The Church of Ireland General Synod 2025 was held in Lawlor’s Hotel in Naas, Co. Kildare from Friday, 8th May, to Saturday, 9th May 2025, and the Diocese of Cork, Cloyne and Ross was well represented again this year. Day 3 and 4 of General Synod will be taking place remotely on the evening of Tuesday 13th May and, if required, the evening of Thursday 15th May.
The beginning of the General Synod was marked as every year with a service at St David’s Church, in the town centre of Naas. At the invitation of the Archbishop of Armagh, the Most Rev. John McDowell, Bishop Paul Colton was the preacher this year. His full sermon can be read here.
Following the service, members walked to Lawlor’s Hotel and Archbishop John McDowell, delivered his Presidential Address. You can find the full speech here.
On Day 1 a total of eight Bills have been presented for consideration by the members of General Synod. All bills have passed their first and second stages and will receive their third reading when General Synod meets online on Tuesday 13th May. Each Bill is outlined in full in the Bills pamphlet available here.
This year a total of 13 motions have been received by the Honorary Secretaries of the General Synod. An outline of all motions can be found here. Later in the afternoon, members of General Synod heard the reports of the Commission for Christian Unity and Dialogue, the Board of Education, the Commission on Ministry, and the Council for Mission.
Day 2 focussed on the reports of the Standing Committee of General Synod, the Liturgical Advisory Committee, the Covenant Council (proposed by the Very Rev. Nigel Dunne), the Pioneer Ministry Council, and the Representative Church Body.
In addition to the Members of General Synod, some other members of the Diocese also travelled to Naas to attend General Synod as visitors. A full list of the General Synod proceedings can be found in the General Synod Website News section.
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Bishop Paul Colton preaching at the Eucharist at the openng of the General Synod of the Church of Ireland on Friday, 9th May 2025 in St David’s Church, Naas, County Kildare. (Photo: Denise Stobart)
Sermon preached at the General Synod of the Church of Ireland 2025
by the Right Reverend Dr Paul Colton, Bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross
in the Church of Saint David, Naas, County Kildare on Friday, 9th May 2025.
‘Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; …’ 1 Corinthians 12.4
This is St Paul’s opening gambit in a strong argument which he sets out in three parts in response to the challenges in the Church at Corinth. We heard only one of those arguments in today’s second reading. And alongside his argument, in our readings today, we have, in the Old Testament reading, our calling; and in the Gospel, we have a promise. I will come back to each.
First let me tell you, here in Naas, about my predecessor, Bishop William Lyon. He was the longest serving Bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross ( 1586 to 1617) – so far at any rate. But what has he got to do with anything here, today? Well, he was presented to the vicarage of this parish on 6th November 1573. Bodenstown, nearby, was added to his living in 1580.
Whether in fact, as I do today, he ever preached here, is another matter. If he did indeed preach here, that would have been some feat for him, for one account of his episcopate declares that he only ever preached once in his entire time as a bishop and that sermon was on the occasion of the death of his patron, Queen Elizabeth I. Lyon started out as captain of a ship, we are told, and his portrait in our dining room shows him, not dressed as a bishop, but in that sea captain’s uniform with one finger missing. He made his mark, apparently, in sea battles against the Spanish and so, the Queen promised him the next suitable vacancy that came up. That was the bishopric of Ross and, to her surprise, he called in the favour. She couldn’t get her head around it, protested at first, and then clearly decided that sailing ships and fighting enemies is a good training ground to be a bishop.
Unlike Bishop Lyon and his ministry, like others of you, I‘ve preached many thousands of times, but this is only the second occasion on which I’ve had the privilege – and that’s what it is – of being asked to preach at the opening of the General Synod of the Church of Ireland. Last time, Tuesday night 14th May 2002, in Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, I chose a text from the Acts of the Apostles – a description of St Paul’s visit to the Church at Ephesus where he was confronted with – not Spaniards in sea battle – but with fierce arguments and even a riot. We are told in Acts 19:
‘Meanwhile, some were shouting one thing, some another; for the assembly was in confusion, and most of them did not know why they had come together … ‘ (Acts. 19.32)
Sounds to me a bit like some General Synods I have been at. Few bishops are given the opportunity to preach twice at this important gathering and I thank the Archbishop of Armagh for his invitation to preach here this morning. Thank you also to the rector of this parish for his welcome. I especially thank the Bishop of Meath for her permission to enter her Diocese to exercise public ministry. That permission, incidentally, is not a matter of mere church etiquette nor is it simple human courtesy. Exercising ministry only on one’s own patch, be it a diocese or a parish, and not elsewhere without permission, is a canonical principle that was laid down in the canons of the First Council of Nicaea which met 1700 years ago this year, in 325 AD, starting like us in this month of end May, but, in their case, not ending until July that year. It’s just as well that Canon lawyers have long memories to keep us being the Church we are meant to be.
