E3 Schools Worker for East Belfast

The E3 project is looking for a person to serve the local schools by involvement in lessons, assemblies, SU groups; working alongside pupils and teachers and equipping local churches to engage more effectively in their schools.

Applicants should be in sympathy with the ethos of Scripture Union.

Contact Jonathan Parkes for the job description and application form.

Closing date for receipt of all applications is 6 January 2011 at 5.00 pm.

Scripture Union, 157 Albertbridge Road, Belfast, BT5 4PS,
Tel: 028 9045 4806
Fax: 028 9073 9758

Email: info@suni.co.uk

The E3 Project

http://www.suni.co.uk/schools/e3.php

Part-time Youth Worker Post - Belfast

The First Step Centre wishes to appoint a part time youth worker to join their youth team and lead the young women's group.

The successful candidate will have an exciting role running youth work programmes in the First Step Centre. Working directly with young people the post will be both challenging and rewarding. The post is for 10 hours per week and requires the applicant to work during evenings and weekends.

The First Step Centre has been open as a youth centre for 17 years
working with young people from a range of backgrounds coming from one
of  the most deprived  areas in Northern Ireland. The First Step Centre is located at 116 York Road, Belfast. BT15 3HF and is an project of Jennymount Methodist Church

Application packs are available via www.communityni (http://www.communityni.org/job/community-youth-worker-young-women-0).

Please e-mail Jonny Lamberton: jonny@firststepcentre.com or call 028 9074 4040 ext 3 if you have any questions.

Closing Date Wednesday 15th December at 12:00.

Interviews Friday17th December.

Post funded by the Methodist Church in Ireland.

Mission team opportunities for young people

Down and Dromore diocese is offering three short term mission opportunities for young people this summer 2011 in Albany, Argentina and Uganda.

Albany Team with DDYC

Dates: Friday 8th - Tuesday 26th July 2011.

Who for: Applicants aged 16-25 keen to gain experience in leadership with children and young people.
Cost: £750, which includes all travel, food, accommodation, insurance and 2 days sight-seeing in New York.    
Doing: Working in a Children's camp with 8-13 year olds.
Team: It is intended to take a team of around 10 people.

Apply: Forms available from andrew@downanddromore.org with a closing date of 28th Jan 2011.

Northern Argentina Team with SAMS

Dates: Approximately 8th -21st August 2011. Dates will be confirmed in January.

Who for: Over 18’s. Some knowledge of Spanish would be an advantage
Cost: £1650 which may be reduced depending on travel costs
Doing: Visiting churches and indigenous communities, faith sharing, children’s work and some practical projects.
Team: It is intended to take a team of around 8 people.

Apply: Forms available from andrew@downanddromore.org with a closing date of 28th Jan 2011.
  

Uganda Team with Waakisa Ministries

Dates: Mid to late August 2011

Who for: Over 18’s willing to meet Ugandans, do some basic teaching (particularly to young people) and share their faith
Cost: Approx. £1200
Doing: Health Education - travelling to rural villages to resource and teach on threats faced through AIDS, malaria and so on.  Sharing faith stories.
Team Size: Around 8 people

Apply: Forms available from Sharon Hamil shababes@gmail.com

Anglican Communion news in brief

USA: Posting the President on peace

Dominica: Church concern for climate change

Korea: Churches seek international support for peace initiatives

Scotland: Woman to be Director of Ordinands

England: “Lloyd's List” supports  Mission to Seafarers

USA: Posting the President on peace

Churches for Middle East Peace is urging Christians throughout the United States to send Christmas cards to President Barack Obama to highlight their prayers for his efforts towards ending the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians.The initiative launches a year-long national interfaith campaign, For the Peace of Jerusalem, to engage Christians nationwide in public advocacy for Israeli-Palestinian peace. It is organised by CMEP, a coalition of 24 national denominations and church organisations, including the Episcopal Church.

Dominica: Church concern for climate change

It is estimated that by 2050, 80 percent of the rivers in the Dominican Republic will have dried up unless something is done to stop deforestation and develop a strategy to slow climate change, said Silvio Minier of Oxfam.

Minier, a former Jesuit priest who now works in advocacy and programs for Oxfam based in Santo Domingo, addressed the Episcopal Climate Justice Gathering Dec. 8, giving an overview of the local effects of climate change

.

More than 30 people -- mostly Anglicans and Episcopalians and a few ecumenical seminarians -- from Cuba, the United States, Ecuador, Panama, Colombia, Haiti, Mexico, Brazil, Guatemala and the Dominican Republic met Dec. 7-10 at the Bishop Kellogg Center to explore intersection between poverty and climate change, and perhaps frame the conversation in terms of "climate justice." The meeting was convened by Bishop Marc Andrus of the Episcopal Diocese of California, and Bishop Naudal Gomes, Diocese of Curitiba, Brazil.

