that the only breadwinner in the house was still in the land of the living.

I tried to catch some fog. I mist.

I stayed up all night to see where the sun went.

Then it dawned on me.

I’m reading a book about anti-gravity … I can’t put it down.

The energizer bunny was arrested. He was charged with battery.

I didn’t like my beard at first, then it grew on me.

What does a clock do when it is hungry? It goes back four seconds.

I wondered why the baseball was getting bigger.

Then it hit me.

Broken pencils are pointless.

This is the Time to be Slow

by John O’Donohue

This is the time to be slow Lie low to the wall Until the bitter weather passes

Some ‘smart alec’ at the table, no doubt reading her mind, muttered under his breath, ”I think he's finished”. Mammy’s appealing eyes moved from the holy picture on the wall towards the table, changing to a steely glare as she looked at the offender. Her admonishing raised finger a warning to all to keep quiet.

Try, as best you can, not to let The wire brush of doubt Scrape from your heart All sense of yourself And your hesitant light.

Daddy came into the kitchen and took his chair at the head of the table. Mammy quickly took the initiative and started to say grace. We all knew from the look on Daddy's face that he was in no mood to thank the ‘man above’ or anyone else for the bounty he was about to receive.

If you remain generous, Time will come good; And you will find your feet Again on fresh pastures of promise, Where the air will be kind And blushed with beginning.

Unusually for our house, the meal was taken in total silence. We children eating ours quickly and leaving the table with almost indecent haste. We bolted from the kitchen and beat a hasty retreat to the far end of the yard and almost split our sides laughing at poor Daddy's misfortune.

John O’Donohue, From To Bless the Space Between Us: A Book of Blessings. Penguin Random House, 2008.

Dog: You pet me, feed me, play with me, love me ... you must be a god!

Cat: You pet me, feed me, play with me, love me ... I must be a god!

His posterior, I'm sure, healed very quickly, his pride, no doubt, took a little longer. Despite the financial constraints in our house, Mammy somehow managed 7

From the Warrenpoint Archives In the parish magazine of 1963 is a record of the welcome dedication of a new communion table for Warrenpoint Parish Church. It is interesting to note that it replaced a trestle table that had been used previously. These trestle tables served the parish well as they were used for various events such as sales of work, jumble sales etc. In fact they existed until relatively recently when they were disposed of, along with the woodworms contained therein!

Maurice McCabe

Photograph opposite: The communion table Warrenpoint Parish Church and the Mothers’ Union Banner in the sanctuary.

Silver Band Play Tribute Some members of the silver band played at the grave of a past member, the late David Sinton, who died last year during covid.

The member had contacted Maurice when he knew he was dying and had asked that three hymns be played at his funeral. Unfortunately wind instruments were not permitted to be played indoors or outdoors at the time These members recently met, wishing to honour the request for a friend and past member.

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Redeployment A poem by Suzette Bedard, Wheatfield Prison

Ballsbridge College/RDS 2012

Wheatfield Prison/Education Unit 2013

Standing in my first floor classroom I survey my students Heads bowed together Engaged in a task.

Standing in my first floor classroom I survey my students Heads bowed together Engaged in a task.

I gaze out the window Single-paned, wood-framed Victorian-era glass.

Drawn beyond Berry bush To a sound below.

I gaze out the window Narrow-faced, steel-braced Bullet-proof glass.

Drawn beyond Barbed-wire To a sound below.

Loud drone of a leaf-blower Gathers leaves Fallen from trees 'Round lush green lawn Manicured daily.

Loud torrent of water Prisoner drinks from a tap Walks to chain-link fence 'Round grey cement yard Circuited daily.

Law grads in cap and gown Stroll past Linger for photos Before heading indoors.

Lads scarred and tattooed Stroll past Linger for smokes Before heading indoors.

Office workers lunch At picnic tables Slip shoes off in the sun.

Officers holler, “Fall in!”

Down the corridor Another day is done.

Arriving from Canada in 1997, Suzette’s mother (Kate Earley) and two sisters established themselves in Rostrevor while she went down the road to work in Dublin.

trepidation, I accepted the post they offered me in the prison.

Though the classes I hold in the prison are very similar to those in my earlier position, the oppression that permeates my new environment is palpable. Sadder still, it becomes ordinary, for staff and prisoners alike.

With a degree in English from University of Toronto and specialisation in TESL (Teaching English as a Second Language), Suzette worked on a government programme through Trinity College to teach English to refugees. This poem is a reflection on her experience:

I wrote the poem to bear witness to the contrast in circumstances and the poignancy I felt.

Suzette writes: The poem, “Redeployment” describes two ordinary days in two different schools in my career as an English language teacher for refugees and foreign nationals in Dublin.

It was recently published in the Irish Prison Education Association (IPEA) newsletter.

The language program for Ballsbridge College was located in a building in the RDS, overlooking one of the grounds of the Horse Show arenas. Graduation ceremonies and other events were a common occurrence in the nearby Halls.

Suzette Bedard

The duck goes into the pharmacy to buy some lipstick, and the cashier asks how he's going to pay for it. The duck says, "Put it on my bill."

When the provision of language classes for refugees was withdrawn nationwide, my contract provided a choice: redeployment or unemployment. With some 9

Sometimes and often it's a complete set-up. It's staged and filtered and it's counterfeit.

Making Memories Yesterday while at the pool I watched a young Mama and her little daughter enter the pool area dressed in very nice coordinating swimming suits. The mom, with her perfect loose curls tied up in a coordinating scarf, spent the first few minutes talking loudly on her phone to a friend while her daughter stood waiting to get into the pool.