Conscious of that riot at Ephesus which inspired my biblical text 23 years ago; mindful of the disagreements at Nicaea in 325, and knowing that St Paul was confronting a fractious situation in Corinth, we have to admit that throughout the history of the Church, arguing seems to go hand in hand with Christian community. Has there ever been a time when dispute has not been a dynamic of discipleship and pilgrimage? I’ve been attending General Synods for the last 44 years, and for 33 years of those as a member. I’ve never known a Synod where there was not some hot topic – sometimes very heated and politicised. Certain hot potatoes have been on the boil for many decades now and remain unresolved. In spite of all the disputes and disagreements, an immense amount of good has been done, is being done, and can still be done.
But, have courage! Arguments are nothing new. During Jesus’ lifetime the disciples argued as did onlookers too. No sooner had he recruited disciples than they started jostling for position: ‘An argument started among the disciples as to which of them would be the greatest.’ (Luke 9.46) And that argument cropped up more than once (see Luke 22.24-27). The day of Pentecost itself caused a controversial stir: ‘All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, ‘What does this mean?’ But others sneered and said, ‘They are filled with new wine.’’ (Acts 2.12-13) Saint Peter had to step in to clarify. And in spite of that shaky start, not many verses later we read that they enjoyed ‘the favour of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.’ (Acts 2.47) Arguments, but still good was being done.
Again not many chapters later in Acts we encounter the Council of Jerusalem, which gathered to discuss a thorny issue, and a letter was issued and dispatched (Acts 15). A mere four chapters after that there was that riotous commotion at Ephesus.
It seems to me that our calling as Christian disciples and our ministry and mission as Church – set out so amply and clearly in the Five Marks of Mission of the Anglican Communion – are inescapably tied up with dynamics of disagreement, argument and controversy. It has ever been thus.And that gives us pause for thought. Perhaps only a broken church can be of any use to a broken world – paradoxically. Certainly in history, God has called again and again broken people to serve and proclaim him. Should it come as any surprise then that, assembled together, broken individuals are in lots of ways, a broken assembly – yet, paradoxically we are called by God to be instruments of his healing, reconciliation and love?
Our first reading is clear about our task and calling. The ‘spirit of the Lord God is upon [us], we are ‘anointed’ and ‘sent’ to do what? Among other things ‘ to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the broken-hearted,…’ (Isaiah 61.1-3)
And the world in which and to which we make that proclamation is indeed broken with many who are oppressed and broken-hearted – many who are captives and many who mourn.. So setting out into the work of this General Synod our task is clear. When the surrender took place on VE Day, 80 years ago, yesterday, it was already 9th May – today – in Russia due to the different time zones. VE Day yesterday, and now today is the 80th Victory Day in Russia and in countries of the former Soviet Union. This anniversary reminds us of the hell – yes, the hell – the world went through relatively recently – a world of warped ideologies, genocide, inhumanity, indescribable suffering that have left indelible scars on humanity that still shape us and our geopolitics. Anniversaries like those beg the question ‘what lessons have been learnt?’ And here still, today, we are in a time of conflict, ideological turmoil, suffering, uncertainty, brokenness, and we are at the mercy, it seems, of what one commentator has called ‘whiplash policy-making’.
In our proclamation of the good news to the broken-hearted, we should not be afraid. God’s promise to us is equally clear. We have that in our Gospel reading. We are to love him and to keep his commandments. In all that we are and do we have his promise to be with us: ‘… I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever.’ (John 14.16).