Korea: Churches seek international support for peace initiatives

The Archbishop of Korea has thanked USPG for galvanising international support and solidarity as military tensions rise in the Korean peninsula.His message was delivered following a month in which four died when North Korea shelled a South Korean island – with the USA now planning a military drill that North Korea says could provoke war.

Archbishop the Most Revd Paul Kim Geun-Sang’s wrote to USPG: ‘Thank you very much for keeping us in your prayers and thoughts. It is really wonderful to know we have friends, good friends, abroad to keep us strong and faithful, especially at times like this.’

USPG Director the Revd Canon Edgar Ruddock said: ‘The Anglican Church in Korea can feel quite isolated so international support is particularly welcome.’ Canon Ruddock represented USPG in Seoul this month at a conference organised by the Anglican group Towards Peace in Korea (TOPIK).

Scotland: Woman to be Director of Ordinands

The College of Bishops of the Scottish Episcopal Church has appointed the Rev Canon Dr Alison Peden as the Provincial Director of Ordinands, taking over from the Very Rev Kevin Pearson who is now Bishop–elect of Argyll & The Isles.  Dr Peden is Rector of Holy Trinity Church, Stirling and Canon of St Ninian’s Cathedral, Perth and will take up the role of Provincial Director of Ordinands in January 2011.

In announcing the new appointment The Most Rev David Chillingworth, Bishop of St Andrews, Dunkeld & Dunblane and Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church said “I am delighted that Alison Peden has accepted the invitation of the College of Bishops to serve as the new Provincial Director of Ordinands in succession to Bishop-elect Kevin Pearson.  The provincial and diocesan networks which Kevin has built up provide processes of vocational discernment which are both ordered and spiritually insightful.  Alison brings to this role a passion for vocation and ministry.  She has been involved in our processes of training for ministry at provincial and diocesan levels and has been developing programmes of Ministry and Education Development in the Diocese of St Andrews.  Alison carries her great resources of scholarship and spirituality with grace and a lightness of touch.  I believe that she will help us to foster the next generation of clergy who will provide leadership for our Church.”

England: “Lloyd's List” supports The Mission to Seafarers

The newspaper, which is one of the world's oldest publications, has supported the Mission for many years and recognises the charity as "one of the industry's most important charities, and a vital support network for seafarers around the world."

Deputy Editor Richard Meade and events manager Anke Muller presented the Revd Tom Heffer with a cheque for £5,763.80 following its recently Lloyd's List Global Awards Dinner at which the Mission was the chosen charity.

"I'm absolutely delighted to receive this cheque," said the Revd Tom Heffer. "We have had a long association with Lloyd's List over the year and this money will help us to continue providing services to seafarers in 230 ports around the world."

UK in-work child poverty highest on record

A new report published by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation shows the number of children living in poverty in working households in the UK has increased to 2.1 million – the highest on record.

The thirteenth Monitoring Poverty and Social Exclusion report, written by a team from the New Policy Institute (NPI), is the first to be published under the new government. It looks at the long-term trends, as well as more recent changes from the recession, and highlights the challenges faced.

The report, published on 6 December 2010, shows that, despite the recession, overall the number of children living in poverty fell to 3.7 million, with the number in workless households falling to 1.6 million, the lowest since 1984. But those in working families rose slightly to 2.1 million, and they now account for 58 per cent of the total.

Co-author of the report, Tom MacInnes, said: "The fall in child poverty among those in out-of-work households came about despite an estimated rise of 60,000 in the number of children living in workless households over the year. So, we can almost certainly say that it is related to the rise in both Child Benefit and Child Tax Credit in 2008. Without the substantial increases in these benefits, the numbers of children in poverty would be around half a million higher."

He added: "With more than half of all children in poverty belonging to working families, it is simply not possible to base anti-poverty policies on the idea that work alone is a route out of poverty. Child poverty in working households must be given the same focus as out-of-work poverty. Until this happens, debates about poverty will continue to be misleading".

Leaks: Ireland irked Vatican on sovereignty

Newly released U.S. diplomatic cables indicate that the Vatican felt "offended" that Ireland failed to respect Holy See "sovereignty" by asking high-ranking churchmen to answer questions from an Irish government commission probing decades of sex abuse of minors by clergy.

That the Holy See used its diplomatic immunity status as a tiny-city state to try to thwart Ireland's government-led probe has long been known. But the WikiLeaks cables, published by Britain's The Guardian newspaper on Saturday, contain delicate, behind-the-scenes diplomatic assessments of the highly charged situation.

According to the deputy to the Irish ambassador to the Holy See, the Irish government gave in to Vatican pressure and allowed the church officials to avoid answering questions from the inquiry panel, according to one of the cables from a U.S. diplomat.

Ambassador Noel Fahey apparently told U.S. diplomat Julieta Valls Noyes that the sex abuse scandal was a tricky one to manage.

The Irish government wanted to be seen as cooperating with the investigation because its own education department was implicated in decades of abuse, but politicians were reluctant to insist Vatican officials answer the investigators' questions, the cables indicate.