Sometimes we do see absolutely real photos of vacations and beautiful homes and freshly done hair but it's only ONE moment. It's the very best moment out of a whole day spent much like our own. Working, cleaning, and messes …

Mamas, don't compare yourself.

You ARE enough! You are amazing and the very best part is that you are REAL! Your dirty shirt and your messy house and your happy children are real and they are proof that you are doing it right!

Mom ended the phone call and proceeded to spread out pool toys and sunscreen on a matching towel.

Then after finding just the right angle and the right light, Mama pulled out her tripod and took a few selfies with her daughter. Little One asked to get in the pool. Mama said, “wait” and then posed her daughter in front the pool, then going in to the pool and then coming back out of the pool. Little one smiled big and said “cheese” like she'd done it a million times. Then Mama told her she could play.

Jen Flint, Florida.

Little One walked in and swam around for a couple of minutes. Mama called a friend on her phone and began another conversation while Little One politely and repeatedly asked “Mama, can you come in the water with me, please?” She was ignored. “Mama, come play with me?” she asked 4 more times. Mama glanced over at her but never got off the phone. After 10 minutes Mama ended her call, collected the sunscreen that was never applied, the water toys that never touched the water, and then her daughter and left the pool.

I sat there thinking about what I'd witnessed for awhile afterwards. I imagined the photos she took being perfectly edited and posted to social media with a caption like “Pool time with my girly!” “#Makingmemories.”

Somewhere another Mama is going to be at home with her children, the house a mess from their play, her hair unruly from a day of mothering and her clothes dirty with spit up or peanut butter. She's going to be tired because she's spent her day cooking, caring, cleaning and playing with her children. She's going to look at that photo and she is going to compare herself to the perfect Mama at the pool.

Solution on page 22

The Adversary is going to whisper into her ear “you aren't good enough... You don't look like that Mama at the pool... You don't have money to buy expensive swimming suits like that and you don't have time to make memories like she is” … and that young Mama is going to believe it.

She's going to feel like a failure. Ugh!! She'll never know that how she spent her time that day was so much better in her children's eyes than that “perfect Mama” at the pool.

Three afternoons in August (two hour sessions)

What we see on Social Media isn't always real.

Monday 16 10

th

Wednesday 18th Friday 20th

and his Kingdom. Some of the lecturers were An Cuan staff, and others spoke via Zoom from other YWAM bases or other church organisations from around the world.

An Cuan Disciples Another Group of Trainees

The current group have also done service work in Rostrevor and traveled to Belfast to learn more about Irish history, especially The Troubles.

YWAM is a worldwide organisation founded in 1960 whose purpose is to know God and make him known.

YWAM has had a base in Rostrevor since 2010 when the Christian Renewal Center donated its facility to what became known as An Cuan, the harbour in Irish.

Front: Helene, Nicole, Aurore, Julia, Michaela staff, Ruby staff, Annie staff, Rut. Back: Scott staff, Finja staff.

Editor’s apology: This is the article that ought to have appeared in the June Pointer! I managed to copy the wrong document to accompany the correct photograph. Sorry.

A second school, called Equip that is for DTS graduates, is also underway at An Cuan, and they will be joining the first group in Albania in July.

A Kingdom Discipleship Training School is scheduled to begin in September at An Cuan.

For the first time in more than a year the participants in Youth With A Mission's Discipleship Training School at An Cuan will be able to cap off their three-month lecture phase with a missionary outreach to a foreign land.

Every school includes sponsored trainees, usually from nations in conflict, whose expenses are covered by An Cuan, which, like all YWAM bases and all YWAM staff, operate solely on gifts and tithes, and, of course, prayer.

COVID restrictions forced cancellation of the most recent DTS trips in 2020, but the current arts and media-oriented class will be headed to Albania from 8th June to 26th July.

Ron Somers

We continue to limit numbers in our buildings, wear masks, and adhere to social distancing guidelines before, during and after, all church services.

"We will mostly be in Durres (a city on the shores of the Adriatic Sea)" says Michaela Jenkinson, who is leading the school. "But we may travel to other places.

"We will be using the arts to reach out and to bless churches, camps with vulnerable people, youth, and families."

Some of the vulnerable people will be those who lost limbs in an explosion.

An Cuan, under the direction of Jonny Clark who also heads YWAM Ireland, has had a long association with YWAM Albania.

Participants making the trip are Julia from Germany, Rut from Mexico, Aurore from Switzerland, Nicole from Lebanon, and Helene from the USA. "We will do evangelism using arts and media by the seaside and join a prison ministry also," says Michaela.

"We will also put together a promo video for the Albanian base for future DTSes." During the lecture phase Julia, Rut, Aurore, Nicole, and Helene have been learning, among other things, how to hear from God and who they are in the Lord

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always encouraged them to attend church services in the village on Sundays.

Kilbroney Questions and Answers Interview with Myrtle Kerr

As we prepared to move to Rostrevor, we met the then Rector of Kilbroney Parish, Rev Malcolm Graham who, with his wife Daphne made us very welcome, as did the members of the congregation. The vision for the Kilbroney Centre grew out of the generosity of Malcolm and Daphne who welcomed Rev Fred Kenny and young people from Fred’s east Belfast parish to stay in the vicarage for weekends, to give them a break from a very troubled Belfast. Daphne Graham taught Sunday School. She had a gift as a dramatist and would put on plays, especially at Nativity season.

