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NEWS - MARCH 2008

THE MONTH AHEAD
Holy Week and Easter, visitors and visiting preachers, are part of the weave of a busy month.

It is good to have both bishops at the Cathedral over Good Friday and Easter. The Bishop of Connor will give the addresses at the Service of The Three Hours on Good Friday. The Bishop of Down and Dromore will preach at the Choral Eucharist on Easter Day.

The Bishop of Cashel, Rt. Revd Michael Burrows will preach at the Connor Diocesan Mothers’ Union Festival Service on Sunday 9th March, 2008 at 3.30 pm.

Cashel is a partner diocese of Connor Mothers’ Union. Bishop Burrows is a son of the rectory. His late father was rector of Taney, (Dundrum) Dublin and his mother was heavily involved with the MU. The Bishop is active in inter-church dialogue and world development issues. This is his first visit to preach in the Cathedral.

Several office-bearers will be commissioned by Ven. Barry Dodds, Archdeacon of Belfast, and a member of the Cathedral Chapter. Alberta Miskimmin, Chair of Mid-Belfast will co-lead the intercessions. The theme of the service is “Time for Relationship.”

Canon Douglas Goddard will preach at the Choral Eucharist on March 2, and will be the celebrant the following week March 9.

Visiting the Cathedral for the Choral Eucharist on Sunday morning March 9 will be The Friends of Cathedral Music who are mainly GB-based (See below). Peter Smith the Hon. Secretary of FCM contacted the Dean about the possibility of a short tour of the Cathedral and a visit to the Cathedrals in Armagh and Derry. The assistance of the Belfast Visitors Centre was readily available to the tour party. The preacher at this service will be Bishop Edward Darling.

Warrington Male Voice Choir will make a welcome return to the Cathedral to give an concert on the evening of Thursday of Easter Week (27th March) at 8.00. See below).

And just to give a different flavour to this particular March, the Eucharist marking St. Patrick’s Day will be on March 15th due to the 17th falling in Holy Week.

ACROSS THE BRIDGE OF HOPE - CONCERT FOR PEACE
Warrington Male Voice Choir, Shirley Keane and Strabane Brass will give a concert on the theme “Across the Bridge of Hope - A concert for Peace at Home and Around the World” on March 27 at 8.00 pm. Admission is free and tickets are available from the Stewards’ Desk .

The Warrington Male Voice Choir has a long-standing tradition of altruism. Throughout its history, the choir has assisted numerous charity organisations by its concerts. Nevertheless, the vicious horror of the IRA bombing of busy Warrington town centre on Saturday 20th March 1993, in which two children were killed and fifty-six people injured, prompted a unique and very special initiative.

Many choir members were involved that day, and in the weeks that followed, dealing with the human consequences of the tragedy. The town and its people had been inadvertently drawn into Northern Ireland’s ‘Troubles’.

Within days of the outrage, the choir assisted the victims of the tragedy financially, and sought to create links with groups in Ireland working for peace. A capacity Benefit Concert arranged by the choir in the Parr Hall raised over £11,000 but, more significantly, led to a call by Terry Waite for the people of Warrington to demand peace and seek reconciliation - to make Warrington the turning point in the political violence of Northern Ireland.

During 1996 Terry Waite accepted an invitation to become the choir’s Patron, in tribute to the humanitarian role which the choir had adopted.

Since 1993 the choir has given many concerts throughout Ireland. Several of these were ‘ground-breakers’. In December 1998, the concert involved a cross-community, cross-border, ‘Youth Choir for Peace’ formed by 540 young people - the largest children’s choir assembled in Ireland. The bands of the Royal Ulster Constabulary and An Garda Síochána, in a highly significant show of cross-border co-operation, agreed to come together to play as one combined police band for the first time since the founding of the Irish State.

The choir was also invited to perform in Omagh, Co. Tyrone, to bring some Christmas solace to the victims, families and friends in the wake of the devastating bombing of Omagh town centre three months earlier.

Warrington Choir deserves a full Cathedral on its visit. Please come and encourage your friends to come. There will be a retiring collection which will be distributed to cross-community groups through the Cathedral Sitout.

On this tour the choir will also give concerts in Markethill Presbyterian Church and in the Pro-Cathedral in Dublin.

Further details on the choir are at www.warringtonchoir.org.uk

FRIENDS OF CATHEDRAL MUSIC
The Friends of Cathedral Music which will be visiting the Cathedral on March 9, was founded in 1956 by the Revd Ronald Sibthorp. It now has nearly 4,000 members and organises events that give members and their friends, the opportunity to enjoy talks and recitals and participate in choral worship together. FCM is a charitable organisation that exists to safeguard the heritage of British cathedral music and to support a living choral tradition. FCM attempts to increase public awareness and appreciation of cathedral music by encouraging high standards in choral and organ musicianship. It seeks to represent the views of lovers of cathedral music and raises money by subscriptions, donations and legacies for choirs in need.

