There was a Diocesan Come and Sing Choral Evensong on Saturday 19th October in St Fin Barre’s Cathedral, Cork. Around forty people took part, travelling from across the Diocese as well as from Limerick, and even Leicester in the UK! The event was led by Cathedral Director of Music, Peter Stobart with Matthew Breen, Assistant Director of Music, at the organ.
The music included Wood’s anthem Never weather-beaten sail and the canticles were Stanford in C, remembering him 100 years after his death. Peter Stobart said:
Once again we had a very enthusiastic group of singers this year. People enjoy the opportunity to sing with the cathedral organ in a larger building than they might normally be used to. For this reason I try to make sure that the hymns are popular, and we sang ‘Love divine’ and ‘Praise to the Lord, the almighty’, which both did the job magnificently. I think part of the attraction is also that the singers make new friends on the day and a cup of tea between the rehearsal and service helps this along!
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On Tuesday, 15th October, Cobh and Glanmire Union of Parishes hosted its first Table Quiz Fundraiser at the Radisson Blu Hotel & Spa in Little Island. Over 110 people attended, filling 27 tables, competing over 8 rounds of 10 questions each on subjects such as geography, music, a picture round, and general knowledge. Parishioner and Select Vestry Member Tony Stockley helped devise the questions, and also served as Quiz Master. In the end, the top 4 teams earned prizes. There was also a raffle, with prizes consisting of wine and spirits, gift vouchers, a chocolate bouquet, and other gift items.
The rector, Rev. Elise Hanley says:
The energy in the room was incredible, and it was great to see that so many people would still come out in bad weather for fellowship and a good cause! Folks seemed to have great fun. It was also so lovely that Dean Susan Green and members of Cloyne Union bought a table, and I know that members from Mallow Union and possibly other parishes took part. It is great that we can all support each other’s efforts.
The event raised over €2,500 and the parish is grateful for everyone’s support at both the Table Quiz, and the recently successful Autumn Fayre and Sale. They would also like to thank all of their generous sponsors, including The Radisson Blu Hotel & Spa (who donated both the space and raffle prizes), Ryan’s Supervalu, Monkey Maze Glanmire, The Barn Gastropub, Fitzpatrick’s Glounthaune, Hillside Nurseries, Care Plus Little Island, Centra Little Island , Pinocchio’s Toys & Gifts and Shirley’s Beauty Clinic, Glanmire.
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The Cork, Cloyne and Ross Annual Diocesan Schools’ Service was held again this year in St Peter’s Church, Bandon on Thursday, 10th October 2024. Every year, the Bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross, the Right Rev. Dr Paul Colton, invites all primary schools to Bandon to mark the beginning of the school year with this special service. This year, the service coincided with the Diocesan launch of the Liloma – Partnership in Hope with Sierra Leone project that was launched at Diocesan Synod in partnership with Christian Aid Ireland one week prior, and the service marked the schools’ launch of the project.
Bishop Colton led the service and he invited the Right Rev. Dr Sahr Yambasu, former President of the Methodist Church in Ireland, to answer questions about life in Sierra Leone, where Sahr grew up. Every school was able to ask their questions and Sahr made sure to answer as many of them as possible. Afterward all schools were gifted a flag of Sierra Leone to display in their school.
As part of the Diocesan Church Music scheme, two schools performed pieces at the service. Under the direction of Matthew Breen, the choir of St Mary’s National School, Carrigaline were singing “Shout to the Lord”, a new piece based on Psalm 100 composed by Peter Stobart especially for the service. The anthem “All ye badgers and hedgehogs”, was sung by the choir of Bandonbridge National School under the direction of Peter Stobart.
The service ended with the traditional ringing of all the school bells which the students brought with them.
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Over the past three months, the Diocese of Cork, Cloyne and Ross has reached over 1.2 million new people on social media.
@coficork on TikTok
The Diocesan Media Officer, Denise Stobart, says:
I am really delighted with the reach of our content on social media. Since August, we have reached 565k people on TikTok, 545k people on Facebook, and just over 100k on Instagram. Of course, Bishop Paul has really laid the foundation stone with his presence on social media and I am absolutely delighted to be working together with such a visionary. The Diocesan NewsBlog which he set up has now also had over 1.2 million visits, not to mentioned his various other social accounts.
Bishop Paul on Facebook
Looking at Bishop Paul’s recent Episcopal Visitation, our current parish records show that we have just over 3000 households in this Diocese, which is just over 7000 individuals. It is really a rather small Diocese. If you put that into context, having 1.2 million people online that are engaging with our content is absolutely mind blowing! And that is just the past three months.
Doing the communications in our Diocese has really shown me the importance of a social media presence. I’ve been engaging with a lot of people online that for a variety of personal or logistical reasons are not part of a parish or church community outside of social media. I think it is very important to remember that online engagement has become a huge aspect of people’s lives. The positive impact you can have is not limited to churches or parish fetes, and the feedback we get from our online community is very encouraging. That being said, there have been a number of people that have come to my local church saying “I saw you on TikTok and I thought I’d call in”.
I want to express my enormous gratitude to everyone in our Diocese who so faithfully engages with us in person and online. Also, a huge shoutout to all the clergy and parishioners who so patiently let me film them for content! It is a message of inclusion, community, faith and love that we’re trying to spread, and without you that would not be possible. It is the people who make the place!