One of her pupils was William Houston, Stella’s son, who became a well known actor with the Royal Shakespeare company. My sons David and Tim enjoyed the company of William, and also of Steven Toase, who was a much loved playmate and close friend of our boys. Sadly Steven died, too young, not long ago in Scotland.

David, Tim, Steven

Our call to Rostrevor in 1974.

My husband Rev.Cecil Kerr, and I, with our three children, Ruth, David, Tim, came to Rostrevor in August 1974. This was a time of serious sectarian civil strife in Northern Ireland with bombings and shootings all over the province. Cecil had been working as Church of Ireland Chaplain in Queen’s University, a job he loved, when he received a call from God to provide a place where people from all different Christian denominations would meet with God and with each other in a spirit of prayer and Christian reconciliation. Cecil saw an advertisement in the Belfast Telegraph for a large house with 34 rooms overlooking Carlingford Lough.

What roles of office have you undertaken in KPC?

Myrtle,

Tim,

David,

Over the 26 years before 2,000, my main commitment was in the Renewal Centre but I served on Kilbroney vestry for many years and enjoyed providing coffee, tea and biscuits after church on Sundays when it was my turn. I think that time together in the Parish Room, after the service, was very important. I do hope it won’t be too long before we’re back there again. I’m on the ‘June Church Cleaning Rota’ at the moment, so if the red aisle carpet isn’t as clean as you’d like, let me know!

Cecil.

He contacted the estate agent and in due course he and our Trustees agreed to buy ‘Glenmore House’ on the Shore Road. We had received a promise from God as we prayed about this call, that God would put it into the hearts of people to give the right amount, at the right time to buy the house and sustain the work.

It would be a venture of faith and we could not have done it without our faithful prayer partners. We wanted to reach Ireland north and south, believing that people from different religious backgrounds needed to meet and learn to trust each other.

What time of the Church Year is special to you?

I love Easter, especially the Easter hymns rejoicing in Jesus’ Resurrection, like “Jesus Christ is risen today Alleluia!” and the Easter anthem. The message of Easter is a reminder and inspiration to us all, that because Jesus lives we shall live also even when our bodies die, if our faith is in him. As a child in our small country church in Westmeath, my sister and I gathered moss and primroses to adorn the sloping window sills in the church at Easter time and lots of daffodils. Mum played the small organ, not a piped one, and we enjoyed singing, I still do.

We had set up a charitable Trust through which we would aim to fulfil the objectives God had put in our hearts. Support had come in from other people who shared this vision and we bought ‘Glenmore House’ which became the Christian Renewal Centre, now known as An Cuan, and run since 2010 by Youth with a Mission, or YWAM, led by Jonny and Jen Clark.

We believed we were to live in a residential serving community drawn from different Christian backgrounds, Protestant and Roman Catholic. Visitors came to join us to share in our activities and to grow in their Christian faith. Over the years our community members came from many different countries, and we

At boarding school we sang a lot of hymns, especially on Sunday evenings. Easter is always a special time at Kilbroney as we contemplate Jesus’ Sacred Passion and celebrate his glorious Resurrection. This year 12

Bishop Darren led us in a very special Prayer Walk. He had chosen certain spots in the village of Rostrevor, along Fairy Glen and up to Knotty Ash where there we were to stop for a few moments to pray silently, either alone or in twos. This was very meaningful. My walking partner and I didn’t make it to Knotty Ash but were happy to accept a lift back kindly offered by Joan Toase!

handbell team. They give us much joy, all to the Glory of God.

Do you have a favourite spot in Kilbroney Parish Church?

I like to sit and meditate on our beautiful East window focusing on Jesus’ Ascension to Glory, returning to his Father in Heaven, triumphant over sin and death.

What past memory or event stands out for you?

I clearly remember family occasions which meant a lot to me: eg Ruth's wedding, her Rory and Hannah's

What path should the church be taking to encourage young people to attend?

I think we can do our best to bring them with us while they are young. We, grandparents, can be praying for our young people and taking an interest in them, and where possible relating to them in an encouraging way as Gerry Griffin did in Explorers and Serena and Pauline continue to do. Perhaps they would be more likely to come if they’re taking part in some way or have some commitment to fulfil, e.g. read a lesson or to be a Junior Churchwarden, even occasionally? This is already something Bishop Darren is doing while keeping within the limits of Covid regulation about social distancing.

Ruth’s wedding to Andy Lucas in August 1989.

The ceremony was performed by her father Rev Cecil Kerr and Canon Dermot Jameson.

Christening, Cecil's fortieth of ordination, his funeral.

Incidentally I remember Jean Roberts was there for Cecil's 40th. David's Lorcan was very little and last Tuesday he was 23! David made a video of the service.

What is your favourite artefact?

I’m not sure if the organ or piano are artefacts but

On a different note, I very much valued the support I received from both clergy and members of congregation when Cecil was ill.

A priest was doing his children's sermon with all the youngsters down front to hear the lesson.

He was discussing the story of Jonah. He quoted the scriptures from Jonah 1 and 2: "And the Lord appointed a great fish to swallow up Jonah; ... and the Lord spoke to the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land." (Jonah 1:17; 2:2, 10) When the cleric finished the quotation, he started trying to solicit input from the youngsters to help him complete his mini-sermon. He asked thoughtfully, "What does the fish vomiting Jonah out on dry land indicate to us today?

One of the youngsters spoke with great enthusiasm for the entire congregation to hear, "It proves that even a fish can't stomach a bad preacher!"

thanks to our talented organist Liz Farnan they enrich our worship in a wonderful way. It’s such a blessing to hear Liz play as we come into the church and leave each Sunday morning and as she accompanies the singing of the hymns, canticles and psalms.