So – what does the argumentative and contentious setting of the Church at Corinth and Saint Paul’s letter to the people there have to say to us – in our discipleship, as a Church and as we do the work of a General Synod? Corinth was a crossroads, a cosmopolitan place where cultures clashed, ideologies, belief systems and outlooks confronted each other. There were contentious debates about leadership, morality and spiritual leadership. And here is St Paul’s response to all of that – a response that to too many people in our time has become a dirty word, a woke word: Paul’s response is – ‘diversity’.
Diversity is here at the heart of the first strand of Paul’s three-part argument Saint Paul affirms the need for a ‘wide variety of manifestations of the one Spirit within the church. He emphasises the need and value of diversity within unity. Why?, because diversity and unity are part of the character of God himself (verse 4-11). ‘Paul’s point seems clear: Diversity, not uniformity, is essential for a healthy church. The Authorised Version – King James – makes the point for me even better:
‘Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.’ (I Corinthians 12.4)
‘ … varieties of services, but the same Lord; …’ (I Corinthians 12.5)
‘… varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.’ (I Corinthians 12.5 and 6) And so continues this first part of his three part argument.
As we do our work here in this General Synod, in today’s readings we have a clear, but challenging task, an enduring promise from God, both of those are hard to grasp, but the really hard one to wrestle with is in that message from Saint Paul – constantly working on and rediscovering that unity of purpose and quality of love that God, in Jesus, calls us to in the midst of our rich, God-given diversity. Wrestling with that diversity is the vocation of the Church of Ireland and we must never imperil that.
‘Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; …’ 1 Corinthians 12.4
A group of 35 choristers departed from St Fin Barre’s Cathedral on Thursday 24th April for their annual tour. A coach took them to Dublin airport and they boarded a flight to Stockholm, Sweden, where they spent four days taking in a new culture and singing in three cathedrals in the Evangelical Lutheran Church.
The Church of Ireland is linked strongly with this church through the Porvoo Agreement and the choir found a very warm welcome throughout the visit. They sang for Choral Evensong in Strängnäs Cathedral to a very appreciative congregation who had turned out on a Saturday afternoon in great numbers for the occasion. The Bishop of Strängnäs, the Right Reverend Johan Dalman was also in attendance, having sped back from Italy to meet the visitors.
The main service on Sunday morning was in the Storkyrkan, Stockholm Cathedral. The choir battled with five hymns in Swedish and sang 6 Easter motets in Latin, German and English. The Reverend Martin Steele, Dean’s Vicar of St Fin Barre’s Cathedral, read the Epistle and assisted with the distribution of the bread and wine, helping to make the service feel like a genuine partnership.
The third cathedral was Uppsala, the seat of the Archbishop and Primate of Sweden. The choir sang for one hour in an afternoon concert. Matthew Breen, Assistant Director of Music, was relieved to be able to use an organ that was situated very close to the choir and with good sightlines to Director of Music, Peter Stobart. The choir were on a specially erected stage in the largest of the three buildings they had visited.
Between these musical performances, the choir found time to visit two of Stockholm’s finest museums. The first was a warship built in 1628 which sank almost as soon as it set sail. The choristers were blown away by the scale of the ship and by the artefacts in the museum which helped to tell its story. The second museum was the ABBA Museum, a totally different experience where karaoke and dancing were encouraged, and the choristers did not need telling twice, both the young and the not so young!
The choir arrived home on Monday 28th April, tired but full of stories and having had a fulfilling time away.
On Sunday 27th April, the Rev. Adam Pullen met with the Rev. Dr Sahr Yambasu in the Collegiate Church of St Mary the Virgin to mark the Sierra Leone Independence Day that same day. The Rev Dr Sahr Yamnasu is Methodist Minister for Waterford and Youghal and the Rev. Adam Pullen is the Honorary Chairperson of the Cork, Cloyne and Ross Council for Mission.
Although now ministering in Ireland, the Rev Dr Sahr is originally from Sierra Leone and ministered in the capital Freetown with his wife the Rev Clodagh Yambasu for many years, before moving to Ireland. The Rev. Clodagh Yambasu is now rector of Fermoy Union in the Diocese of Cork, Cloyne and Ross.
