VOX July 2021 by VOX Magazine

ISSUE 51 / JULY - SEPTEMBER 2021

Virtual Finding Faith Tour 2021

Beauty from the Ruins

Origin Community Space has become a place of healing and restoration

CHURCH IN CHAINS ONLINE CONFERENCE How does the church live in North Korea? Guest speaker Eric Foley (co-founder of Voice of the Martyrs Korea) will speak on the North Korean underground church, North Korean defectors and underground church discipleship.

Saturday 11 September 11am – 12.30pm More details at www.churchinchains.ie

EDITORIAL

Sorry For Your Loss

t 7am on Friday 23 April, my precious Dad took his final breath.... Selah... Even writing those stark words takes my breath away. I have entered a new world where at times things move in slow motion around me. There are moments of complete disorientation, unexpected glimpses of joy and the occasional stomach-punch of pain. Strangely, even the ritual greetings, the awkward, notquite-meeting-myeyes, “Sorry for your loss” from neighbours or the person behind the counter, bring comfort. And then there are snatches of startling clarity, like when a fellow traveller catches my eye and says, “I know...” Why do I share this? All of us have suffered loss in the last 18 months. Whether we mourn for a loved one, for a relationship or a job or more generally for lost freedoms, connections and experiences, we are all journeying through a shared sense of sorrow and grief in all its stages. Yet the beautiful truth is that we do not grieve as those who have no hope because we believe in the One

who is the resurrection and the life (1 Thessalonians 4:13 - 14). When Jesus called to Lazarus to come out of the grave, His friend emerged still wrapped in the grave clothes. Perhaps in these days, we’ll need to shed a few bindings as we come out of lockdown. Life in all its fullness is still on offer, in this life and the next! Remarkably despite all the challenges and restrictions, we’ve been able to bring you news, stories and features from 17 different counties through our 2021 Finding Faith Tour. It will come as no surprise that my time with Shaun Abrahams (Co. Kerry) Life After Death (page 34) was the bitter-sweet highlight of this year’s virtual tour but there is plenty more to encourage and inspire. May this “Finding Faith” issue give you joy and hope as you navigate new realities in your life and your community.

We do not grieve as those who have no hope.

Ruth Garvey-Williams Editor (editor@vox.ie)

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CONT ENTS

July - September 2021 Issue 51

ISSN: 2009-2253

EDITOR Ruth Garvey-Williams editor@vox.ie LAYOUT, ADVERTISING & DISTRIBUTION Jonny Lindsay jonny@vox.ie Order your printed copies or download a digital version at www.vox.ie. All cheques should be made payable to ‘VOX Magazine’.

VOX Magazine Ulysses House 22 - 24 Foley Street Dublin 1 Tel: 089 415 4507 info@vox.ie www.vox.ie DISCLAIMER The views expressed in letters and articles are those of the respective authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the VOX Team or our partners. The acceptance of advertising does not indicate endorsement.

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PRINT Ross Print, Greystones, Co. Wicklow VOX magazine is a quarterly publication, brought to you by a passionate team of volunteers.

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Cover Stories

Virtual Finding Faith Tour 2021 Beauty from the Ruins - Origin Community Space has become a place of healing and restoration

Features and Interviews

Finding Faith - Going Deeper at IBI Finding Faith - New Bereavement Support Service Life After Death - What happens when the worst happens? Finding Faith - My Story Your 2020/21 Photos “It’s so important” - CEF children’s work in Sligo An Unsuccessful Life - Ana Mullan continues her inspirational series A Future for Carnagarve Forest - Forest Church and Mental Health The Power of Representational Repentance - Can we repent for the “sins of our fathers”? VOX Research - Racism and the Church Deep Roots of Resilient Disciples - Developing faith for the long haul Songs for the Wilderness - Scott’s music captures the times

Regular Features VOX: Shorts VOX: World News Your VOX: Inbox Musings with Patrick Mitchell

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Confessions of a Feint Saint Music Reviews Book Reviews VOX: PS with Seán Mullan

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VOX SHORTS

METHODIST CHURCH MAKES HISTORY The Methodist Church in Ireland made history when the Rev. Dr. Sahr Yambasu was installed as President - the first national leader of colour in a ‘mainstream’ church in Ireland. Born in Sierra Leone in 1957, Dr. Yambasu trained as a minister in Ireland. His wife Clodagh Yambasu from Longford is also a Methodist minister. They returned to Sierra Leone after their marriage but came back to Ireland in 1995 at the time of the civil war. Dr. Yambasu ministers in Waterford, while his wife oversees a parish in Birr, Co. Offaly. Rev Dr Yambasu said, “The Bible tells us that all human beings are created in the image of God. That means all human beings are created equal, with the same innate dignity, worth and sanctity of soul. Accordingly, no human being is more human than another because of their colour, nationality, gender, social, economic and religious status, intellect, education or accomplishments. “As a church, we are often more exercised about the shade of paint on a church wall, what doctrines we teach, what denomination we belong to, what interpretation is correct than we are with the value and equality of every human being. “The Black Lives Matter movement, the rise in popularity of right wing thinking, the hostile attitude towards migrants, asylum seekers, refugees and Muslims, the continuing

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disparity in pay and leadership roles between men and women and the rampant discrimination and racism in the workplace point to the fact that some human beings are not recognised, respected and valued in the same way as others. If by the end of my Presidential year, people begin to think a little bit more about these themes in the light of their calling to follow Christ, I will consider it a success.” In his inaugural address, Dr. Yambasu reflected on the example of the late Senator Gordon Wilson’s message of forgiveness after losing his daughter Marie in the Enniskillen bomb of 1987. “What would our church look like if she worked for the healing of divided nations and peoples; if she only thought, desired and did things that glorified God, her Father; if she only spoke the words God gave her to speak to heal the wounded, broken and scarred hearts and lives? What would our church look like if our primary concern was with the welfare of people?”

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LAUNCH OF “A WELCOMING CHURCH”

Enabling churches to better support people with disabilities. The Church of Ireland Youth Department has produced a new resource pack to help churches improve supports for people with disabilities. As Disability Advisor to the Diocese of Leeds, Katherine-Alice Grasham worked together with Dublin and Glendalough Youth Officer Susie Keegan to develop the pack. The resource was made by disabled people in consultation with disabled people, and was born out of discussions at disability awareness training between children’s and youth officers with a passion for disability inclusion within the Church. Katherine said, “We’re really hoping that this new resource will be a way to start parishes thinking about small changes that can make a big difference. This resource is not just a tick-box exercise; it’s designed to start conversations and get people thinking together about accessibility and welcome.” Susie Keegan added,“Collaborating on this resource was a huge privilege and there was a huge amount of learning for me in it. When researching and designing, I had to ensure that it was and is accessible. We need to create and design with accessibility as a priority rather than an afterthought.” The 14-page resource includes general tips on what to do to help welcome people with disabilities, and suggestions (also provided as A4 posters) for how a parish can be a welcoming church for people who may have one or more of the following particular disabilities: • dyslexia • hearing impairment or deafness • visual impairment or blindness • autism, neurodiversity and cognitive disorders • mobility difficulties or who are using a wheelchair • anxiety and mental illness • dementia • asthma and allergies • chronic pain or illness Visit www.awelcomingchurch.com to download the resources or to find out more.

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VOX SHORTS

PANDEMIC POWER PLUNGE Transform Our World is a global movement seeking to advance the Kingdom of God and to equip believers to bring heaven to earth in our communities, families and our personal lives. Lizzy Wilson took part in an online course called Ekklesia Excelerator with Transform Our World. This is her experience: Friday 8am and I’ve gifted my three 180g bars of Fair Trade Caramelised Almond and Sea Salt chocolate earmarked for the day. Chocolate gifted with a blessing to shivering folks happily huddled on the beach dripping salt water into their coffee clutched between freezing hands. Coming to this wild and windy place has been the highlight of my day in a long and challenging season of pandemic lockdown. I awake each morning with excitement – a sense of divine purpose and strategy. I come to the beach with the Holy Spirit sitting like a dove on my shoulder. I brave the freezing cold water and experience a fresh immersion in the oceans of God’s great love, His amazing presence and His incredible power. I come tanked-up with His best blessing and my best chocolate to gift to those we meet along the way. But first, I pause at the gateway to the beach to affirm once again that this is a marketplace where Jesus delights to show His presence through us. It is a place belonging to God, with people beloved by Him. Living enforced separation from family, friends and church community confined me to a 5km radius half of which was the Irish Sea. I thought God was joking when He told me to ‘use it or lose it’. In desperate need of rehabilitation for broken arms and 08

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newly operated-on ankle, everything to help me in my recovery was shut. But the sea was open for business! Hence, I took the plunge. Such is the opening scene to my journey on ‘Ekklesia Excelerator’ offered online by ‘Transform Our World’ over Winter lockdown. Through this course’s transformative insights my eyes were opened to Jesus’ embrace of the everyday marketplace as the heart-beat of society; the place of influence and power to transform nations. As I crawled out of the foaming waves that first day of serious cold-shock rehabilitation, I felt God inviting me to look around at the droves of wonderfully sodden and shivering people gathered on the beach. Such a collection of overcomers! “This is the new community I’m gifting you to be a part of,” I felt Him say. A marketplace of exciting opportunity to flood with His rich blessing accompanied by what I had in my hands – God and chocolate, both so good! It’s a mile-long beach where Jesus thrives in doing business in building Ekklesia. EKKLESIA is about the church operating 24/7 in the marketplace, where we touch the world that God so loves. The starting point for every believer is that each one of us can advance the Kingdom of God powerfully in our daily lives. If we all do this, we change the world. If you would like to know more about living ‘transformationally’ check out www. transformourworld.org, contact Daisy at ekklesiaireland@gmail.com or join the Facebook ‘Ekklesia Everywhere-Ireland’ page.

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GOLD AWARDS FOR ECO CONGREGATIONS IN CORK, MAYO AND DUBLIN Three churches across Ireland have been presented with Gold Awards by Eco-Congregation Ireland for their long-term commitment and achievements as Eco-Congregations. Receiving their awards at an online ceremony, the groups outlined some of their achievements. The Faith in Action group in Ballineaspaig Parish, Co. Cork began working towards becoming an Eco Congregation after a retreat where they were challenged to consider, “Our faith is not just a personal comforting relationship with God but is something to be lived out in our community and in our world.” Westport Eco-Congregation, Co. Mayo encouraged people to reduce power consumption in their homes and to consider the impact of our energy consumption on global warming and climate change. The SAGE group (Shankill Action for a Green Earth) in St. Anne’s Parish Co. Dublin turned parts of the church lawns into a bee-friendly meadow with pollinator plants and reduced the church’s heating bill by 40% with a more efficient heating system. Find out more about Eco Congregations on their website: www.ecocongregationireland.com.

WHAT’S THE STORY?

On 31 May, 70 church leaders and Christians from around the island gathered on Zoom to launch “What’s the Story?” Planned for Spring 2022, this initiative will prompt people to think about the big themes of life through six weeks of nationwide publicity. The aim is to support hundreds of churches across Ireland that are faithfully sharing God’s word and pointing to Jesus Christ. “What’s the Story?” will provide a platform for churches to reach people all over Ireland, giving them a unique opportunity to introduce God as the main character of each life story, and show how Jesus can bring about a glorious eternal plot twist. “What’s the Story?” began by surveying almost 1000 people across Ireland about their views on life, religion and faith. Out of this survey, the team discovered six common questions and objections that people have about God and life. 1. Is there anybody there? 2. Is there hope in the face of death? 3. Christianity: The problem? 4. Guilt & Shame: Will I ever be good enough? 5. Does my life really have purpose? 6. Can we make sense of our suffering? The “What’s the Story?” campaign could include billboards, a social media campaign, articles and interviews with local media, posters, etc. All of these will direct people to a website showing an interactive map of Ireland with all the locations where a local church is organising an event to answer these questions. Each church can organise what fits within their context to help people see how God’s story offers the answers they’re looking for. To find out more or get involved visit: www.whatsthestoryinfo.ie.

