Sermon: Titus 1: 5-16 Entrusted with God's work

The summer holidays are on the horizon. But where to go? So you check out the websites, or you go into the travel agents; you look at the brochures; you ask your friends. Crete seems to be nice: warm and sunny, scenic and peaceful, so long as you stay away from the party capitals with drunken teenagers from the UK and Ireland. Titus, the person Paul is writing this letter to is on Crete, but he’s not there for a holiday. There’s work to be done.

After the introduction (Paul the apostle telling Titus his son and fellow worker about God’s promised eternal life and the truth that leads to godliness), we’re straight into Titus’ task.

‘The reason I left you in Crete was that you might straighten out what was left unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you.’ Titus is to appoint elders (also called overseers (bishops) in v7 - the same people). But what should you look for in a church leader? In the life of the church there are all sorts of leaders doing all sorts of things. What should we be looking for in the parish, in organisations, in vestry? As we’ll see, the important things to look for in church leaders link in with the overall theme of the letter to Titus: ‘the knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness.’ (1:1)

The two must go together - truth and godliness. It’s not an either/or pick and mix. It must be both together, truth leading to godliness. First up, then, we see in verses 6-8 the quality of godliness. The word that sums it up is in those verses twice: blameless. Let me be the first to say that this doesn’t mean perfection. None of us are perfect. So if the standard was perfection, then we wouldn’t have any Christian leaders.

Rather, what we’re looking for is someone with integrity. And this can be seen in three ways, in each of these verses - verse 6 at home; verse 7 in negative form; and verse 8 positively. At home (v6), blameless, as the husband of one wife, not running after lots of women; and whose children (if there are any) being believers. Just as the church is God’s family and household, so our families are the place where leadership is seen in practice.

Verse 7 shows what being blameless is not like: ‘not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain.’ It’s easy to see why these kinds of behaviour would make someone unsuitable for church leadership. Each of these are modes of selfishness - putting me, or my anger or my addictions or my fists or my wallet first; all a lack of self-control.

In verse 8, we see the opposite of selfishness - hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined. These are the things to look for as we select new leaders. These are the things to pray for in our leaders, that they would be increasing.

Godliness is important for those in church leadership. But as we’ve said, that’s just one part. We also need the knowledge of the truth which leads to godliness. It’s truth we find in verse 9. ‘He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught...’

When I was a Curate in Dundonald I was visiting a home when a dog came and attached itself to the front of my shoe. It wasn’t for letting go. It hung on for ages. This is what Paul is looking for - a firm grasp, holding firmly to the trustworthy word.

You see, if God doesn’t lie, then we need to hold on his word - especially church leaders. Why? Because the work of the gospel is the work of the word. Paul gives us two parts of the work: so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine’ - so that what is preached is healthy, is sound. (That’s why it’s important for you to have your Bible open during the sermon to make sure that what I’m saying is what the Bible is saying). It would be great if that’s all that is needed, but there’s a second part of the work: ‘and refute those who oppose it.’

Do you see how the two parts fit together? encouraging other by sound doctrine, and refuting those who oppose it. Why’s this bit needed? There are those who contradict sound doctrine. There are those within the church who don’t hold to the trustworthy word. Not everyone who wears a clerical collar is a Christian preacher. I know this might be hard to believe, but it’s true today, just as it was true in Crete in the first century.

That’s why church leaders are needed. Do you see the ‘for’ at the start of verse 10? Here’s why we need sound teaching: Paul gives us a picture of what these false teachers were like. ‘rebellious people, mere talkers and deceivers... ruining whole households by teaching things they ought not to teach - and that for the sake of dishonest gain.’ You see, these false teachers were tapping into the natural Crete temperament. They were saying what the people wanted to hear, and were gaining, because it was an easy message.

It’s easy for us to see how the Cretans are far from godliness in their ‘always liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons’ mode of being. But what about us? You see, we are also far from God and godliness by ourselves. What would Paul write of us? ‘People in County Armagh are...’ Richhillians are always... If someone came with a message that you’re basically all right the way you are, with no challenge or change needed, it would be popular enough. But it’s not the gospel. It’s not the trustworthy word that leads to godliness.

