Downpatrick Methodist Congregation is hosting a St Patrick's Day event from 10:30am to 5pm on March 17th. In addition to refreshments and an exhibition of photographs illuminating local Christian heritage, there will be a chance to test your local knowledge with quizzes and prizes.
Creation Care Network is a group that meets twice yearly to share ideas, problems and successes within the various groups or churches represented. Their next meeting will take place on March 19th in Glenvarna Christian Centre, 34a Ballynure Road, Newtownabbey, from 10am to 12noon. Anyone interested in creation care is welcome to come and discuss or just listen. Information, including details of the previous meeting, can be found on the Eco-congregation Ireland website ecocongregationireland.com/archives/5288
Continuing the care for creation theme, Earth hour also takes place on Saturday March 19th. Last year, a number of churches and faith communities in Ireland held candle-lit prayer vigils to mark Earth Hour – a global event where people turn off their lights for one hour to show they care about the planet. This year, individuals, families and communities are encouraged to switch off their lights from 8.30pm to 9.30pm. Churches and cathedrals are also invited to ring their bells at the start of Earth Hour to act as a clarion call for people to take action for the environment.
Methodist churches around the island will host events during Holy Week, often joining with other denominations, as events take place from Palm Sunday, March 20th to Easter Sunday, March 27th. One such week-long event, entitled Spring to Life, takes place in Sligo. The week will see daily events for people of all ages including a children's club, youth night, ladies' coffee morning, and a men's breakfast. There will also be a community Gospel evening, a prayer walk, a service of prayer for healing, visual presentations of the Easter events as well as Good Friday services and Easter Sunday services (including an early morning open-air beach service). Events are open to all and further details can be found on facebook.com/ springtolifesligo
The Easter Sunday radio broadcast on RTÉ will be from Mahon Methodist Church, Portadown, and will be led by Revd Ken Robinson.
Booking is now open for an Introduction to Pastoral Visiting course to be held in Edgehill Theological College Belfast. This five week introductory course, for all involved in visiting within their local congregations, takes place from 7pm-9pm starting on Thursday April 7th at a cost of £40. Sessions will explore the role of the pastoral visitor in the life of the local church, communication skills, good practice guidelines and self-care, the place of prayer in visiting and appropriate responses and resources for pastoral concerns. For further details and booking, email training@edgehillcollege.org