ISSUE 23 / JULY - SEPTEMBER 2014
4 1 ' r u o T h t i a F Fiinrindg istnorgies of faiteh,islliafendand Insp und th o r a m o r reality f
y: My Setosrmiled the “When h ened" op h e a ve n s
Exposaedlight on Shining on co r r u p t i
EDITORIAL
Are we there yet? he package deal of breath-taking landscapes and bad roads are not a problem when you have time on your hands. But when you are utterly exhausted and you’re late for your next appointment, the ring of Kerry is not where you want to be. Trust me. It was day four of the “Finding Faith Tour” and halfway between Bantry and Dingle, I wanted to give up. Mile after mile of switchback bends, traffic slowed to a crawl, my head aching, the clock ticking… No matter that every bend revealed another stunning vista of mountains and valleys, woodlands and lakes. No matter that clouds waltzed across an azure sky or that half hidden groves were draped in emerald velvet moss. All I wanted was for the journey to be over… to arrive magically at my destination, climb out of the car and gulp down a coffee. But life doesn’t work like that. No matter how we rage and rail, “I’ve had enough!” …still, the road goes on… and on… there are no short cuts. Eventually, I did arrive. I had that much-needed coffee and an inspiring chat with Maureen who lives in Dingle and when I hit the road again, for the two-hour stretch to Limerick, I was in a very different frame of mind; able to appreciate the Dingle Peninsula on a lovely sunny evening and to sing along (very loudly) to my favourite playlist.
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I AM NOT WHAT I OUGHT TO BE, I AM NOT WHAT I WANT TO BE, I AM NOT WHAT I HOPE TO BE IN ANOTHER WORLD; BUT STILL I AM NOT WHAT I ONCE USED TO BE, AND BY THE GRACE OF GOD I AM WHAT I AM. - JOHN NEWTON I’m amazed at how the picture of a journey so aptly illustrates our faith. The Bible talks about “walking” with God, the “path” of life, the “way” we should go and the narrow “road” that leads to life. And as you follow the stories of my trip around Ireland, and the remarkable, beautiful, ordinary people I met along the way, I hope you will be encouraged and inspired in your own journey! Whether the road is rough and steep or you are strolling through lush meadows, may you discover Christ as… the way that leads you, the truth that strengthens you and the life that restores you to life in Him! *
Ruth Garvey-Williams Editor (editor@vox.ie) * From the writings of St Ambrose
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RUTH'S FINDING FAITH TOUR 2014
JULY - SEPTEMBER 2014, ISSUE 23 ISSN: 2009-2253 P UBLI SHE R The VOX Team EDITOR Ruth Garvey-Williams editor@vox.ie OP ERATI ON S , A DV E RT I S I N G & LAY O U T Jonny Lindsay jonny@vox.ie P ROJEC T A DV I S OR Tom Slattery SUBSC RI P T I ON S Ireland & UK: Min. €7 for four issues Overseas: Min. €15 for four issues All cheques should be made payable to 'VOX Magazine'. V OX Mag a z ine Ulysses House 22 - 24 Foley Street Dublin 1 Tel: 01 443 4789 | info@vox.ie | www.vox.ie DI SC LA IME R
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FINDING FAITH ON A PILGRIM’S PATH
SHINING A LIGHT ON CORRUPTION
CONTENTS 16 12 34 26 36
COVER STORIES My Story: “When he smiled the heavens opened". Finding Faith Tour 2014 - inspiring stories of faith, life and reality from around the island. Exposed! Shining a light on corruption. A new campaign to combat a problem which damages the poorest people.
FEATURES AND INTERVIEWS Finding Faith on a pilgrim’s path. Patrick Mitchell walks St Finnbarr’s Way. Mercy, medicine and miracles - a consultant from Drogheda volunteers on board the Mercy Ships.
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Alpha Youth film series launched in Mullingar - new resource for sharing faith with young people.
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Let the adventures begin - a new children’s author launches a colourful series to re-tell Bible stories.
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VOX VIEWS Church bullying - opening our eyes to the darkness within. “Those who protect bullies… are without excuse.”
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REGULAR FEATURES VOX: Shorts
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VOX: World News Your VOX Profit from the Prophets
Confessions of a Feint Saint Reviews Event Lisitings VOX: PS with Seán Mullan
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VOX SHORTS
Is HIV still an issue in Ireland?
In recent years, there has been one new case of HIV almost every day in Ireland and the figure is rising significantly. Data from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (www.hpsc.ie) shows that in the first 22 weeks of 2014 there were 174 new cases of this preventable infection - that’s a 35% increase on the same period last year. Decades of education and awareness campaigns have failed to eradicate new infections. Recently Richard Carson, CEO of ACET Ireland, was among the first 12
HIV experts in Europe trained in 'Succeed', developed by Quality Action, the World Health Organisation approved agency tasked with improving quality in HIVprevention. At the training, Richard heard that, “we will not treat our way out of the pandemic.” Although treatment for HIV continues to improve, prevention must be the focus of the ongoing response.
Raising awareness of child trafficking
The Born2Fly Project is a strategic community awareness campaign that educates at-risk children and their parents about the dangers of child trafficking. More than 460 organisations in 65+ countries have registered to download the free anti-trafficking curriculum and other materials at www.born2fly.org.
Love is not an optional extra
Speaking at the opening session of the Presbyterian Church’s General Assembly, the new Moderator for Ireland, Dr Michael Barry, said, “We must show people that we love them more than we love ourselves.” Condemning recent racist attacks in Northern Ireland, he added, “We must never give the slightest comfort to those who would verbally or physically attack people they do not like. The Bible is very clear that we
Call for action on behalf of asylum seekers
Church leaders from across Ireland have co-signed a letter to the Minister of Justice asking her to reform the direct provision system for asylum seekers and requesting a meeting to discuss reforms. The signatories are Mervyn McCullagh (Irish Council of Churches), Nick Park (Evangelical Alliance of Ireland), Stephen Foster (Council on Social Responsibility, Methodist Church in Ireland), Richard Kerr (Race Relations Panel, Presbyterian Church in Ireland), Michael Jackson (Church of Ireland Archbishop of Dublin) and John McAreavey (Council of Justice & Peace of the Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference).
are to be loving and caring to all people. There are those who demand the right to march and those who demand the right to protest. But where does such behaviour take us when there is no respect for the other person? “The Lord Jesus told His followers to love their neighbour, and showed that our neighbour is everyone, not just our own folk. We cannot discriminate. We must not choose who we are going to love.”
Drive-through prayer?
We’ve had fast food… how about fast faith? Churches in American have copied the “drive-through” concept to offer prayer for people. Lancaster First Assembly of God launched their drive-through lane when an old drive-through bank building became vacant. Open every Thursday evening from 7 - 9pm, people pull up in their cars, share issues in their lives or specific requests for prayer and then volunteers from the church will pray with them. The whole process takes a few minutes. Supporters say the idea is helping to connect people to God who would not normally attend church and is helping those in need. Critics express concern about the individualistic and consumerist message of the drive-through. What do you think? Write to editor@vox.ie.
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VOX MAGAZINE
Bible manuscripts online
The Vatican Library and Bodleian Libraries at Oxford University are collaborating on a major project to digitise some of the world's oldest and rarest biblical manuscripts. The aim is to make 1.5 million pages of ancient texts, including Greek and Hebrew manuscripts, available online within the next three years.
Bethany Home Survivors welcome inquiry
In the autumn of 2010, VOX magazine reported on the tragic realities behind the Bethany Home (a Protestant evangelical home for unmarried mothers) and the long battle by survivors for their case to be reviewed alongside Catholic homes such as the Magdalene Laundries. After years of work, the Bethany Survivors finally erected a memorial to more than 220 babies who died at the Bethany Home and were buried in unmarked graves. And the group has welcomed news of an inquiry into mother and baby homes, which (for the first time) will include the Bethany Home. Niall Meehan of Griffith College Dublin, who discovered the Bethany Home graves in 2010, said, “After years of exclusion and rejection, it is good to be finally included. That said, [we] have a special duty to ensure that there is no more exclusion.” Niall has challenged the government to include all Catholic and Protestant mother and baby homes in the new inquiry. Nick Park, Executive Director of the Evangelical Alliance of Ireland said, "Revelations about abuses in Irish homes for mothers and children have horrified us. It is becoming obvious that such abuse was not confined to any one denomination or tradition. “Evangelical Christians should remember that Jesus spoke in the sternest possible terms against the heinous crime of harming even one single child. The protection of reputations must never hinder the pursuit of honesty and justice for all who were abused in any manner - be it sexual, physical, emotional or spiritual. I would urge anyone with information or records pertaining to such acts to share that information fully with the investigating authorities. “Where incidents of such past abuses are discovered that implicate members of our own theological tradition, then there is only one appropriate response for believers. We should be prepared to apologise unreservedly and to express our deep shame that anyone who professed to follow Christ should have ever behaved in such a manifestly unChristlike manner. “Children were not the only victims. Many women were ostracised, humiliated and shamed by those who, more than anyone else, should have demonstrated compassion and mercy. That was wrong and can never be justified or excused."
Good for business?
A new study comparing innovation and economic growth with restrictions on religion has suggested that religious freedom is good for business. Researchers from Georgetown University found that countries with high levels of religious hostility or restrictive governments were less likely to promote innovation and economic growth. Commenting on the findings, the Religious Freedom and Business Foundation said: "As the world navigates away from years of poor economic performance, religious freedom may be an unrecognised asset to economic recovery and growth."
How rich are you?
The rich are getting richer, according to Ireland’s “Rich List”. Dubliner Hilary West (71) and family (owners of the Penney’s / Primark Chain) top the list with an estimated wealth of €8.8 billion! But if you don’t make it onto the yearly roll call of the megawealthy be careful about any comparisons you make. Why not compare yourself with the rest of the world by logging onto www. globalrichlist.com - it only takes a minute and you might be shocked with the result.
Take a hike!
The Irish Christian Hillwalking Club brings Christians from various denominations together for fellowship and healthy outdoor pursuits. Hikes are organised on Saturdays and there are also occasional weekend events in Ireland and abroad. This summer, there are several walks planned in Wicklow. Check out www. irishchristianhillwalkingclub.com for more details.
JULY - SEP 2014 VOX
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WORLD NEWS
NEW GUIDE SHOWS PERSECUTION OF CHRISTIANS ON INCREASE WORLDWIDE
HOPE FOR THE FUTURE FROM GENOCIDE TO GENEROSITY
In Rwanda’s capital city of Kigali, Niall Barry, Executive Director of Team Hope, visited the the grave of over a quarter of a million Rwandans murdered twenty years ago. “Standing at the mass grave of 259,000 people is a truly numbing experience”, was his response. In the three months of April to June 1994, Rwanda saw over 800,000 of its people brutally murdered in 100 days of bloodshed - one of the worst genocides in history. Simmering tribal conflict boiled over in April 1994 when the plane carrying the presidents of Rwanda and neighbouring Burundi was shot down as it approached Kigali airport. Then within an hour, an unprecedented violence was unleashed across the country. No one was safe as neighbour turned against neighbour. Twenty years on, Rwanda is rebuilding but the scars of war still run deep. Standing at the mass grave Niall and Team Hope’s Rwandan partners agreed that only the immeasurable love of God could heal these scars. And today it is happening, as Rwandan Christians from different tribal backgrounds embrace one another, working together to bring about healing and forgiveness. To mark the 20th Anniversary of the Rwandan Genocide, Team Hope launched their 2014 Confirming Hope Project with 6th class children in schools around Ireland. Thousands of children responded by donating some of their confirmation money to help build a school in one of Kigali’s poorest areas. The new school is enabling children to emerge from the darkness of the past and give them a hope for the future. Today, Fruits of Hope Academy is flourishing, thanks to Irish children who want to make a difference for the future of children in Rwanda.
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Persecution of Christians for their religious beliefs is on the rise around the world. Sixty countries are listed in the newly-published Church in Chains Global Guide, compared with 52 in the first edition (published in 2008). Six of the countries listed in the Global Guide for the first time are from Sub-Saharan Africa, where persecution is mainly caused by armed Islamic terrorist groups. One major source of persecution is violent religious extremism (for example by Hindus in India, Buddhists in Sri Lanka and Muslims in Nigeria and Somalia). Another source of persecution is repressive totalitarian governments (in countries such as North Korea, Eritrea and Uzbekistan). The Global Guide is divided into geographical sections and categorises each country according to the level of persecution – severe, significant and limited. In the 17 countries in the severe category (including North Korea, Iran, Eritrea, and Saudi Arabia), many or all Christians face ongoing severe persecution. There are 24 countries in the significant category (including Egypt, India, China and Indonesia) where some, but not all, Christians face significant restrictions on practising their faith. Christians in some areas may also face violent attacks. Christians living in the 19 countries in the limited category (including Turkey, Mexico, Bangladesh and Malaysia) are permitted to meet together but some churches and individuals face restrictions from the state and/or society. Contact the Church in Chains office in Dublin (Email: info@ churchinchains.ie or phone 01-282 5393) to obtain your free copy of the Global Guide.
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Belgium has become the first country in the world to allow child euthanasia without any age limit. The parliament passed a bill in mid-February and King Philippe signed the bill into law in early March. Concern continues for the Sudanese mother sentenced to death when she refused to renounce her Christian faith. BREAKING NEWS: As we went to press, early reports suggested the Sudanese woman sentence to death for apostacy had been released. For accurate news on this case, visit www.churchinchains.ie. The largest people group without even Scripture portions in their primary language is the Jin Chinese of China, population 62 million (source The Joshua Project).
An Irish Association of Christian Counsellors Workshop
The Irish Association of Christian Counsellors
Talking w i th Bereave d People
OUR VISION IS TO PROVIDE TRAINING AND ACCREDITATION FOR CHRISTIAN COUNSELLING IN IRELAND SO THAT PEOPLE CAN RECEIVE CHRISTIAN COUNSELLING THAT IS PROFESSIONAL AND CARING. Upcoming events:
An Approach for Structured and Sat 23rd March “Meeting the Suicide Risk” - Heather Moore, Sensitive Communication from 10am - 2pm The Riasc Centre, Swords. With Dodie Graves Booking forms: www.iacc.ie
connecting for life....