The handbells, and indeed the tower bells give glory to God too and proclaim his praises. It’s lovely to see and hear Liz’s daughter Anna playing her part in the 13

banner made for our branch, which is still in Warrenpoint Church.

Warrenpoint and Clonallon Questions and Answers Interview with Edythe McGrath

It was dedicated by The Right Rev Dr Gordon McMullan, who was Bishop of Down and Dromore at the time.

What are your earliest memories of church?

I also arrange the flowers in Clonallon Church, a job I took over following the passing of my sister Mary in 2004.

My earliest memory is going to Clonallon Church when we came to live in the area and a gentleman called Mr. Robert McCartney invited us to sit in ‘his’ pew and that is where we still sit to this day. Mrs. Goucher and her family sat in the front and her sister, Ruth Wilson, played the organ.

Over the years, along with many of the other ladies of the parish, I have helped out at our fund raising events … garden fêtes, sales of work etc. Probably the most enjoyable one was The Pig Roast, back in 2006.

The congregation was much larger back then. There were three Sunday School teachers who took the classes in church before the service.

As a teenager I enjoyed being a member of the Youth Choir in Warrenpoint Church. We practiced and occasionally performed concerts in the old Parochial Hall in Dromore Road. We also had an active Youth Fellowship Group … we played table tennis and various other games and invited Youth Groups in the area to join us sometimes. The carol singing at Christmas time was always a great favourite.

Willie and Audrey Cousins, Deirdre Boyd, Edythe and David McGrath

For several years around the time of July 12th and 13th we were kept busy making sandwiches, which were sold along with lemonade, to help raise money towards the building of the new Church Hall, which was eventually opened in 1964. Arthur Larmour, George Scarborough and my father transported tents and the food (and us!) in their lorries to the venue each year.

Sara Clinghan

The Big Pig Roast of 2006

What roles or jobs have you undertaken?

I was treasurer of The Mothers’ Union for many years.

In 1987, which was the centenary year, we had a

Celia Day

Canon Jim Sims

Sally Sims,

Colin Day

What time of the church year is special to you?

My favourite time of the church year is Harvest, when the church is decorated with flowers and fruit and vegetables and we sing the lovely familiar Harvest hymns.

Do you have a favourite spot in Clonallon Church?

My favourite spot is the pulpit. For many years the late Billy McCoy decorated it with beautiful greenery and flowers….very often dahlias that my mother grew especially for the occasion.

14

What past memory or event stands out for you?

My husband David and I were married in 1959 and I was the first bride to walk down the aisle following the laying of the new carpet! The carpet was donated

by Sandy and Lily Moorhead. My daughter Gillian was also married in Clonallon. All my children and my granddaughter Louise were christened there.

How has lockdown affected you?

I have found lockdown quite challenging. Probably one of the strangest things was having to speak to family members through the window and of course Christmas was very different last year. I miss going on holidays with my friends from the local Friendship Club and look forward to some sort of normality returning to our lives soon.

Anagrams of British Food

What is your favourite artefact?

My favourite artefact is the magnificent stained glass window behind the altar

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Bad Man Gnashers

2

Often Wellbeing

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Pick Bald Dung

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Nuke Bad Squabble

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Farewell Use Choice

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Poetic Gate

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Decimate Instant

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Fin Dish Chaps

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Retired Barman as Crews

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I Sew Shirt

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Enthral Sociopath

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Sporty Chains

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Hung Lump On Clash

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Naked Keen Sapidity

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Headline Tooth

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Terrible Wast

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Dopy rude shirking

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Recheck, Emus Nip

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Free Boats

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Nun Licks Elk Answers on page 22

My four-year-old son told me that it was his stuffed animal's birthday today.

Since this was probably the third birthday this animal had in about as many weeks, I commented that she seems to have a lot of birthdays.

He explained, "Well, the older you get, the faster they come!"

Christ with Mary and Martha (right) Christ the Good Shepherd (centre) Christ blessing the children (left) 15

child the way he should go and when he is old he will not turn from it.”

Ladies Bible Study Well Ladies another month gone and indeed in the month of June we would have been winding our Bible Study up for the Summer. This will be it until September DV. I really don't know when we will be permitted to resume our house groups. We will have to wait to see what way the restrictions will go and what the direction will be from the Diocese.

Lois and Eunice did this single handed and in the possible absence of a father. Timothy did listen and never forsook it. He went on to be a missionary and travelled with Paul.

Lois and Eunice could only do so much, they sowed the seeds but Timothy had to take that final step of faith and give his life to the Lord. The seeds they sowed came to fruition. They laid the foundation for his conversion and prepared him for his life's work.

Paul recognised it too as we see in 2 Timothy 314-15.

Meantime, join us as we share with you the women we have met in our Studies. We hope you have enjoyed meeting these lovely women and perhaps you have identified with them and maybe discovered that you have similarities.

Little did Lois and Eunice know the plans the Lord had for Timothy - a missionary who would travel with Paul.

What a legacy they left.

We learn a lot from our grandmothers and mothers. I know I did.

Come with us as we meet two women in Acts. They are Lois and Eunice

So be encouraged....God has wonderful surprises for all you grannies and mums who are trusting God to bless their children and instilling seeds of faith into their lives.