Titus is called to do something harder. As he holds to the trustworthy word, Paul tells him in verse 13: ‘Therefore, rebuke them sharply, so that they will be sound in the faith...’

Titus, and therefore church leaders must administer this rebuke in order to take people from their sin-sick nature to being sound in the faith. If you were sick, you would ring up the surgery and get an appointment to see a GP. You want them to stop you being sick and to make you well, healthy. This is what ministry is all about - we want to be healthy in the faith, but if we’re stuck in our sinful nature then we’re not healthy, we need the treatment of the gospel.

The false teachers had turned away from the truth, but it wasn’t that they believed in nothing; rather, they were now believing in anything - Jewish myths or the commands of those who reject the truth. But the end results of their belief and teaching is clearly to be seen. Throughout Titus we’re seeing that the truth leads to godliness. What you believe is seen in how you live your life.

We see it here with the false teachers. They rejected the truth. They still claim to know God, ‘but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient, and unfit for doing anything good.’ What they do doesn’t match up with what they say. False teaching needs to be rebuked; corrected; and instead the truth proclaimed.

So what do we look for in church leaders? People marked by holding firm to the truth which leads to godly living. People who proclaim sound doctrine and rebuke those in error.

If you’re in leadership, perhaps like me, you’re feeling the weight of the requirements. Could we possibly do this? So please do pray for those who lead in this parish. And please do pray for me - in study and in homes and in the pulpit to hold and hold forth the word of truth, to apply it to my own life and household, and to the church family.

Who could do this? Who is sufficient for these things? There’s a section of the ordination service, which is our answer: ‘Because none of us can bear the weight of this ministry in our own strength, but only by the grace and power of God, let us pray earnestly for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on these persons. Let us pray also that God will each day enlarge and enlighten their understanding of the Scriptures, so that they may grow stronger and more mature in their ministry, as they fashion their lives and the lives of the people they serve on the word of God.’

There’s that double emphasis on truth and godliness. So let’s pray.

This sermon was preached in St Matthew's Church, Richhill on Sunday evening 27th May 2018.

Ordination Anniversary

It really doesn't seem like three years have passed since my ordination as a Deacon - or that it was two years yesterday since my 'priesting.' As my time in Dundonald moves quickly towards its end (with just eight Sundays left in the parish), has ministry been what I imagined?

It's a question I'll continue to ask as the leaving date (and associated speeches and farewell sermons) comes closer. In the meantime, here are a few reflections on my first three years of ordained ministry.

1. The opportunity to be set apart to study God's word is amazing! It's a great privilege to be able to give myself to reading the Bible, studying the Bible, praying the Bible and teaching the Bible - and it's my 'job'! There could be nothing better than spending time in God's word.

The danger, of course, is that professionalism can so easily kick in, so that Bible reading is only done in order to prepare for the next speaking engagement. In that situation, the question switches from what is God saying to me (relating to change/repentance/growth/maturity etc) to what is God saying to them, bypassing me completely.

2. The opportunity to lead God's people in prayer is immense! To be able to help people to pray as a church family gathered together is special, as they join in the "Amen" or the "Hear our prayer".

You can so easily think that you're the one helping them pray, rather than the Holy Spirit and the Lord Jesus; or you pray impressive sounding prayers to show how very spiritual you are, just like the Pharisee in Luke 18.

3. The access into peoples' lives is perhaps unique, both for happy and sad occasions. The excitement of baptisms when a new life is just beginning; the joy of weddings (with the best view in the house); the sharing with those who are ill; the comforting those who mourn and sharing the gospel hope with them; few people are present at so many of these moments, or welcomed as ministers normally are.

The frequency of those occasions, though can, as the proverb suggests, can breed contempt. What has become regular and routine (if you're on your third funeral of the month) is still the one and only special service for Mrs Jones, so everything must be done decently and in order, no matter how ordinary.