“The Encouragement Course” - Linda Wagner and Mary Ann Steffy coming soon in Swords area Contact: Linda Wagner 2976094 Saturday, October 4th- 087 2014
10 am- Andrea to 3 pm “Listening with the Heart” Wigglesworth and Vicky McEvoy 6 days, 25th - 27th April and 23rd - 25th May, €30 members €40 non-members The Vineyard Church, Carrickfergus Venue: The Riascforms: Centre, Swords, Co. Dublin Booking www.vitalconnexions.net “Diploma in Christian Counselling” - Vital Connexions Professional 2 year part time course starts again October 2013 (Dublin and Belfast) The day will commence with a presentation of in a brief overview of Bereavement Counselling, from the 20th century to current thinking around grief theories Booking forms: www.vitalconnexions.netand how to deal with bereavement issues. There have been significant changes in counselling approaches to bereavement over the years based on these theories, and we will Christian Counselling Centres around Ireland: examine how they influence our current practice.
Bellweather Dublin - 018749676 There will be some experiential work andCentre, a presentation of the author’s own approach as set forward in her book. She will also look at some guidelines for working with more Oasis Counselling Service, Ballyfermot - 01 6268519 complicated grief. Oasis Counselling Service, Tallaght - 014620012 www.oasiscounselling.net
Dodie has 15 years experience as a counsellor and currently works as bereavement For center otherinChristian coordinator for a Hospice the UK. Counsellors around Ireland
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YOUR VOX
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of VOX we In each issue all of a €25 One4 ize pr a d ar aw r. tte le ite ur r favo voucher for ou u! It could be yo
Caring for the prisoners Thank you for your excellent feature on prison and justice in your last issue (Apr - Jun 2014). Jesus was passionate about prisoners and we can understand His words, “I was in prison and you came to visit me” in a broad way. There are people who are prisoners in their own home, in their own minds and bodies or prisoners of addiction. But, talking literally, where is our care for the thousands who are in prison cells? Recently, I spoke to an ex prisoner who said that a personal letter to someone who has been jailed can mean the world to them. There are many who never hear a word from anyone or ever receive visits. They become forgotten people.
SOMETHING TO PONDER
I much enjoyed Ken Gibson's unusual observations on the clothes Jesus wore in your last issue (April - June 2014). He made some interesting comments; especially the one about Jesus' cloak being of a seamless nature in accordance with Leviticus 21, where the High Priest is commanded to wear a seamless robe. I had never noticed that before! His other observation, which caught my eye was that of the head cloth still lying in its place separate from Jesus' main linen grave garment. I had always understood
I was shocked to read the statistics: a person in prison costs the state over €65,000 a year and nearly half of those will reoffend. Surely, with a more forward-looking approach, money can be invested into this Restorative Justice system, which is far more humane and Christian. It was encouraging to hear through VOX about the pilot project in Wheatfield prison and the work done by Prison Fellowship and Thuas. ANNA NEDERVEEN BUNCRANA, CO. DONEGAL
this to indicate that Jesus had risen through his grave cloths and not that an angel had come and removed the head cloth. Ken's comment that Jesus was buried in grave clothes but appeared on the road to Emmaus in normal clothes gives food for surmise and speculation to keep a Bible Study Group going for weeks. DAVID MCCABE BLACKROCK, CO. DUBLIN
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VOX JUL - SEP 2014
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FINDING FAITH
...worship BY RUTH GARVEY-WILLIAMS
How do you worship? In Bible times, David danced before the Lord with all his might, Jehoshaphat bowed with his face to the ground, Mary poured perfume on Jesus’ feet and Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns at midnight! Around the country, churches are creating different opportunities for people to worship God. Here are just two of many examples we encountered!
THE CHURCH HALL IS SET OUT “CAFE STYLE” WITH PEOPLE SITTING AROUND TABLES DECORATED WITH BEAUTIFUL TABLECLOTHS AND FLOWERS.
Cafe Church “Have I come to the right place? People are smiling!” Walking into the new Church of Ireland service on the Braniel housing estate, in East Belfast, one man could not believe what he was experiencing. The church had been on the point of closing, when Bishop Harold Miller invited Susan Mc Farland and a small team to start something new. Each Sunday, the church hall is set out “café style” with people sitting around tables decorated with beautiful tablecloths and flowers, drinking tea and coffee. “It is kind of relaxed,” shares Susan Mc Farland who leads the new church. “A normal service starts with a song and includes prayers and readings, an interactive Bible message and finishes with a song. We run from 11.30 to 12.15 but there is always time to talk afterwards.
“One week a family that provides respite foster care brought a young girl to church and she wanted to sing. So we invited her to sing. You might not be able to do that in a bigger church but for us it was a case of… ‘Why not?’” The man who came to the very first café church has come regularly ever since. “I miss it when I don’t come,” he admits. “There is something about here…” New people from the estate have started to come in, including one lady who recently gave her life to Jesus. Another family began to come and quickly offered to help out at the weekly youth club. Recently, the father told Susan he had decided to take part in an Alpha Course. “I have everything - a family, a nice house and a nice car - but there is something missing. I want to find out more and I’m really searching,” he said.
Messy Church! In Clonakilty and Skibbereen in West Cork, Raymond Ruttle helps to run monthly all-age worship services. Based on the idea of “Messy Church” (see www.messychurch.org.uk) these events provide creative and interactive ways of worshipping God. “There is something for everyone,” explains Raymond, who is a Children’s Ministry worker with the Methodist Church in Ireland. “One family comes with a small baby and a little boy who just wants to run around all the time. During a normal church service, he would hate it and the rest of the family would be stressed.”
Messy Church is designed to be a safe place for the whole family to worship and learn together. Crafts or creative activities, games, action songs, creative prayer ideas, drama, artistic expression, discussions and Bible stories can all form part of the programme that is varied and different every month. On one occasion, families made bread together - and then explored what the Bible has to say about bread! The Messy Church events do not replace the usual Sunday services but they attract families from different churches as well as people who don’t usually go to church. “It is exciting to be part of it,” Raymond says.
MESSY CHURCH IS DESIGNED TO BE A SAFE PLACE FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY TO WORSHIP AND LEARN TOGETHER. 12
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FINDING FAITH
...standing together BY RUTH GARVEY-WILLIAMS
One of the major themes from our 2013 tour was a hunger and desire for greater unity among Christians in Ireland. This year, we had the opportunity to see first hand how many churches are actively working together - promoting unity and understanding and responding to the needs of their communities. Here are a few examples:
Christian Voices Together Mullingar, Co. Westmeath “Being involved in Christian Voices Together has been one of the most rewarding experiences of church unity I’ve ever experienced. It is a real honour and I feel humbled to be part of this group,” Pastor Arun Kumar, Mullingar Christian Fellowship. Christian Voices Together (CVT) was born when Christians from across traditional denominational divides came together in Mullingar in January 2011. Identifying the needs in their community, CVT inspired united prayer and practical action built on a foundation of relationship. “Because of the lack of communication, we were strangers to each other. Now, we greet each other by name,” shared Fr Richard Matthews. Unity of relationship did not deny the differences between them but the Mullingar leaders chose to honour and respect one another, to pray together and to start a journey to see what God was saying to their community. Recognising that a united voice could not be so readily dismissed, CVT wrote a joint letter to local TDs at the time of the abortion issue. “There is a lot that we can agree on,” Pastor Arun shared. “When Christians start praying together, we are able to understand God’s heart and mind for the community.” “We can be too focused on ‘church-i-anity’,” explained Fr John Nally. “Real Christianity is mission focused and led by the Spirit of God.” “One evidence for the work of the Holy Spirit is when we don’t come together as representatives of a particular church, with all the baggage that entails, but instead as people who want to move forward together,” added Fr Tom Gilroy.
Easter Sunrise Service - Waterford As the sun rose on Easter Sunday morning, around 80 Christians from different churches in Waterford City gathered at the top of a hill in the nature park to pray and sing songs of worship. Pastor Nathaniel Ademoye from the Redeemed Christian Church of God in Waterford is passionate about seeking unity. “There was a new leader in the Church of Ireland and we wanted to do something together. It was good to stand looking out over the city and pray together. “I personally will endeavour to reach out to as many churches as possible. That is what the body of Christ is meant for. To do the work we need to do, the church needs to come together. The focus is on prayer! The Lord is already nudging us along that path.”
The Grace Centre - Clonakilty, Co Cork When social worker Patricia O’Callaghan had the vision to set up an affordable counselling centre, Christians from across Clonakilty united to help make it happen. “At the time, I had started a Christian counselling course with Vital Connections so six of us came together to pray,” shared Sylvia Helen. “Somebody was visiting and heard about what we wanted to do. He offered us an interest free loan of €10,000 and so we set up the Grace Centre in 2005.” Run with a Christian ethos, the centre provides a counselling service and a wide range of positive activities within the community from active retirement to mums and toddlers and from the regular men’s breakfast to popular keep fit classes. The local Mountain of Fire church uses the centre for its Sunday services and churches from across the community have united to run an Alpha Course there as well. JULY - SEP 2014 VOX
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FINDING FAITH
...in the storm BY RUTH GARVEY-WILLIAMS
SOMETIMES, I THINK PEOPLE ARE UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT JUST BECAUSE WE ARE CHRISTIANS, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A PERFECT LIFE.
Cancer: “God is your answer, not your problem.” Paul and Donna celebrated their 11th wedding anniversary a few weeks ago - and there was a lot to celebrate! Paul had just received the all clear after a long and painful journey with cancer. Diagnosed in August 2012, he endured two major surgeries and six months of chemotherapy. As a husband, father and one of the ministers at GF church in Dundalk, the diagnosis was a challenge.
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the car! God was there for us every step of the way and we saw His goodness in so many ways through our friends. There were times when we felt discouraged but then people would text or write something that lifted us.
HOW DID YOU REACT? Paul: Right from the start we made up our mind that we were going to trust God. We live in a broken world but, for me, God is not the cause of those problems. He is our answer. We knew there would be hard days ahead but we decided that we were going to praise Him every day. Sometimes we had to do that in tears but praise was our strength. I just had an image in my head of Jesus with open arms and I saw myself running and jumping into those arms! Donna: Sometimes, I think people are under the impression that just because we are Christians, we are going to have a perfect life. We live in a broken world so these things are going to happen - not just cancer but financial problems, relationship problems - we are going to face these things but the question is, how we face them.
DONNA, WHAT WAS IT LIKE FOR YOU AS PAUL’S WIFE? Donna: It was very, very hard seeing him so sick. You are watching the love of your life going through something and there is nothing you can do. Just waiting for five hours while he was in surgery felt like an eternity! Paul is a laid back kind of guy and makes me laugh every single day. I missed the laughter in the house and having him wind me up. Sunday was hard when he could not get out of bed. I missed him coming to church with me and holding my hand. Sometimes, I would put on my favourite worship songs. Or somebody would text me at just the right time - that meant the world to me. I remember one time getting bad news from the doctor. I sat there in the office and my legs started to shake. I thought, "I can’t believe what I’m hearing." But within five minutes the peace of God came over me and God said to me, “It is going to be alright.”
WHAT DIFFERENCE DID IT MAKE TO BE PART OF A CHURCH AT THAT TIME? Paul: Because I was so weak with chemotherapy, we had so many friends that basically did everything for us. When we needed it, they were there to cut the grass, make food, pick up the kids, mind our kids, fix leaks or fix
WHAT HAS BEEN THE MOST DIFFICULT THING? Paul: The hardest thing for me was not being able to give the kids the attention I would normally give them. They understood that I was sick but they were too young to know what was going on. Donna: Tyler is
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very close to his dad, so he missed playing with daddy. One day, Paul came home from chemo. As we pulled up, the children asked to play outside for a few minutes more. Once we got inside, Paul took a bad turn - a reaction to the chemo - but the kids never saw any of it because they were out playing in the sunshine. I believe that was God protecting them. WHAT MADE THE DIFFERENCE FOR YOU IN THE MIDDLE OF YOUR STORM? Paul: I’ve been thinking about this. Firstly, it was being real and honest with God. He already knows and understands! He was our comfort. It was so important to know that God was the answer, not the problem and to have a firm foundation on Jesus and His word. We needed to receive new strength and grace from God each day and to praise Him continually. And it also helped to see the end from the beginning. Storms don’t last forever! HOW DO YOU FEEL LOOKING TOWARDS THE FUTURE? Paul: To this day, I’ve never seen myself as a cancer victim. I see myself as a child of God. In March, they gave me the all clear. It is nice to be out the other side, to be dreaming again and to be back doing what we love. We are looking to the future with expectancy and believing that we are better equipped to help others as well. Donna: You just want to hear those words [all clear]. At the end of the day, we are still normal people and you have all the same feelings and emotions! Online bonus: Donna loves to write poetry to help her express her love for God. Visit www.vox.ie/poems to read the poem she wrote during Paul’s illness.