The diocese is working in partnership with Christian Aid, the Bishop’s Appeal and the Council of Churches in Sierra Leone to support the Mende people who have been displaced due to palm oil plantations.
The Rev. Sahr Yambasu and the Rev. Adam Pullen.
The Rev. Adam Pullen said:
We hold the people of Malen Sierra Leone in our prayers as they face challenges in their displacement and financial situation. God has given us a beautiful world with enough resources for everyone. We are sorry that in this world of plenty there are still many who go hungry while others have more than they need.
We pray that God may give us compassion to share with those in need and on this day we pray especially for the people of Malen in Sierra Leone, where many have been forced from their homes to make way for the production of palm oil. Through the support of the Council of Churches in Sierra Leone, we pray that their land may produce a harvest that will nourish and sustain them so that they can live in peace and security.
St Anne’s Church, Shandon, is delighted to announce that it has been awarded a Built Heritage Investment Scheme (BHIS) grant of €30,000. This funding will be used to restore the church’s front doors which are believed to be the original doors, which date back over 300 years.
The doors of St Anne’s are an iconic feature of this historic building, serving as a warm and welcoming entry point for worshippers, visitors, and the local community. Their restoration is a vital step in preserving the church’s heritage while ensuring it remains a vibrant and inviting space.
Rev. Meghan Farr, Priest in Charge at St Anne’s, expressed her gratitude for the grant and emphasised the significance of the doors:
The doors of St Anne’s Shandon have stood as a symbol of welcome and openness for over three centuries. They are not just a physical gateway but a reflection of our mission to embrace all who come through them. This restoration ensures that we can continue to extend that welcome for generations to come.
This restoration is part of a series of works identified in the Conservation Management Plan conducted last year, which was funded by the Community Monument Fund. The plan outlined key preservation and conservation needs for St Anne’s to ensure the longevity of this beloved landmark.
St Anne’s Shandon wishes to thank the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, and Cork City Council for their support through the BHIS grant. This funding plays an essential role in safeguarding our shared cultural heritage and maintaining the beauty of our historic buildings.
In addition, St Anne’s has recently been awarded €130,000 from the Community Monument Fund under the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. This generous funding will support Phase 1 works identified in the Conservation Management Plan, which include essential repairs to the timber and metal structures supporting the bells. These elements have begun to show signs of deterioration, and the work aims to stabilise them and prevent further decay—marking a crucial step forward in preserving the structural integrity and heritage of this historic site.
The Select Vestry of St Anne’s is deeply committed to the conservation of this historic church. Additional restoration and preservation works are planned in the coming months and years, guided by the Conservation Management Plan. However, the scope of future projects will depend on securing further grant funding and support through fundraising efforts.
These works will complement urgent repairs to the clock face and mechanism being carried out by Cork City Council, supported by a €250,000 grant awarded to the Council under the Historic Structures Fund. This is part of a broader commitment to revitalising the Shandon area through strategic investment in its rich architectural heritage.
St Anne’s will endeavour to keep the church and tower open to visitors during the conservation works whenever it is safe to do so, in accordance with the guidance of our conservation architect and in line with health and safety guidelines. Information on closings will be communicated through the church website and social media.
Work on the doors is expected to commence this week with updates provided to the community as the project progresses.
The entrance to the church has a pair of imposing historic timber doors, probably built of oak, which are likely to date from early 19th century or even late 18th century, if original. They have substantial iron hinges, brackets, fixing bolts and lockcase which appear also to be original.
The main structure, visible on the inner face of the doors, is of substantial horizontal oak boards in an oak frame.
The proposal is to locally repair the west door of St. Anne’s to halt decay of the fabric and maintain the security of the building.
All works shall be in line with best conservation practice, based on an understanding of the structure and historic building technologies. The repairs will leave a record of works done and will not be artificially aged or otherwise falsify the historical evidence.
The condition of the doors necessitates their removal in their entirety from the existing entrance and removal to joiner workshop for repair and its subsequent refitting.
This involves the careful dismounting, lowering and manual handling out of the building and removal off site. New secure weatherproof temporary screen doors will be provided to the opening while the doors are removed to permit the continued use of the church.
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