There's also the risk of bottling it, and not saying the things that should be said; even not taking the gospel opportunities that are presented at the time or after.

4. Seeing individuals come to faith, or grow in faith is exciting! Through my time here we've seen some trust the Lord for the first time, making baby steps in faith; and others growing considerably in their faith, becoming more mature, and stepping up to lead and help and serve others. This is what it's all about!

The flipside is that it can be frustrating and almost soul destroying to see some walk away, or revert to sin, or let you down. People with so much potential, and yet they refuse to take that step. I'm learning that sometimes you have to leave people in God's hands - he may not be finished with them, but it could take years before they'll come back.

5. You get to know so many different people, and visit them in their homes. On our lists there are approximately 500 families, which amounts to 1200 people, roughly. The opportunities this presents are great, and the number of people you meet is huge, and all at different ages and stages.

One problem I've found is that my memory for names can be atrocious, so I need to work on knowing and remembering names.

Another issue is that there will always be more people I could be visiting. It could never stop. Knowing that means that I can be satisfied with what I can do, not how many I've missed in a day/week.

6. There's a real danger that you're always caught up in the urgent, and so miss the important. It can be so easy to work away, day after day, on what has to be done today, without looking at the big picture, without taking time to plan for the future, or develop.

Connected to this is the need for a proper Sabbath for ministers. If Sunday is our working day of leading/preaching/youthwork etc, then the need for one other day in the week for rest and restoration is vital. Yet even on the 'off' day, parish work can easily creep in.

Further connected to this is the proper space for family life. I'm still trying to learn this one, to carve out time with my wife and family, not thinking about work at all!

Today I'm thankful for God's grace over these past three years, and for the people I've come to know and the friends I've made through my ministry in Dundonald. I'm thankful for Tim, my rector, for the ways he has trained me, and for his patience on so many occasions! I'm praying for many more years of fruitful ministry, but conscious that it's all in God's hands.

As I look to the future, I'm reminded of those words from the ordination service:

Because none of us can bear the weight of this ministry in our own strength, but only by the grace and power of God, let us pray earnestly for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on these persons. Let us pray also that God will each day enlarge and enlighten their understanding of the Scriptures, so that they may grow stronger and more mature in their ministry, as they fashion their lives and the lives of the people they serve on the word of God.

Bilocation

Sadly I haven't worked out the dynamics of bilocation yet - the ability to be in two places at once. It would have come in really handy on Sunday night, as there were lots of places I could have been. As well as the Presbyterian Licensing, there was also the Ordination of Deacons in our Diocese of Down and Dromore, at St Malachi's Parish Church, Hillsborough.

Robert Ferris was ordained for the Curacy of St Columba's Knock in East Belfast, and Mike Dornan was ordained for the Curacy of St Malachi's, Hillsborough. The preacher was Adrian Dorrian, sometime Curate of St Mark's Newtownards and now Rector of St Peter and St James in Belfast.

Please be praying for Robert and Mike as they begin this new phase of ministry, and settle into their new parishes. It also means that while we say goodbye to Adrian and Craig from CME (Continuing Ministry Education, otherwise known as Potty Training, as it used to be called Post Ordination Training), we say hello to the new Deacons!

Photo from the Down and Dromore website. You can also read the Deacons' profiles there.

Licentiate, Not Licentious

Last night I journeyed far and wide to Stewartstown in County Tyrone for a service in 1st Stewartstown Presbyterian Church. One of my good friends, Stewart Glendinning, was being Licensed as a Probationer for the Ministry in the Presbyterian Church, and it was interesting to see how Presbyterian services are conducted.

Following the welcome, opening hymn and prayers, the Bible reading and offertory, and another hymn, a Commission of the Presbytery of Tyrone was constituted, which would conduct the formal business of licensing Stewart. In many ways the whole enterprise was similar to the ordination service - the Rule of Faith , that is, the standards and beliefs of the church, is put to the candidate, who assents; then a series of prescribed questions on the specifics of belief, and finally subscription to the Westminster Confession of Faith. Anglican ordinations are similar, in that we subscribe our assent to the Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion, although that happens before the service, rather than during.