. their names cannot be separated . they were mother and daughter . they were Jewish believers . they had a tremendous faith . they had a love for God's word . they had a mutual interest in the upbringing of Timothy . they are only mentioned once in the Bible . they had a big impression on Paul, 2 Timothy 15

Ladies, please remember the 2nd Tuesday of the month between 11 am and 12 noon, to pause for a few minutes and uphold each other before the Lord in Prayer.

The dates are

Tuesday 13th July

Let's follow the story.

Tuesday 10th August

We don't know when these two ladies came to faith.

We first meet Eunice, though not by name in Acts 161.

We don't know why Eunice would have married a Greek and it would seem he was an unbeliever.

Anyway Eunice and her husband had a son. He was named Timothy. a Jewish name and probably chosen

by Eunice.

We are told that Timothy wasn't circumcised (Acts 163) so could this have been influenced by his Greek father. We don't know what happened to this man. He is not mentioned again.

Tuesday 14th September

Our God is a great big God and he holds us in his hands.

Love, God Bless and stay safe.

Dorothy xx

So Timothy was brought up by his Grandmother Lois and Mother Eunice in the faith. They didn't think, “we'll leave it till he's older and then he can make up his own mind.” We read in 2 Timothy 314-15 that he heard the scriptures from a very young age. As a child he came under the influence and instruction from Lois and Eunice. He was shown by the way they lived: how faith had to be applied in practice and this helped determine his character.

It says in Proverbs 18 - “Listen my son to your father's instruction and do not forsake your mother's teaching.” We also read in Proverbs 226 says - “Train a 16

project - ‘Operation Daily Bread’ - to fly in food and supplies to remote areas of war-torn southern Sudan. Today Open Doors provides relief aid, livelihood support and community development projects for hundreds of thousands of Christians around the world.

Open Doors UK The ministry of Open Doors has its origins in one man and one journey. In 1955, a young Dutchman went to Warsaw and discovered the existence of a persecuted church. He became known as Brother Andrew, and from 1955 to 1967 he travelled throughout Eastern Europe, delivering Scriptures, encouraging persecuted believers, and recruiting others to help him. The publication of God’s Smuggler in 1967 catapulted Andrew to worldwide renown. An entire generation caught the vision of supporting the persecuted church.

Amplifing the voices of the unheard In the late 1990s, Open Doors also began developing more targeted advocacy work. Since then speaking to the powerful on behalf of the powerless has become a core part of our work, from speaking to the Prime Minister to equipping the local church to know its legal rights. Perhaps the peak of this so far has been the Hope For The Middle East campaign, where a petition of 800,000 signatures was delivered to the UN and to governments around the world, calling for Christians in Iraq and Syria to have the right to equal citizenship, dignified living conditions and a prominent role in reconciling and rebuilding society.

This vision soon pushed the ministry beyond the Soviet Union. Open Doors grew in the 1970s due to the international travel of Andrew, who met and recruited ‘mini-Andrews’ to work among the persecuted in Africa, Asia and Latin America. In particular, the Love China conference in 1975 brought the issue of Christian persecution in China to a much larger audience. And it was in China where one of Open Doors most famous projects took place – Project Pearl, where a staggering one million Bibles were delivered in a single night in June 1981.

Over 340 million Christians suffer persecution and discrimination. They follow Jesus, no matter the cost.

Open Doors have developed the World Watch List.

The annual ranking of the 50 countries where Christians face the most persecution. It’s a unique, in-depth record of the places where Christians are following Jesus no matter the cost. The data for the World Watch List 2021 covers period 1st October 2019 to 30th September 2020. It is possible on the website to explore the country profiles to find information, stories and prayers for each of the countries, along with ways that you can stand with your persecuted church family in prayer and action.

In 1982, Open Doors launched a seven-year campaign of prayer for the Communist Bloc. Seven years later, in 1989, the Berlin Wall fell and the world changed.

Nevertheless, there were still Christians suffering in other Communist lands, such as China, Vietnam, North Korea, and several African states.

Meanwhile, Open Doors had long been aware of growing persecution in the Muslim world. Brother Andrew visited Saudi Arabia as early as 1973 and had been warning of the need to make the church under Islam a greater priority all through the 1980s.

Increasingly, Open Doors turned towards supporting the church in the Muslim world.

Open Doors understands persecution as 'any hostility experienced as a result of one's identification with Christ’. But measuring persecution is a complex task, and measuring faith-based persecution is even more complex. In many countries, persecution is multidimensional – gender and ethnicity will also play a role, for instance. To create a comprehensive list, the World Watch Research Unit works closely with researchers in the field to collect survey data and secondary data in the following six areas:

More than Bibles Supporting the church means more than delivering Bibles. In 1978, the first training manual for leaders on how to resist persecution was produced for Christians in Asia. In the 1990s a training institute was established for pastors in sub-Saharan Africa. Open Doors also developed a global training programme for persecuted church pastors. This became Standing Strong Through The Storm (SSTS), first published in 2001 and still in use around the world today.

Private life.

National life.

Family life.

Church life.

Community life.

Violence.

Each of these areas is scored, and each of the 150 countries assessed is then given a score out of a hundred for the severity of persecution. A score of 81-100 equates to ‘extreme’ persecution; 61-80 is ‘very high’ and 41-60 is ‘high’. Research methods and results have been independently audited by the International Institute for Religious Freedom (IIRF).

At the same time, Open Doors Socio-Economic Development (SED) programmes helped persecuted Christians in other ways. Literacy projects were launched to help Christians read and study the Bible.

