Moving to Clogher...

Don't misunderstand the title...I am not for upping sticks from the Antrim Road for that Diocese which takes in Fermanagh and a bit of Tyrone, and probably some of Cavan too! But since the end of August it's begun to feel like a second home!

First I attended the institution of my good friend Gary McMurray, as Rector of Aghavea just outside Brookeborough (which was a double bonus because as well as a great service I got to visit my fave chip shop in Lisnaskea, which brought back loads of memories of Youth weekends in the Share Centre). Then a couple of weeks ago I went down to Enniskillen for the Ordination of John, Bishop of Clogher. I knew John a little from my last Diocese, where he was a Rector.

The Episcopal Ordination also had a couple of bonuses. I got to travel down with the Rev'd Alan McCormack and his Parents. Alan was my Chaplain and Greek Tutor when I was at trinity College in Dublin, and we renewed our acquaintance recently in Hong Kong (Alan remains connected to Hong Kong through the Dublin University Far East Mission). I gave a lift down to him and his parents...it was lovely to continue that contact. When I got there, before the service began I had dinner with another dear friend in ministry, James Boyd. James and his wife Shirley were great friends at trinity and Gary, James and I formed something of an unholy trinity sharing hot chocolate after a good day's work!

So that's two more times Enniskillen direction than I've been in nearly two years! And I've two more in the next week...because Gary and James are in the Diocese of St Macartin now!

Both chaps have invited me to preach at evening harvests, so I'm with Gary in Aghavea tomorrow evening and with James in Dromore, Co Tyrone next week. I'm really looking forward to meeting them in their parish contexts, to meeting the people among whom they minister and to spending some time with Gary and his wife Lynsey and with James, Shirley and their daughter Rebecca.

So it feels like I'm becoming semi-resident in Clogher...it's a pity I can't claim for a second residence!

I love harvest hymns, and harvest tea....so the people of the Diocese of Clogher should note that I have high expectations!!

Mid-Africa Matters

Eight years ago, an old lady in my Church phoned me one day, and told me I had to apply for a team to go to Kenya. That's the sort of person Isabel was...she had decided this was the thing for me, so...she told me to do it. I had already filled out an application form for another team - to Albany on the first Diocesan Youth Team. But, Isabel was pretty insistent and I respected her a lot...and I knew of her passion for the Church Mission Society, Ireland. So I thought, why not.

The team was fantastic. Brilliant. But I don't even wanna talk about it in this entry...at least, not directly. It happened in the Summer of 2003, and one of the first get-togethers the team had was the September straight after when we attended the CMSI Mid-Africa Partnership Conference in the Glenada Newcastle. And that was the start of perhaps my most interesting journey with CMSI.

You see, I've never been away again with CMSI - although I'm sure I will one day. But I have maintained a passion for the organisation, and the thing that incites that passion for me is the Mid-Africa Partnership Conference. On the face of things it's any other Church Conference. There's an intriguing dynamic, as the residents tend to be the more senior supporters from the days of the Rwanda Mission and Mid Africa Ministry, while on Saturday there are day delegates, some from teams, some extra staff members and others who have spent time overseas or who have a heart for the work.

Every year, the conference surprises me. this year, Archdeacon Seth from Burundi excited and inspired us about the work of the Church in that place; Bishop Ken Clarke challenged us through the life of Peter; we heard from Ken and Judith Finch as they prepare to return to Uganda and look to what is next in their ministry; an infectiously inspirational young woman called Hazel told us about five weeks she spent in Rwanda; we also heard from Mission Director Ronnie Briggs. And I came away challenged and excited - determined to continue to live up to the calling we have, under the grace of God.

I've never been to mid-Africa, but I feel like it's part of my life because of this conference. How amazing that God does things with each of us, even when we aren't expecting them.

And I'm so excited that tomorrow the Bishop of Connor will commission me as honorary chaplain to the CMSI staff team; I will join the staff at least once a week for staff prayers and hopefully can serve them in a pastoral sense. But even better, I will be praying regularly with a group of people I respect greatly. It's brilliant, after two years 'on my own' ie not blessed with regular staff prayer times, to be preparing for weekly staff prayers again.

Thank god for CMSI - for what it has done in my life and in the lives of so many.

Reading at the closing Eucharist; with Father KK; at work on an article for the IAYN Journal; sharing the peace at the Eucharist; our host, Father KK Chan, presiding at the closing Eucharist

IAYN Pics 3

Some views of Hong Kong...three taken at night from the Star Ferry (one of these is obscured by Tim Feak, representative from the Church in Wales). The first picture is, I think, the two International Finance Centre which is the second tallest building in Hong Kong and number 13 on the list of the World's Tallest Buildings.

IAYN Pics 2

The group with some of the clergy and young people from the Cantonese Youth Mass in Holy Trinity Cathedral, Eastern Kowloon; the group with Diocesan Youth Officers and Youth from the three Dioceses of Hong Kong Province, as well as the Youth Officer from Macau; Rev'd Augusta presenting us with gifts from Hong Kong Diocese.

Parting is such sweet sorrow...

The Network meeting has ended...some of the delegates headed straight to the airport after our closing dinner. I have a few days of holiday here in Hong Kong before the journey home.

So what are my reflections on the meeting?

Firstly, I note how important relationships are. Naysayers would have us believe that the Anglican Communion is in meltdown, and on some levels that may even be true, but here this week I've worked with people of different cultures, nationalities, churchmanship and theological perspectives. And it has been a sublime pleasure. The bonds are important not just because the conference has meant a great deal to me personally in terms of friends made, but because these relationships bring to life those words which say 'one church, one faith, one baptism'.

Secondly, you would not believe the sheer volume of work that we got done. In four full working days (after we'd received reports and had our Sunday together in fellowship) we worked through the business of the network - electing regional reps to the steering committee, drafting resolutions for the Anglican Consultative Council meeting next year, framing a rationale for the whole network (not that one didn't previously exist, but rather we freshened it) and working on some supplementary material for a wonderful resource entitled 'Ending Violence Against Young Women and Girls'. We then produced a series of articles that will form the next edition of Buenos Nuevos, the IAYN Journal. Furthermore, we heard moving stories of human trafficking problems in Africa and of the response to the Japanese Earthquake - and these stories spurred us to action as a Network.

I've been overseas with the church a lot. I've been to lots of conferences. But ti's been a while since I've felt a part of something this significant...this week has been truly life changing. And tomorrow I visit the Space Museum!!

IAYN Photos 1

Some pics from the first weekend, including Holy Trinity Cathedral Eastern Kowloon, the group on tour, St John's Cathedral Hong Kong Island, the view from Victoria Peak and the group with Archbishop Paul Kwong and DYOs from Hong Kong Province.