Following the act of licensing and prayer, Stewart became a Probationer for the ministry of word and sacrament, without any laying on of hands, but with the right hand of fellowship. He's now legit to work as the assistant minister in Sinclair Seaman's Church in the Belfast docks.

The minister of Brigh, Albany and 1st Stewartstown, David Irvine, preached a great sermon from 1 Corinthians 4, highlighting that those engaged in the ministry are servants of Christ (under-rowers, not the usual word for servant diakonos), minsters are stewards of the mysteries of God (entrusted with the work of preaching the gospel), and ministers are to love as fathers and mothers the people in their charge.

All in all, a great service, and hopefully a big encouragement for Stewart too. The evening gave me a chance to meet up with some friends from the Mid-Ulster Battalion Boys' Brigade camps who I haven't seen in a couple of years as I haven't gone camping with them for that length of time!

The two words in the title may sound quite similar, but are very, very different! Stewart is now a Licentiate, but is definitely not licentious!

*The photo wasn't taken last night, but on a bowling trip several years ago!

Precious Sheep

How much are sheep worth?

If you've ever listened to Good Morning Ulster or Evening Extra on BBC Radio Ulster, you'll have heard the listing of prices at the various livestock markets and marts around the province. Among them, there's always mention of hoggets. No, I didn't know what hoggets were either. Seemingly they are last year's lambs, one year old before they have grown their first two adult teeth.

How much are they worth? A recent sale at Markethill had sheep going for about £3.50 per kilo, which works out at about £85 for a lamb.

But it's not the price of sheep I want to talk about. Rather, it's the value of another kind of sheep. The flock of the Good Shepherd, the Church.

Last night, at the end of the ordination service, the Bishop gave a final charge to the newly ordained Presbyters - the new under-shepherds of the Lord. Here's what he says:

Remember always with thanksgiving that the treasure now entrusted to you is Christ's own flock, bought through the shedding of his own blood on the cross. The Church and the congregation among whom you will minister are one with him; they are his body. Go forth to serve them with joy, build them up in faith, and do all in your power to bring them to loving obedience to Christ.

What is the value of the sheep? Not gold or silver 'but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.' (1 Peter 1:19). The people of God are his, bought with his blood. This shapes and informs every aspect of my work - the Lord Jesus died for the people I meet.

How precious the flock is, and what great cost to the Son of God, who is the Chief Shepherd of our souls.

The Ordination

Last night was my ordination to the office of Presbyter (elder), also known as Priest, alongside Adrian Green. Willowfield Parish Church seemed to be right and full, a huge congregation, with great singing, although it made for a very warm evening, especially under a cassock and surplice.

Harold Miller, The Bishop of Down and Dromore led the service, and Craig Cooney, the Curate Assistant of Shankill Church, Lurgan was the preacher. I was encouraged to see so many other Presbyters who took part in the ordination prayer and laying on of hands, both old friends and new.

Also, in the congregation I noticed many friends, with a big contingent from my home parish of Dromore Cathedral, and another big crowd from my current parish of St Elizabeth's Dundonald. Plenty of family and friends were also scattered throughout the building, bringing good wishes and prayers.

Craig preached from the Old Testament reading, which was Isaiah 61:1-3, and specifically its use as a text for Jesus' sermon in Nazareth from Luke 4. We have a Spirit-empowered mission; a Jesus-centred mission; and a transforming mission. So be it!

When Deacons are ordained, it is only the Bishop who lays hands on the ordinand. With Presbyters, all the other Presbyters present have a share in laying hands, so it's a good job I'm not claustrophobic, with a group of about 20 Presbyters gathered around laying hands. A great sense of the togetherness of the mission we are engaged in, and a mighty time of prayer and encouragement.

At the end of the service, when we received the final charge from the Bishop, we were surrounded by representatives of the parish and diocese, before being led out into the world for mission and service by the Bishop, accompanied by the Church.