The Diocese of Cork, Cloyne and Ross can be found on social media via the handle @coficork. Their content is Christian-themed, specifically from the Church of Ireland, with a quirky and informative angle. They focus on faith based education and community engagement, and their content often includes clergy and parishioners. Coficork adds a unique blend of faith and humour to social media, engaging with both believers and those curious about Christian traditions.
@coficork on Instagram
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Last week, on Saturday, 5th October 2024, the United Dioceses of Cork, Cloyne and Ross held their Diocesan Synod at Bandon Grammar School.
The day started with a celebration of the Holy Eucharist in the sports hall. Members of the choir of St Fin Barre’s Cathedral, Cork sang at the service, conducted by their Director of Music, Peter Stobart, and the hymns were accompanied by Assistant Director of Music, Matthew Breen.
After the Eucharist, everyone enjoyed refreshments in the school dining hall, before the Bishop, the Right Rev. Dr Paul Colton took the President’s Chair at 11am and officially started the Diocesan Synod. The Archdeacon of Cork, Cloyne and Ross, the Ven. Andrew Orr opened the proceedings with a reading and a prayer. The Diocesan Chancellor, Lyndon MacCann S.C. was nominated Assessor by the Bishop, a post which Mr MacCann has held now over twenty years.
The Principal of Bandon Grammar School, Niamh McShane, welcomed everyone for the day. The Bishop welcomed all the stall holders who travelled to Bandon, guests and new staff, which was followed by a review video of events and appointments from the past fifteen months. There was a minute’s silence for all those who had died since the last Diocesan Synod.
Peter Stobart was elected as lay representative to the Board of Education, John Buttimer was elected as lay representative to the Representative Church Body (RCB), and Melvin Beamish was elected as Diocesan Honorary Treasurer, a post to which he had been appointed at by the Diocesan Council.
The Bishop congratulated Keith Roberts on his retirement as chair of the RCB property committee, and Helen Arnopp on her appointment to the same.
Helen Arnopp, newly appointed Chair of the RCB Property Committee, and Keith Roberts, outgoing Chair of the RCB Property CommitteeHelen Arnopp and John Buttimer, current Diocesan Members of the Representative Church Body
Bishop Colton’s Presidential Address can be read here, after which everyone was encouraged to reflect upon the Presidential Address. Ruth Cooke from Christian Aid presented the Liloma Project, which helps dispossessed farmers living in poverty in Sierra Leone. The appeal aims to raise €30,000 over two years, and after the presentation the Bishop declared the project as officially launched.
After lunch, Dr Simon Woodworth shared impressions from the General Synod of the Church of Ireland 2024 in Armagh.
The report of Diocesan Council was proposed for consideration by the Rev. Meghan Farr, seconded by John Buttimer. In the discussion of Report of Diocesan Council, the Very Rev. Cliff Jeffers highlighted the work of Pioneer Ministry. Stephen Spillane offered appreciation for the support of the Working Group on Diversity and Inclusion and the Rev. Canon Elaine Murray stressed the pastoral need for blessings for LGBTQI+ couples. Dean Jeffers offered resources of the Safeguarding Support Group, and Dorothy Verplancke thanked the Diocesan Magazine committee and contributors for their work over the past year. Eunice Jeffers called for encouragement of potential church organists, especially in West Cork and Richard Godsil advocated for a parish exemption to Vacant Homes Tax.
During the discussions, Peter de Montfort advocated for supplemental replacement of absent members of Synod, and the assessor, Lyndon McCann spoke to this, pointing our that per constitution, only a permanent vacancy due to death or resignation allows for supplemental replacement. Change would require an amendment to the constitution at General Synod.
The Report of the Diocesan Council was unanimously adopted by Diocesan Synod, and Bishop Colton thanked every member of the Council for their work and commitment.
The reports of the Diocesan Board of Education and the Diocesan Education Committee were proposed to be considered, with thanks to all teachers, ancillary staff and Boards of Management. The Rev. Abigail Sines offered thanks from the Children and Family Ministry Group to all involved in parish-level work. Both reports were unanimously adopted by Diocesan Synod.
The Report of the Diocesan Youth Council and the Constitution of the Diocesan Council for Mission were also adopted unanimously.
The Rev. Adam Pullen was appointed as chair of Diocesan Council for Mission by Bishop Colton. Dr Simon Woodworth and Sarah-Louise Hockey were unanimously elected as lay members, and the Rev. Clodagh Yambasu and the Rev. Andrew Coleman were unanimously elected as clerical members.
During the latter half of the afternoon, Hilary Dring presented the work of the Mothers’ Union throughout the last year.
At the end of the Diocesan Synod, Bishop Colton offered his thanks to Melvin Beamish and everyone at Bandon Grammar School, as well as to the diocesan staff, Honorary Secretaries and Treasurers, the assessor, and all office-holders among the clergy. Special thanks were also given to Uwe Schiller for his work on the audio visuals, and the Rev. Canon Denis MacCarthy and Peter Stobart for their work during the morning worship.
Diocesan Synod closed with a hymn and blessing at 4.10pm.
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