Alzheimer’s - “Out of something that seemed like the most appalling thing, something good has come.” In 1968, Alan and Margaret Barker moved from England to Sligo together with their three children believing God had called them to work in the West of Ireland. Eventually, they started Sligo Baptist church. Growing up in the Baptist church, Margaret’s granddaughter Deborah Davitt remembers the Sunday worship services in the church, which was the converted garage in her grandparents' house. “On some Sundays, you could smell the roast dinner through the door of the church because granny had the roast in.” In the early 1990s, Alan Barker began to deteriorate with Alzheimer’s and his illness rocked the whole family. “In our day there was nothing [no support or respite],” Margaret shared. “I used to spend a lot of my time crying.” Eventually, Alan was taken into hospital. “It was tough visiting him everyday with no conversation. Soon the staff in the hospital knew all the hymns in the hymnbook because he would relax when we sang to him. “He did not recognise the children or grandchildren. One day, he saw Deborah and asked, ‘Who is that young fella?’ He never called her by her name again.” Eventually, Alan died in 1997. “At first, I felt bitter,” Margaret admitted. “Alan loved people and he worked for the Lord. People say ‘Why me?’ and that is how I felt. Then I thought, ‘Why not me?’ That gave me thoughts of working to help people with Alzheimer’s. We formed a small committee to start a day care and respite centre.” A nurse who had nursed Alan told them about an old school just outside Sligo. They began paying €25 a week rent to use the facility. Eventually, they bought the school and the house next door (which used to be the teachers house) and they are now in the throws of extending! “We donated a mini bus that we use to collect the clients and bring them in - one group for 10am and the next group for 11am. They have a cup of tea and toast or a biscuit. Then they have a newspaper reading session and do a crossword together - one or two will know the answers. They have lunch together (provided by St John’s) and then after lunch a cup of tea and a singsong in the sitting room. “Sometimes people need a shower because their carer at home can’t manage that on their own. We even wash their clothes and do their hair. Out of something that seemed like the most appalling thing, something good has come.” For Deborah, watching her grandfather’s illness rocked her faith. “I had gone away to college. On the times we came home, he seemed to be so changed each time. I was home that summer and I asked to spend a bit more time with him. I was reading Timothy which says remember what you have been taught and who taught it to you - that was still the man who loved us and taught us about faith. You look at a physical body and think, ‘That is not the person I remember.’” When Alan died, Deborah was really angry. “He had given up so much. For a while, I really struggled. I couldn’t understand why God had taken away this wonderful man. “That went on for several years. I was at college in Coleraine and finally a friend said, ‘You and God need to sort this out.’ So one Sunday morning, I went to church and heard Ken Clarke speaking. He held up one piece from a 1000 piece jigsaw and asked, ‘Can you tell from this piece what the picture looks like? Right now my life is like this jigsaw piece. I don’t know where it fits. My life is meant to fit into a bigger picture. Our creator can see all of the 1000 pieces!’ “I realised I had been carrying around that anger and it wasn’t doing anybody any good. I had to let it go. It was a real time of being drawn back to God.” To find out more about services for Alzheimer’s patients in Ireland, visit www.alzheimer.ie.
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Cancer: “You are never prepared for something like that. But it has been a wonderful opportunity.” Dean and Julia Langley from America moved to Nenagh in County Tipperary to work alongside the leaders of Nenagh Baptist Church. The couple loved the adventure of working in the church and gradually making friends in their local community. Then last year, Dean was diagnosed with cancer in his leg and they were bowled over by the love and support they received from their neighbours in Nenagh! “I started noticing a lump on my calf and my foot started going numb,” Dean shared. “Eventually we found out it is a rare type of cancer. I had surgery followed by radiation treatments at St Luke’s Hospital in Dublin. “I remember going in for surgery really early in the morning and thinking, ‘This is a door I don’t want to walk through.’ It felt like I was going in kicking and screaming. “Obviously, you are not alone - God brings comfort! What Jesus did was not easy and sometimes our journey is not easy either. It is an opportunity to identify with Him. “You are never prepared for something like that but it has been a wonderful opportunity,” Dean said. “So many from the community have been calling in on us to offer help and support.” Julia is amazed at the number of people she has met who have also faced cancer. “People have lots of stories to tell but a lot of times you won’t hear them until you are in that situation. Last night, at my knitting group a lady started sharing what had happened to her during treatment. She had not talked to anyone else in the group but she felt comfortable talking to me because I understood.” Dean is still walking on crutches and facing the long climb back to strength but there is a quiet joy about him. He has found faith in the storm!
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Divorce: “ It was incredibly hard but I never felt alone.” The last year has been a time of new beginnings for Maureen who lives in Dingle, County Kerry. But this exciting new season has been born out of heartbreak. Here is her story: Last year, my husband Brian told me he wanted out and we had to sell our house. My life as I knew it was over - 10 ½ years of marriage gone in an instant. With no home and no job, I didn’t know what I was going to do! Amazingly, the house sold right away. It was like a whirlwind. I really loved my husband but he never understood my relationship with the Lord. I felt like one of those Christians who drew the fish symbol in the dirt, being ridiculed for my faith. A lot of times, I was hiding my light. The separation was incredibly hard. I cried and I was really sad but, by the same token, there was a real feeling of freedom. I never felt alone; I could always feel God’s presence and His peace. It was at exactly that time when Dingle Christian Fellowship started, with the support of the Irish Methodist Church. We meet on a Sunday night once a month and for a Bible study as well and we are growing slowly.
The first night we met together, I sat there with tears streaming down my face. It seemed unthinkable that we were worshipping here [in Dingle], praying for our neighbours and having that fellowship together. For people here on the peninsula, it can be hard to find a place to meet and grow closer to the Lord. I know from all those years of living here that not having fellowship makes you feel you are on a desert journey all by yourself. When I moved out of our home, a friend invited me to stay with her. It was a safe place for those first few months. Then another friend asked me to be caretaker for his house with a life-lease. It needs a lot of work but it is my new home! We had our first Bible study in that house, sitting around the painters’ table and using our phones as torches! I was also able to start my new business - a Christmas gift and souvenir shop called “The Dingle Elf ”. It was super terrifying when I took over the lease. Over this last year, I feel like God comforted me even in the times when I was scared. It has been quite a journey but I love my little shop, my new home and my church!
PROFIT THE PROPHETS FROM
SIMPLICITY after COMPLEXITY BY WARREN NELSON
ny reading of any book on theology will throw up big words and convoluted sentences. Somehow, we like to have subordinate clauses, ifs, buts and maybes, because they give us enough wiggle room to avoid the clear demands of Scripture. Public or private sins can be hidden behind grammatical subtleties. Not so with the prophets! Though they didn’t use the exact phrase, they certainly “called a spade, a spade”. Lasting truths about God and man, about sin and righteousness were proclaimed in pictures drawn from homely agricultural practices. Individually and nationally, we sow the wind and reap the whirlwind (Hosea 8:7), we sow much (electronically!) and reap little (Haggai 1:6). It takes real skill, and all the hallmarks of inspiration, to speak of divinity in terms of figs, thorns or ploughs, this is simplicity beyond complexity. The prophets also drew their great lessons from the animal world. The roar of the lion (Amos 3:8), the springing
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feet of the deer (Habakkuk 3:19) and the angry bear (Hosea 13:8) all gave clear imagery of spiritual realities. They looked around them and saw the eternal in the everyday. And because they did it so artistically, it sticks in the memory. In one verse alone, one of the prophets paints from a palette of mist, dew, chaff and smoke in order to convey his meaning - take a look at Hosea 13! The prophets used the same approach as Jesus. He didn’t discuss “the doctrine of election as set out in Deuteronomy,” he spoke of a hen and her chicks or of a man sowing seed. He didn’t argue about, “stages in a reception of the Spirit,” he spoke of wineskins bursting. Not for him, “relative horizons of law observance,” he told us of a man with a piece of three by two in his eye trying to locate a speck of sawdust in somebody else’s eye! We can write in multi-syllables, pile up footnotes, hide behind lexicology and get a PhD, but if we want to be heard and understood in the market place, we need to go to the old firm of Amos, Hosea, Haggai and Co. Communication Solutions.
CONFESSIONS OF A FEINT SAINT
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I’m on my way... By Annmarie Miles y VOX column usually comes easy to me. I look at the theme of the upcoming edition, have a think about it for a day or sometimes even just an hour, and off I go… But this one has been hard to write. Actually, you’re fortunate to be reading it at all, as I was more than usually late sending it in. (Apols to the VOX team.) You see, I was going for chirpy cheery. That’s what the Feint Saint has always been about - the light-hearted, upbeat piece that hopefully gives you a giggle or at the very least a smile. But after starting this about 20 times and scrunching it up, only to start again, I had to stop trying. I did wonder if I should give it a miss this edition – suggest that they put a photo of cat wearing sunglasses where the column should be. The problem is that I’m not back yet. I’m on my way, but I’m still journeying back to where I was. I’ve had a really painful and difficult few months and the road back from there is long and slow. I think the reason I was trying to force myself to appear “back to normal” is that I felt it was a sign of being beaten. A sign that I’m getting old and tired and I just have no more fight in me. No more energy to pretend. On reflection, though, I wonder (and hope) that it might be a sign of maturity. I’ve learned that I have to take my time and be honest about who I am and where I am. What I do know is that I’m on my way; better than I was yesterday… and looking forward to tomorrow. One of my favourite songs has a chorus that says:
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"I’m on my way, but I’m still journeying back to where I was."
Lord, lead us through the wilderness, we trust that you’ll provide Be our cloud by day and our fire by night, and when we reach the other side We’ll look back, and all we’ll see is your goodness. It has been true for me in the past and will be again. So I’ll see you on the other side. :) Ax
Annmarie Miles is originally from Tallaght, now living in Kilcullen, Co. Kildare. She is married to Richard from Wales. She spends her days writing, teaching and talking. Her first collection of short stories, 'The Long & The Short of It' is available in all formats at www.emuink. ie (Fiction Section) and also in Footprints in Dun Laoghaire. JULY - SEP 2014 VOX
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FINDING FAITH
...transformed lives! BY RUTH GARVEY-WILLIAMS
Lynn’s Story - Westport, Co. Mayo
Micah’s Story - Waterford
Lynn Maloney has tears in her eyes as she shares, “Jesus means everything to me. He took a wretch like me and transformed my life beyond my wildest dreams. I was useless and now I’m useful. I have a wonderful husband (Paul) and friends who love me. Jesus gave me new life. He took me from a place of the walking dead to walking in freedom. He gave me a new identity - now I know who I am. I was so totally alone in the world, now I am a daughter of the king of kings, holy and without blemish. To go from a place where I was declared an unfit mother to having two boys who tell me they love me is a miracle.” Lynn’s story is traumatic! Domestic violence and drug addiction, eventually led to homelessness and prostitution on the streets of London. “My children were taken away from me and I was considered ‘unemployable’,” she explains. “The first time I heard the Gospel was from a woman called Diane Martin. She used to come out onto the street and give us a cup of tea and a hug. She told us, ‘Jesus loves you.’ It was so long since I had experienced love from anyone so that was massive. It proved the turning point in my life. “I came to Ireland knowing that my sins had been forgiven and that God loved me. Yet at the same time, I was full of shame. I felt that if people in the church knew who I really was, they wouldn’t want me.” Lynn was diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder. Through a programme called “Fresh Start”, she went through a process of dealing with the past. “God has been healing and restoring my life. I now manage the Amazing Grace church’s charity shop here in Westport.” Working in the charity shop has given Lynn an opportunity to reach out to other people who are hurting and broken. “You don’t just get to pray for the community, you get to serve them and to know them. I remember one day when a woman walked in and stood in the middle of the shop. She said, ‘I need a black coat because my daughter has just died.’ All I could do was put my arms around her and hold her. We found a whole outfit and gave it to her. “After some time this woman came back and volunteered at the charity shop. She says it has helped her get through this loss. She feels safe and loved.” Recently, Lynn has started a new ministry in the West of Ireland raising awareness of sexual exploitation and human trafficking. “I’ve called this ministry ‘treasured’ because man says these women are ‘useless hookers’ but God say they are His treasured children.” Lynn hopes to run workshops to raise awareness of human trafficking and help to change mindsets towards women caught in prostitution. “People don’t think this is happening in the rural communities but sexual exploitation is going on in every major town and city in Ireland.”
In 1986, Micah was living in Lagos in Nigeria and sharing a rented house with a friend. A Christian friend came to visit Micah’s housemate, when he was not around. Instead, the man came inside to leave a note and asked Micah, “Can I share the word of God with you?” Micah said, “No, don’t bother with that. Just go.” But when he persisted, Micah reluctantly agreed to hear him out. “When he was talking to me, I was mocking him and saying it did not matter. But after he left, in the middle of the night, I started thinking about what he said and suddenly I found myself crying. “This Christian had invited me to go to his church there in Lagos. So I went along and that was the beginning of my story. The Lord met me on that day and ever since then I have been following Christ. “Jesus is my saviour and my Lord. He has regenerated my life. Now, I see myself as an ambassador of Christ wherever I go. Sometimes we pass through situations in life and the journey is tough and difficult, yet when I read Romans 8: 35, I know that nothing can separate us from the love of God. There is no going back!”
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HE TOOK A WRETCH LIKE ME AND TRANSFORMED MY LIFE BEYOND MY WILDEST DREAMS.
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I WENT TO SLEEP THINKING I WAS DYING, SO I WAS SURPRISED TO WAKE UP THE NEXT MORNING FEELING GREAT.
Edith’s Story - Westport, Co. Mayo Born in Dublin, Edith Fitzgerald remembers sharing a bedroom with her mother, who was suffering terribly with rheumatoid arthritis. “She suffered so much,” Edith shared. “I remember her crying out in pain. She died very young.” Edith moved to Germany where she met her husband. After losing three children, she finally had a son who was diagnosed with autism. Five years later her daughter was born. “I had this terrible fear of contracting the same illness as my mother and it seemed like a self-fulfilling prophecy. When my daughter was three, I developed rheumatoid arthritis and soon, I could barely walk." The disease took a turn for the worse when Edith developed a rare complication called Felty’s Syndrome. Her immune system collapsed and she had to undergo chemotherapy treatment. A couple of years later, Edith’s whole system collapsed and she was taken into isolation in hospital. “The only thing I could see through the dormer window was a huge cross on top of a church,” Edith said. “I remember lying staring at that amazing cross against the beautiful blue January sky. The nurses told me I had developed septicaemia and suggested I should write letters to my children - they thought I would not live.
“I started crying out to Jesus, ‘Just take me. I don’t care. I would prefer to die than to live the life my mother lived.’ I fell into a deep sleep and when I woke up in the middle of the night, I saw that cross right in the middle of the room, shining brightly. It was very real and I felt an incredible sense of peace come over me. I went to sleep thinking I was dying, so I was surprised to wake up the next morning feeling great. “The following day, the doctor raced in and told me my white cells were coming back. Within two weeks, I was out of hospital. I could walk and I had no pain in my legs. From that point on, I kept searching for that peace I had experienced but I couldn’t find it. I began to wonder if that feeling was just a mirage." Back in Ireland, years later, Edith was feeling desperate when she passed a hotel in Westport and heard music coming from downstairs. “I decided to take a look. By the time that meeting was over, I knew that I was meant to be there. I gave my life to the Lord and I remember receiving the Holy Spirit and feeling that exact same sense of peace I had experienced all those years before.” Today, Edith loves to go for long walks in the countryside, remembering a time when she could not walk at all. “Jesus is my constant companion, my constant strength,” she smiles.
