“Come away… and rest for a while” (Mark 6:31) The Commission on Ministry warmly invites all Lay Ministers across the Church of Ireland to a special one-day retreat – a space intentionally created to pause, reflect, reconnect, and be renewed in God’s presence. In the midst of faithful service, ministry responsibilities, and the many demands…
The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Revd and Rt Hon Dame Sarah Mullally DBE, paid her first visit to Londonderry as she led a high-powered group of more than 100 senior Anglican clergy and ecumenical guests on a one-day pilgrimage to the city. The international delegation was made up of bishops, clergy and laity from…
The new Rector of the Grouped Parishes of Castledawson and Ballyscullion, Rev Thomas Murray, was instituted by Bishop Andrew Forster in a sweltering Christ Church Castledawson, on Tuesday evening, in a service organised by the local Rural Dean, Rev Gary Millar. The three doors of the church were left wide open throughout the service and…
There was a distinct family feel to the Service of Ordination in Newbuildings, on Sunday evening (21st June 2026), during which Glendermott & Newbuildings Curate, Rev James Shiels, was admitted to the Order of Priests by the Bishop of Derry and Raphoe, Rt Rev Andrew Forster. Rev Shiels’ wife, Julie, their sons Clarke and Daniel,…
The Very Rev’d Nigel Cairns has been installed as the new Dean of Derry and instituted as Rector of the new parish grouping of Templemore & St Augustine’s. He succeeds Very Rev Raymond Stewart who retired at the end of last year. Members of Dean Cairns’ family were in St Columb’s Cathedral on Thursday evening…
Bishop Andrew’s seeking expressions of interest from people who wish to be considered for membership of the Diocesan Board of Social Responsibility, which is being reconstituted. The board seeks to encourage and inform the Diocese’s engagement with local communities and wider society as we seek to share the love of God in Jesus Christ. This…
The Board of Education of the General Synod has expressed its deep concern for the welfare of principals, teachers, staff and governors due to the state of funding in education in Northern Ireland. Proposing the report of the Board of Education (NI) at General Synod on Friday, the Revd Catherine Simpson highlighted a recent report…
The work of Christian unity may not be the most visible part of Church life but, in an increasingly fractured world, it was one of the most important, Bishop Andrew Forster said, as he proposed the report of the Commission of Christian Unity and Dialogue on the third day of the General Synod. Noting that…
Brothers and sisters in Christ, I would like first to thank the Diocese of Down and Dromore for acting as our hosts for this Synod and particularly to thank the bishop and all those who have been involved in planning and preparing for our Synod Eucharist earlier this morning. I suspect like many people in…
Two parishes from the Diocese of Derry and Raphoe were among the winners in a competition which encourages projects designed to cut carbon emissions in churches, the winners of which were announced after close of business on Day One of General Synod. The successful parishes, Christ Church and St Paul’s (Castlerock and Dunboe) and St…