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WORLD NEWS

New Chinese regulations extend state control over religion

China has further tightened its grip on religion by introducing new “Administrative Measures for Religious Clergy”, which came into effect on 1 May. The new measures apply to the five authorised religions – Buddhism, Catholicism, Islam, Protestantism and Taoism – and are an extension of regulations that came into force in 2018 and 2020. In an example of how these regulations are affecting church life, earlier this year Pastor Li Juncai of Yuanyang County Central House Church in Henan province was sentenced to five and a half years in prison for objecting to the removal of his church cross and refusing to change church signs proclaiming “Love God and people” to “Love country, love religion”. Under the new Administrative Measures, those who “engage in religious teaching activities” must register on a database of religious clergy and anyone not registered on the database will not be permitted to undertake ministry. To qualify, “Religious clergy should love the motherland, support the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party… practice the core values of socialism… and play a role in promoting the Sinicisation of religion.” Sinicisation is China’s policy of making all religions Chinese in character and bringing them into submission under the Chinese Communist Party. For Christians, that means forcing churches to register with the Three-Self Patriotic

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Movement (for Protestants) or the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association and obeying an increasing number of conditions. Registered churches must sing patriotic songs, fly the national flag, install surveillance cameras, listen to pro-Communist Party sermons, put up portraits of the president and display quotes from his speeches extolling “core socialist values”. Clergy are forbidden to “organise, host, or participate in unauthorised religious activities held outside the authorised places of religious activities.” Most Chinese Christians choose to belong to unregistered churches, which continue to be heavily persecuted because they seek to function independently. Pastors and members are regularly kept under surveillance, harassed, arrested, interrogated, beaten, charged and imprisoned by a combination of government officials and police. One recent example is Pastor Yang Hua of Huoshi “Living Stone” Church in Guizhou province, who was brutally beaten after local Chinese Communist

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Party police learned that he planned to visit Christian friends in a neighbouring province. Yang Hua is no stranger to persecution, having previously spent two and a half years in prison. Find out more at www.churchinchains.ie.

OM’s Ship Ministry is celebrating 50 years of service at sea

Operation Mobilisation’s pioneering vessel, Logos and her volunteer crew, left a shipyard in Rotterdam on 18 February 1971. They were bound for London where the refitted ship was loaded with Christian literature and Bibles for her maiden voyage to India. In the five decades since, the ministry’s four vessels have covered enough nautical miles to circumnavigate the globe five times and have welcomed almost 49 million people up the gangways. Logos, Doulos, Logos II and Logos Hope have shared knowledge, help

and hope in 150 countries, distributed hundreds of tonnes of books and aid supplies, supported communities after natural disasters and come alongside the most marginalised in society. The ships’ volunteers - mostly young people from over 60 different nations - have inspired thousands by their service. When OM international’s founder, George Verwer first floated the idea of buying a ship to give the ministry global reach, some people thought he had “lost his marbles”. Fifty years on he reflects, “We rejoice over all God has done through our four vessels. We know thousands have professed faith but only heaven will tell the full story. We remain so thankful to God for our countless behind-the-scenes workers, prayer partners and supporters.” The anniversary is being marked with a series of events as former crewmembers gather virtually with prayer partners and supporters to share memories and look ahead to future plans. They are also re-connecting with the current ship’s crew of Logos Hope who are still finding ways to minister despite the challenges brought by the pandemic. OM Ships’ CEO, Seelan Govender says, “We look back at 50 years of Ship Ministry impact on the world and are incredibly humbled and honoured to be used by God. The message of the gospel is one of transformation, and millions have experienced its power in their life and community through their encounter with one of our ships. This message continues to drive us forward as we consider that millions more need to experience God’s love.” Find out more at www.om.org/ships.

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YOUR VOX

Star Prize of VOX we In each issue of a €25 ize pr a d ar aw for our r he uc book vo r, email favourite lette ment. It m co e or onlin could be you!

We don’t learn from history Thanks for highlighting some of the history of the mother and baby homes. Mercifully many of the children survived although some were seriously damaged. I wonder if the next generation of Irish people might be saddened that in the early years of the 21st century the majority of the populace condoned and even made legal the killing of babies in their mother’s wombs. Perhaps there is some truth in the adage, “One thing we learn from history is that we don’t learn from history.”

Howard Hall Tallaght, Dublin

SEND YOUR LETTERS TO EDITOR@VOX.IE OR YOUR VOX, ULYSSES HOUSE, 22-24 FOLEY STREET, DUBLIN 1 12

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VOX MAGAZINE

THE RADICAL OPTION

The letter from an “Unacceptable Christian” was a powerful piece of writing, which spoke movingly of personal struggle and suffering. It conveyed one person’s experience and the interpretation of that experience by reference to categories and values with which we are all familiar through living in contemporary Ireland. Beyond this experience, stands the question of authority for what we, as Christians, believe and how we live. While the “Unacceptable Christian” claimed that he/she was following the example of Jesus in seeking to have his/ her lifestyle choices affirmed by the church, he/she did not demonstrate that this was the case from Scripture. As we cannot assume that current thinking in society and how we interpret our own experience are in line with Scripture, the challenge of hearing what it says is real and pressing: Indeed, such hearing and obeying may well represent the truly radical option in Ireland today! Our underlying concern in writing to you is that we are not persuaded that Scripture endorses the gay lifestyle/ gay marriage that the “Unacceptable Christian” is so keen that churches affirm. Indeed, Paul in 1 Corinthians 6: 9 – 11 is unequivocal in stating that,

amongst those who will not inherit the kingdom of God, are “men who practice homosexuality”. He then adds “And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” Far from affirming the gay lifestyle, the apostle calls it out and presents life in Christ as an alternative to it. If, VOX continues to give tacit approval to such affirmation, how can we, as church elders, in all good conscience, continue to promote the magazine?

Pat Mullen, Mark McCormick and Hugh Morrison The Elders of Grace Bible Fellowship, Dublin Ed note: We’re grateful that for so many years the pages of VOX magazine and in particular the Letters to the Editor have allowed Christians to share the challenges and issues closest to their hearts, and also at times, to disagree or share differing opinions. This ability to listen well to one another and to consider the issues prayerfully in the light of Scripture is so essential as we come to maturity in Christ and learn to love one another in obedience to Jesus’ command. Patrick Mitchell’s Musings on page 27 seem so relevant.

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FOUR CORNERS

North, south, east and west... God has not stopped working across Ireland throughout the last 12 months. As we headed into our second “virtual” finding faith tour, we’ve been amazed to hear so many inspiring and encouraging stories. Here’s a taste: Christian Mums on WhatsApp Kiltealy, Co. Wexford Struggling with motherhood, life and faith during lockdown, Sarah Hemmingway set up a WhatsApp group to share encouragement and inspiration with other mums. She was overwhelmed with the response and told VOX magazine what prompted this practical new ministry. Sarah Hemmingway is a nurse who is married to a dairy farmer with three young children. “We go to a traditional Church of Ireland church without many young people. I found lockdown hard. I was working as a practice nurse at a GP surgery and things were busy and stressful,” Sarah told us. Before Covid, Sarah had spotted a daily devotional book called Jesus Calling by Sarah Young on the shelf at her granny’s house. “I asked to borrow it and my granny told me to keep it. She gave

me a stack of other Christian books too but I didn’t really open any of them.” When things became overwhelming during lockdown Sarah started reading Jesus Calling and encouraged her husband to read it too. “It made such a difference as we started relying on God more each day. I began praying more and listening to worship music. I began wondering if there were others out there who could also do with the same spiritual encouragement and support,” Sarah said. “The idea kept nagging at me and finally I plucked up the courage to get

“It made such a difference as we started relying on God more each day.

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in touch with some of my friends who had been in the Christian Union at college. We set up the Christian Mums WhatsApp group and eventually over 30 people joined the group. I suppose it is a community to meet and support other young Christian mums who might be on their own. We share podcasts,

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worship music and resources to help us as parents. “So many people are struggling behind closed doors and they need someone to offload to. In these days of social media, it is so easy to go down rabbit holes and find all sorts of distractions. We wanted something to help us focus on God and not get distracted. “It has been amazing to see the difference in my family life, my attitude, my mindset and my approach to life overall as we’ve focused on God.”

Too many people! - Loughrea, Co. Galway A new church that almost doubled during lockdown needed to find new premises when things started opening up. It was a joyful “problem” to have Pastor Jonny Pollock told VOX magazine. For many years, Jonny and Julie Pollock have had a passion to see vibrant churches established in places that were overlooked and forgotten. They served for several years in Mexico and then worked with a church in north Belfast before sensing God’s call to the west of Ireland. “It was strange because Ireland is where we are from so it doesn’t seem as romantic. I think there is a perception that because you are from a place you know about it. Sometimes you take things for granted. We spent two years working alongside a church in

Westport prayerfully considering how God could use us. We wanted to see where God was working already and join in with that,” Jonny explained. When the couple discovered that two women in Loughrea had been praying every week for a new church to be established in their town, they felt this was where they should go. “We must be the worst answer to prayer ever,” Jonny grinned. “The two ladies had been praying for a church to be planted and we had been praying for God to direct us. We knew Loughrea was it!” Four years ago Jonny and Julie moved with their three boys to Loughrea. “At first we didn’t do very much. We were getting to know those two ladies and falling in love with the town. It is such a wonderful place with unique people. We spent our first year just drinking that all in and getting to know people. Thanks to the new motorway and the Channel Factory, it is an incredibly diverse town with people from India, Brazil and South Africa.” When the small group started to meet as Calvary Church, Loughrea, they soon found they didn’t need to advertise. “We’ve been so blessed,” Jonny said. “We’ve

“There is a beauty in seeing Brazilian kids who don’t speak English sitting on the knee of a 90-year-old local woman.” focused on building relationships and people began coming to us. Remarkably our church has grown during lockdown. Beforehand we had 23 people coming but now we have more than 40. How did

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that happen? Relationships and unity have developed in the shared experience of lockdown. The church was being the church and that is attractive! There is a beauty in seeing Brazilian kids who don’t speak English sitting on the knee of a 90-year-old local woman. It is only because of Christ!” Prior to lockdown the church was meeting in the local resource centre but the room was too small to house everyone when restrictions eased. Now the church is meeting in a hotel and searching for new premises. “When I complain to Julie about having too many people, she joyfully reminds me of why we are doing this.”