Margaret’s Story - Carrickfinn, Co. Donegal The Boyd family has farmed the land on the island of Carrickfinn for 300 years. Now joined to the mainland by a causeway, Carrickfinn is right next to Donegal airport. This is the heart of the Donegal Gaeltacht. “My grandparent would have been fluent Irish speakers,” Margaret says. The family is part of the small local Church of Ireland congregation, which meets in a building that started life as a coast guard station and then a school before it was converted into a church in the 1850s. “My parents were Christians and we were brought up to believe in God. My faith meant a lot when I went off to university to Galway. I wasn’t used to being away from home. You can rely on your parents’ faith and there comes a day when you have to decide if it is yours. “Jesus means everything to me,” Margaret shares with a soft smile. “I believe He died for me and rose again. My faith means everything to me and I try to live it out in the community. “There have been times of troubles in our family. I don’t feel those have tested my faith but they have made me stronger. We had a nephew and grand nephew die at a young age of cancer and heart problems. I think without faith I would find it very difficult. “I taught Physics and Maths until I retired. It might seem like an odd combination! Some people say, ‘Don’t you find that science and your faith don’t agree with each other?’ but the more I learnt about science, the more I came to believe that God had a hand in it.”
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James’ Story - Dungarvan, Co. Waterford James Flavin was playing for Dungarvan Rugby club when he bumped into an American called Jason. “I could see there was something different about him - the way he talked and carried himself. He talked about his church and I could see he was passionate about it. I had a lot of questions but he had the patience to keep answering my questions. At times, he probably wanted to tell me to get lost because I tried to test him out. He used to say, ‘Let’s look at what the Bible says about that.’ That intrigued me. “Eventually after four or five months I asked if I could come to church with him. It shocked me because I wasn’t used to seeing people celebrating with tears in their eyes and smiles on their faces. They seemed happy to be in church. It intrigued me but it also felt weird. “It took me about three years. I remember the date - it was on Thursday 22 June 2012. That night, I realised something had to change. I knew I wanted that relationship with the Lord. “Finally, I said, ‘Lord I want to have you in my life, to let you guide me and direct me and to get close to you’. Jason prayed with me. It is not too often that I give hugs to another guy but we hugged that night and on the drive home I was singing!” James is excited as he shares ways God has answered prayer. “One day I was late for church and the car wouldn’t start. I prayed in Jesus’ name and it started right away! Another night my dad wasn’t feeling so good. He let me put my hand on his chest and pray for him and, almost immediately, he began to feel better.”
RIGHT THERE ON THE STREETS OF LONDON, SURROUNDED BY THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE, ANDY HAD A RADICAL ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS.
Andy’s Story - Kilkenny In 1990, Andy Guilfoyle’s whole life seemed to be going downhill. “I got into trouble with the law, lost my job and my girlfriend and got involved in drugs. I went to live in London.” In June that year, Andy took a trip to The Netherlands. On the way home, he met a woman in Central Station in Amsterdam who talked to him about Jesus. The very next day, after an overnight crossing back to London, Andy met a girl who handed him a leaflet about Jesus. Amazed at the “coincidence”, Andy told her about meeting the woman in Amsterdam and she said, “This is the Lord calling you.” When Andy protested, “I don’t want to be brainwashed!” the girl simply replied, “Andy, the Lord loves you!” Right there on the streets of London, surrounded by thousands of people, Andy had a radical encounter with Jesus. “The power of the Holy Spirit came on me and I felt this amazing love,” Andy shared. “For the first time, I experienced it for myself and that was that. I had been into drugs and crime but when the Lord touched me, I knew what was right and what was wrong. My conscience came alive and I could not jump on the Tube without paying the right fare.” Andy joined a church in Wood Green, North London. “That is where I grew up as a Christian,” he said. It was also where he met his wife. Eventually the couple moved back to Ireland where Andy became one of the pastors at Kilkenny Community Church. 20
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FINDING FAITH
...shining like stars BY RUTH GARVEY-WILLIAMS
One of the most exciting things about the Finding Faith Tour 2014 was seeing how individuals, churches and groups of churches around the country are engaging with their communities… bringing light and hope into people’s lives. These were just a few of the projects we enjoyed hearing about:
WE BELIEVE THAT IF A CHURCH’S HEART IS TO REACH THE COMMUNITY THEN GOD WILL HONOUR THAT BECAUSE GOD’S HEART IS FOR THE COMMUNITY.
Holy Week re-imagined (and plenty more) - Belfast, Co. Antrim In the heart of a working class, loyalist community in East Belfast, Willowfield Parish Church has a passionate two-fold commitment to encouraging Christians to move outside of the church building while opening the doors of the building to the community. George Newell is the lead outreach worker with Willowfield Parish Community Association, which was set up 11 years ago to address the needs of this deprived neighbourhood. Over the years, the church has become engaged in a host of initiatives from debt advice to food banks and from men’s lunches to prayer on the streets! Breaking down prejudice and removing the barriers to faith is vital, George explained. “For a lot of people a church is a no go area. They have their ideas of what church is like. We try to open our church building as much as possible.” This has meant allowing the church building to be used as a venue for the local rhythm and blues festival and running a St Patrick’s Day fun day complete with shamrocks, Irish music and prayers in the Irish language [in loyalist East Belfast!]. The church also celebrated the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee with a family event and ran a Robert Burns night! “In the last eight months, we’ve seen quite a number of people come to the Lord but with 15,000 in the community, we are only scratching the surface,” George said. “Increasingly, people are coming to faith from a totally non-faith background. Once they give their lives to the Lord, they have a network of friends that we would never reach ourselves.” This year, Willowfield looked for ways to make the most of Holy Week as an opportunity to engage with people who would never normally come to church. Starting on Palm Sunday with a
live donkey, they also ran a family fun day in the afternoon with a bouncy castle inside the church. On the Monday, a “Jumble Give Away” provided the opportunity to explore the story of Jesus turning over the tables in the temple. Giving away things for free helped to explain the difference between the greed and corruption in the temple and the grace and compassion that Jesus offers. An international food tasting on Wednesday evening was a chance for minority groups in the area to create and share their own native food. Eighteen nationalities were represented! Someone then shared the story of the Last Supper and the Gospel, which is for everyone (regardless of nationality or background). From Friday afternoon to Sunday, the church set up a huge tomb outside on the street, manned by “Roman soldiers”. People took turns to stand on duty, 24 hours a day, and were amazed at the number of folks who stopped to chat even in the wee hours of the morning. “On Easter Sunday morning, we rolled the stone away at daybreak,” George shared. “We believe that if a church’s heart is to reach the community then God will honour that because God’s heart is for the community.” JULY - SEP 2014 VOX
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The Rock - Kilkenny In Kilkenny, a Christian youth project has been transforming the lives of teenagers in the town for the last seven years. Currently run out of the Methodist church building, The Rock provides a Tuesday and Thursday after-school club and a Friday night youth café attracting up to 100 youngsters every week. During the Finding Faith Tour, we met up with some of the people who help make it happen: Kaddl Meissner from Germany, youth worker For me, “The Rock” is all about building relationships, being there for the kids and showing them we love and care for them. Maybe it is something they don’t see at home. I want to try to be there, especially for the girls. By the end of the year, I want them to understand how beautiful they are in God’s eyes. Obviously, we all are Christians and the perfect thing for me would be if I could see those kids starting a life with Jesus but I don’t want to force them. I want them to see God in us, in the way we treat them and love them and care for them. James McGrath from Kilkenny, youth work volunteer When I started going to The Rock as a teenager, I wasn’t in a good place. I was a strong atheist but The Rock gave me a community and a place where I could trust people. It was like
a family and that made great difference in my life. I remember listening to Scott Evans, one of the youth leaders, saying “If you ever need someone, I am here.” One night, I was in a really dark place from drinking. I had just broken up with my girlfriend and I had exams coming up. I was standing on my roof at 2am and no one would pick up their phone. Then I called Scott and he picked up! I thought, “I might not believe but this guy seems legit and he believes it. I’ll give God a shot." Scott told us, "God loves us no matter what." I still falter in my faith sometimes but I have God to go back to. I volunteer at The Rock, partly to give back and partly to make sure that other teens like me have a place to go to! Patrick Petcu originally from The Netherlands but brought up in Kilkenny, youth work intern When I first went to The Rock, I was 14 years old and hanging out with some skater kids, so I thought we were going to a “rock” not to a youth centre! Everyone was so welcoming and they just talked to us. I started going every two weeks and they introduced God stuff. I went on one of the retreats and at that point everything changed for me. I began to change from this angry, shy kid to someone that loves others and wants to
Funky Fish Cafe - Bandon, Co. Cork It started with a community desperate to find a safe place where young people could hang out, with a local church wondering what to do with an empty building it owned and with a group of Christians willing to work together, regardless of their denominational background. In 2006, the Funky Fish Café was born in Bandon, Co Cork - a vibrant youth café that serves hundreds of local teenagers. Employed full time by the Methodist church as coordinator for the project, local man Keith Kingston admits the first few months proved to be a “baptism of fire”. “We opened our doors in September 2006,” Keith explains. “For the first six months, there were such large numbers that it was just a matter of policing the crowds. But after a while, it settled down.” The café opens after school from 4 - 6pm from Tuesday to Friday and then Friday evening, Saturday afternoon and Saturday evening every week. On Sunday evening, there is an opportunity for young people to meet and study the Bible. “We serve the community in the same way as other centres in providing a safe place for young people, off the streets,” Keith says. “But what makes us different from most youth cafés 22
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is that at the very core of our work is a desire to share the Gospel.” Over 20 volunteers from five different local churches help to keep the café running (Methodist, Catholic, Baptist, Community Church and Christian Fellowship). “Our policy is to share the good news about Jesus without either promoting or putting down any particular church,” Keith explains. After almost eight years, Keith admits there have been ups and downs on the journey. “On the spiritual side, it would be very easy to be discouraged because you share the Gospel and you often don’t see a response. There have been people who prayed as teens and have gone off on their own way. “Recently one young man we knew in the past arrived at the door asking for help [in trouble and struggling with addiction] and we were able to get him into a treatment centre. He seems to be doing very well. “Our hope is that the seed has been sown and these young people know we are still here for them.”
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I MIGHT NOT BELIEVE BUT THIS GUY SEEMS LEGIT AND HE BELIEVES IT. I’LL GIVE GOD A SHOT.
improve their lives. For me today, working at The Rock is all about the kids. Even if you can make a slight improvement in their lives, that is worthwhile.
Coffee... coffee... and the odd cupan tae
Conor Ege from the US, youth worker I love that The Rock is so dynamic. Every style of teen comes here - from athletes to quiet kid, to those who play video games, to the rowdy ones and somehow they all get along. Of course, there are occasional problems but I hope we can continue to grow and to be welcoming to everyone.
So many churches are opening their doors to the local community by running coffee mornings, lunches and afternoon tea! It was exciting to hear how this simple act of kindness is making a difference in people’s lives.
Robert Harper from Kilkenny, on the board of The Rock There is a broad range of people involved in The Rock and we are delighted. The leadership involved is probably pretty unique for Ireland. We have folks from the Methodist, Community Church, New Hope, house fellowship, Presbyterian, Church of Ireland and Catholic churches. One of the loveliest things about it is that nobody walks on eggshells. The sense of community starts at the top and keeps spreading downwards. We’re in the process of finding a new building close to the centre of town and when we put an appeal out recently we raised over €300,000 in five days! We are asking God for a miracle to secure the right building.
Up to 20 people regularly attend the coffee morning at “The Hatchery” (Nenagh Baptist Church meets in what was once the old chicken hatchery and the name stuck!). People from town love the home baking and the chance for a cup of coffee and a chat. “The majority of these people have never attended a service, they never come to our church, but it is about relationships. They are our friends,” shared Julia Langley.
Nenagh, Co. Tipperary
Bantry, Co. Cork
A coffee and crafts morning at Bantry Christian Fellowship has led to the creation of a ladies Bible Study where women from the community can come and explore what the scriptures have to say on various issues. When VOX visited, the ladies were looking at “waiting on God” - how often do we take time to listen and be still?
Kilkenny
At Kilkenny Community Church, folks have been running a coffee bar each week and offering to pray for people in need. “We’ve seen a real openness in recent years,” explained Andy Guilfoyle. “There don’t seem to be as many barriers for people to respond. We have new people every single week and people wanting to receive prayer. One guy came in a sat down with me. He told me, ‘I don’t know where I’m going when I die.’ I asked, ‘Does that concern you?’ With tears in his eyes, he replied, ‘It does!’ That same day he gave his life to the Lord. He came out of the room and said, ‘It is like a weight just came off my shoulders.’”
Sligo
Sligo Baptist Church was running a coffee morning and clothing collection in aid of Tearfund when we visited. This is such a practical way of raising money for charity and connecting with people in the local community at the same time. It was fun to help load a lorry with bags full of clothes - and the children helped too!
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MY STORY “My Story” is an opportunity for ordinary people living in Ireland to talk about their journey to faith or the impact God has in their daily lives.
“WHEN HE SMILED THE HEAVENS OPENED” “Motherhood is about celebrating the child you have, not the child you thought you’d have. It’s about understanding he is exactly the person he is supposed to be. And if you are lucky, he might be the teacher who turns you into the person you are supposed to be.” Jennifer Russell from Letterkenny in County Donegal shares her story as a “special needs mum”.