The patrons of FCM are The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Revd Rowan Williams, and The Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor. FCM publishes “Cathedral Music” twice each year in April and October. This is circulated free to members. Each issue has sixty-four pages packed with news, articles and comment about the fascinating world of cathedral music. The Editor, Andrew Palmer, takes pride in the fact the magazine is fearless and unbiased and people clearly value its critical and evaluative qualities. There are pictures on almost every page, many in colour. The magazine is noted for its magnificent cover photographs of cathedrals. FCM also publishes a directory, “Singing in Cathedrals” It gives the times of services, choir rest days, names of organists and masters of choristers, visiting hours, suggested admission charges and availability of guided tours, car parking, gift shop or bookstall, restaurant, toilets, telephone numbers, e-mail and website addresses. In short, all you need to plan your visits to cathedrals and make the most of them. It also includes details of major festivals. You can get a free copy by e-mailing info@fcm.org.uk See also: http://www.fcm.org.uk/

GOOD SAMARITANS’ SERVICE
Over 170 charities and community groups were represented at “The Good Samaritans’ Service” in the Cathedral on February 3. At the service donations from the 31st Annual pre-Christmas Sitout for Charities were presented by Rev. D. Humphries, Mrs. T. McGrath and Mr. P. Clark.

Mr. Humphries is a former Vicar Choral of the Cathedral and is the longest serving member of the ‘Black Santa’ team. He is rector of St. Molua’s, Stormont which has been supportive of the Sitout since it began. Mrs. McGrath is the wife of Tom McGrath, president of the Belfast Institute of Insurance which held its Centenary service in the Cathedral last year - the collection at which was for the Sitout. Mr. Paul Clark of UTV represented the media and the contribution it makes to the Sitout.

The 31st Sitout raised in excess of £260 thousand. The Dean said “We were delighted to welcome those who gave most generously to the Sitout. The principal window behind the Sanctuary of the Cathedral is that of the Good Samaritan. It was brought to the Cathedral from the Old Parish Church of St. Anne which stood on the site of the present building. It is in a very real sense a motif of the work being done by those charities, groups and individuals who were recognised at the service.”

STEWARDS, GUIDES AND VISITORS
Vernon Clegg continues to collate the various daily chits completed by stewards and sextons of the number of visitors to the Cathedral. These continue to grow: 2001 - 22,138; 2002 - 22,310; 2003 - 26,402; 2004 - 32,038; 2005 - 31,985; 2006 - 32,999 and in 2007 - 40,610.

To facilitate these visitors and to release the sextons to complete their essential normal duties, more members are required for the Guild of Stewards. If you have a couple of hours free a week or in a month and enjoy meeting people, and in wintertime basking in the heat of the Cathedral - don’t hesitate - contact either Vernon or Des - see inside back cover - or the Cathedral office.

In February, Larne PWA had a tour of the Cathedral. Other groups booked in for visits to the Cathedral during the year include Whiteabbey PWA - April 15; St John’s Malone CIMS - April 22; Regent Street Methodist Church, Newtownards - May 7; and St Cedma’s Larne MU on May 13 to take part in a Prayer Walk. Norman Weatherall is our principal volunteer guide. Members of the MU assist the Dean conduct the Prayer Walks.

The Oriana Singers from Tunbridge Wells will sing services on July 20.
See www.orianasingers.co.uk

The Friends of Canterbury Cathedral will be visiting on the afternoon of August 28.

SITOUT FOCUS
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) is one of the voluntary groups to receive a donation from the Cathedral’s Sitout for Charities. The storms shown on television last month well illustrated the conditions the volunteer crews face in the performance of their duty.

The RNLI in a letter thanking the Dean stated, “Please accept our thanks for your generous donation from your annual sit out for charity and for selecting the RNLI as one of your featured charities this year as you wished to raise the profile of the many issues affecting the coast of Northern Ireland today.

“The money will go toward our SOS appeal which ensures that we continue to provide our volunteer lifeboat crews with the best boats, equipment and training that are needed to save lives at sea.

“The lifeboats of the RNLI launch on average 22 times a day and our crews put to sea in all conditions, at all hours of the day and night. Annually we assisted more than 8,000 people in danger at sea and your kind contribution will help ensure our lifesaving work continues.

“On behalf of our crews and the RNLI, thank you again for your continued support and kindness.”

A total of 196 people last year were able to point to the Royal National Lifeboat Association’s part in saving their lives after being rescued thanks to the charities efforts at sea. New figures have revealed that crews had a busy 2007, launching 218 times in total.