In 1998 Open Doors launched its first major relief 17

This year Open Doors UK launched the 2021 World Watch List on 13th January digitally and 98 MPs heard directly from the persecuted church. One of the contributors Theresa Villiers reported “One of the most devastating findings is that the number of Christians killed for their faith is up 60% compared to last year’s reporting period … It is especially worrying that reports of forcible conversion and forced marriage have increased, highlighting the gendered nature of many of the attacks reported.” and another, Henrietta Blythe, that “Covid-19 has given new weapons to people who want to suppress and eradicate Christianity.

Sermon 1 Samuel 16:1-13 Around thousand years ago, God would pick a young man named David to be the king of Israel.

David was the youngest son of a farmer from a small town called of Bethlehem. David had seven older brothers but God’s favour would rest on the young boy called David.

Yet, by the grace of God, David became the greatest king in the history of the nation of Israel. He also became and ancestor of the Lord Jesus Christ.

He is listed among the great heroes of the faith in Hebrews 11. During his life, he received great promises and remarkable blessings from the hand of God. But, greatest of all, David became a man after God’s own heart. This was not David’s own testimony, but this is the testimony of God, Acts 13:22.

The full launch is on YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEG7lY-3Bho

Now, David was not perfect. He was far from it! He failed, and he failed big. He sinned, but he was quick to confessed and he showed genuine heartfelt repentance.

Last week we heard how the people wanted to be like the other nations around them and asked/demanded a king, 1 Samuel 8:1-5.

Up to this point, God had ruled the nation, raising up leaders as they were needed. This was how things operated all way from the time of Moses through the days of the Judges.

Father Daniel from Iraq presents a Bible burnt by so-called Islamic State to then PM, Theresa May The story continues …

We also note how the people were warned that elevating a man to the throne would bring political corruption and trouble, 1 Sam. 8:7-21.

In the six decades since Brother Andrew’s first journey, Open Doors has continued to seek out and strengthen the persecuted church.

When Saul was chosen to be their king, the people were elated. He looked the part and stood head and shoulders taller than anyone else in Israel, 1 Samuel 9:2. We learn however that he was not a nice chap.

Saul was a jealous man, who lived for the praises of the people. He overstepped his boundaries and was guilty of gross disobedience. As a result, the Lord proved to Israel the dangers of a human king and God rejected Saul as the king of his people.

And it’s only with your support that we can do this.

Your help enables Open Doors to serve millions of persecuted Christians in over 60 countries, working with churches and local partners to provide Bibles, Christian materials, training, livelihood skills and advocacy. Today, more than ever, persecuted Christians need their brothers and sisters to make the same journey. Are you willing to walk alongside them?

Are you willing to pray, support and speak up for the persecuted church? Then this is the moment to start!

As a result of Saul’s rebellion, God chooses a new king to rule over Israel. He chooses a young man named David. When God chooses David, He chooses an unlikely candidate for such a position.

“Open Doors has shown the true signs of the

“Open Doors has shown the true signs of the presence of the Spirit of God in that it has been faithful to its vision and foundation, but adaptable as the world around it has changed. And, today, it is one of the most credible, powerful, authentic and determined advocates of the protection of Christians but also generally of religious liberty.”

I think it important that we note how God rules in the affairs of humanity.

Napoleon, at the height of his career, is reported to have given this cynical answer to someone who asked if God was on the side of France: "God is on the side that has the heaviest artillery."

The Most Revd & Rt Hon Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury. ©Open Doors UK

Then came the Battle of Waterloo, where Napoleon lost both the battle and his empire. Years later, in 18

exile on the island of Saint Helena, Napoleon is reported to have quoted the words of Thomas à Kempis: "Man proposes, God disposes." This is the lesson of history and of Holy Scripture!

outward appearances. He looks at the condition of our heart!

We often judge people by what they are. God, on the other hand, looks at what they can become. Thank God, He judges us on the basis of amazing grace, not what the eye can see.

It is against the backdrop of rebellion and rejection that God begins the process of choosing a new king for Israel. The people were also ready to accept a new king.

Following Samuel’s meeting with Jesse’s seven sons, Samuel finds out that there is another son. He is the youngest and is with the sheep. I think it worth noting that David is thought so insignificant that he is not even summoned with the rest of the boys and left out of the feast and the sacrifice.

Samuel is told where to go to find the new king.

If we were to look back at the ancestry of King David, we find can see the hand of the Lord. One of David’s ancestors was a woman named Rahab, Judges 2. She had been a gentile and brought into the nation of Israel. She married a man named Salmon, Matt. 1:5, and became the mother of a man named Boaz, Ruth 4:20.

When David walks in, God tells Samuel to anoint him.

The one passed over by the others is the very one picked by the Lord! No doubt Jesse and his sons were all amazed as they looked on as Samuel anointed David’s head with oil.

Boaz also marries a Gentile woman brought out of poverty. Her name Ruth and what a story it is Ruth 4. Ruth and Boaz were the great grandparents of a boy named David.

God is still looking for people He can call and use for his glory.

Please pray with me…

These events were not accidental! They are not coincidence, but rather the Lord’s hand has been at work.

Lord may we be ready and available? May we possess the kind of character you are looking for? Perhaps there are problems or difficulties in our walk with the Lord, come Lord, by your Holy Spirit and minister to us …

God’s sovereign choices extend to every area of life. I do not presume to understand it all, but I believe Holy Scripture teaches us that God is in the business of working out all things according to his will, Ephesians 1:11.

+Darren

God sees what man cannot see!

Don’t forget that you may pre-order ‘Celebrating 200 years of Saint Bronach’s Kilbroney Parish Church’ for £25. It is also possible to make a donation to the book fund as a sponsor.