Ethan has both. Low birth weight, small Q: WHAT DOES YOUR FAITH MEAN TO YOU? head (microcephaly), webbing of fingers I have been married to I always went to church, so I was well and ‘almond’ shaped eyes are also common. Trevor for 18 years. We have versed in Bible stories. As a teenager, I The French doctor who discovered CDC four sons aged 15, 14, nine started going out with friends and because named it, ‘Cri-du-chat’ literally meaning and seven. I am a full time mum and my I looked older than I was, I got into places ‘cry of the cat’. husband is pastor. Our church is growing I shouldn’t have. I enjoyed myself but there When Ethan was born he couldn’t steadily, so life is busy. was always something missing. When I cry because his larynx wasn’t formed Our youngest son, Ethan, was born came home, I felt so alone. My friends and properly. When he did attempt a weak cry, with a rare genetic chromosome disorder the ‘fun’ had gone, until the next time. he sounded like a kitten, hence the name. called Cri-du-chat (CDC) or 5p minus I never lost interest in God. I believed (Personally, I never liked it!) syndrome. Every CDC child is unique but He was there but I never really understood there are some common how He worked. Was He threads. Significant mental good? Would He punish me I KNEW ETHAN WAS NO SURPRISE. HE WASN’T A MISTAKE OR A and physical delays are for stepping out of line? Did PUNISHMENT. HE WAS CREATED BY THE HANDS OF THE MASTER. almost always present He really care about me?
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TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF
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I became a Christian at 16 at a youth rally in Derry. The speaker talked of a God who loved me enough to allow His son to die for me but that I needed to make a choice. One verse helped me from 1 Kings 18:21, “How much longer will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God then follow Him, but if Baal is God follow him.” I knew I needed to choose God and so I did. He has been my strength ever since. Jesus is real to me every day. I wake in the morning knowing that, no matter what comes, we can handle it together.
Q: WHEN DID YOU FIRST KNOW THERE WAS SOMETHING ‘WRONG’ WITH ETHAN?
When I was six months pregnant, I noticed Ethan wasn’t moving as much as my other children. My doctor sent me for a scan, which led to a deeper scan. I started thinking, “Ok, that’s not good.” The scans showed that Ethan’s head and body were out of proportion… something was up! Ethan was born by Caesarean at 42 weeks. He didn’t cry at first and there was a tense moment until he made a little squeak. His heart rate and breathing were worryingly irregular so he was whisked away to the baby unit. It was hard not knowing what was happening but I knew God was with him. Although things were not ‘normal’, somehow I knew it would be okay. Whatever was wrong, we would face it together: Trevor, God and me.
But I had to trust in God, who promised never to leave me. I knew Ethan was no surprise. He wasn’t a mistake or a punishment. He was created by the hands of the Master. And so we coped!
Q: WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES OF BEING THE MUM OF A SPECIAL NEEDS CHILD?
Every day can be a challenge. Ethan’s health is unpredictable. He lives on antibiotics and his immune system is fragile. Ethan has a high risk of choking. All his food is extremely soft or pureed, so we need to be vigilant when he is around others while eating. We almost lost him three years ago when he grabbed a piece of food and choked really badly. Ethan started to walk over a year ago (a miracle!) but is still very unsteady and needs a lot of help. Trevor and I both have neck and shoulder issues! Emotionally the biggest challenge is that I can’t fix it for Ethan. As Mummy, I feel it is my job to make it better. But I can’t change this. I can’t make a chromosome appear. That can be a bitter pill some days.
Q: WHAT ARE YOUR GREATEST JOYS?
I am honored to be a mum to four fantastic boys. Ethan has brought a joy so deep that words can’t cover it. We experience pride like nothing else when he achieves the smallest thing. We were told he was unlikely to smile, talk, eat from a spoon,
AS MUMMY, I FEEL IT IS MY JOB TO MAKE IT BETTER. BUT I CAN’T CHANGE THIS. I CAN’T MAKE A CHROMOSOME APPEAR. Ethan stayed in the unit for five days having various tests. On day six we went home, still without a diagnosis. We had weekly visits with his consultant (who was fabulous) until seven weeks and his results were in… that was when our journey with Cri-du-chat began.
Q: HOW DID YOU COPE?
I’m not sure we did. There are times in life when you just ‘do’. It was almost surreal. I half expected the consultant to give me a prescription for six months and Ethan would be fine. We prayed (a lot) and I cried (a lot!). We didn’t really know what to do other than to try and climb this mountain before us. We both knew and trusted God, so our faith kicked in. We had three other small boys as well. They still needed to be fed, washed, cuddled and taken to school, so life went on: a brand new life but our new life. The specialists here knew very little about CDC at that time. They were supportive but couldn’t offer advice. We searched the Internet but stopped very quickly because the information available was devastating; it gave no hope.
hold his own juice or make a choice for himself. So when these things happened, we celebrated like mad. He was nine months when he smiled at me - a little crooked wobbly smile but it was like the heavens had opened. I knew then that our little miracle would do well. He was two when he sat up unaided and five and a half when he took his first steps. I think they could hear my squeals of delight across the globe. I am so blessed to have witnessed the ‘tiny’ major stages of his life. These triumphs keep me going.
Q: HOW CAN CHURCHES BE MORE WELCOMING FOR PEOPLE WITH SPECIAL NEEDS AND THEIR FAMILIES?
Churches are not always well equipped to deal with profound disabilities. We can put in a ramp and widen doors but to be accepting or welcoming is difficult. People don’t know what to say. As Christians who believe in a good and righteous God, there are many questions. We had all kinds of reactions. Some claimed Ethan would be “fine in Jesus name” and prayed for healing. Others said we had sinned and he was a punishment
from God. Someone even told me it was my fault Ethan was disabled because I didn’t have enough faith. All of which, I believe, is nonsense! I believe wholeheartedly that God is sovereign and has a plan in our mess and confusion! Things happen. We can’t understand it all but Isaiah 55:8 says, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the Lord. Churches need to give space for parents of special children to come to terms with their child and not be bombarded with “answers”. We have enough information from hospitals. Church should be a place where people can be accepted for who they are. “Can I help?” Or simply, “You are in my prayers” is often all that is needed for parents who feel they are crawling through. Practically, providing for special needs can be difficult. At seven, Ethan is still in the crèche for under-threes. For now, he is happy there and the helpers are happy to have him.
Q: SOME PEOPLE GET ANGRY WITH GOD WHEN THEY SEE CHILDREN WITH ILLNESSES, DISABILITIES OR SPECIAL NEEDS. HOW DO YOU REACT TO THAT? It is natural to get angry with God when things go wrong. Everyone reacts differently. Dealing with your emotions is a process and you shouldn’t deny them. If you are angry, then be honest with yourself and God. But don’t let anger eat you up inside. I wasn’t angry but I was sad for a long time. I talked to God and I cried for strength. I talked to doctors. I found friends in a similar situation and chatted over coffee. There are still days when I get sad but I try to find help and not let it take over. God loves us and I believe He will carry us out the other side!
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FINDING FAITH
...on a pilgrim's path BY PATRICK MITCHELL
The idea of using a journey as a symbol for drawing closer to God is nothing new (see Psalm 84:5). At the Top of the Rock in Drimoleague, West Cork local tradition states that in 590 AD St Finbarr, “admonished the people to return to Christ, then went on his way to Gougane Barra.” Since then the route between Top of the Rock and Gougan Barra has become a pilgrim path. Top of the Rock was one of the stop off points on the VOX Finding Faith Tour but with little time to linger, we’ve chosen to re-print this beautiful blog post by Patrick Mitchell who walked “St Finbarr’s Way" over the Easter holidays. View Patrick’s excellent blog at www.faithinireland.wordpress.com for thoughts on life and theology!
ST FINBARR’S WAY
Over the Easter break I got away for a couple of days to beautiful West Cork to fulfil a long held ambition – to complete St Finbarr’s Pilgrim Walk. It’s about 40km over some of the most spectacular scenery in Ireland. But more than that, it’s been developed as a Christian pilgrimage route – part of a wider movement to re-discover and re-develop Ireland’s rich legacy of Christian pilgrimage. Friends, David and Elizabeth Ross, have been part of this initiative and they have recently opened a wonderful walking centre on their farm, complete with a ‘pod pairc’ – cosy wood cabins. Pilgrimage is defined as “a meaningful journey to a place of spiritual significance.” The idea of St Finbarr’s way is to provide a space and place for spiritual reflection – walking in beautiful countryside, following in the footsteps of St Finbarr. David and Elizabeth are the third generation of Rosses to live at Top of the Rock. The centre and “pod pairc” has been carved
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out of earth and stone and wood – those elements rearranged from an old quarry surrounded by fir trees into the wooden pods, crushed gravel yard, stone buildings and walls. This is culture-making - taking the raw materials of God’s creation and imaginatively re-ordering them into something beautiful and yet also functional – done with much love, prayer and a ton of hard work. Pilgrimage has an integral place within Roman Catholicism and because of this Protestants have tended to shy away from it, which is a shame. More and more Christians are rediscovering the value of a journey: a walk, time to reflect, to pray, to enjoy creation, to slow down, to be physically stretched, to get away
SOMETIMES WE NEED A SHIFT OF GEAR, A CHANGE FROM ORDINARY ROUTINES TO CREATE SPACE FOR SPIRITUAL REFRESHMENT.
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from the incessant clamour of capitalism, 24-hour news and the tyranny of the urgent. In saying this, it is not as if God is somehow only found in ‘retreat’ and silence – He is there in the ordinariness of everyday life and work. But, sometimes we need a shift of gear, a change from ordinary routines to create space for spiritual refreshment.
the final section walking the road in my socks! That last section follows the Meelagh Valley and then up over the hills and down to Kealkil – passing the Megalithic wedge tomb (c. 2500 BC) near the Meelagh River and the Kealkil Stone Circle (c. 1400 BC) above the village.
DAY ONE
DAY TWO
Day 1 was a 22km hike, about 8.5 hours. David sent me on my way with a prayer from Top of the Rock viewpoint (looking north at Castledonovan and the mountain of Mullaghmesha). From its summit you can see the Mizen, Sheep’s Head and Beara Peninsulas snaking their way into the Atlantic.
Day 2 began at Carriganass Castle in Kealkil. This was a beautiful walk up the valley, past the ancient Moughanasilly row of standing stones and remote farms. The light was diamond clear to begin but the weather began to close in on the mountain as showers developed. The views from the top were marvellous, looking
IT IS A PHYSICAL REMINDER OF HOW THE CHRISTIAN FAITH ITSELF IS A PILGRIMAGE.
The route follows Finbarr’s journey north to Gougane Barra (the lake is the source of the River Lee) where he established a monastic settlement. He later founded another monastery where the Lee met the tide – which became Cork city. This was a warm spring day, with hardly a breath of wind and the land bursting with life – hedgerows sprouting, primroses blossoming, fushia hedges budding, sheep lambing, cows calving, the gorse exploding in colour and scent … At one point, the sole of my (admittedly 20 year old) right boot chose to remain in the bog – with 10 km still to go. I ended up tying the sole onto the boot with the laces from both feet. A temporary fix that sort of worked, if I walked like Quasimodo. Eventually, with a couple of miles to go, the right boot fell apart altogether and I finished
across to Kerry and the Magillycuddy’s Reeks on one side, Knockboy on the other and Bantry Bay lying behind. Looking down, the welcome view of Gougane Barra, the final destination, was set like a jewel in the valley floor. The final descent, I don’t mind admitting, was tough going with weary legs, and soaked feet (in runners since the boots had done their last walking). About 5 1/2 hours in all.
SOME REFLECTIONS
These were a fantastic two days: pristine air, magnificent scenery, extravagant beauty and all in the context of warm hospitality. Two words come to mind after the walk, both talked much about in Psalms of praise – which have most to say about God and creation:
Beauty: Walking gives time to pay attention and to hear creation as well as see it; to get in tune with the surrounding world in a culture of terminal distraction and noise … The words of Psalm 98 of the rivers clapping their hands and the mountains singing for joy, at the justice and goodness of God, took on new meaning for me in West Cork. Journey: St Finbarr’s pilgrim path is only two days – it is not quite the Camino yet. But it is a physical reminder of how the Christian faith itself is a pilgrimage – a journey towards a known destination – a renewed creation where God will be with His people. At times the path gets hard (a mountain or bog in the way), there are self-made diversions (getting lost by not following the map), unexpected obstacles and temptation to give up (soles falling off), opportunities to help others (being asked to herd cattle along the road), weariness (physical limitations / getting older!) but the good news is that Jesus promises rest for the weary and burdened. And that final destination is where beauty and journey meet.
Patrick Mitchell is Director of Studies and lecturer in theology at the Irish Bible Institute and is passionate about exploring how Christian faith applies to contemporary life. Read his blog at www.faithinireland. wordpress.com.
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FINDING FAITH
...in quiet places BY RUTH GARVEY-WILLIAMS
“Be still and know that I am God,” is a command that many of us struggle to obey in 21st Century Ireland. In this digital age, we are constantly bombarded with messages and updates, questions and interruptions, problems and demands. Noise is the norm. Stress becomes the default. And it can be difficult to find time to breathe… let alone to pray and seek God! During the Finding Faith Tour, I had the opportunity to visit the Lucan Centre, near Dublin and the Holy Cross Benedictine Monastery in Rostrevor - both places where Christians in Ireland are finding space to “be still”.
The Lucan Centre, Lucan Village, South Dublin Run by the Presbyterian Church, the Lucan Centre used to be a youth centre, where young people from across Ireland had the opportunity to meet one another and to meet with God. It also won awards for its work in cross community reconciliation, especially with groups of young people from Northern Ireland. More recently, the Dublin and Munster Presbytery has refurbished and redeveloped the facility as a retreat centre. Remarkably close to the centre of Dublin, the entrance to the (new) Lucan Centre is lined with trees and, in the garden, birdsong overpowers the distance hum of traffic from the N4. “The Lucan Centre is a place where people can find peace with God and with each other,” explained Development Manager Norman Mc Corkell. “Our three main ‘planks’ are retreat (giving people the chance for physical rest and refreshment), resource (supporting those engaged in the mission of God in Ireland) and reconciliation (continuing the legacy of this place).” With comfortable en suite rooms including bed space for 32 people, a catering kitchen and plenty of meeting space, the centre seems ideal for group retreats and programmes. There is even a barbecue area designed for relaxed gatherings. One small room stands out. Furnished simply with two comfortable chairs, most noticeable about “Tommy’s Room” are the modern stained glass windows. Tommy Gilliam tragically lost his life about four years ago in an accident at college. As a teenager, Tommy found faith in Jesus through programmes run at the Lucan Youth Centre and when the centre was being refurbished, his parents wanted to find a way to acknowledge Tommy’s memory while pointing people to God. “Now we have Tommy’s room as a place of stillness and reflection,” Norman said. “The stained glass window, which depicts darkness and light, represents hope beyond the pain and darkness of Tommy’s death.” To find out more or to book a retreat at the Lucan Centre, visit www.lucancentre.ie
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THE LUCAN CENTRE IS A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE CAN FIND PEACE WITH GOD AND WITH EACH OTHER.
