Latest Prayer Letter, emailed today and to be posted tomorrow when I get stamps!

Greetings from Dublin!

This is just another quick letter to say hello, and to thank you for all your prayers and support during my time here in College. So what have I been up to since my last letter?

The Hillary Term (January – March) seemed to be quite short, and I managed to get all my essays done and handed in with time to spare. So far I haven’t got all my marks back, though, so I don’t know how they turned out! We also had the mission event in Trinity in February – about 150 people attended the service, with Ed Vaughan clearly preaching the gospel, and 50 people attended the debate afterwards.

We then had most of March as a sort of ‘Easter holiday’, only nowhere near Easter, and I was thankful for the time off, and the relaxing time I had in various places. My year group were taken to Venice for a study trip, where we met lots of interesting people from a variety of churches and traditions, as well as visiting many churches and places of worship. I then enjoyed a few days in Dublin with some people from West Tyrone Voice, the victims’ support group I used to work with, before heading over to Dundee for a week with Lynsey. In between these big visits, I was able to meet up with some friends to catch up on how their studies are going.

But now I’m back in Dublin for our short, final term of the year. The Trinity Term consists of four weeks of study, three weeks of revision, and then the dreaded exams! And in these last four weeks, there are four big essays due, as well as smaller assignments. We also have some meetings, including the House Meeting, which is the AGM, where student jobs are elected and concerns are raised. At the end of this term we will also lose the 3rd Years, as they are ordained to their Curacies. Through this, I’ll lose my best friend in college, Adrian, who is moving to St Mark’s Newtownards. However, I have many other good friends here, who are a great encouragement to me, as well as my friends on the outside!

Outside of Dublin, I have been privileged to be assisting in Magheralin and Dromore Parishes, having some opportunities to preach and lead services. I have been enjoying these opportunities, and I’m learning lots. I hope that I’m encouraging and benefiting the congregations who have to listen to me!

Some current prayer requests are the following:
- For the follow-up to the mission in Trinity, both through our contacts and the Trinity Christian Union, that the seeds planted would spring up to bear fruit
- For Adrian and the other Third Years as they make final preparations to be ordained and for the Parishes they will be working in.
- For Gareth and Ruth in Magheralin, as they wait for their baby to be born
- For my Rector, Stephen, and Curate, Trevor in Dromore
- For my family, Lynsey, and my friends, as we see each other less while I live in Dublin
- That I would grow in my faith, and be a good witness to all I come into contact with

Thank you for your help and support. As you are praying for me, be assured of my prayers for you. May you have a blessed Easter, as we come again to reflect on the cross of Christ, the assurance of sins forgiven, and on the empty tomb, the promise of new life and our own resurrection.

God bless,
Gary

‘Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ… that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak’ (Colossians 4:2-4)