Growth and Development in Parishes
The Rector spoke of a conference organised by the Archbishop of Dublin on Growth and Development in Parishes in the diocese. This was a continuation of the theme he took for his sermon at his enthronement on the whole matter of tradition as living and developing rather than static. In common with Parishes across the Church of Ireland, we experience an absence of those in their 20’s and 30’s. He spoke of initiatives being taken in some Parishes to address this issue.
He went on to speak of developments in worship in the Parish, and in particular the development of the Family Communion Service. He emphasised the importance of the worship reflecting the total Parish community. He spoke of steady progress in our Youth Worker Project and paid tribute to the work undertaken by Shaz Basdeo and Stephen Byford. We had come to the point when the Select Vestry had to make fundamental decisions about the future progress of this project. Our current financial arrangements would only allow for one more year at the current level.
The Select Vestry decided to offer a new contract with reduced hours and responsibilities. Stephen felt he could not continue on those terms and the Rector thanked him for his work over the previous two years. The post had been advertised under the new terms and interviews were being held.
The Rector then proceeded to thank all those who had worked so hard in the previous year to maintain the life and work of the Parish and announced the appointment of Mr Aubrey McMurtry as Rector’s Church Warden and Mr Eddie Kerr as Rector’s Glebe Warden.