“I wouldn’t have believed it!” - Sligo Finding more people attending a virtual Bible Study than would ever have attended in person has been just one of the surprises for Presbyterian minister Rev David Clarke in Sligo during the pandemic. David Clarke moved to Sligo to become the minister of Sligo Presbyterian church in January 2018. “I had a strong sense that this was where God was calling me and I love being a part of the diverse church community here. There are people who have been lifelong Presbyterians alongside others from different denominational backgrounds and a good number of people from different nationalities but

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we are all the stronger for our diversity,” he shared. Considering what God has been doing in his church over lockdown is a hard question to answer. “You cannot dig up a seedling to see what is happening under the ground without damaging it. But I think God is always at work. There have been lots of encouragements. One of the highlights is that the congregation is closer now than we were before the start of the pandemic. There is more of a sense of bearing each other’s burdens and has made us aware of the need to be sensitive to one another.” Seeing church members sending flowers and writing cards to one another has been a great joy along with the creativity different groups have brought to the challenge of ministry during lockdown. “Our Sunday School started to meet on Zoom in December. It has been brilliant how the parents and children have logged on and joined in with games, singing and breakout rooms for the different age groups.” When the midweek Bible Study moved onto Zoom, more people began joining virtually than would ever have attended in person. “We’ve had more freedom and there has been a greater sense of openness to share and pray for one another. Before this, if you had said we are going to do a virtual Bible study, I wouldn’t have believed it would work. But people have engaged with the studies

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and there has been a hunger for God’s word.” There was great joy in coming back together for “in person” worship even despite the restrictions. “It’s been good to see people coming back and so lovely to see people’s faces again. When you’ve been closed for so long you begin to wonder,” David admitted. Now the church is slowly beginning to look to the future again. “We had a host of things planned for 2020 and then Covid hit. It was almost painful to read the minutes of the [planning] meeting and realise that everything had had to be cancelled. But now we’re slowly rebuilding. Some of the congregation want to start a walking group and we are hoping to go to the beach and get an ice cream with the young people.” With a Direct Provision Centre on their doorstep, the church hopes to reach out in friendship and show practical love to asylum seekers and refugees who have arrived in Sligo. “The Lord has His purposes to allowing all this to happen. I look forward to seeing what He has been doing,” David said.

Looking for something real Athlone, Co. Westmeath After 31 years serving in Athlone, Dominic and Carol Montgomery from Cherith Baptist Church found lockdown tough going at times, especially coming to terms with new technology. But they have seen God at work in their church community and beyond. “This last year has stripped us back.

We’ve been forced to be still and to know that He is God (Psalm 46). The lockdowns have really helped us to appreciate what perhaps we had taken for granted in church. We struggled at times but the Lord was more than capable of holding on to us,” Dominic shared. There has been great joy in coming back together again as a church family even despite the challenge of finding sufficient room for everyone. “As well

“The lockdowns have really helped us to appreciate what perhaps we had taken for granted in church.” as the church itself, we have a mobile unit that we call the ‘ark’ and it got vandalised by a group of youngsters. That wasn’t nice at the time but it is all cleaned up now and it has given us the opportunity to remodel it and increase the space. Thanks to the good weather over the last few weeks, we’ve been able to go into the garden to talk and catch up with one another and that has been wonderful.” Since restrictions have eased, their church has been working alongside other Athlone churches. Twice a week, they have brought in OM Ireland’s Big Red Bus to provide a base for ministry and outreach. “A few weeks ago, I went into the local park with James, one of the OM workers who likes to do a bit of open air preaching. After he gave a message, we met a young lad who was

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interested in what we were sharing. He was weighing things up and looking for something real. We pointed out that we were from different churches but we had all come together for one purpose, to exalt Jesus. That really struck him. The teachings of Jesus are good and true but it is how people have applied them that has often left a lot to be desired. If ever there was a time when people were looking for something real, it is right now.”

Olive’s Rubbish is Helping Expectant Mums - Derrylin, Fermanagh A Church of Ireland parishioner has found an innovative way to care for the environment and to help expectant mothers at the same time. We spoke to Olive Roe to find out more. As a social worker and mum-of-four, Olive Roe has plenty to keep her busy but in recent months, she has been encouraging people at her local church to take part in a simple project with the potential to save lives. “In 2016, I was pregnant with Jacob. I was working in Omagh and I was a bit concerned that I had not had a lot of movement. When I went to the clinic they checked me over and they told me about Kicks Count [www.kickscount.org.uk]. That is a UK charity that promotes awareness about baby movements and gives advice to expectant mums about what to look out for,” Olive explained. Thankfully Jacob was born safely

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despite the scare and Olive went on to have another baby. More recently she was moved by a TV documentary that talked about the impact of waste on the environment. “I was thinking there must be more that we can do about it and then something flashed up on Facebook Recycle for KicksCount NI. I saw that it was possible to gather things like the wrappers for crisps, sweets and biscuits and at the same time earn money for the charity.” She started collecting wrappers and storing them separately from general household waste. “I sellotaped bread bags to the back of the door and during the first lockdown we began collecting, sorting and sending them off to the coordinator in Cookstown,” Olive explained. Soon Olive was spreading the word among family and friends and several joined in. That was when Olive got the idea to involve her local parish church. “I spoke to my Rector, Rev Alastair and he was really up for it. It doesn’t take too much time and I coordinate gathering and sorting the rubbish once a week. My boys help out too.” Seeing the devastating impact of stillbirth on whole families, Olive is determined to help raise as much money as possible for KicksCount. “Sometimes it is not possible to prevent a still birth but if a little more information could help even one family then it is worth it.” In the last month alone, the church has gathered 19 bread bags full of wrappers for recycling and with regular reports back about how much money they are raising, there is plenty of incentive to keep going.

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The Lord brought us step by step Skibbereen, West Cork It seems a strange time to launch a church but Amazing Grace Community church held its first “in person” meeting when restrictions eased in May. VOX spoke to Pastor Rob Attridge and his wife Amy about their journey so far. Rob Attridge was born and brought up in Skibbereen. After studying at IBI, Rob and his wife Amy began seeking God about the way ahead. “We felt the Lord was leading us towards being involved in ministry with a church. That is a funny thing to say because as believers we are all in ‘full time’ ministry whatever job we do. But we did sense He was leading us to church work,” Rob said. Three years ago, a small group began to gather for a weekly Bible study in Skibbereen. “At that point we didn’t have any clear vision for the future but more people joined until we had around 20 people each week,” Rob explained. They found support and encouragement from several local churches including the Baptist church in Bandon who helped them to think through the next steps and advised them on the process for forming a church. “Covid gave us time to work on our constitution and figure out things like Garda Vetting and even a website. We were meeting online during lockdown. I was appointed as the pastor and we focused very much on supporting our members. The Lord was bringing us

step by step and we saw real answers to prayer.” As lockdown restrictions eased and they began planning their first meeting, it became clear that a bigger venue was needed. After one Zoom prayer meeting, one of the church elders walked into town and met someone who recommended a community centre in Skibbereen where they could meet. “God was answering prayer. We hadn’t even thought of that building but now we’ve been meeting there on Sundays and it is a great place to be,” Rob smiled.

Lockdown was hard on young people - Kilkenny Away from the busyness and distractions of normal life, teacher and youth leader Laura Mahon has been drawing closer God during lockdown. She talks about seeking to support the young people in her church as they navigate the pandemic. Primary school teacher Laura Mahon used to think her housemate was crazy for giving up every Saturday night to lead the youth group at their church. But gradually God began to put it on her heart to get involved. “When my housemate moved away, the church leaders asked me to take it on and I’m leading the group now for four years,” Laura said. Lockdown was hard on the young people as Zoom calls soon lost their appeal. The Christ in Youth Move Conference last summer was a highlight and Laura enjoyed connecting with other youth leaders for support and prayer.

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Now back meeting together in person, Laura is conscious of how the last year has affected her young people. “There is a heaviness for many of them and the prolonged lockdown has been difficult. Friendships have become strained and young people have had to deal with a lot. There are some new faces but others have left. “I find working with the youth, the themes you are exploring for them and the questions they have can speak to you too. As I am reading scripture, He is speaking to me through what I am bringing to them. When you simplify things to be able to bring a message you get fresh revelation for yourself.” Currently studying the gospel of John, the group was struck by the story of Jesus turning water into wine in John chapter 3. “It is quite a simple story but there was so much that spoke to us. Jesus was at the wedding celebrating with His friends. He has compassion for the people in an ordinary situation. He wanted to solve their problem and didn’t want them to face embarrassment. The miracle was all done in a very low-key way; only those involved were aware of what was happening. But these were huge stone jars and it was the best wine. That is God’s nature. Nothing was lacking. There was more than enough and it was the best quality.” As the youth group and the church navigates back into more normal life and ministry, Laura is convinced that God is at work. “I feel God is bringing good out of all these situations. There is a realness and genuine hunger among people,” she said.

Abiding in Christ, Ready for Action – Loughlinstown, Co. Dublin For the Nazareth Community in Dublin the last year has been a beautiful opportunity for retreat and to be intentional about spending time with the Lord. Community leader JP Johnson told VOX more. “Really early on, at the time of the first lockdown, we received a vivid leading to a passage from Hosea where the Lord says He will lead us into the wilderness and speak tenderly to us. We know the Lord has said He is going to do something and He forced us into a space

“Will we come out changed for the better?”

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where we were abiding in His presence and not being caught up with the demands of everything,” JP said. Reflecting on God’s sovereignty has been comforting. “We led a teaching series on various characters in Scripture who grew as the Lord allowed challenges in their lives,” JP explained. “The question is, will we come out changed for the better? The Lord is working out His purposes and we don’t want to come out of the cave with our eyes blinking but instead ready and anointed for His mission. He is doing a work in us to prepare us to cooperate with His plan.”

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JESUS IS...

It’s a question we love to ask and always brings such beautiful and diverse answers.... “What does Jesus mean to you?”

SECURITY - Daniel from Dublin “Especially after the two years we’ve had, Jesus means security. I think of that verse in Psalms that was so prevalent, “the grass withers and flowers fade but the word of God stands forever.” We’ve seen a lot of change but the one thing that is constant is Him. This is not the time to stop; it is the time to go deeper into Him and His word. The church is still blossoming. People are still growing deeper into their relationship with God. I love church. I’ve missed meeting together in person. But it is a beautiful thing that even when everything is stripped away my relationship with Jesus cannot be taken away. It is secure.”

PATIENCE AND GENTLENESS Dominic from Athlone “For me, Jesus means patience, gentleness and challenge. They are all wrapped up together. The verse I love to quote is from Matthew 11, “Take my yoke upon

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you and learn from me for I am gentle and humble in heart and you’ll find rest for your souls.” We can mirror that to people who are under so much stress amid so much brokenness. We have an opportunity to show something real... someone real. And that someone is Jesus.”

ASSURANCE - Rob from West Cork “The first word that comes to me is ‘assurance’. There are so many facets to that. The hope that we have in Jesus is certain and it is sure. David said, ‘my times are in your hands’ and that is a mighty encouragement. No matter what happens, He is certain and sure for this life but also for what’s to come.”

REST - Amy from West Cork “After everything that has happened in the last couple of years, I know that He is my rest. At this stage of life [as a young mum] you are physically and emotionally tired. 2020 was really hard. We can try to rest in different ways but in the end Jesus is my rest.”

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WITH US - Laura from Kilkenny “I guess He is the answer to all our questions. He is the light in our lives and, for me, He is the one that sticks closer than a brother. He is with us in whatever situations we are facing. He will never leave us nor forsake us. I really have experienced that this year. What concerns us concerns Him. When things are troubling me, I have asked Him and received supernatural answers. He has been so faithful!”

MY HEALER Richard from Mayo “In about 2010, I injured my back and I was out of work for a long time. I met a Christian and this man prayed for my back. He asked Jesus to heal my back and within four days the pain was gone. I realised that what this man was saying was true. That is 10 years ago now. Jesus means everything to me. He is my saviour and my healer. I need Him every hour!”

HOPE - David from Sligo “Jesus means hope. I think obviously of His sacrifice on my behalf so that my sins could be forgiven. As Christians,

we are so familiar with it but the fact that we are going to live even though we die is an incredible thing. I was the oldest child in my family and my mum died when I was 22. It was a difficult time but again we experienced that hope. She had faith in Christ and these spiritual realities become very real at a time like that. One of the hospice nurses turned out to be a Christian and she told us, ‘Not many people die like your mum died.’ Although it was not pleasant, she had an inner peace that meant she was not afraid of death.”