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GIVE YOURSELF OVER TO GOD FOR A LITTLE WHILE AND REST IN HIM.
Holy Cross Monastery, Rostrevor Nestling beneath the Mourne Mountains, the Benedictine Monastery in Rostrevor, Co Down was a welcome sight at the end of my sixth day on the road. Officially opened in January 2004, Holy Cross Monastery was founded by five monks from the Abbey of Bec in France with the express purpose of praying and working for peace and reconciliation in Northern Ireland. The monastery offers hospitality to all and has become a popular place of retreat for Catholics and Protestants from both sides of the border. “We want to be a house of prayer for all God’s people,” shared Dom Mark Ephrem who leads the small community. “All those who come here are to be welcomed as Christ himself. “We preach Christ and we seek to apply the Scriptures to all of life. We are creating a place where we can encounter the risen Christ. On the Emmaus Road, the disciples’ hearts were burning within them as Jesus opened the scriptures to them and then opened their eyes to see Him.” Warmly welcomed and ushered to a comfortable, en suite bedroom, I was immediately struck by the sense of peace. The focus here is on creating “uncluttered space”. There is a careful attention to detail with touches of colour and beauty throughout the building and yet, a definite sense that “less is more”. In the welcome pack for guests two quotes seem so apt: “When God’s voice is drowned out by incessant clamour, whether inner or outer, in whatever shape or form, then continuous dialogue with God becomes impossible,” Esther de Waal. “Come on now, little one, get away from your worldly occupations for a while, escape from your tumultuous thoughts. Lay aside burdensome cares and put off your laborious exertions. Give yourself over to God for a little while, and rest in Him. Speak now, my heart and say to God, ‘I seek your face; your face, Lord, I seek,’” St Anselm.
Guests are welcome to take meals with the monks and to share in the regular times of prayer and praise throughout the day. Meals are taken in silence and unnecessary talk is discouraged. I found the silence restful and healing, not uncomfortable. I had arrived in time to join the evening prayers (Vigil). Sung psalms without musical accompaniment echoed around the beautiful chapel. Listening to the outpouring of ancient believers that are yet so tuned to the cries of my own heart was a moving experience like soaking in scripture! The psalm singing was followed by New Testament readings, prayers and an extract from the writings of St Ambrose. The latter, a commentary on John chapter 14, (I am the way, the truth and the life) had me quickly reaching for my notebook. The destination is our Father’s house, and our way to it is Christ. Christ is the way that leads us, the truth that strengthens us and the life that restores us to life in Him… Yes Lord Jesus we do follow you. But we can only come at your bidding. No one can make the ascent without you, for you are our way, our truth, our life, our strength, our faith, our reward... After a restful night, I rose early to join the monks for Lauds at 6.45am. Hymns and psalms were followed by heartfelt prayers for the local community and for each of the neighbouring churches (all denominations). Before breakfast there was an extended time for silent prayer. When I finally left the chapel, reluctantly conscious of my schedule, I was filled with gratitude for this brief respite. And longing for more. To find out more visit www.benedictinemonks. co.uk.
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FINDING FAITH
...thoughts to ponder BY RUTH GARVEY-WILLIAMS
Travelling from place to place and speaking to so many Christians in such a short space of time provided an opportunity to hear what people feel God is saying to Ireland. Some themes were echoed in different words by different people. Others seemed to have special relevance and resonance. We’d love to hear your thoughts too. Write to editor@vox.ie.
Time to move... John from Mullingar: The Bible talks about the Good Shepherd and the sheep. I feel as “sheep” in Ireland we’ve been in the same field for far too long. The grass is almost gone [there is nothing left to eat] and now the Good Shepherd wants to gently move us into another field, a place where the pasture will be good for us. We need to be ready to follow Him.
Digging wells Peter from Westport: In Bible times, wells represented the source of life and blessing. When you set aside time with God that is like digging a well from which to draw living water. You cannot find life in programmes and activities. Those things don’t sustain you. True life is found only in Jesus Christ. Isaac reopened the wells his father Abraham had dug but he also dug new wells (Genesis 26). God wants to restore our heritage (that which was godly and good) but He is also doing new things in this generation.
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Catching the wind John from Sligo: The Bible compares the Holy Spirit to wind. Wind is always going somewhere. The most important thing we can do is find the direction in which the Holy Spirit is moving and move with Him. Our part is to catch the wind like turbines in a wind farm. That image really stirred me - one wind turbine on its own does not produce much power but many wind turbines standing together can produce a lot of energy. We are not called to stand alone, but together. Imagine if all the believers in our areas stood together, united in our need of the wind? Imagine if we abandoned our own agendas and depended completely on the wind of the Holy Spirit? Brian from Bandon: I do a bit of sailing and I’m always amazed that you don’t have to create the wind. It is always there… you just have to catch it. Irish society is really very broken and they need a Gospel that works. Superficiality won’t cut it. People are looking for reality!
A window of opportunity Andy from Kilkenny: I think at this time there is a real openness. When you talk to people there are not the same barriers there once were. We need to reach out and make connections with people. There are a lot of broken and hurting people. Sometimes we can’t see what the Holy Spirit is doing. The Bible talks about God writing His laws on people’s hearts. It is like the volume has been turned up and people are becoming more aware of spiritual things. The biggest threat to that is disunity. We all have a tendency to be about our own kingdom rather than God’s kingdom. If we can come together I think we will see an advancement of the kingdom of heaven. Nathaniel from Waterford: I believe the spiritual atmosphere is changing rapidly. The church needs to come together stronger to do the work we need to do. The only way to do that is in brotherhood and unity through prayer. The Lord is already nudging us along that path. We need to intensify our evangelism. We are so rich in our churches but we are not moving out. Everything we are engaged in is an opportunity for the Gospel.
FINDING FAITH
...innovation BY RUTH GARVEY-WILLIAMS
A dairy farm, a souvenir shop and a walking centre might seem unexpected places to look for faith. Yet these creative business ideas have been fuelled with passion and prayer. And the results go far beyond the balance sheet!
Creative farming Glenilen Farm in West Cork has been in the Kingston family for five generations. Since Alan and Valerie Kingston took over in 1995, the farming landscape has changed dramatically with many farms going out of business and others struggling to survive. It was against this changing backdrop that Valerie first began to make her own dairy products such as cheese and yoghurt, and sell them at local farmers' markets. What began as a hobby, rapidly developed into a business idea. Glenilen Farm became a brand name representing a whole range of yoghurts, cheesecakes and desserts. As Christians, Valerie and Alan see God's hand in the way their farm has developed and thrived. "We didn't really
know the business side at the beginning," Valerie admits, "but we prayed every step of the way." “We will not compromise on quality,” Alan told a TV interviewer during a documentary on business enterprise. The Glenilen products are made with 100% natural ingredients and all the milk is from local farms. Today the farm employs 34 people and the Glenilen brand can be discovered up and down the country as VOX editor, Ruth Garvey-Williams found out. After enjoying a Glenilen Farm yoghurt for breakfast with Valerie in the farmhouse kitchen, Ruth tucked into a mouth-watering Glenilen Farm Panna Cotta for supper just two days later after spotting it in a supermarket in Dundalk!
Innovation in hospitality One highlight of the Finding Faith tour was an over-night stay at the “Top of the Rock” Pod Pairc in Drimoleague, West Cork. David and Elizabeth Ross have developed their family farm into a walking centre in conjunction with the growth of St Finbarr’s Pilgrim Path. But when initial plans for building visitor accommodation fell through, the couple chose instead to use wooden huts or pods inspired by the ancient Gallarus Oratory in Dingle. These almost igloo-like structures are surprisingly comfortable and warm. Visitors wake up to breath-taking, panoramic views over the surrounding countryside. As Ireland’s first Pod Pairc, Top of the Rock has already received recognition in various innovation awards and seems set to become a successful business model. But for our VOX editor the lasting impression was of warm and generous hospitality from a couple whose passionate love for God is evident in everything they do!
Christmas in May Driving into the popular tourist town of Dingle in Co. Kerry, the quaint stone building is impossible to miss. The notion of combining an all-year Christmas shop with Irish-made crafts and gifts gave birth to “The Dingle Elf ”, a brand new business venture for Maureen who admits taking on the lease was “super terrifying”. “Years back there was a Christmas shop here and people still remember that,” Maureen explained. “But I also wanted to introduce the idea of ‘buying local’ in terms of gifts and souvenirs. I wanted to offer Irish products without the crazy prices.” This meant researching local artists and craftsmen and women, as well as searching further afield in Ireland for the ideal products. “We are a small country and the personal touch is what we do best. So I have knitted things made by a local woman and felted mermaids, stone cottages and wood turned bowls all created by Kerry artists. But I also have jewellery from Dublin and dolls made in Ennis. Decoupage boxes from Waterford and bobbling boats are from Galway.” As a Christian, Maureen is striving to create a welcoming environment in her shop. “I made a little sitting area where folks can come in and sit down. I’ve had loads of opportunities to chat with people over a cup of tea and many have poured out their hearts to me.” Up and running since March, the shop is well on target with the busy summer months ahead. “We’ll see if the business survives,” Maureen smiles. “Ultimately, I know that I’m in God’s hands." JULY - SEP 2014 VOX
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REALITY
CHURCH BULLYING Opening our eyes to the darkness within “I have something burning in my heart… and if I don't get it out, spontaneous combustion might be a real issue.” VOX Views allows Christians in Ireland the opportunity to share their opinions on hot topics and important issues. Here, counsellor and psychotherapist Maria Dowling looks at the problem of bullying within churches and Christian organisations.
fter decades of working therapeutically with survivors of bullying, and extensive study of its dynamics, I believe that bullying has more potential to show up and do harm in the Christian church and Christian organisations than anywhere else in our society. Now, I wonder if I will pay the price for my candour in stating that? Bullying is a vast, multi-faceted subject. Once I decided to write this article, I was daunted and even recoiled! Would I see a temperature drop in my relationships as a result? Or perhaps a chastisement for causing discord and trouble? Too often the church is a place of, “See no evil. Hear no evil. Speak no evil”. My concern is that many churches and Christian organisations operate with a veneer of integrity, truth, transparency and love. Honesty, fairness and an open door to process conflict lovingly is proclaimed. However, when bullying situations arise, the reality emerges as denial or cover up. “There is no badness here.” “We are God’s people and that could not happen.” The one who points out wrongdoing is the disturber of unity and that person must be controlled and silenced, or vilified and eventually, removed. As a response, this is also bullying. There is a wealth of material available on the definition of bullying and its effects. However, many have a simplistic definition of bullying as visible, easily-identifiable behaviours against another to degrade, or cause harm. There are also naïve analyses
A
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of these behaviours as communication and management difficulties. However, I would define bullying as a systematic, continuous attack on the very soul and personhood of another, often covertly, to cause psychological, physical and emotional distress. Ultimately, this behaviour removes a person’s hope, joy and confidence in their value and purpose for God. It is an assault on the dignity of the unique image-bearing self of another. If it succeeds, the target is broken, disillusioned, isolated, motionless, hopeless and tormented. Where it doesn’t fully succeed, targets of bullying may be cynical about church fellowship and desperate to be heard and vindicated. People are permitted to bully others within the Church and in Christian organisations when the system can only respond in a way that is itself harmful.
Where bullying is successful, there is an inversion of the truth and no openness to correction. What is wrong becomes right and what is right becomes wrong. The perpetrator becomes the victim and the victim or target is blamed. Truth is unwelcome and suppressed, and lies and deceit are supported and even condoned. While this is so in many organisations in the secular world, the voluntary and charitable sector, where churches belong, is deemed to have more bullying present than any other. Why? Because in this sector, presentation of the organisation and its people as “good”, altruistic and indeed “godly” is fundamental to the work of the organisation. To admit sinfulness and wickedness is terrifying to those who believe they are, or must be, a community that is set apart. The
I BELIEVE THAT BULLYING HAS MORE POTENTIAL TO SHOW UP AND DO HARM IN THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH AND CHRISTIAN ORGANISATIONS THAN ANYWHERE ELSE IN OUR SOCIETY.
VOX MAGAZINE
THOSE WHO PROTECT AND SUPPORT BULLIES IN THE LIGHT OF EVIDENCE ARE COMPLICIT AND WITHOUT EXCUSE.