A special night, which will long stick in my memory. I haven't got any photos yet, but will post some and link to them when I see what other people have got on their cameras.

Ordination Retreating

The car is packed, the iPod is loaded up with teaching (Don Carson, if you're interested), the cassock is about to be put on, and then we're off to Willowfield for the ordination rehearsal. After that, it's a quick dash to the Benedictine Monastery in Rostrevor for our pre-ordination retreat.

All the meals are in silence, which will be a bit weird, and there's to be no talking in the corridors, guest kitchen, and radios are banned from the rooms in case other guests or monks are disturbed. Hence the iPod which will be in my ears when in my room!

Bishop Harold is leading the retreat, speaking on the life and ministry of Moses, which should be great. Then on Sunday, the Curate-Assistant of Shankill Parish Lurgan is preaching at the actual ordination service.

You're very welcome to attend - Ordination of Presbyters at 7pm in Willowfield Parish Church on the Woodstock Road / Cregagh Road in East Belfast.

If you're coming and can bring a camera, take some photos as I'll be slightly too busy to be wielding my camera that night!

So until Sunday, farewell.

Ordination Photos

I've set up a wee group on Flickr for photos from the Ordination. So far there are contributions from two friends, as well as my own pictures taken by Neil.

Enjoy.

Ordination

College Folk
Originally uploaded by Gary McMurray.

First photos of the ordination. (Click on picture to see more)

What an amazing service! What a great God we serve!

Music was fantastic, I don't think I've ever heard singing like it, so joyful and great. Choir were brilliant. Excellent word from the Scriptures. Good attendance. Very encouraging. Big spread at the bun fight.

More cogent thoughts will follow in the days to come!

Beating The Retreat

Tomorrow begins my final preparations before ordination on Sunday. First up, a rehearsal for the service in the Cathedral, so that I know what's happening, what's expected, and who's doing what. At some point in the morning, I also make my Declarations. These are various statements of belief and practice which have to be subscribed to by those being ordained, as well as those being licensed, instituted or installed in the Church of Ireland. A few weeks ago, I was sent a copy of the Declarations, so I could have a look over them beforehand, and it fills an A4 page. But no problems, I willingly agree, assent and declare all that they contain!

Immediately after, I'll get out of my cassock, and drive off to Larne for the pre-ordination retreat. Two days in the company of the candidate Deacons for the Diocese of Connor, and led by Paul Hewitt, Rector of Glencraig.

In some ways, the past two weeks have a been a form of retreat, taking things a bit easier, and out of the normal press of life. These two days should be good, and useful preparation for the Ordination, and ministry afterwards.

At this stage, it's hard to know just how many people may well come along on Sunday night. It will be good to see some family and friends I haven't seen in a long time, and to have the support of friends from across the diocese, province, and island. But whether large or small, the important thing is that the congregation praises God for all that He has done. To Him be the glory.

Ordination Picture

On Sunday, Stephen was ordained deacon, as I've already said. After the service I pulled out my wee point-and-shoot camera to get a photo of him. Sadly, the batteries failed at the crucial moment. So, thanks to the Dublin and Glendalough website, here are the three candidates, Dean and Archbishop prior to the service:

Dublin Ordination

The first of my classmates is now a deacon! I was down in Christ Church Cathedral Dublin for the ordination of Stephen Farrell, now serving as Curate Assistant of Taney Parish, Dublin. Also ordained were Robert Lawson and Anne-Marie O'Farrell.

As if the events of last week weren't enough to make it all very real - the buying of clerical shirts, the peek at the draft order of service - today was firm reality. Stephen is now a minister! And in just seven days, so shall I.

I'm off from Friday until Sunday on my pre-ordination retreat, so if you need to get in touch, do so in the next few days!

All are welcome to attend on Sunday night - the service is at 6.30pm in my home church, Dromore Cathedral.

Prayer Request

A Call To Prayer
Originally uploaded by Gary McMurray.

It's getting close to the ordination now. Your prayers are requested, and also your presence. But not your presents!