ALL IN ALL - Jonny from Galway “It is not something that I think about because my relationship with Jesus is interwoven with every aspect of my life. He really is everything. There is that sense of Shalom, of peace and contentedness.”

THE REASON - JP from Dublin “I think about the Lord when I wake up and when I go to bed and when I am pausing in any moment of the day. I hope I live well for Him until the end of my days. I hope I would die for Him. I want to be serving Him for His glory, abiding in Him and experiencing His presence that is the fullness of life. Jesus is the reason I exist.”

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GOING DEEPER

Students share their experiences of studying Applied Theology at IBI

he Irish Bible Institute in Dublin serves the church in Ireland by educating, equipping and empowering Christians to live out the gospel in their communities. In a year when learning was forced “On Zoom,” we spoke to five students to discover how theological education has benefitted their local ministry.

David Duignan - Trim, Co Meath As a full-time heating engineer, the father of young children and a leader in his local church, David Duignan does not have much time to spare. But he describes the one day a week he dedicates to studying part-time for a BA in Applied Theology as “invaluable”. I run my own business, my wife is working and we have two children in school. Yet you can find time for what is important and this is important. IBI is not just for academics. The course helps people develop in their personal life and ministry at grassroots level. All of us should have some sort of ministry. I came to faith

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through watching an American preacher on YouTube. He said, “Don’t take my word for it...” So I bought a Bible on Amazon and read it through twice! The Word of God is compelling and the desire to preach and teach has been with me since I was first saved. We did a module on communication, which really helped for preaching. The Biblical Interpretation module gives you the tools to be able to read God’s Word and to know where you are. You come out feeling well fed but wanting to know more and with a load more questions.

Helen Donaghy - Sligo CEF worker Helen Donaghy never imagined she would have time to study theology. But all that changed when IBI began offering first year students the opportunity to study “On Zoom” during lockdown. Until 2019, I was caring for my mother-in-law and working alongside my husband, Brian in youth

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and children’s ministry with CEF. I’ve been a Sunday School teacher since I was 14 years old but I never felt confident in teaching the Bible. When Covid came, so much of our work was stripped away. With time on my hands I did a short theology course with Cornhill in Belfast. It made me so hungry. I felt God saying, “I want you to delve into this more.” I came across IBI and this was the first year they were offering a certificate in Applied Theology via Zoom. Because I’m from Sligo, I would not have had the time to travel up and down to Dublin to study. But with the “On Zoom” learning, I could take two days out of my week. I felt so encouraged by what I learnt. I’ve now been released to do the part time degree - one day a week for the next four years. I’m so happy about that! The course has been a huge help. I have more confidence in how to interpret the scriptures. They cover leadership, pastoral care and ministry development. You do a lot of personal reflection and learn a lot about yourself. IBI helped me understand the Bible so much better. When studying the Old Testament I felt like I was one of the little people on Google maps - it becomes so real that you feel like you are right there, looking around you and seeing the different characters and the environment in which they lived. Another thing that came to life for me was Jesus’ humanity. I’ve been brought up in church and I’ve always known the divinity of Jesus. But I realised how the

pain He experienced was as real as it is to us. He allowed himself to go through everything we do. You can grow up having a blinkered view of things. When you come to college your mind is opened up. I have so much more to learn. I don’t think I will ever stop learning. I’m not an academic person. I never thought I would get excited at the thought of doing assignments but because it is God’s word and it is living and active, it feels exciting.

Daniel Edewor - Dublin Twenty-two year old Daniel Edewor has just completed his final assignment for a BA in Applied Theology with IBI. He is excited about how he can apply his studies as one of the team leading Expectation Church - a new CCI gathering established during lockdown. I wanted to start Bible School straight after Leaving Cert. but I decided to do a Post Leaving Cert course first. I have a friend who is a pastor in the United States. He invited me over to serve in his church, to help out and to learn more about ministry. It was during that experience of serving alongside the youth group and young adult ministry that I knew this was something I wanted to pursue. I sent my mum the application form and she sent it in for me and I started the BA in September 2018. Studying at IBI has been an amazing experience. The teaching and the

“You can grow up having a blinkered view of things. When you come to college your mind is opened up.”

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“It is great to be given tools to serve the church and serve people in a high capacity.” curriculum are phenomenal. It is great to be given tools to serve the church and serve people in a high capacity. My favourite module was Ministry and Personal Development - learning how to develop as a leader and as a person. Even if I was never to step into a pastoral position, this gave me the tools for selfreflection and critical analysis to enable me to understand where I am at and what I need to do. I feel like I am a lot more self aware and that is a huge thing, no matter what stage of life you are at. It is something money can’t buy. As someone who is helping out with a new church, it is good to be able to understand the different tools and methods that are needed in different seasons. Pastoral care and intentionality are very important for us right now at Expectation Church. We are trying to build a community and a place that people feel they can call home.

Richard Walker - Foxford, Co Mayo As a carpenter and farmer in Mayo, Richard Walker opted to take some time out to study for his BA in Applied Theology. He has just completed his second year studying at IBI. I work in carpentry as my full time job. A few years ago, I took a year out to study at IBI and then this last year I decided to do the second year. It was great to be able to do it ”On Zoom.” I’m from Mayo so going do Dublin means spending nine

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hours travelling each week. It is great to dig into the word of God and see His promises for you. I loved the module with Phil Kingsley about mission in contemporary Ireland. We are all on mission. It is not just left to an elite few. It is about changing our mindset and purposefully praying to meet people. Even last week, I was on a carpentry job in Sligo and I got chatting to somebody. We ended up talking for half an hour about God. One highlight for me was studying Irish church history. It was so interesting and Mimi Kelly brings out so much. I really enjoyed that. It was great to learn about St. Patrick and his writings - I had never heard that before. I go to the Elim Church in Castlebar and one Christmas Day I was asked to do a talk at the Carol Service. IBI gave me the confidence to do that. I would encourage anyone who feels led to take that step of faith. The first time I was nervous but I have enjoyed all my time. The lecturers are really good; they want to help you do well. It is great place to study and to build your faith.

Lorita Hamer - Dungarvan, Waterford As Pastor of Dungarvan Christian Church as well as being a wife and mother, Lorita Hamer could not even consider studying at the Irish Bible Institute until the pandemic forced learning to be “On Zoom”. But after studying part time for her first year, she is determined to finish her degree in Applied Theology.

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I studied youth ministry, pastoral care, Old Testament and the life and ministry of Jesus. And because of Covid, I’ve been able to use everything I learnt. In the past, I would have had other people in the church helping out with youth ministry but one person from Italy left to return home and our youth leader was on furlough in America and couldn’t get back to Ireland. I ended up having to use everything I was learning about youth ministry as I was learning it. We had a two-day retreat “On Zoom” and that was really important too, especially as leaders to have that time of quiet with God. It was a reminder to watch out for ourselves as we are trying to care for others. Studying the Old Testament overview helped with a lot of questions I would have previously struggled with. It helped me understand the different viewpoints and gave me peace with not having to have all the answers. Studying in Ireland means I’ve been able to get to know people from other denominations and churches. It is not just about getting a degree. There is a richness and depth to building relationship with one another. It brings a sense of unity and a focus on the Kingdom of God.

“I ended up having to use everything I was learning about youth ministry as I was learning it.”

IBI LIVE You can now come to IBI from wherever you are. IBI Live: ON SITE or ON ZOOM ON SITE means in person classes in IBI. ON ZOOM means that students will also have the option to access those classes from wherever they are in Ireland and even beyond. See the website (www.ibi.ie) for details of courses and Open Days. For any questions or to chat about options, contact Sarah at sarah@ibi.ie or 01 806 9060.

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Musings...

Does Church Stifle Spiritual Growth? With Patrick Mitchel

n our local church, we are in the process of a ‘listening’ exercise linked to emerging from lockdown. We used a simple questionnaire around a traffic light system: Green – what are things we need to return to as core activities? Green Filter Arrow – what are core activities we should return to but in a different way? Amber – what are new things begun in lockdown which would be good to continue and develop? Red – what things should we reassess with a view to stopping or investing less time in? As leaders, we now have a lot of feedback to reflect on, a process that will take some time. Reading it got me thinking about the need to regularly ask questions about what we are doing and why. At least three things have come to mind that I’d like to share in these musings. The first is how welcomed the process has been. An overwhelming sense, made in verbal and written comments, is of appreciation of the chance as a church to pause, review and reflect what we are about as a community.

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Second is how rarely these sorts of questions tend to get asked in churches (at least in my experience, maybe yours is different). Asking questions is risky. We may not expect the answers we get. We may not like the answers we get. But without giving space for people to express their views honestly, we will never really know what is going on. Third, my theory is that it’s actually those answers that leaders find most troubling, or disagree with the most, that we need to be listening to the hardest. This need to listen to people with questions is backed up by several significant studies about why people leave churches. One was by Alan Jamieson, A Churchless Faith: faith journeys beyond the churches (2000) who interviewed a large sample of people from evangelical, pentecostal and charismatic churches (EPC churches). One of Jamieson’s most surprising, and challenging, findings has been that only about 1% of people leave church due to losing their faith. About 81% leave because they’ve come to the reluctant conclusion that there is no place for them in their church community. For them, church has, paradoxically, become an obstacle to growing as a Christian

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and so they leave to continue to work out their faith elsewhere. And here’s the key thing – such Christians are NOT young believers or half-hearted disciples. They tend to be committed, long-serving and mature Christians who have given years of dedicated service to their local church. They don’t want to go, they leave because who they are – what they think and feel, what is important to their faith and life – has no place in their church community. These believers are wrestling with searching biblical, theological and ethical questions that life experience has thrown at them. Avoiding such questions in preaching and teaching, or answers that just appeal to tradition (this is the way we do things) or authority (accept what you have been told) do not satisfy. They need to work things out for themselves but this is where real discovery happens and faith is deepened. Jamieson found that most EPC churches have little or no space in their teaching, worship and ministries for these sorts of people. They can often be seen as disloyal or divisive and are therefore marginalised. Fear of

questioning is understandable but here’s the paradox: the more questions are either ignored or shut down the more likely it is those with critical questions will be unwillingly squeezed out. So rather than finding believers with hard questions a threat, or dismissing them, another author, John Wilks, argues the best response leaders can have is this: “‘Bring it on’ … bring your questions, doubts, uncertainties and let us debate them vigorously and robustly, with respect and rigorous deliberation. Let us reject all half explanations and simplifications, let us look at the difficulties with all their complexity and confusion.” This sort of response shows a confidence in God and His Word because there is no fear in seeking the truth.

It’s actually those answers that leaders find most troubling, or disagree with the most, that we need to be listening to the hardest.

Dr. Patrick Mitchel is Senior Lecturer in Theology at the Irish Bible Institute. You can follow his blog at www.faithinireland.wordpress.com.

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NEW BEREAVEMENT SUPPORT SERVICE Launched on March 17 2021, a new bereavement support service in Dublin is offering care to those who are struggling with grief and loss, especially in the aftermath of the pandemic. Supported by Clontarf Church of Ireland, the service is open to all. The parish Rector, Rev. Lesley Robinson told us more.