Contact Shelagh Roberts for more information.

Samuel is impressed with Eliab, but this isn’t the one God had chosen. We could be excused in thinking that Samuel should have learned his lesson with Saul. Samuel is still looking at men through human eyes.

God tells Samuel that He does not look at the physical attributes of a person v7. God looks at the character of a person’s heart.

Email: shelagh.roberts1@ btinternet.com

The sons of Jesse that stood there that day, all looked the part, but what Samuel could not see was the condition of their hearts. Eliab, for instance, caught the Samuel’s eye; but his character is revealed in the next chapter. We discover that Eliab is critical, jealous and negative, 1 Samuel 17:28.

A group of men were sitting around the playing poker.

"I win!" said Harry.

Joe threw down his cards, "That's it! I've had it! Harry is cheating!!!"

"How can you tell?" Phillip asked.

"Those aren't the cards I dealt him!"

Surely there is a lesson in this for us in our own day.

When we look at people, we often seek those who possess certain characteristics that we think spell success and ability. We look for people of influence, power, intelligence and means. God, however, looks for people of integrity and character. He is not nearly as impressed with people’s achievements as we are. He is not concerned about the beauty of our

A man appeared at the door and announced, "Ma'am, I'm the piano tuner."

"I didn't call for a tuner," the pianist said.

"I know, lady," the man said. "Your neighbour did."

The only people who listen to both sides of an argument are the neighbours.

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Mothers’ Union The Mothers’ Union banner in the photograph taken by Maurice on page 8, and a mention of MU in the interview with Edythe on page 14, is a reminder of this worldwide organization which celebrates 145th anniversary this year. To mark the 100th anniversary of MU in Ireland Rene Murphy composed a poem which reflects on the history of MU. As Mothers’ Union members we’ve had a year of celebration for a hundred years of Mothers’ Union here.

We remember Mary Sumner and her life of dedication as we gather round tonight from far and near.

We think of Annabella Hayes in her Dublin Rectory home as she strived to help the women of her time.

As Christian wives and mothers they were very much alone.

How different were their lives from yours and mine.

It was in Raheny Parish back in eighteen eighty seven that the first official Irish branch began from Portadown to Sligo and from Cork to Monasterevan the ladies parish meetings ran.

And so the Mothers’ Union spread from one country to another and now we’ve members right across the world.

We pray and work together as we try to help each other and with love the friendship banner we’ve unfurled.

We look back on the early days with genuine thanksgiving as those ladies the foundation stones they laid.

There was a strong determination and a purpose in their living, what a difference to our lives their lives have made.

But let’s look to the future now and not dwell in the past as our centenary year draws near its close.

Let’s leave a legacy behind and hope that it will last as from strength to strength the Mothers’ Union goes.

Mothers' Union is an international Christian charity that seeks to support families of all faiths and none through practical outreach, prayer and advocating family friendly policies within both government and public life. By supporting marriage and family life, especially through times of adversity, we tackle the most urgent needs challenging relationships and communities.

Mothers’ Union members are not all mothers, or even all women, but are single, married, parents, grandparents or young adults who are just beginning to express their social conscience. For all 4.1 million members in 83 countries what Mothers' Union provides is a network through which they can serve Christ in their own community through prayer, financial support and actively working at grassroots level in programmes that meet local needs.

Rene Murphy 1987

Mothers’ Union Prayer

The Mary Sumner Prayer

Loving Lord, We thank you for your love so freely given to us all.

We pray for families around the world.

Bless the work of the Mothers' Union as we seek to share your love through the encouragement, strengthening and support of marriage and family life.

Empowered by your Spirit, may we be united in prayer and worship, and in love and service reach out as your hands across the world.

In Jesus' name.

Written in 1876 by Mothers' Union founder, Mary Sumner

All this day, O Lord, let me touch as many lives as possible for thee; and every life I touch, do thou by thy spirit quicken, whether through the word I speak, the prayer I breathe, or the life I live.

Amen

Amen.

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Mary Sumner In 1876 Mary Sumner, a cleric’s wife living in Old Alresford, became concerned about how local mothers could relate their Christian faith to family life. Wanting to encourage them she founded a small group called the Mothers’ Union. She lived to see it grow to become a worldwide organisation, now with millions of members.

She is buried outside Winchester Cathedral and commemorated in the Anglican calendar on the 9th August. Local Mothers’ Union members place flowers on her grave on that date.

Depression Tips from the Samaritans

Take pictures of them. Talk to them. Tell them how you feel, about your favorite movie, a new game coming out, anything.

Shower. Not a bath, a shower. Use water as hot or cold as you like. You don’t even need to wash. Just get in under the water and let it run over you for a while.

Sit on the floor if you gotta.

May seem small or silly to some, but this list keeps people alive. *** At your absolute best you won’t be good enough for the wrong people. But at your worst, you’ll still be worth it to the right ones. Remember that. Keep holding on.

Moisturize everything. Use whatever lotion you like.

Unscented? Dollar store lotion? Fancy 48 hour lotion that makes you smell like a field of wildflowers? Use whatever you want, and use it all over your entire dermis.

*** In case nobody has told you today you are loved and you are worth your weight, and then some, in gold, so be kind to yourself and most of all keep pushing on!!!!

Put on clean, comfortable clothes.

Put on your favorite underwear. Cute black lacy panties? Those ridiculous boxers you bought last Christmas with candy cane hearts on the butt? Put them on.

Find something to be grateful for!

Drink cold water. Use ice. If you want, add some mint or lemon for an extra boost. I always use lemon.

