Each year in the Spring, Cork, Cloyne and Ross Mothers’ Union members from around Cork City and County meet for a celebratory Festival Service. It is always a special occasion when members enjoy fellowship and meeting up with friends. This year’s service, however, which was to include the commissioning of our new trustees, had to be postponed. As time passed and it became obvious that it couldn’t go ahead at a later date, the trustees made plans to meet up at the wonderful new Carraig Centre in Ballincollig to record our Festival Service. Everything was thought through, the Service was prepared, the Reverend Robert Ferris was set to record, everybody knew what their role was – and then the Level 3 restrictions arrived.

What to do? Of course, what else but rise to the challenge and try recording the service.

So the trustees met on Zoom and celebrated the 2020 theme of ‘Building Hope and Confidence’.  Archdeacon Adrian Wilkinson joined us as Bishop’s Commissary, along with the Rev Isobel Jackson, who is our Mothers’ Union Diocesan Chaplain.

Our chaplain lead the worship and the Archdeacon commissioned the trustees and also shared some thoughts on the theme.

The four new trustees, Marjorie Garland, Veronica Deane, the Rev. Eileen Cremin and Deirdre Whitley read the readings and the prayers; Heather Fleming and Joyce Buttimer read the lyrics of two hymns with the melody playing in the background. Lucinda McDonald and Oliver recorded the Mothers’ Union prayer at home and were able to be part of the worship.

There were  some technical challenges, but the video has turned out well and Mothers’ Union in Cork, Cloyne and Ross trustees are delighted that it is now live on our Facebook page and on the Diocesan YouTube channel.

The links to the service are as follows. 

On the Diocesan Youtube Channel HERE

On Facebook HERE