The busiest lifeboat crews in the province in 2007 were Bangor and Portrush RNLI, who between them launched 73 times and rescued 48 people. Enniskillen RNLI’s inshore lifeboats, based on Lough Erne, launched a total of 33 times and brought 47 people to safety.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
It is very encouraging to receive donations from the parishes of the two dioceses the Cathedral seeks to serve. The Dean writes to each parish on behalf of the Cathedral Community. He gratefully acknowledges the following contributions received: Holywood Parish £500, Killinchy Union £100, Ballymena £765, St Mark’s Dundela £200. Each of these donations comes from the stewardship giving of the respective parishes and without this support the annual deficit in the Cathedral’s daily expenditure account would be much greater. Many parishes support the Sitout by sending donations from Carol services. Several of these parishes have a long track record including St Polycarp’s Finaghy and St Mary’s Comber.

MISSION SUPPORT FUND
Connor Council for Mission has launched a new Mission Support Fund to assist people wanting to be more involved in mission both at home and overseas. Applications to the Fund are welcome from any individual who seeks to become actively involved in mission either in Ireland or around the world. All applicants must be able to demonstrate active membership of the Church of Ireland and belong to a parish within the Diocese of Connor. Further information via the Dean’s Vicar.

CATHEDRAL COMMUNITY
On St Patrick’s Day, Cindred and Peter Woods will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of their marriage. It all began with Archdeacon Charles Willoughby, the rector of All Saints’, Derry, taking Cindred, a choir member, to play the organ at the church in the Royal Naval Air Station at Eglinton where Peter was serving. And the rest is down to love and a wonderful relationship which has had the best of times and the worst of times with the death of their beloved and talented daughter Stephanie only a few years ago. Their love and support of each other has kept them going and their friends here wish them every blessing for the years ahead.

Congratulations to Alan and Joyce Crowe on the arrival of a granddaughter, Taylor Joyce.

Best wishes to Mervyn Hempton who retires this month from managing Allied Bakeries at Castlereagh. He will still remain active as the voluntary Chair of the East Belfast Enterprise development programme, as well as developing the Cathedral’s Health and Safety policy. Safe journeying to Mervyn and Doris when they go on their trip to China.
The sympathy of the Cathedral community was conveyed to:
- David and Helen Alexander upon the death of David’s brother Harold. A graduate of Queen’s, after working for Shorts, Harold went to Boeing in the USA where he lived in Pennsylvania. His son is a priest of the Episcopal Church and ministers in Rhode Island.
- Billy and Alberta Miskimmin upon the death of their sister-in-law.

CANON WILLIAM ROBERT KELLY
The death has occurred of Canon Wilbert Kelly, a former Canon of the Cathedral and an Honorary Canon of the Diocese of Peru in which he and his wife served with CMSI. Canon Kelly also served in a number of parishes in the Church of Ireland both before and after his service in Peru. Prior to his retirement in 1996 he was rector of St Aidan’s in the city. He was a very engaging person and a most competent rector. The sympathy of the Cathedral Community and the Chapter was expressed to his widow Rosemary by the Dean.

DEAN’S ENGAGEMENTS
The Dean gave the address at the 2008 Northern Ireland Regional Holocaust Commemoration in the Great Hall of Parliament Buildings, Stormont, on Thursday 24th January. The theme for the 2008 Memorial Day was “Imagine ... Remember, Reflect, React”.

The guests were welcomed by Mr Wm Hay, Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly. Mr Gerry Kelly MLA, represented the Office of the First and Deputy First Ministers. Sir Reg Empey MLA, leader of the Ulster Unionist Party and Mr Mark Durkin MLA, leader of the SDLP were also present. Paul Clark of UTV introduced the various elements of the ceremony.

Cantor Alwyn Shulman sang in Hebrew a prayer for the repose of the souls of the departed. Inge Radford lit a candle in memory of the victims of the Holocaust. Harvey Rosenberg concluded the ceremony by sounding the Shofar. The event was organised by the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister. The Dean’s address is reprinted in this issue of ‘The Cathedral Digest’.

The Dean and Mrs McKelvey were guests of The Flax Trust at its its 19th annual Super Bowl Ball. The Trust seeks to encourage economic development in the Ardoyne area of the city. The Dean gave the invocation prior to the dinner.

The Dean expressed the congratulations of the Cathedral Community in letters to Sir Nigel Hamilton, Head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service, to Assistant Chief Constable Duncan McCausland and to Canon Ernest Shepherd whose public service was recognised in the New Year Honours List.

The Dean gave the tribute at the thanksgiving service for the life of Isobel Elliott, widow of Canon Eric Elliott, former rector of St. Thomas’ Parish, and Hon. Secretary of the General Synod Board of Education. Bishop Edward conducted the service in St. Nicholas’ Parish Church.

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