Clean something. Doesn’t have to be anything big.

Organize one drawer of a desk. Wash five dirty dishes.

Do a load of laundry. Scrub the bathroom sink.

Free call 116 123

Blast music. Listen to something upbeat and dancey and loud, something that’s got lots of energy. Sing to it, dance to it, even if you suck at both.

Kinship: Your brother's boat Jury: Twelve people who determine which client has the best lawyer Laughing stock: Cattle with a sense of humour Lottery: A tax on people who are bad at maths Minimum: A very small mother Nitrate: Cheapest price for calling long distance Pandemonium: A housing development for pandas Paradox: Two physicians Paraffins: Found on the sides of fish Pharmacist: A helper on the farm Rampage: Section of a book about male sheep Relief: What trees do in the spring Sarcasm: Quip lash Selfish: What the owner of a seafood store does Sesame: A seed useful for opening caves Sherbet: A tip on a horse race or sporting event Shin: A device for finding furniture in the dark Stirrup: What you do with cake batter Suburbia: where they tear out the trees and then name streets after them Sweater: A garment worn by a child when the mother feels chilly Teenager: An adolescent whose hang-ups do not include his clothes Teenagers: People who express their desire to be different by dressing alike Unabated: A fishhook without a worm Vanguard: A person who protects trucks

Definitions!

Make food. Don’t just grab a granola bar to munch.

Take the time and make food. Even if it’s ramen. Add something special to it, like a soft boiled egg or some veggies. Prepare food, it tastes way better, and you’ll feel like you accomplished something.

Make something. Write a short story or a poem, draw a picture, color a picture, fold origami, crochet or knit, sculpt something out of clay, anything artistic. Even if you don’t think you’re good at it. Create.

Go outside. Take a walk. Sit in the grass. Look at the clouds. Smell flowers. Put your hands in the dirt and feel the soil against your skin.

Call someone. Call a loved one, a friend, a family member, call a chat service if you have no one else to call. Talk to a stranger on the street. Have a conversation and listen to someone’s voice. If you can’t bring yourself to call, text or email or whatever, just have some social interaction with another person.

Even if you don’t say much, listen to them. It helps.

Cuddle your pets if you have them/can cuddle them.

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Science and the Christian Faith

Answers to this month’s Anagrams and Sudoku

It’s important to have debates about science and Christian faith and to dig into the hot topics, but we can’t exist solely on a diet of controversy. I find it helpful, at times, to simply enjoy the wonders revealed by science and the big questions they raise about meaning and purpose.

What’s the universe for?

What do you do with your feelings of awe and wonder?

Where do we get our sense of the value of the living world from?

I had the privilege of meeting a group of Christian scientists and theologians who shared thoughts about these big questions, and will share some of their thoughts here.

The Oxford-based theologian Alister McGrath shared that “science is wonderful at asking questions. Some of those questions can be answered, but very often when you do answer them, they simply open up yet more questions. But of course, there are some more fundamental questions I think science simply cannot answer…questions like, ‘Why am I here?’”

Rhoda Hawkins, a physicist at Sheffield University, has had a similar experience. “I never cease to be amazed at quite how impressive the world is, and how impressive the mechanisms are for how things work…

It really is beautiful in many ways, and it leads me to think about God. I’m not saying that I have any proof, but I’m saying that by looking at the world around me it tells me more about God and it leads me to worship him.”

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Bangers And Mash

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Beef Wellington

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Black Pudding

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Bubble And Squeak

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Cauliflower Cheese

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Cottage Pie

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Mince And Tatties

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Fish And Chips

9

Strawberries and Cream

10

Irish Stew

11

Lancashire Hotpot

12

Cornish Pasty

13

Ploughman's Lunch

14

Steak and Kidney Pie

15

Toad in the Hole

16

Welsh Rarebit

17

Yorkshire Pudding

18

Chicken Supreme

19

Roast Beef

20

Cullen Skink

So … a neighbour knocked on my door at 3.00 am!!!

Luckily I was already up and playing the bagpipes.

Answers to last month’s quiz What Animal am I

Another scientist who appreciates beauty is Jeff Hardin, who explained that “studying the wonders of the living world is an exercise in art appreciation.

For me, God is the creator of everything… so the joy of discovery is also the joy of appreciating the world that God has made…and leads me to thank God for the amazing world that we have to enjoy and to explore.”

I will close with some words from Jeff Schloss, who – like the others quoted above – finds that Christian faith makes science more satisfying for him. “Once I became a Christian…I had the sense that I was studying the marvels of the natural world, which are marvellous in their own right but become more profoundly engaging and enticing when one thinks that you’re studying the works of God.” Perhaps if we can spend more time listening to people like this, our discussions about science and faith will also be richer and deeper.

Dr Ruth M Bancewicz, Church Engagement Director at The Faraday Institute for Science and Religion in Cambridge

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ANIMAL

1.

Naked

bear

2.

'Holing' device for blokes

mandrill

3.

Babe costs 21 shillings

guinea pig

4.

Out of breath

puffin

5.

Bird found at the end of a long piece of string

kite

6.

Mother's sister runs away to get married

antelope

7.

Mum is after a church seat

puma

8.

Notice a stallion

sea horse

9.

Crucial urine

kiwi

10.

Purchase a new male child

bison

11.

Farm animal worth 50 points

bull

12.

Used to hit the ball in cricket

bat

13.

A burning vowel

flamingo

14.

This snake is good at maths

adder

15.

He makes toast and steak

gorilla

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