Bumper Ordination

Tonight I was over in Shankill Parish in Lurgan for the Down and Dromore diocesan ordination of Deacons. There were a (record?) 8 new deacons ordained - containing most of this year's final year students. The college will be a quieter place without them!

The service was excellent - a good range of music led by praise band, and others on the organ. At times, though, when the congregation broke into clapping during the choruses, you would have thought you were in a wee country mission hall rather than the largest parish church in the Church of Ireland! Even being the largest, the Church of Christ the Redeemer was bunged - completely packed!

The sermon was very good - thankfully not just addressed to the candidates, but to the whole congregation, and a careful exposition of the passage. Clive Atkinson, an Inter-Continental Church Society Chaplain in Switzerland was the preacher, and he spoke on Mark 10:35-45, on servant leadership.

Following the two-hour service (which didn't seem like two hours), and greetings outside the church, we moved down to the Jethro Centre for refreshments. Great to see that amazing centre being used to good effect.

For the record, the newly ordained deacons are - Clare Ashbridge (Donaghcloney), Carlton Baxter (Shankill), James Boyd (Magheralin), Stanley Gamble (Knockbreda), Edward Gorringe (Aghalee), Mervyn Jamison (Ballybeen), Adrian McLaughlin (Bangor Abbey), and Brian O'Reilly (Seagoe). May God bless and strengthen them for the work he has called them to. Amen.

(One year to go until I am ordained DV!)

The great responsibility and the greater grace

Last night I was over in Downpatrick at the Ordination of Presbyters service in Down Cathedral. Adrian Dorrian and Craig Cooney were ordained. Another great service, with praise led by the choir of St Mark's Newtownards and the praise group of Shankill Parish Lurgan. A good mix of traditional and contemporary. The last hymn was 'Trust and Obey', which was also the last hymn last Sunday night as I bade farewell to Magheralin, so I guess it will always mean a lot to me.

If you've never been to an ordination service before, then there is a key element in the service, when the Bishop reads the charge to the candidates. Just before they are ordained, they are reminded again of the tremendous weight of responsibility they are taking on in the service. I was going to provide illustrations here from the service, but the Church of Ireland website's BCP2004 section doesn't include the ordination services!

Let's just say that the weight is great, and the responsibility scary. But there is something which shines through again and again, even in the midst of reminding the candidates that they can't possibly do it on their own. And that is the grace of God! Hallelujah!

At the end of the charge, the Bishop invites the congregation to pray for the candidates precisely because none of us can bear that weight on our own. Further, we are constantly reminded of the power and grace of God which will equip us for the task.

If it was down to us, we would undoubtedly fail. With the grace of God, we are more likely to succeed, although we're still human. Praise be to God, who equips those whom he calls!

Deaconing

Ok, so I'm not quite sure if there is such a word, but if not, then there is now! This weekend I have been attending several deaconings - yesterday in Londonderry, and tonight in Lurgan.

Yesterday's service was in St Columb's Cathedral, for the diocese of Derry & Raphoe, and David McBeth (as well as Katy McAteer and Mervyn Peoples) were ordained deacon. The Cathedral was packed, and the service was good. The preaacher was excellent - Mike Hull, the bishop of Bristol. However, the litany was sung - which seemed to last a lot longer than when it is said! The other slight downer was that people round me weren't singing... but I'm sure I made up for the whole back half of the cathedral! I had been in the cathedral several times to have a look around, but yesterday was the first time I had attended a service in the place.

Then tonight, the ordination of deacons (Paul Bates, Craig Cooney and Adrian Dorrian) took place in the Church of Christ the Redeemer, Parish of Shankill, Lurgan. Despite being a bit longer (this one was about 1 hour 45 minutes), it was slightly better than yesterday's! The preacher was Jim Rea, former Methodist President, and he was good - speaking on John 1:4-6.