“T

he pandemic has been very difficult on everybody. For me in ministry, there were ways I was able to stay connected and to be a good pastor but the area in which I felt a huge deficiency was the care for the dying and the bereaved. It is normally something we do well in the church and in this country. The low point in ministry over the last year was when our oldest parishioner was dying in a nursing home and I could not be with her,” Rev. Lesley shared. “I felt so useless.” The loss of a loved one is devastating for anyone. In normal times, when the call comes to say someone has died, a minister will immediately go to be with the family. “We have a ministry of presence,

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giving time and support. For several days, it becomes the priority. But during Covid, all we were able to do was to pick up the phone.” During lockdown, what is already a horrendous situation [the loss of a loved one] was made worse. Many funerals took place at gravesides with drastically reduced numbers of mourners and without the comfort of the extended family or the hugs and handshakes of a loving community of friends and well wishers. With all the normal traditions, processes and rituals of grief curtailed, many people were unable to come to terms with their bereavement. “We got a webcam put in our church and the first funeral that we were allowed to bring into the church was for

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a lovely old lady. I had got to know her family but her daughter [who lives in England] could not come home for the funeral. I was thankful for the webcam so she could at least watch the service but so much was taken from people. I wanted to do something to help people process their huge loss.” Rev. Lesley began chatting with a neighbour, a psychotherapist who had previously been part of a Dublin bereavement service that closed a number of years ago. Another parishioner had worked with the hospice and had a network of counsellors. “As a parish, we feel it is our responsibility to reach out to anyone who needs support in our community and so we held a few meetings on Zoom to discuss how we could do this. After a chance meeting with a friend who runs a coaching agency, he helped us to think strategically and to set clear goals. Another friend set up a website free of charge. Finally we were ready to launch on St. Patrick’s Day,” Rev Lesley explained. The Dublin Bereavement Support Service offers free counselling with seven experienced grief

counsellors who volunteer their time to provide bereavement support. People can access the service through the website www.bereavementsupport.ie. “Once people make initial contact on the website, they can choose which counsellor to contact depending on the day or time that is most convenient. Because of the restrictions, we are offering counselling exclusively by Zoom at first but in the autumn we hope to move to ‘in person’ counselling. We have a venue here in Clontarf, free of charge and we are looking for a second venue on the south side. The one advantage of Zoom is that currently we are open to anybody in Ireland,” Rev Lesley added. The team is also hoping to introduce telephone counselling for people who are unable to connect with technology. Although born out of a Christian concept of reaching and providing support and help, this is not a ‘Christian’ service, Rev Lesley explained. “We don’t discriminate. The service is open to everyone and I feel that just by doing the work of the Lord, we are rolling out His Kingdom on earth. At times, I get a bit overwhelmed about everything we need to do to move this forward but the main thing is that we had a vision. And it has already come to fruition.”

With all the normal traditions, processes and rituals of grief curtailed, many people were unable to come to terms with their bereavement.

CONFESSIONS OF A FEINT SAINT

Life Long Learning By Annmarie Miles

am now in the last year of my 40s. I feel I should be doing something, like extreme ironing or learning the Tarantella. When I asked for suggestions about how I should mark this new decade, one reply said I should make a list of 50 new things to do before I hit the big 5-0. I’m not sure I’ve enough time. I should have started in my mid 30s to give me a good run at it. Actually, I do have a bucket list of sorts, and I’ll be sharing about that next time… For the moment, I’m just happy to be coming out of my season of emptiness. God is refilling and refreshing me anew. I am not working at the moment, due to mental health struggles I had in 2020. However, I know I’m doing better because I’m excited about learning again. As I write I’m just starting a course. I was sorting some old paperwork and came across a folder of job application stuff. In it were all sorts of certificates of courses I’ve done over the years. In pondering this changing season, I have realised one thing. I am a pupil at heart. Apart from a degree and post graduate

Diploma in Theology, I’ve done courses on touch typing, public speaking, call handling skills, customer care, team leadership, interview training, basic sign language, food hygiene, safeguarding, leading worship, Myers Briggs, Birkman, creative writing, an NVQ (the title of which I can’t remember), oh and *coughs* memory skills. And now after just finishing a Social Media Bootcamp, I’ve started a more in depth course on the six main social media platforms, which includes coaching from industry experts, strategy development and life coaching for building confidence. I keep ending up back in school. Which seems weird, ‘cos when I was there, I couldn’t wait to get out. God likes us to be teachable. He wants us to come to Him and ask if we’re not sure. He gives wisdom, ‘without finding fault,’ James chapter one tells us. When John the Baptist was in jail, he sent his followers to ask Jesus if He really was the ONE he’d been waiting for. Jesus didn’t send back a telling off. He didn’t say what I would have said. “You know well who I am!” No, Jesus sent back encouragement

“I am a pupil at heart.”

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and urged John to lift his eyes above his own situation and look around at what was happening. Much as I love being the perpetual student, I don’t just want more knowledge. I want God to add to my wisdom as He adds to my years. I want my Christ-likeness to increase with my age. As my year of birth gets further down the list of options when completing my Date of Birth online, so I want my dependence on my own strength to be further from my reach. I may never dance the Tarantella. I may never iron, dangling off the side of a cliff. But as long as God gives me life on this earth, may I always be willing to learn from Him.

Annmarie Miles is originally from Tallaght and now lives in her husband Richard’s homeland, Wales. As well as VOX articles, she writes short stories, and is working on a book about her journey with food, weight gain, weight loss and God. Visit her blog at www.auntyamo.com. On Twitter she is @amowriting.

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REALITY

Life After Death What happens when the worst happens?

uring last year’s Finding Faith Tour, VOX editor Ruth GarveyWilliams had the privilege of ‘meeting’ [on Zoom] with Shaun and Tania Abrahams in Kerry. They shared how they were holding onto God’s promises in the face of Tania’s terminal cancer. Sadly Tania died on 18 December 2020. Here Shaun shares honestly about his journey since then. I remember when my kids were born. One minute there are four people in the room and then there are five. Life had come into the world. When you watch someone die, suddenly life is gone. The body is there but the person is somewhere else. The permanence of death gets to you immediately. I think in the first couple of weeks after Tania’s death the reality hit. I don’t think I have ever felt so much pain at any time in my life. It is weird to explain but it was the worst thing that could ever happen to me. Nothing could compare to that sense of loss when you love someone with that sort of intensity. As a pastor, I’m used to talking with other people. In the past I’ve told people to push through it, to “man up” and get on with life. It is much

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harder than that. The only other relationship that comes close is our relationship with the Lord. It nailed me the first couple of days. If it is this painful, imagine what it must be like for people who have never known the love of God? In the last two years I took care of Tania. She became sweeter even though the pain became more intense. The Lord did something beautiful in her life as she approached that final hour. There was a warmth about her, a remarkable amount of peace and joy. I don’t have a single picture of her where she is not smiling. We have no regrets. She finished well and I’m not thinking I should have done this or that. We were blessed with that. And yet there was a time in the beginning where the pain, the loneliness and separation were almost suffocating. It felt like someone was standing on my chest. One thing that has helped me a lot emotionally was starting to paint again. I spend a lot of time drawing and painting in watercolour. One of the chaplains in the

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“IF IT IS THIS PAINFUL, IMAGINE WHAT IT MUST BE LIKE FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE NEVER KNOWN THE LOVE OF GOD?” hospital said she went through a bad patch in her life and she worked with white chalk on a black background moving from darkness into light. For me, with watercolour you cannot paint the light, it is on the paper already. It is like the Lord Jesus. He is the light of the world. There is no darkness in Him. I suppose it might sound like a cliché but when we are weak, His power is made clearer to us. My Father in heaven knows about suffering. His Son suffered. Probably the one thing I have learnt the most is to pray. So many people go through life pretending it is okay and never telling God the problem. I come to value telling God what is going on in my head and heart. At that moment I talk about the inner things, about my concerns about the future, that is when I get more emotional. But there is a tenderness and a peace in realising I cannot do this by myself. When you

are done, you know your heart is not troubled any more. I’ve been reminded that He is with me. We sometimes long for His presence but we already have it. God’s presence has become more real for me. When I’m driving in my car and normally I would be talking to Tania, instead I talk to the Lord and tell Him what I would be saying to her. I’m lonely at times and it is okay to tell people about your loneliness. I’m thankful I have some really good people around me. These are people who know me well and will speak the truth to me. This has given me a bit more understanding and compassion. I’m more aware of the number of people who live by themselves and I can understand why loneliness can get to people. It is important to remember that when it comes to grief everyone has their own pace.

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MY STORY “The very next day I was a changed person” - Cavan Simon Teelin is a painter by trade who is married with three children. Simon’s life turned upside down when one night he cried out to Jesus. Over the years, I have travelled the whole world. Twenty-two years ago, I was working in New York and this Mexican fella used to say, “Jesus is the best.” That stuck in my head. I wondered, “What is making him so happy?” I was a Catholic and I’d say a few “Hail Mary’s” but that was all. Eventually my wife and I ended up settling in Mullagh, Co. Cavan, living our life and doing our thing. Then one night, out of nowhere I decided to talk to Jesus. I don’t even know why. I cried out to him, “Help me.” And somehow I knew He was there but I didn’t realise the full extent of what had happened to me. The very next day I was a changed person. I used to think reading the Bible was like reading the dictionary but now when I

opened up the Bible it all made sense. As I read, I got to know Jesus. This wasn’t religion, it was Jesus Himself. One day, my wife came in and asked, “Why are you reading the Bible?” She started reading too and she came to the Lord as well. We joined Lighthouse Church in Navan but we didn’t know anyone and then after a few weeks we ended up in the first lockdown! Thankfully we were able to join an Alpha Course and to connect with people on Zoom and that really helped. Things have really changed in my life. I used to always be chasing the money but now I’m contented and happy and I don’t worry about things anymore. I was a kickboxer and I used to love watching the fighting. Now I sit here talking about Jesus. How can that happen? It has been wonderful seeing how my son has got involved in Kid’s Church. I used to worry about him a lot because he is quite quiet. But now he is shining! To see him praying is wonderful!

“I used to think reading the Bible was like reading the dictionary but now when I opened up the Bible it all made sense.”

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“God guided my car” - Wexford Sarah Hemmingway’s faith had grown cold but an unexpected answer to prayer started her on a journey back to God. As a student I didn’t want to know about God, I thought He wouldn’t approve of me. I hadn’t prayed much for about ten years. Then one incident changed things for me. I was working as a nurse in a hospital at the time and it was stressful juggling work with family life. I felt I was praying and not hearing anything. My Rector encouraged me to be persistent in prayer. The next weekend, I went to a hen party in Belfast and on the way home I saw a sign to a place where I had been to a Christian camp when I was younger. I thought, “I’d love some worship.” I wondered if there were any vibrant churches around and all the way down the motorway I was praying. When I got to Dublin I knew, I needed to stop. There was a huge traffic jam, so I pulled off at a random exit and drove into the underground car of a hotel. As I walked in through the basement entrance of the hotel, I could hear worship. I discovered Open Arms church was meeting in that hotel at that exact time. It was like God had guided my car. I went in and it was just the most incredible experience; exactly what I was wanting. Then the sermon started and the preacher was talking about seasons of life. One phrase struck me, “You don’t wear a bikini in wintertime.” Suddenly it

struck me, “Maybe I shouldn’t be trying to do this job with three young children at home.” I got a job as practice nurse in my local GP surgery and I began to pray a whole lot more!

