Members and clergy from Londonderry’s four main Christian denominations have taken part in a special service to mark the Feast Day of Saint Columba. It’s believed this afternoon’s service in St Augustine’s Church – ‘the Wee Church on the Walls – [on Sunday 9th June 2024] was the first united inter-denominational service in honour of…
Bishop Andrew has paid tribute to the Rev David and Rev Heather Houlton who retire today after six and a half years ministry in the Parish of Conwal Union with Gartan. Rev David has served as Rector throughout that period, while Rev Heather has served as Chaplain of Letterkenny University Hospital and Associate Minister of…
There was double cause for celebration in St Eunan’s Cathedral in Raphoe on Sunday evening (28th May 2024) as Rev Canon Mervyn Peoples was installed as Prebendary of Killymard and a member of the Cathedral Chapter on the day that he and his wife, Diane, celebrated their 48th wedding anniversary. The couple’s children and grandchildren…
Families and clergy from across the Diocese arrived at the Dunlewey Centre in Donegal on Saturday for this year’s Family Fun Day, organised by our SEEDS Children’s Ministry. The temperatures weren’t as high as in recent days, which meant that the midges were nowhere to be seen. Thankfully, too, the rain stayed away, and the…
The Bishop of Derry and Raphoe, Rt Rev Andrew Forster, spoke passionately about the value of curacies during debate about the RB Report presented to the General Synod on Friday 10th May 2024. “We’re finding it more challenging for parishes to have curates,” Bishop Andrew said, “and it’s mainly for financial reasons. And the formation…
General Synod Presidential Address by Archbishop John McDowell (May 10th, 2024) The Church of Ireland’s Primate of All Ireland, Archbishop John McDowell, used his Presidential Address at the 2024 General Synod in Armagh to explore how members of the Church could live out a life of reconciliation. The General Synod was returning to the city…
Dozens of parishioners from throughout the Derry Rural Deanery were commissioned at a service in All Saints Clooney on Sunday evening to serve as churchwardens, secretaries and treasurers, glebewardens and select vestry members, and to sit on parish safeguarding trust panels or serve as safeguarding volunteers. Select Vestries from St Columb’s Cathedral; St Augustine’s; Christ…
Our SEEDS Children’s Ministry chose a magnificent day for youngsters to see the splendour of God’s creation during a visit to Gortin Glen Forest Park in County Tyrone earlier today. The children were there for a special Family Fun Day for young people with additional needs and they were rewarded with a bright, dry day,…
The new Rector of Leckpatrick and Dunnalong, Rev Andrea Cotter, was instituted on Friday evening (April 19th, 2024) at a service in a packed St Patrick’s Church in Ballymagorry, which drew many of her new parishioners from Bready and Ballymagorry, along with parishioners from All Saints Clooney – where she had served her curacy –…
Parishes in the Diocese of Derry and Raphoe have been urged to consider applying to the Church of Ireland Priorities Fund which was set up in 1980 to support areas of ministry and social responsibility which were deemed to be in need. The fund’s chairman, Roy Totten, was invited to address clergy from right across…