One cable discloses the behind-the-scenes diplomatic moves by which Irish politicians tried to persuade the Vatican to cooperate with the probe.

See also - The Guardian

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/us-embassy-cables-documents/233831

The week ahead in the C of I - Dec 12 - 19

Sun12 

St Patrick's, Dublin

The combined choirs of Saint Patrick’s & Christ Church cathedrals will sing evensong at St Patrick's cathedral at 3.15pm, where the anthem will be Handel, Messiah (part one) with orchestra.

www.stpatrickscathedral.ie

Christ Church Cathedral - Dublin

A special Taizé service will take place in the cathedral crypt and main nave at 5.00pm. Organised by the Diocesan Ministry of Healing and the Diocesan Lay Ministry. The beautiful chants of Taizé will accompany the liturgy which will be a Eucharist with the laying on of hands. http://cccdub.ie/index.php?/special-services/

Drumcondra Parish Church - Dublin

Concert - Christmas Carols by the Fingal Chamber Choir in aid of the Jack & Jill Foundation, 4pm

St Doulagh - Balgriffin

Service of Carols by Candlelight, 4pm

St Patrick’s - Dalkey

Dexter Family Ensemble 7pm

Enniscorthy - St Aidan’s

Enniscorthy 1500 Christmas Ecumenical Songs of Praise. 7 p.m.

Clogher Cathedral - Carol service

Diocesan service of Nine Lessons and Carols. 7.30pm

The service will be led by the Rt Revd Dr Michael Jackson, Bishop of Clogher, and the Very Revd Kenneth Hall, Dean of Clogher and Rector of Enniskillen. Taking part in the service will be a number of readers, choirs, soloists and instrumentalists from across the diocese. The organist will be Glenn Moore, and proceeds from the collection will go towards supporting the work of Kindfund and the Holy Land Medical Relief Fund.

Mon 13 

CMSI monthly prayer gathering - Belfast

For the people and the work of CMS Ireland, their global partners and their regions. CMS Ireland Offices, Belfast at 7.30pm

Tues 14

Christ Church Cathedral - Dublin

Charity Carol Service. In aid of Huntington’s disease.The Cathedral Girls’  Choir. 1.15pm

Belfast Cathedral

Grosvenor Grammar School Carol Service,7.30 pm

Mindset - Dundonald

Mindset is for all involved in teaching the good news of the Gospel to young people, whether paid or volunteer, young or not so young, and is non-denominational. Speaker: Rev Richard McIlhatton (Christ Church Presbyterian) Monthly meetings are held in St Elizabeth's Church Halls (Church Green, Dundonald). 7.30 pm.

Christ Church Cathedral - Dublin

Concert - New Dublin Voices 8.00 pm

More information is available from www.newdublinvoices.com.

Wed 15

Belfast Cathedral

PricewaterhouseCoopers’ Carol Service,7.00 pm

Christ Church Cathedral - Dublin

Cathedral Choir Christmas Concert, 8.00pm.

Join the choirs for Christ Church Cathedral for carols and festive fun.Tickets: €18 (full price); €14 (concessions) available from: www.tickets.ie:

http://www.tickets.ie/Listing.aspx/Venue?id=277&ViewType=Info

and City Discs, Temple Bar Lane South, Dublin 2. 

Thurs 16

Sitouts for Charities - Belfast & Dublin 

Commence at Belfast Cathedral and St Ann’s Dublin

Belfast Cathedral

Hazelwood Integrated Secondary and Primary Schools Carol Service 

Armagh Community Carol Service

Armagh City & District Council, Market Square. 6.30pm 

Fri 17

Belfast Cathedral

Prayers for RIR in Afghanistan,11.00 am

Christ Church Cathedral - Dublin

Irish Baroque Orchestra Messiah 7.30pm

The Irish Baroque Orchestra welcomes special guests Resurgam chamber choir for a performance of one of the most popular choral works ever written, Handel’s Messiah. Tickets €35/€25 / €20 (concessions) available from: www.irishbaroqueorchestra.com/boxoffice/index.php?event_id=38

Hillsborough Parish Church

The Priory Singers, O Magnum Mysterium, 8 pm.

Music by Lauridsen, Whitacre, Darke, Carter and Ledger.

Conducted by Robert Thompson. £10/£8

Mulled wine and mince pies. 

www.thepriorysingersbelfast.com

Sat 18 

Christ Church Cathedral - Dublin

Christmas Market - Santa in the Crypt 10.00 a.m www.cccdub.ie

Comber Parish Church

The Priory Singers, O Magnum Mysterium, 8 pm.

Music by Lauridsen, Whitacre, Darke, Carter and Ledger.

Conducted by Robert Thompson. £10/£8

Mulled wine and mince pies.  

www.thepriorysingersbelfast.com

Sun 19 

Belfast Cathedral 

Carols for the City, 3.30 pm

Christ Church Cathedral - Dublin 

Service of Five Lesson and Carols, 3.30 pm