Traybakes and the Bible - Belfast and Galway Jonny Pollock leads a church in Loughrea, Co. Galway but his journey to faith started when he met his wife Julie at Queen’s university. Growing up on the Shankhill Road in Belfast, I never went to church. It was a complete irrelevance to me. I remember being at a meeting with the community liaison group of the greater Shankhill partnership when someone said, “We need to get the churches involved. How can the community reach out to the church?” There is something radically wrong with that. (It should be the other way around). At Queen’s university, I was a plastic atheist. I liked to shout at Christians but I wasn’t ready for a nihilistic future. When I met Julie, I pursued her. She would go to church so I decided I would go along and see what the craic was. I’m a weirdly curious person who questions everything. Julie’s parents go to quite a conservative church. They took time with me and answered questions. They would invite me around for traybakes and open up God’s word and talk about Jesus. I had never read the Bible before. I love philosophy so I began reading

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the wisdom literature, Proverbs and Ecclesiastes. It sounds pragmatic but I was reading the Bible and God was meeting me there. I used to think Christianity was irrational but all this was filling the gaps in my thinking. Coming to faith was a process for me. I realised that if this is true, it has significant implications for my life. People walked with me through it. They took time with me. They never told me pat answers or told me to go away. Sometimes you see people with cards in their Bibles with the date when they

“I used to think Christianity was irrational but all this was filling the gaps in my thinking.” came to faith. It wasn’t like that for me. But gradually I knew that this is real. I remember driving in the car with Julie one day and bursting into tears. From that point I began to get excited about Jesus and since then our life has been the most wonderful and remarkable adventure.

“I had been trying to fill the gap in my life” - West Cork From Iowa to West Cork, Amy Attridge’s journey helped her to realise that God has given her everything she needs. I grew up going to church in Iowa, USA. I remember hearing the gospel at a summer camp when I was 11. I did genuinely believe and repent but it was more of a cultural thing and I wasn’t following Jesus. A lot of my story is wrapped up in my boyfriend. From the

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age of 15, he was the biggest part of my life and where I was getting my worth, value and purpose. Eventually, I went to live with my sister. She had become a believer at college and took me to their college ministry. My boyfriend was in the Marines and that same year, he was sent to Iraq and Afghanistan. God used that to take us apart. When he came back, I was in a different place. We had been planning to move in together but by that time, I had changed and I knew it was not right. God was taking me on a journey but, for a while, I was living two lives. I was going to the Christian stuff and having friends there. I loved that and I was soaking up the Bible teaching. But I still had my boyfriend. Eventually, we broke up which was pretty traumatic. At that time, I was really struggling with guilt and shame. I saw all these lovely Christian girls who had never done anything wrong, and I thought, “No one is ever going to want to marry me.” At the college, Bible study we were studying Hosea. God used that scripture to show me how I had been trying to fill the gap in my life just like the woman in Hosea, chasing after her lovers. But God was the one who had given her everything she needed. I began to realise that in Christ, I am a new creation. Eventually I got baptised and the following year I came to Cork. That

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“That brief time with him was powerful and positive for our family.” was when I met Rob (my husband) at one of the Christian Union weekends away. Eventually we were married in 2012.

“17 minutes” - Dublin When they discovered their sixth child had a life-limiting condition, JP and Cliona Johnson wanted him to have as good a life as possible. Here JP shares his journey to faith and talks about that precious time with his son. I grew up in a wonderful family. My parents were involved in the early years of the charismatic renewal. I went reluctantly to many prayer meetings here in south Dublin but I wasn’t impressed. I had no intention of being “religious” like my parents. I was immune to the Gospel. When I was 18, we were invited as a family to meet with People of Hope in New Jersey, USA and take part in some leadership training. The younger people did a “Life in the Spirit” seminar and they really wanted to do it. I had never seen that before. Most young people I met in Dublin were as resistant as I was. For the first time, I was open. During that time, the Holy Spirit blessed me powerfully with a personal relationship with Jesus and the desire to live the Christian life. Back in Ireland, I became part of the Nazareth Covenant Community when it formed in 1984. I

met my wife Cliona there in the 90s. The culture of the world around us is not supportive to living a Christian life and if your connection with people of faith is restricted to a once-a-week act of worship, that is not going to sustain you. You need to be connected regularly. Our covenant community has grown so that we now have 120 adults and more than 50 children. We seek to support one another to live our lives as followers of Jesus and to serve in mission. Cliona and I have five children. We had a sixth child but at the first scan, we discovered that he had a life limiting condition. We wanted him to have as good a life as possible and the idea of truncating his life didn’t make any sense. When he was born, he only lived for 17 minutes but that was a blessing. That brief time with him was powerful and positive for our family and he is still very much part of our family and our remembrance. Because of his condition, he would have been a classic case for abortion so during the referendum campaign, Cliona and I were very active in putting the case for the blessing and fullness of life. Although there was a lot of conflict and disunity at that time, I was able to give testimony to the Christian approach to life as a gift from God.

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Your 2020/21 Photos

We asked you to share with us your photos taken during this extraordinary year and you delivered! There were three sugested themes: Back to Church - the joy of reunion, Creation Rediscovered - what we found in our 5K and Lockdown Surprises new opportunities out of restriction. Each of these gifted photograpers has earned themselves a €20 book voucher.

Diane Holt | Daily lockdown walks my daughter in Newtownards, Co. Down 40

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Patrick Mitchel | Sunset over the hills above Holywood Co. Down

Barbara Jones | Worshipping together in the glorious sunshine at St. Thomas, Columbkille, Co Longford

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Anne Marie Gibson | Spring at Tymon Park, Tallaght in Dublin

Jane Siliauskas | Roadside blossoms in Dundrum, Dublin 42

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Peter van der Burgt | A swan family on the Grand Canal just outside Monasterevin

Matthew Kennedy | First service back at Journey Church in Lisburn after months of lockdown JUL - SEP 2021 VOX.IE

FAITH

“It is so important...”

CEF workers in Sligo are telling children and young people about Jesus

rian Donaghy grew up going to the CEF good news club in Sligo. Today Brian and his wife Helen lead the work in the North West. We called to find out more. “When we joined CEF in 2012 there had been a work established in Sligo for 40 years but the leaders were about to retire,” Helen said. Brian met and married Helen in Belfast where they lived and worked for 14 years before returning to his hometown. In Sligo, Brian worked as an IT consultant (he has a PhD in electronic engineering) while Helen helped to care for her mother-in-law. Soon Brian was volunteering with CEF at the weekly good news clubs and the annual camps he had once enjoyed as a child but with the leaders planning retirement there were questions over the future of the work. “On the same weekend, we both felt God saying He wanted us to become CEF workers,” Helen explained. “We did our training in children’s ministry with CEF in Switzerland and it was a wonderful experience. Within a week of returning home we were launched into ministry. At the first camp we ran in 2012, a lot of

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children felt God speaking into their lives and many made commitments to follow Jesus.” In the early days the couple had 50 to 60 young people coming to their house every fortnight. They didn’t realise the significance of what was happening. “It was absolutely brilliant. It seemed normal to have that many young people involved,” Helen said. “We ran a good news club after school and found a way to connect with more children by moving the club to Sligo Methodist Church. We would meet the children at the gate, dress them in high vis jackets and walk across town to the church hall for games and Bible teaching. It was so much fun.” One great blessing has been to have groups of young people volunteering with

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CEF from all over the world. “It is such a privilege to see the next generation coming up. They are on fire for the Lord and they really want to serve. We’ve had people coming from America and Canada and we’ve built links with Youth With A Mission (YWAM) and with the Surf Project.” The local churches across Sligo were supportive and Brian and Helen enthusiastically joined with the monthly inter-church prayer meeting, something that has continued on Zoom throughout the pandemic. With Covid restrictions, much of the ministry moved online and CEF provided at-home resources for families. “We’ve done Zoom visits to schools as well as running our good news clubs online. This year, because of the Covid restrictions we are working with the Surf Project to run two weeks of day camps in Rossnowlagh, Co. Donegal with a combination of surfing and Bible teaching and we’re likely to be fully booked. “In August we’re looking forward to beach fun at Rosses Point in Sligo with both children’s and youth activities. And Brian will run a technology camp (the children do coding and we tie that in with Bible teaching).” CEF has developed excellent resources and they are hoping to support more churches across Ireland. There is training available for parents or Sunday School teachers who want to learn how to explain the Gospel and it can be adapted for whatever is needed in your context. In Northern Ireland, CEF is involved in the multi-million Seaview Project in Kilkeel to facilitate training more people from all over Ireland in reaching children

and youth. Once complete, the centre will also host conferences and camps for hundreds of children and adults. Find out more at www.cefireland.com. “We have given our lives to do this because it is so important that children have an opportunity to understand who Jesus is, “ Helen added. “We build relationships with whole families. Many do not go to church anymore so we could be the only Christian contact that they have.” If you would like to get in contact with Brian and Helen please visit www.cefsligo.com or call 087 950 1443.

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REALITY

BEAUTYFRO

Origin Community Space has becom

ransforming an overgrown, dilapidated space in Finvoy, Co. Antrim into a beautiful, flourishing garden has mirrored what God is doing in the lives of those involved. As part of this year’s Finding Faith “Tour” VOX editor Ruth GarveyWilliams chatted with Kenny Baird about the vision behind Origin Community Space and the impact it is making on a small rural community even through the challenges of lockdown.

HOW DID ORIGIN COMMUNITY SPACE COME ABOUT?

About five years ago, we were a group of friends who were a bit disillusioned about our journey of faith. We were trying to find a way that we could link what we believe with our desire to care for the environment and care for our community. My wife’s family in Finvoy had a little piece of land. My fatherin-law had been a chicken farmer and when he retired, they knocked down the chicken shed. The shed was lying in ruins on a concrete slab in the middle of

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three acres of land. One day we stood in the middle of this rubble and imagined what would happen if the wasteland were turned into something usable. It took a lot of shovelling and a lot of hard work. We didn’t have any money, so we did everything by hand. We were loading pieces of rock and concrete into the back of car trailers and driving back and forth to the dump. Looking back now, we realise how committed we were. As we cleared space, we got some rescue chickens and some geese. Slowly things began to speed up and we filled the site with animals and with the vegetables we were growing. Early on we began to give away some of our produce to those in need and we partner with FarmBox in Belfast to provide vegetables, fruit and eggs to refugees and asylum seekers in the city.

HOW DO YOU RUN ORIGIN?

We have a core team of about 10 or 12 people involved most of the year with up to 30 volunteers who drop in at different times. We run it as a cooperative and a social enterprise. My wife started a flower growing business to raise more

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MTHERUINS

me a place of healing and restoration money for Origin. And people have run various classes on the site. An artist has taken over one of the sheds and that also provides funds to help run the project. The whole idea is that as more and more people use the space, they can dream and develop their own ideas.

SO WHERE DOES FAITH COME IN?

A lot of people we see are disillusioned and dismayed at what they see portrayed in church. We believe there has to be a different way of living as followers of Jesus. Our church community “Collective” is a micro-church model that was birthed out of Origin. It is centred on Christ with a desire to live out our Christian faith in all of life with a focus on discipleship and relationship. Origin itself is not a Christian group. But the DNA of the garden has been established on Christian principles such as caring for our environment and caring for the vulnerable and marginalised in our community. We wanted to build something that could not be labelled. That has enabled us to be a welcoming space for all kinds of people and it has helped to break down the fear of

“otherness”. Only 10% of those involved in Origin would be practising Christians.

HOW DID THE PANDEMIC AFFECT YOU?