WHAT IS BULLYING? "Bullying is defined as persistent offensive, abusive, or insulting behaviour, abuse of power, or unfair punishment, which upsets, threatens, or humiliates the recipient, undermining their self-confidence, reputation and ability to perform." (Bullyonline.org) Bullying includes:
•
Deliberate insults, unsubstantiated criticism, ridicule or slander
•
Discussion of the person without his/her knowledge
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Administrative penalties, which are suddenly directed against a person, without any objective cause, explanation, or effort to solve underlying problems
•
Deliberately withholding information
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Supplying false information or spreading rumours or lies
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Isolating, ostracising, boycotting, dismissing or disregarding the target
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Intimidation, persecution, or threats of persecution
Humiliation
False accusations: a common tactic of bullies is to accuse their target of bullying them
• •
"Bullying tends to be an accumulation of many small incidents over a long period of time. Each incident tends to be trivial and, on its own and out of context, does not constitute grounds for disciplinary or grievance action." "Bullies operate a 'divide and rule regime' and work hard to isolate, exclude and disempower their target, who they then falsely accuse of not being a 'team player'." (Churchexiters.com)
bullies within these communities of believers manipulate this fear to rally support against their target(s). I am convinced that believing communities that courageously face the presence of evil among themselves, without censorship and with justice, have the most potential to become relevant good news to an unbelieving world. This relevance is demonstrated when the church is no longer considered too naïve, too ‘nice’, too innocent or too simplistic in its understanding of human nature, relationships and real life to meet the painful challenges people face in society every day. Relevance requires bringing the true personhood of God, His commitment to truth, love, justice, courage and faith, to depravity when it is in evidence in a Christian community situation. Evil and depravity are evocative words. They belong with the term bullying. I believe that those who have experienced bullying in the Christian community and those tasked to address complaints have vital roles to play in the preservation and protection of our churches and Christian witness. Those who are bullied must seek counselling, education and support to recover and understand why they were bullied. They must do this, not only because it is healing, but because it enables them to understand who they are and what they must do. Very often a target is selected, because they are “seers” [they have discernment] and have moral character. They pose a threat to the bully. They may be competent, talented, insightful and wise. They may know that what the bully is doing is wrong and understand how it affects the wider community. Targets are often ‘whistle-blowers’, feeling compelled to speak up. They often seek to be protectors of what is good and right. Those with responsibility to assess bullying complaints must also educate and challenge themselves to face their own psychological and spiritual “blocks” to seeing the full picture of what is evidenced before them. It is not godly to shut down a situation simply using Bible verses out of fear, or to use one’s authority and power to protect a reputation or maintain a comfortable status quo. We are called to be
courageous and often to uncomfortable change in the name of what is right and true. Those who protect and support bullies in the light of evidence are complicit and without excuse. Bullying allegations, however painful and uncomfortable, must be investigated in transparent, fair processes and, if found to be true, met with acknowledgement and accountability. These are redemptive matters; opportunities to protect our communities, our work for God and our witness. The work of God is inevitably impeded in any community where bullying is present. Denial diminishes churches and Christian organisations, their work and their witness. We need a new paradigm, where we acknowledge that power is always open to exploitation and abuse. Churches and Christian organisations are possibly more vulnerable to this, because they exist for the cause of Christ and are an affront to the enemy. We must not be so naïve as to think that our very communities cannot be infiltrated, deconstructed and rendered irrelevant from within.
RECOMMENDED RESOURCES CENTRES AND SUPPORT Awareness Education Services 3 Cabra Grove, Dublin 7 (01) 8388888 The Anti-Bullying Research and Resource Centre Trinity College Dublin The Irish Association of Christian Counsellors www.iacc.ie
WEBSITES www.bullyonline.org - comprehensive website on bullying www.overcomingbullying.org www.churchexiters.com
BOOKS Bullying in the Workplace, Home and School - Tony Byrne, Kathleen Maguire Bullying: A Spiritual Crisis - Ronald Hugh Cram Not of My Making - Margaret W. Jones
Maria Dowling is a professional counsellor/ psychotherapist, supervisor and trainer, working in private practice in Sutton, Dublin with extensive experience in the area of trauma and abuse recovery. JULY - SEP 2014 VOX
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REALITY
EXPOSED SHINING LIGHT ON CORRUPTION BY NICK PARK
VOX MAGAZINE
n Irish church minister was planning his first visit to a country in the developing world. A programme of meetings was arranged for him, his flight and hotels booked, the handbills and posters had been printed, and his congregation was supporting his mission trip in prayer. However, the entire venture looked as if it might be derailed at the last moment. He had, so he thought, applied for his visa in good time yet every imaginable trick and delaying tactic known to bureaucracy had been used to frustrate his good intentions. He had filled out forms online, supplied references and bank statements and had even queued at the post office several times to ensure that the postal order for the visa fees was made out exactly as required. Now, on his fifth visit to the embassy, he had only one day left before his departure. Surely there would be no more delays? Surely God would answer his prayers and he would be able to collect his passport with the necessary visa stamped and approved? The embassy official held the passport in his hand but his words were heavy with regret. “I’m sorry, reverend, but there is a problem with your passport.” The pastor stared at him in disbelief, “You’ve got to be kidding! What on earth is wrong with my passport?”
A
CORRUPTION FEEDS OFF DESPERATION. The official shuffled his feet, “There appears to be a page missing.” “What are you talking about? There are no pages missing. It’s a standard 34-page passport and every one of the pages is in place.” “No, reverend,” repeated the official meaningfully, “You don’t understand me. There is a page missing from your passport.” Suddenly, the church minister understood what the official was saying. In his mind’s eye, he could imagine making a long distance phone call to cancel his trip. He could imagine his seat on the plane lying empty and remembered his ticket was nonrefundable. He thought of thousands of unused posters and handbills gathering dust somewhere. He imagined the disappointment of all the underresourced ministers that were expecting him. With a deep sigh he reached into his pocket, removed a twenty euro note and inserted it into his passport. The embassy official beamed at him. “Congratulations, reverend, now all the pages are in your passport. Here is your visa and may you enjoy your visit to our beautiful country!” That minister left the embassy feeling dirty and ashamed – but also relieved. His trip would not now be cancelled. But in the process, he had stepped into a world he had never imagined he would enter – the
world of bribery and corruption. that Ireland could make a significant Corruption feeds off desperation. contribution to the campaign. The more desperate we become, the This is not a ‘feel good’ campaign more we have to lose, the more likelihood whereby we in Ireland virtuously there is that we will compromise our tut-tut at the goings on in other parts values and standards. The minister in this of the world. We all need to ask true story had very little to lose compared ourselves how much we are involved to an African mother with a seriously ill in the problem of corruption. We may child, or an Indian man who needs an never have felt desperate enough to official document stamped to prevent his insert a twenty euro note in a passport family’s home being demolished. The – but how many of the products insidious cruelty of corruption means we use on a daily basis are made by that the most desperate people of all, and multinational corporations who that tends to be the poorest and most manipulate residency laws to avoid marginalised people in our world, are the ones who have to pay bribes (or ‘juice’) in order to receive WE ALL NEED TO ASK OURSELVES HOW MUCH WE basic human rights and ARE INVOLVED IN THE PROBLEM OF CORRUPTION. services. This is why Evangelical Alliance Ireland is joining a coalition of charities, NGO’s, businesses and individuals paying a fair rate of tax? How would to shine the light on corruption. The we feel if a less corrupt tax regime “Exposed Campaign” is seeking to were to impact the Irish economy’s gather one million signatures supporting fragile recovery, thereby adding to a petition to expose and eradicate the rates of tax we pay, or adding a corruption. The plan is to present the fraction of a percent to our mortgage petition to world leaders as they attend rates? The “Exposed Campaign” is a the G-20 summit in Brisbane, Australia, call to reflection and self-examination, in November 2014. while also being a call to action. On Sunday 29 June, Solid Rock If you would like to know how you Church in Drogheda has designated their can be a part of this major Christian Sunday morning service as “Exposed initiative then begin by visiting the Sunday”. They have sent invitations to Exposed Campaign website and the media and to business and political signing the petition online at www. leaders. Church members are making exposedcampaign.com. an all-out effort to invite their friends Use Facebook and other social and neighbours to be part of signing the media to spread the word to your “Exposed” petition. friends. If pastors and church leaders We hope and believe that other would like help in setting up an churches and individuals in Ireland will Exposed Sunday in their church care enough about this global problem then please contact me at nick@ to become part of a global solution. It evangelical.ie. would be wonderful if, between now and Corruption is cruel and wicked November, other churches could also but together we can shine a light have an “Exposed Sunday”. Imagine if rather than curse the darkness. local believers in every part of Ireland were motivated to approach their politicians, schools and businesses so Nick Park is Executive Director of the Evangelical Alliance Ireland and pastor of Solid Rock Church in Drogheda, Co. Louth.
JULY - SEP 2014 VOX
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Miracles & REALITY
Mercy, Medicine
uring the Finding Faith Tour, VOX Editor Ruth Garvey-Williams met Dr Jubil Thomas and his wife Neeta in Drogheda, Co. Louth. Originally from India, the couple moved to Ireland in 2005 and joined Solid Rock Church in Drogheda where they quickly felt at home. A consultant in anaesthesia and intensive care, Dr Jubil volunteers his time with medical missions such as Mercy Ships, which offer life saving and life changing surgeries and health care in parts of Africa. Working with highly skilled teams of surgeons and nurses, Dr Jubil has also discovered that even when human resources run out, there is still hope!
D
We grew up in Nagpur in central India and that was where I finished medical school and postgraduate
training. For a short time, we worked in Kerala bringing medical assistance and the Gospel message to tribal villages alongside the Church of South India. We moved to Kuwait in 2000 before coming to Ireland in 2005 where we eventually settled in Drogheda, Co Louth. Here, I completed my specialist training to become a consultant in anaesthesia and in intensive care (I call it “buy one get one free”) and I now work at hospitals in Louth and Meath. It is amazing how the Lord brought us to Ireland - He just plants you in the perfect place. Solid Rock church is an absolute blessing. We even got baptised
here (although I wonder why we didn’t get baptised back in India where it was so much warmer!).
VOLUNTEER
I came to know about Mercy Ships after reading an article in our medical journal and made some enquiries about volunteering on board the ship. The Africa Mercy operates as a hospital ship off the coast of Africa and, since 2007, I have served four times on board in Benin, Sierra Leonne, Guinea and Congo. We do on-ship surgeries as well as going into the communities to run
VOX MAGAZINE
I HAVE NEVER LOST A PATIENT ON THE OPERATING TABLE AND WE WERE ALL VERY UPSET.
clinics. Prior to the ship docking, there is a team that goes in and screens the patients. We operate on cataracts, cleft lips and palates and fistulas as well as removing tumours. Sometimes, medically speaking, you would not treat the patients we see on the ship because of the lack of resources or the severity of the situation. In these situations, we need to go in faith and treat the problem! In some communities, we also have the opportunity to show the “Jesus” film and to share about our faith. God is the author of science. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. He completes us. We sometimes think that things are not possible. A few times, when people wanted to give up, we prayed and the patients did significantly better. We need to pray regardless of what our medical knowledge is saying.
DANCING
In Guinea, we were working to repair fistulas. Often caused by childbirth, women with fistulas have to wear incontinence pads. As a result, they are despised and rejected by their families. Surgery can literally transform their lives. On one occasion, we met three women who were lined up for fistula surgeries the next day. My good friend Ebe offered to pray for the women. As he began to pray, he noticed that the interpreter was praying in the name of Allah, so Ebe stopped him and said, “No, you have to pray in the name of Jesus Christ.”
Again the man began to translate the prayer but this time he used the name “Isa Nabi” ( Jesus the prophet). Ebe stopped him a second time and said, “No, you need to pray in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and our God.” Finally, the interpreter correctly translated the prayer. We prayed for them to be healed during the surgery the following day. However, when the three women were brought down to the theatre for their surgery, the surgeon discovered that their fistulas were completed healed and they were sent back to the ward. As you can imagine, they were dancing on the ward!
FLATLINE
I was also involved in a campaign to help children in sub -Saharan Africa who had been abandoned by their parents because of treatable problems such as cleft lips. We went out there as a team to Chad. It was extremely hot and we had no oxygen cylinders, just older equipment. One patient was about 45. We had gone out to treat children but he begged to have his palate repaired. I explained that we had poor facilities and it was a big risk but he was determined. Everything went well until, towards the end of the surgery, he had a cardiac arrest on the table. I have never lost a patient on the operating table and we were all very upset. We had hardly any adrenaline and no oxygen. Several minutes went by as we tried everything but there was no sign of life. He had flatlined. Eventually, we knew we needed to call it off. But then someone said, “Let’s pray!” We held hands and prayed in the name of Jesus. And suddenly, he woke up. He spoke to us and shook our hands. I noticed that his blood pressure was very low. We realised he would probably suffer another cardiac arrest soon but we shared the Gospel with him. He prayed to accept Christ and then had time with his family. He died the next day!
INTRODUCING MERCY SHIPS
International Christian charity Mercy Ships offers free medical care and humanitarian aid to some of the world’s poorest people. On board hospital ships like the Africa Mercy, volunteers (like Dr Jubil Thomas) deliver free, world-class health care services in the developing world. Founded in 1978, Mercy Ships has worked in more than 70 countries providing services to over two million people. The Africa Mercy is currently docked in CongoBrazzaville, a country that is recovering from two civil wars that resulted in the displacement of over a million people. Despite progress made since the peace agreement in 2003, more than half the population now lives below the poverty line. The country also has one of the highest rates of maternal mortality in the region. The Africa Mercy is staffed by up to 400 volunteers from 40 nations. Professionals including surgeons, dentists, nurses, health care trainers, teachers, cooks, seamen, engineers and agriculturalists donate their time and skills to the effort. Its state-of-the-art hospital includes six operating theatres, X-ray equipment, a CT scanner, pharmacy and laboratory. There is capacity for 78 in-patients in four wards and a small intensive care unit. In addition to surgeries on board the ship, the charity offers medical and dental clinics in villages without access to health care and works on a range of sustainable community development projects such as water, sanitation, education and improvements to agriculture. For more information visit www.mercyships. org.uk
GOD IS THE AUTHOR OF SCIENCE. HE IS THE SAME YESTERDAY, TODAY AND FOREVER. JULY - SEP 2014 VOX
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First Kisses
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FAITH
ALPHA-YOUTH FILM SERIES LAUNCHED IN MULLINGAR Around 130 teenagers gathered in Mulligar to launch Alpha’s new film series for young people. This engaging and non-threatening programme offers a contemporary exploration of the Christian faith for youth groups, schools and parishes across Ireland. Until recently Alpha-Youth leaders were required to give the talks themselves, rather than using a DVD. The new film series helps take that weight off. Filmed in Canada and on location, the series contains 12 episodes especially tailored for students with each episode focusing
THE VIDEO SHOWS YOUNG PEOPLE FROM AROUND THE WORLD GIVING THEIR VIEWS ABOUT FAITH AND GOD.
on a different topic about life’s big questions and the Christian faith. The video shows young people from around the world giving their views about faith and God and includes breaks for discussion. This encourages open and honest dialogue. Irish street interviews provide context for the Irish audience. Alpha-Youth has been growing since 2011 when 17 courses ran at 13 locations with 352 young people participating. From January to May this year, 32 courses using the new film
series were run in twelve different counties with a total of 711 young people participating. The future for Alpha is very exciting with more schools ready to implement the film series in the new academic year. The recipe for AlphaYouth can be replicated to give continuity to any youth group. This has been the case for new youth groups in Tullamore and Collinstown/ Fore Parishes alike. The official launch for the film series took place at St. Paul’s Church in Mullingar, Co. Westmeath. Over 200 attended including 130 students. This was an exciting event allowing the young people to meet the Canadians who created the films - Ben Woodman and Jason Ballard. Having journeyed with the guys for ten weeks on the big screen in their schools, they now got to engage with them face to face. There was also time for questions and the all important selfies! Ben and Jason proved a great hit with the young and not-so-young. Their energy, good humour and love for Jesus was infectious. It was a great opportunity for many to see how and why the film series was created and how well it can work for schools and churches across Ireland. Local priest Fr John Nalty commented, “It was moving to hear some of the students giving their testimony of what the Alpha film series has meant for them. It has opened up for them the possibility of what faith actually is. It is a huge resource.” Find out more or order your copy of the new Alpha-Youth film from www.alphayouth.ie.