The really crazy thing over these past couple of days has been in seeing the third years in collars and robes and all... as we release them into the wild (sounds a bit like Free Willy or something...). Please continue to pray for the guys as they begin their ministry in Bangor, Lurgan and Newtownards respectively.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

On other news, then... this morning we got a bit of an embarrassment, at the Dollingstown morning service. Before the service started, the announcement was flashed on the screens about our engagement and suddenly people wanted to see the ring and giving us good wishes and all... well, everyone except David Luckman who missed the screen! But it's all good!

Another reason to go over to Dollingstown was to see James Boyd preach, as he starts his official summer placement in the parish. James did really well, preaching on David and Goliath, and what we can learn from David.

Ordination Season

We're right into the season of ordinations now, certainly within the Church of Ireland anyway. With our church having the three-fold order of Bishops, Presbyters (also known as priests for etymological reasons, being a contraction of the word presbyter, meaning 'elder'), and Deacons, and with the office of deacon generally being for one year prior to the priesting, it means that candidates have two ordinations in two successive years...

Last night in the Cathedral we had the ordination of four Presbyters - Denise Acheson, Rory Corbett, Robin Harris, and Aonghus Mayes. Which means that for this week, there are no deacons in the Diocese of Down and Dromore, until Adrian Dorrian (a regular reader and recent comment contributor), Craig Cooney, and Paul Bates are ordained (DV) on Sunday night in Shankill Parish Church, Lurgan.

Anyway, back to last night for now. The anthem by the choir was 'Jubilate in B Flat' by Charles Villiers Stanford - for a taster, check out the link from the title. Some of the other hymns weren't really well known - or with unusual tunes, but we managed to get through ok.

The ordination season is bringing it home to me again about how soon it will be my turn - as the third years from college are ordained deacons over the next week or so...

Busy Sunday

Well, what a busy Sunday I have had! 3 services, and all over the place...

8.30am was Holy Communion in Dromore Cathedral - Trevor's first Communion as celebrant since being 'priested' last Sunday night.

11.30am was the Commissioning of Mark Lennox as Diocesan Reader in Christ Church Castledawson, conducted by the Bishop of Derry & Raphoe, Ken Good. The wee church was packed (and filled up quite early too), and it was interesting. It was also the quickest I have ever seen or heard a Psalm sung - it can sometimes drag a wee bit, but not in Castledawson!

6.30pm was the Ordination of four new deacons in Down Cathedral. One of them was from our parish, Rory Corbett, who will be working as an auxiliary in Aghalee Parish.

So a fair day of travel and experiencing different places and styles of worship, from a wee country parish to a cathedral! Although I missed Children's Day in our own cathedral - but there'll be other years for it.

Dundela Ordination

Tonight we had a parish outing on the bus to St Mark's Church, Dundela, for the ordination of two priests/presbyters, Christopher Woods, and Trevor McKeown (our Curate). It was an interesting service, with parts of the liturgy sung by the choir, including the Litany, part of the Prayer of Consecration, the invocation of the Holy Spirit, and stuff during the Communion.

I hadn't realised, but St Mark's is rather 'high' in terms of it's churchmanship, with candles in the procession, a crucifer, and the parading of the Gospel Book. There were also the references to the 'altar' which I didn't understand, but maybe that's because I'm a low-church fella who knows that Calvary was our altar, where the once for all sacrifice was made for our sins, and that the wooden thing at the front is the Lord's Table, the Communion Table or the Holy Table.

But it was interesting to see a different style of doing church - even if it was just to confirm that I'm more comfortable in a lower way of doing things.

Another bonus of tonight was that I saw a few people I haven't seen in ages - for one, Rev Gary Galway and his wife Heather, and Alison and Rosie - both of whom were at a Diocesan Confirmation weekend I facilitated at several years ago. So it was good catching up with them... even though Rosie insisted I was a country hacker... then she modified it to being a 'posh country hacker' - which I don't get!

The scary thing was that some of our parishoners were going on about how that will be me in a few years, getting ordained... again, time seems to be going so quickly!

Please pray for Trevor, as he begins this new phase of ministry, and looks forward to celebrating his first Communion next Sunday morning.