In January to March 2020, we were in our regular rhythm of prepping seeds. Then lockdown hit and we quickly realised we needed to grow a lot more food. We all thought the hardest thing was going to be figuring out how to keep things going. Then things got real. My father-inlaw who was one of the central people in Origin, got sick with Covid. He was taken into hospital in April and died. This loss hit our community really hard. Trevor was the one who built our poly tunnels. He was the experienced farmer who had been teaching us all how to care for animals and grow vegetables. Soon afterwards, I got sick with Covid and had a double stroke because of it. And while all that “shaking” was happening to us, we also had social services and others getting in touch with us because so many in our community were in need. We began dropping off boxes of fresh food to people and also providing support to those who were

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isolated. The need was massive but we realised it wasn’t just about hand outs. People were looking for something deeper. With an outdoor space, we found opportunities to invite people to come and grow things for themselves. It empowered people to take back control. Sometimes in trying to help people, we can make them feel small but by inviting people to work at Origin, we could empower them to feel part of something bigger. One of the unique things about working together in an outdoor space is the ability to dig your hands into the soil and process what it going on in your life. People were longing for community. They wanted to get involved and make a difference. Origin has become a space of healing and restoration for people as they have struggled with their mental wellbeing and with the isolation of lockdown.

freshly harvested vegetables, people were incredibly thankful. We were showing them that they are worthy of it. People value healthy, fresh food but many have no idea how to cook with these types of ingredients. We started a wee kitchen, making videos to teach people how to cook recipes using our vegetables. Then we would call them the following day to have a chat and ask, “How was your meal?” It was a lovely experience to receive photographs of the meals people had cooked using fresh vegetables from Origin.

“GOD IS INVOLVED IN THE RESTORATION OF ALL THINGS TO HIMSELF.”

YOU ALSO STARTED TEACHING PEOPLE HOW TO COOK. TELL US ABOUT THAT.

For a lot of people fresh food is a luxury so when we were able to drop off a box of

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IT SEEMS AS IF THE TRANSFORMATION IN ORIGIN IS A PICTURE OF WHAT IS HAPPENING IN PEOPLE’S LIVES.

It is beautiful to stand back and see something that was once an overgrown mess but is now flourishing. We have story after story of people who have joined us. Some of them have never grown anything in their lives. One woman has become one of my best friends here. She came along as a way of getting out of her house but now she is one of our head gardeners and one of our

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hardest workers. She teaches others. Her life has been transformed by hanging out with a pile of people growing some food and sharing community.

BUT TO PLAY DEVIL’S ADVOCATE FOR A MOMENT, WHAT HAS THIS GOT TO DO WITH THE GOSPEL?

God is involved in the restoration of all things to Himself. He is at work in the world. One danger that churches face is that we can focus on pulling people from their real authentic rooted life into a building. Instead of empowering people to live in that [every day] space, we can elevate Sunday services as the most important part of the week. Our desire is to empower people to live for Christ throughout the week and in all of life. We want to share the good news as we live our lives. But it is hard to change the narrative unless you see it for yourself. Being part of Origin has helped us to connect with people who would never walk through the door of a church building. It has helped us to forge friendships with people from different backgrounds and many of them have felt safe to come along to Collective. They see the Gospel lived out in our community and in those moments of beauty in Creation as we work side by side in the garden.

WHAT ARE THE LESSONS YOU HAVE LEARNT AS A CHURCH COMMUNITY DURING THIS TIME? AND WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO OTHER CHURCH LEADERS AS WE EMERGE FROM LOCKDOWN?

It has been an awesome journey. We have been learning to be a community that loves Christ and where everybody is caring for one another. As a pastor, it is exciting to see the hierarchy being flattened. I can sit back and watch as people have risen and God is releasing more people into their gifting. We’ve had conversations about our mental health and wellbeing and have been able to discover how to meditate on Scripture and practice gratitude. We’ve found new depth as we’ve experienced those feelings of great loss at the same time as holding onto hope. I truly do believe in Jesus-centred communities. Many church leaders are struggling with trying to bring people back together because some who had been searching for something deeper have actually experienced that. They have found space to read, to go for walks and to be imaginative about how they live out and express their faith. I’m praying that churches and leaders can break down some of the walls. This pandemic has the potential to change generations of Christians if we let it.

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LIFE

AN UNSUCCESSFUL LIFE

BY ANA MULLAN

ow do we define success? According to the dictionary success is, “attaining wealth, prosperity and/or fame.” Well from the world’s point of view my husband and I are not exactly “successful”. We don’t own a house, a car or a TV, and we don’t even own the social enterprise that we started a few years ago. We have chosen to live simply though we consider ourselves rich in many ways. If somebody from a financial company assessed our decisions and our way of viewing life, they would put us in the category of ‘unsuccessful’. However, as a Jesus follower I think the label fits as well, because we don’t measure our lives by human statistics but by Jesus’ way of living life. Why am I thinking about success and what is considered a successful life? I started to think about it because sadly, I read once again about a Christian leader’s failure in relation to abusive

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sexual behaviour towards women in a US ministry and another incident of leadership abuse in the UK. As I was discussing this with my husband, he said to me, “they bought into success.” That is what got me thinking. How do we measure success within Christian circles? A friend who lives in the US said that many who want to start new congregations want to have a big church quite quickly, publish a book and a blog, and have financial security. It sounds to me something closer to being the CEO of a company than the leader of a movement. We tend to cling to idols, to famous speakers. We follow one for a season and another for another season. We want the formula that will make it possible for us to have success. We get excited when Justin Bieber gets baptised or when we can label an artist, or sportsperson, as ‘Christian’. But then, as in some cases, they fall from grace and we become disappointed and start asking questions.

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I was listening to an English Dominican priest last night and something stayed in my mind from what he shared, “when Christianity leaves God out, it becomes authoritarian, abusive and controlling.” And he must know that very well since the Catholic Church has had its fair share of scandals. But those scandals are not confined to the Catholic Church. Success and power have corrupted many leaders but it is sad to hear when that same mentality has entered the church. When we start thinking about how big our church is, about our budget or how famous we are, then we will just be reflecting exactly what the secular world does; there is no difference. I am reading a book at the moment about the first Christians; the ones who lived during the first three centuries. They lived in a constant tension, knowing what was happening within their own culture and being prepared to model something that was totally different. They didn’t have many famous people joining their ranks. They were the poor, the illiterate and the slaves. For wealthy people, joining the group meant to be ostracised by society. These people knew that when they entered the house where they were going to meet, they were entering a different world. A world where everybody was equal; where slaves and free were treated with the same dignity. The slaves who had no voice in the households where they

worked, had a voice in the meetings. The widows, orphans, and those forgotten by society knew that they were going to be looked after. What training did they receive? They went over The Sermon on the Mount, until it became second nature; until they loved their enemies in the way Jesus did. In a society where to love your enemies was considered to be weak, they showed how to live by a different reality. They didn’t do ‘evangelism.’ They did not pressurise anybody to join them because that would have put them at great risk. Many died. However, they lived such a distinctive life that their neighbours were curious and wanted to join. There was one thing that was very clear: they did not seek success, they sought the Kingdom of God and they were able to say, as Cyprian and other early Christians said: “We do not speak great things but we live them.” They were certainly successful but not in the way the dictionary defines success.

AS A JESUS FOLLOWER I THINK THE LABEL FITS AS WELL, BECAUSE WE DON’T MEASURE OUR LIVES BY HUMAN STATISTICS BUT BY JESUS’ WAY OF LIVING LIFE.

Ana Mullan is from Argentina but has lived in Ireland for 35 years, the last 18 in Dublin. She is an artist, a spiritual director, retreat facilitator and an enthusiastic grandmother.

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REALITY

A Future for CARNAGARVE FOREST BY LIAM BURNS

bout a kilometre from the scenic shoreline of Lough Foyle in East Inishowen, County Donegal, you will find Carnagarve Forest. It is a mere ten-acre plot with a tarred public road bisecting it and surrounded by flat fields. Nothing startling, perhaps. But this little woodland is mine. My own little Garden of Eden. The land from which it sprouted has

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been in my family for almost 60 years, and the hardwood trees themselves oaks, beech, sycamore and ash - were planted over a quarter of a century ago. They now tower above your head, while the lower tangle of brambles and wild raspberry invites you to get lost in its understorey from spring onward. Eventually my descendants will fell those trees to harvest a crop of lumber. But in the meantime, I contemplate the

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possibilities for this God-given woodland. Now that semi-retirement has descended, my wife and I consider three branches of forest experience from elsewhere which, if grafted in, would render our forest a blessing to others in the future.

BRANCH 1: FOREST CHURCH

There is something about a forest that exudes spirituality. Even hardened atheists soften somewhat when cocooned in green foliage and swaying ferns. Nowadays the fashion leans towards new-age spirituality. Celtic spirituality may get a look in also. But for me, when I step into Carnagarve Forest, I step under the canopy of an omnipotent creator God. His character is sketched between the pages of Genesis, where it all began in a verdant garden (Genesis 2:8), and Revelation with its river flanked by crop bearing trees (Revelation 22:2). Yet aware of the “fallenness” I share with all mankind, I need and gravitate towards some kind of release from the pollution of the world, including my self-pollution. That quest for salvation draws me to a Saviour and I find a man who walked this earth in gospel times. Most of Jesus’ teaching was out on the mountainside or lake shore, drawing on fishing, vine husbandry, seed sowing and fig trees. Trees are expected to bear fruit. Each person must make this journey into a fruitful Christian life for themselves but it is not a solitary quest. We need to be drawn to others, to church, to weekly patterns of services. This certainly doesn’t have to mean buildings so in Carnagarve Forest, we welcome our fellow believers. There is a place for them to refresh their souls in solitude.

Secluded clearings are designed for church groups to come and pursue gatherings of youths, mid-week fellowships and leadership teams. There has been a recent spurt of growth in the practice of “Forest Church”. The movement aims to “take spirituality beyond its traditional confines of building and doctrine to a new kind of church that is earthed in experience of the outside world and the One who made it.” Their Facebook page has already attracted over 2000 members. It’s dedicated adherents post links to the most wonderful material: woodland inspired art, sensitive prayers, liturgies for advent or lent, worksheets based on the seasons, invitations to join a week of wild worship in Essex and so on. However, to be invited in through the forest gate at Carnagarve, you don’t have to sign up to Christian belief: my trees beckon to everyone. Already I have welcomed humanists and members of the Irish Naturist Association as well as myth and folklore enthusiasts, few of whom subscribe to orthodox Christianity. As long as they accept that the owner of this forest allows for Gospel song alongside birdsong, they are welcome.

BRANCH 2: MENTAL HEALTH ADVICE The benefits to physical health from being outdoors are well rehearsed. In recent times an awareness of our equivalent mental health needs grew as lockdown restrictions assailed the minds and hearts of the Irish population. Mental Health Ireland is not a Christian organisation but that doesn’t stop us recognising the wisdom it has to offer. We can check for ourselves if its advice chimes with Scripture, and

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I think it does. They recommend a research-based set of “simple actions to practice each day to maintain or improve our mental health and wellbeing”. The “Five Ways to Wellbeing” list is quite inoffensive: Take notice; Be active; Keep learning; Connect; Give. And you could not get a better venue to develop all five than a forest near the shores of a lough. Take notice – The simple act of going into any woodland will lift clouds of self-smothering depression and waken you to the leafy surroundings, to the present moment, the here and now. There are nine designated resting points in Carnagarve Forest, each with a log seat to sit and engage your senses with that forest world. Be active – Rough paths have been cut through the forest. After resting for contemplation, you can move from point to point with a speed that suits your fitness and mobility. And the prospect of a little woodland assault course, using logs and branches that come to hand, adds to the vision of a place where an active body nurtures an active mind. Keep learning – Any forest I own must be a place where new information and fresh skills can be learned. And that is exactly what people need: a chance to build up confidence and self-esteem through new learning, a venue to pursue those topics that interest them, a serene outdoor classroom. There is the obvious learning about the surrounding trees, plants and wildlife - their identity, their life cycles. Or there could be the challenge of new skills close to forest life: making basic furniture using lashing and knotting. Connect – If individuals have already spent a while in woodland solitude,

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their mental health can be further boosted through building relationships. Communal interaction changes our brains and affects our moods for the better. Learning collaboration is but one example of connection. Any joint venture with others offers an improved sense of purpose. The secluded clearings recommended for church groups also allow all sorts of gatherings of people to bond and pursue projects of their choosing. Give – The emphasis so far has leaned towards what you gain from a visit to the forest. But connecting with others will involve giving as well as taking. We welcome gifts left behind to bless others who follow – the fruits of crafting skills or artistic creation. The very act of giving is recommended by Mental Health Ireland to improve our wellbeing. Vesting your help in an agreed project, small acts of kindness or even just offering listening time are shown to build you up, as your focus shifts to others. Clearly Christians have been fostering mental health long before the term became fashionable.