What the teenagers said about Youth Alpha… “Before Alpha, I had my doubts about God and now I fully believe there is a God.” “I enjoyed that we could talk about religion and our faith and not be judged.” “I now understand that He loves me and He has a plan for everything.” “Just keep doing what you are doing. I really enjoyed it and I hope others do it too.”
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LET THE ADVENTURES BEGIN… Two adorable ladybirds are the stars of a new children’s book series re-telling Bible stories that is set to capture the imagination of children around Ireland. Children’s author Melanie O'Sullivan got the idea for the stories when she was hanging out laundry and a ladybird landed on her hand quickly followed by a second. VOX magazine caught up with Melanie near Bantry, West Cork to find out more.
TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF
I’m originally from South Africa but my husband, Tim, is a Bantry man. We have four children and we live in the beautiful Mealagh Valley. I’m a substitute teacher in 12 schools across West Cork and I also teach piano lessons so life is hectic!
HOW DID YOU END UP WRITING CHILDREN’S STORIES BASED ON THE BIBLE?
Going into schools, I can see that there is a lack of purpose in children’s lives. Many children are under a lot of stress. During RE lessons, I try to share about their value. God knows the numbers of hairs on their head. Having grown up in Africa, I know that no two zebra have the same stripes, nor any two giraffe the same patterns. And just as no two snowflakes in a blizzard are the same, we are all different, unique and created for a purpose. I know there is power in God’s word but people are not reading their Bibles. About a year ago, I came into contact with Maurice Wylie, a
Landscape2.indd 1
publisher in Northern Ireland. I sent him off a story that I had written when my son was a baby and we began to bounce ideas around about a series of books based on God’s word. That was when I came up with the idea of Spottea and Dottea’s adventures. The first story starts in the Garden of Eden and looks at what happens when we don’t obey the Lord. We’re hoping to bring out a new book every month and there will be an underlying truth in every adventure.
HOW HAVE PEOPLE RESPONDED TO THE BOOK?
MORE FROM SPOTTEA AND DOTTEA A whole range of resources are now available to accompany the new book series including online games for children, a monthly newsletter including further adventures for the loveable ladybirds and gifts such as mugs and jigsaws. “Let the Adventures Begin” by Melanie O’Sullivan is available to buy in most Christian bookshops or online at www.spotteadottea.com.
There has been great excitement among the teachers and pupils in the schools where I teach. Some teachers are interested to use the books in class. Over 250 turned up for the official launch in Bantry at the end of May. Orders are coming in already and people are excited to read the next book in the series, which will look at the story of Cain and Abel.
12/06/2014 16:20
JULY - SEP 2014 VOX
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The debut book from
Annmarie Miles (a.k.a. VOX’s Feint Saint)
A wilderness camping programme
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REVIEWS
FINDING SPIRITUAL WHITESPACE: AWAKENING YOUR SOUL TO REST BY BONNIE GRAY REVIEWED BY HOLLY KREBS
"By redefining quiet, God is showing me He can transform my loneliest and messiest moments into the most beautiful and intimate experiences with Him." When Bonnie Gray started writing her new book, uncovered memories began wreaking havoc and she found herself in the throes of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Through this, she began writing the deeper story. Full of raw emotion and vulnerability, Finding Spiritual Whitespace shares insight on finding rest with God and, ultimately, our identity in Him. Bonnie Gray doesn't hold back as she shares glimpses of her past, each significant in forming conclusions that would shape her perceptions of herself and the world around her. But this book is not simply a collection of memories; it is a journey with destination. It is about transformation with all its messy attributes exposed, laid out on the page... in ink. It is a brave, daring move that has purpose. Even as we listen to the message through Bonnie's own story, we hear echoes of our own. She shares her encounters with Christ but then engages her reader to do the same. After all, reading about resting in Him isn't the same as resting in Him. This book is one to be poured over slowly. It isn't a mere inspirational read, although it is inspirational. It is rather an invitation to participate in a journey of hope and healing with God.
VOX MAGAZINE
GOODBYE, AU REVOIR, SLÁN BY LOUIS HEMMINGS
Cradling your newborn baby daughter in your arms should be one of the most joyful and precious moments of life. For Louis Hemmings and his wife Liz, it was heartbreaking. When their daughter Holly was stillborn on April 1 1993, they had the added grief of having to explain to their three-year-old son Lawrence that his baby sister would not be coming home. Now, to mark the 21st anniversary of Holly’s stillbirth, Louis has written a graphic-novel style booklet from the point of view of a small child. "A lot is made of preparing a child for getting a new brother and sister, and then, when you have to tell them that there is no baby coming home for them to hug, it's incredibly hard," Louis says. "My hope is that other parents going through something similar will find this book useful.” To this day, Holly's stillbirth remains unexplained. The baby had no heartbeat at 37 weeks and, ten days later, Liz went into labour. The booklet concludes with a moving poem that Louis wrote about his daughter’s death. Goodbye, Au Revoir, Slán… raises awareness of the grief of stillbirth and the impact on whole families. Goodbye, Au Revoir, Slán ... is available in Footprints on Talbot Street in Dublin, and Raven Books in Blackrock, priced at €5. It's available for €6 including postage from www.louishemmings.com. A video of the booklet is also available on the website.
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EVENTS
VOX MAGAZINE
Events Calendar What’s happening where and when
JULY Sligo Summer Conference 6 – 11 July Sligo www.newwineireland.org Pulse Youth Alive Camp 25 - 30 July Gurteen College, Co. Tipperary www.agireland.org/pulse AUGUST New Horizon Conference 2 - 8 August Coleraine www.newhorizon.org.uk
Leading for Life 28 - 30 August Vienna, Austria www.leadingforlife.org SEPTEMBER Church in Chains Conference Saturday, 13 September Athlone Springs Hotel www.churchinchains.ie European Student Forum 22 - 25 September Brussels, Belgium www.ifesireland.org 3rd Person Weekend 26 - 27 September Willowfield, Belfast www.newwineireland.org
CHURCH IN CHAINS CONFERENCE A day to focus on the Persecuted Church around the world
Joseph D’Souza (All-India Christian Council) Joseph founded the Dalit Freedom Network and is an international speaker with Operation Mobilisation. Joseph will speak about why Indian Christians face persecution today and will give an overview of the current state of Christianity in India.
Saturday 13 September 11am – 4pm Athlone Springs Hotel, Tuam Road, Athlone All Welcome, Admission Free Supervised Children’s Programme !
Info: www.churchinchains.ie or 01-282 5393
OCTOBER Talking with Bereaved People Saturday, 4 October, 10am The Riasc centre, Swords, Co. Dublin www.iacc.ie
Visit www.vox.ie/events for a more up-to-date event listing. (You can also inform us about your upcoming event there.)
Have you reviewed your pension lately? Am I saving enough? How much will I need at retirement? How much can I contribute? Trillium Financial Services will help you find out which pension is best for you and provide appropriate pension advice to suit each client’s financial plan. As a client meets with us, we will go through an assessment and a review of their current pension and expected retirement objectives together. Once we have a clear picture of our client’s retirement fund and tax liability, we can analise which type of pension will meet the client’s objectives. The desired outcome is to have a financial plan that outlines the next steps for the client and serves to guide them toward their financial goals. James Garza, QFA, of Trillium Financial Services, has over 14 years experience in the financial services industry. Mention this advert to avail of a free one-hour pension consultation with James Garza, QFA. Contact James Garza by email at james@trillium.ie or ring on 086 073 9902 or 01 444 7759. James Garza T/A Trillium Financial Services is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland.
REVIEWS
VOX MAGAZINE
Reviews by Dougie Hobson from FOOTPRINTS Christian Retail Store, Dun Laoghaire
RICH IN LOVE WHEN GOD RESCUES MESSY PEOPLE BY IRENE GARCIA WITH LISA HALLS JOHNSON
THE SHEPHERD’S SONG A STORY OF SECOND CHANCES
SEEKING ALLAH, FINDING JESUS A DEVOUT MUSLIM ENCOUNTERS CHRISTIANITY
BY BETSY DUFFY & LAURIE MYERS
BY NABEEL QURESHI
Irene and Domingo Garcia began their married lives at sixteen, already expecting a baby. Their first ten years together included Domingo’s alcoholism and abuse, and Irene’s desperate prayers for answers. Then a miracle happened: Domingo pleaded for forgiveness. As God healed their marriage, Irene and Domingo adopted a little girl. And a new season began. Over the past fortyfive years, the Garcias have birthed, fostered or adopted 32 children. Their story reminds us what can happen when ordinary people submit to God’s call. Dougie says: This book is a great read. It covers a wide range of issues including teenage marriage and pregnancy, alcoholism, abuse, forgiveness, faith, fostering and adoption. It is a page turner, very hard to put down!
In Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus Nabeel Qureshi describes his dramatic journey from Islam to Christianity. Providing an intimate window into a loving Muslim home, Qureshi shares how he developed a passion for Islam before discovering, almost against his will, evidence that Jesus rose from the dead and claimed to be God. Unable to deny the arguments but not wanting to deny his family, Qureshi’s inner turmoil will challenge Christians and Muslims alike. Engaging and thoughtprovoking, Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus tells a powerful story of one man’s struggle and the peace he eventually found in Jesus. Dougie says: This is a well written and well researched book. It skillfully shows the differences between Christianity and Islam.
Nulty’s Self Catering Holiday Cottages Kilkenny We have four cottages all 4 sleeping up to 28 people in total. Ideal for large groups, retreats, church family getaways, weddings and small conferences. Contact us at: jn@nultyscottages.com www.nultysselfcateringholidaycottages.com Tel: 00353(0)56 7767139 Mobile: 0879381167 Please quote VOX when booking for a discount!
Shortly before a tragic car accident, Kate McConnell wrote down the powerful words of Psalm 23 on a piece of paper for her wayward son. Unbeknownst to Kate, her handwritten copy of Psalm 23 soon began a remarkable journey around the world forever changing the lives of 12 very different people. Eventually, Kate's paper makes it back to its starting place and she discovers the unexpected ways that God changes lives, even through the smallest gestures. Dougie says: It is hard to take in that this is a fiction novel. Betsy Duffey and Laurie Myers are the writing sisters - well known for over 35 children’s novels. This is their first adult fiction book. An uplifting novel with a message.
A unique preaching ministry in scripture recitation, drama and song
Shay Phelan
Glorifying God Creatively To find out more, contact Shay at: Email: shaypphelan@gmail.com or mobile 085 1394434
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LIGHTEN UP! BY SEÁN MULLAN
ou’ll need to do some serious decluttering!” Huh! I was seriously offended. I’d invited Pádraig the estate agent in to give us advice on how to sell the house quickly and get a good price. I thought he’d tell us to paint the bathroom, weed the garden and bake some bread every time there was a viewing. But he basically said, “Get rid of half this stuff!” Furniture, books, ornaments, kitchen equipment. I never thought we had that much - most of our friends have a lot more than us! But not much sense in looking for advice and then ignoring it. So we “de-stuffed”! It took a while and it was hard work but, lo and behold, it felt good! We felt lighter, easier;
more - I honestly don’t know. But at least this one is. The result is lots of forms to fill, convoluted terminology to decipher and decisions to be made. Now, whatever message you take from my little mugshot on this page, the reality is that retirement is still a good bit away for me. There’s plenty of time for an economic crash or two between now and then. And yet, I have to make decisions based on how I think things are going to be when I reach that far off day. So the lesson of the de-stuffing came back to me. Travelling light has a lot going for it. And the closer you get to your destination, the less you need for the journey. So if like me, you’re nearer the end than the beginning then
have.” He also issued the invitation to travel with him and, “You’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” I want to live freely and lightly. You travel better when you travel light. Life’s too short to live any other way. If you ever tackle the ancient pilgrim route of the Camino de Santiago from the traditional starting point of St Jean Pied de Port in the French Pyrenees then you’ll find a little centre where gracious volunteers provide you with maps, encouragement and some tips for the journey. They’ll also offer to weigh your rucksack for you and, if there’s too much stuff, they’ll tell you how to post some of it straight to Santiago. “You won’t need it on the road,” they tell you, “and carrying that weight will
the house was less crowded. It felt like we’d both shed a few pounds or even a few years. On top of that, we sold the house in four weeks and got the price we had asked for. And that was before the market had started to pick up. I was reminded of that this week when I got a letter from a pension fund. It’s an old one - linked to a job I left aeons ago. It’s in trouble - the fund I mean. Isn’t every pension fund? Or maybe they’re not any
maybe it’s time to lighten the load - those books you’ll never read, the clothes you’ll never wear again - even that money you’ll never spend - you can give that to my old pension fund! And even if “over the hill” is still some way in the future, it might still be worth considering two pieces of wisdom from the sage who is still consulted more than any other on the global stage - the carpenter from Nazareth. He said: “Life’s not defined by what you
give you blisters on your feet and a pain in your back.” Wise words. Lighten up. The journey matters too much not to. There are still places available on the Nazarene’s destuffing course.
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Seán Mullan has been working in church leadership for many years. He has developed a new project in Dublin City Centre called “Third Space”.
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