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November Mini-Retreat

23 October 2015 in /by

The Church of Ireland Theological Institute’s Lay Training programme is offering a 2-day mini retreat for commissioned lay ministers across the Church of Ireland. This includes commissioned prayer ministers and lay pastoral assistants, as well as lay readers. This retreat will offer reflections upon our encounters with and responses to human suffering and will be […]

Prayer Stations at the Vigil for Peace

23 October 2015 in /by

“There is something in the human spirit that will survive and prevail, there is a tiny and brilliant light burning in the heart of people that will not go out no matter how dark the world becomes.” (Leo Tolstoy) Earlier this month we held a Vigil for Peace in Christ Church Cathedral. We prayed for […]

Hospitality to angels

13 October 2015 in /by

  It seems we have made little progress since the 1850s when between 1.5 and 2 million people left Ireland, weighing up their options and deciding that going was better than staying. Many of them also risked their lives on unseaworthy ships. In the letter to the Hebrews we are told “Do not forget to […]

Vigil for Peace

24 September 2015 in /by

The refugee crisis in Europe has escalated to a very worrying degree that we can no longer ignore it. Many of us were at a loss when thinking how to respond. Recently we encouraged everyone to pray for the refugees, trusting that our prayer is effective even when we do not know its direct fruit. In […]

A call to pray for the refugees

3 September 2015 in /by

“You have to understand, no one would put their children in a boat unless the sea is safer than the land,” wrote the Somali-British poet Warsan Shire in her poem about the refugees leaving their home country. But we are well aware that the sea is not safe.  The refugee crisis has escalated to a […]

The change of seasons

1 September 2015 in /by

As the autumn sun warms our streets, we are beginning to cross a threshold into another season of the year. Sometimes the external seasons point towards the seasons of our hearts, the internal ones. While we encounter moments of eternity in our daily living, moments when God shows us His presence among us, a lot […]

Writing for Healing Workshop with Maureen Ryan

27 August 2015 in /by

The Very Rev Maureen Ryan is a priest, writer, psychologist, and experienced workshop leader. The workshop will explore writing as a spiritual discipline that helps us celebrate the sacred ordinary, promoting healing and growth especially in times of loss, illness and distress. During the workshop, we will experience the power of writing together in silence, and […]

A call to contemplative practice

30 June 2015 in /by

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5) In our very vocal and busy culture it can be difficult, if not even countercultural, to dedicate time for silent prayer. It may appear […]

Wellspring

17 April 2015 in /by

Come to the well. The well is deep. Wellspring is a one-day retreat incorporating Christian mindfulness and biblical reflection, to which all are welcome. It’s a chance to spend some time apart from the noise of the world, to be fully present to yourself and to your communion with God, so that by the end […]