BRANCH 3: FOREST BATHING

Forest bathing could be described as “Taking in the fullness of woodlands with all our senses”. It was pioneered by the Japanese. The idea first came to a young doctor, Qing Li, over 30 years ago. He found that as a student living in Tokyo, the most crowded city in the world, the stress of his urban life could be greatly reduced by a visit to one of the lush forests, which cover twothirds of the country. Since then, he has researched and written books on what is

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now known as forest bathing – or in their language, Shinrin-yoku. He even set up a research institute dedicated to its study. I want Carnagarve to be a place, which welcomes people to come and bathe. Even in Inishowen people have an urban lifestyle mentality and suffer from what has been called “nature deficit disorder”. But we are hardwired to connect with the natural world - we were intended by a creator God to relate to the fullness of His creation. Numerous medical studies have shown that walking anywhere outdoors reduces depression, anxiety and anger. The Japanese research further shows that if the setting is a forest, there are additional gifts to our bodies. Physiological stress is reduced, heart rate and blood pressure are lowered, sleep patterns improved, fatigue reduced and vigour restored. The benefits of the presence of trees can be scientifically traced to two factors - a higher concentration of oxygen and the presence of organic oils called phytoncides, part of the plant defence system against disease. So even the experience of simply “being” in a forest like Carnagarve will bring blessings. The research findings, which have been taken on board by health authorities internationally, can be distilled into advice on how to practise forest bathing. I now pass on five steps to my invited visitors. Find a spot. Select a sunny or shady place that suits your needs. Engage all your senses. Let nature enter through your ears, eyes, nose, mouth, hands, and feet. Appreciate the silence. The music of insect and bird, a breeze through spring foliage, the flow of a stream.

CLEARLY CHRISTIANS HAVE BEEN FOSTERING MENTAL HEALTH LONG BEFORE THE TERM BECAME FASHIONABLE. Don’t hurry. Anything from 20 minutes up to four hours has been found to bring positive effects. Try different activities. Write a journal or poetry. Study plants, creatures even the rocks around you. For Christians, this will naturally extend to meditating or praying. As the spring of 2021 advances into summer, Carnagarve Forest is blossoming and growing. I hope to graft in the experience gleaned so far from the British Forest Church movement, Mental Health Ireland’s “Five Ways to Wellbeing” and Japanese forest bathing. You are invited to join the adventure. All my guests have to do is accept the invitation. Nature does the rest. Or maybe it is the Lord of creation, in His own quiet way. Liam Burns is a semi-retired teacher of Physics and English. He lives, and belongs to a vibrant church, in the border area of Donegal and Derry.

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REALITY

The Power of Representational Repentance 56

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W nt f e p o re ns e i w “s rs”? n he e HAN a C r t ath NAG fo r f Y MO ou PADD BY

e are no strangers to the stain of systemic injustice and abuse in Ireland. From the evils of conquest and eviction to the violence of sectarianism and the horrific legacy of abuse and cover up in our churches and institutions, there is much to lament in our history. But as Christians who are not directly responsible for past sins, how should we respond? Is it possible to repent for the sins of a nation, a church or a family? Here Paddy Monaghan explores ‘representational repentance’ from Scripture, from examples around the world and from his own experience. To intercede through Representational Repentance (RR) is to identify with a particular corporate sin and represent the perpetrators (or victims) by repenting of that particular sin. In February 2011, I had the privilege of helping to organise and participate in a Liturgy of Lament and Repentance in Dublin’s Pro-Cathedral. Described by the Irish times as a “powerful and authentic event” it brought together victims of clerical child sex abuse. There was an admission of guilt on the part of church authorities who pleaded forgiveness “for the deaf ear, the blind eye and the hard heart” presented to the abused, as spoken by Archbishop Diarmuid Martin in words prepared by victims themselves. Cardinal Sean O’Malley, Archbishop of Boston and leader of the apostolic visitation sent to investigate the Dublin archdiocese, asked forgiveness on behalf of Pope Frances, “for the sexual abuse of children perpetrated by priests and the past failures of the church’s hierarchy, here and in Rome.” During the Troubles, I also attended, along with an evangelical Catholic

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THERE WAS AN ADMISSION OF GUILT ON THE PART OF CHURCH AUTHORITIES WHO PLEADED FORGIVENESS “FOR THE DEAF EAR, THE BLIND EYE AND THE HARD HEART”. friend, a good number of RUC funerals in Northern Ireland, making a point each time of apologising to Dr. Ian Paisley for the tragedy perpetrated by people from a Catholic background. Being there as evangelical Catholics, we were warmly welcomed into the local orange hall afterwards for tea and sandwiches.

MANY RR INITIATIVES

In the last 40 years there have been a number of RR initiatives in racial reconciliation gatherings in the US. There have also been many Prayer Journeys involving RR, such as the YWAM prayer walk, led by Lynn Green, from Western Europe to Jerusalem, commemorating the 900th anniversary of the First Crusade. In 2000, Pope John Paul 2 held a RR service in Rome, confessing the sins of Roman Catholic Church for the treatment of Jews and women, over the centuries. An evangelical Catholic Leader, Pavol Strezo pioneered RR in Slovakia. He discovered in his home city a Jewish woman who was only two years old when her father was taken to the death-camp.

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250 Jewish citizens of this city had been deported and killed in Nazi death camps. On discovering that nobody had ever said sorry to her, Pavol went to the mayor, who agreed to organise a meeting of reconciliation. A breakthrough ensued in the relationship between Jews and nonJews and led to 16 other cities in Slovakia taking similar initiatives. A national RR event is now being planned for next September involving many churches there. Praise the Lord!

TWO OBJECTIONS TO REPRESENTATIONAL REPENTANCE

1) Are we not only responsible for our own sins? How can we repent for sins we did not commit? The purpose of the confession of past sins is the ‘purification of memory.’ As Elie Wiesel, the Jewish writer, has said, “While no man is responsible for what his ancestors have done, he is responsible for what he does with that memory”. 2) Some Christians treat this area too flippantly and glibly repent on behalf of the nation.

JESUS OUR MAIN MODEL

The gospel of Matthew presents the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan as His identification with sinners and the prefiguring of His death on the cross. Jesus so identifies with sinners that He takes the consequences of all sin upon Himself. Other great biblical examples are Nehemiah and Daniel. In chapter 9 of both books, we find a long confession of the sins of the fathers, accompanied by a confession of the sins of their own generation. The person making the confession identifies with his ancestors.

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The “we” refers to the present and to the past. Our ancestors committed these sins, our people turned away from the Lord.

FIVE ELEMENTS OF REPRESENTATIONAL REPENTANCE

Research: In confessing the sins of the past, we must not make false historical claims, particularly when both sides of an historical conflict are represented. Both sides must be able to say “Amen” to the prayer. Confession: The true confession of past sin involves saying, “This happened in the past and it was evil.” It is essential to avoid judgment of particular people. Identification: We move from “they” to “we”, following the example of Nehemiah and Daniel: “We and our fathers have sinned.” We acknowledge the spiritual link between our generation and those of the past. Lamentation: A key principle is that effective RR requires a sorrow for sin as deep as the emotional and personal involvement of the perpetrators. The Pro Cathedral Liturgy mentioned above started with both senior prelates lying

SUCH HEART GRIEVING REQUIRES A SEEKING OF THE LORD, ALLOWING THE HOLY SPIRIT TO SHOW US THE REAL HORROR OF THE SIN BEFORE GOD.

flat on the ground. It ended with their washing the feet of eight clerical abuse victims. Such heart grieving requires a seeking of the Lord, allowing the Holy Spirit to show us the real horror of the sin before God. Forgiveness: Forgiveness must always be asked first of God, because all sin is an offence against Him. If any party would be offended or embarrassed by a request for forgiveness, then it should not be included. Sometimes descendants of people sinned against in the past may not feel that they have the right or capacity to grant forgiveness. We should be sensitive to the depth of the past suffering. Fr. Peter Hocken writes, “We have certainly inherited the treasure of God’s Word and the riches of Christian worship and devotion… But we have also inherited the weaknesses and blind spots of our fathers. We have taken on their prejudices and hostilities towards other Christians, their false oppositions and distorted emphasises, their over-simplifications.” As “the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” (James 5:16), I believe that Holy Spirit-led representational repentance can unlock a massive wave of evangelism and reconciliation, here and across the world, preparing the way for the Lord’s return. Come Lord Jesus!

Paddy Monaghan is Secretary of both the Evangelical Catholic Initiative (www.evancat.org) and Towards Jerusalem Council 2 Ireland (www.tjcii.org).

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RACISM AND CHURCHES IN IRELAND

BY VOX EDITOR RUTH GARVEY-WILLIAMS

t VOX magazine, we’ve always been passionate about giving voice to Christians in Ireland. That has often involved carrying out high-quality and wideranging independent research on matters relating to the Church. We want to consider the unique issues, perspectives and challenges for Christians on this island (rather than quoting research carried out in England or America). Although not an academic institution, VOX has the advantage of a broad and deep understanding of the Christian community and a significant relationship network across multiple streams and networks. Our major VOX research into

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Young Adults (2015) and Women and the Church (2018 https://issuu.com/vox_ie/ docs/women_and_the_church) produced important findings from across the full spectrum of mainstream denominations as well as independent, migrant and emerging church networks in Ireland. When we began considering our next major research project at the beginning of 2020, one recurring theme came to the fore. How could we understand the experiences of ethnic minorities as well as the attitudes of church communities towards new Irish members in our congregations? (And at that point no one here had ever heard the name George Floyd.)

Image: Sam Boal

VOX Research

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Our early discussions were brought into sharper focus by the pandemic as concerns arose about Direct Provision and the impact of Covid on migrant communities such as those employed in meat factories. In the summer of 2020, many Christians took part in Black Lives Matter marches across the island. Amid voices describing incidences of racism or speaking out in solidarity, there was also resistance from some, who raised concerns or felt the debate was unbalanced. After discussions with many groups across the island, we discovered this was also a priority for the Irish Inter-Church Meeting (irishchurches.org), and we have formed a partnership with them to launch the research together with support from the Evangelical Alliance Ireland, Evangelical Alliance Northern Ireland and Tearfund. Damian Jackson, Programme Officer of the Irish Council of Churches and Irish Inter-Church Meeting says: “As an organisation, the treatment of asylum seekers and refugees has long been a concern. More recently we have been examining the connections between this asylum system and an underlying systemic racism that has informed it and can also be stoked by it, as we saw at the end of 2019 in the various protests against Direct Provision centres across Ireland. “Since then we have realised that as churches we need to respond to racism, discrimination and exclusion in Ireland, and in order to do that effectively and with authenticity, we need to begin by looking at ourselves. We believe that every person is a bearer of God’s image and that part of our calling to love our

neighbour requires us to have concern for barriers to belonging and flourishing in our churches. We hope that this research will reveal the ways in which our church cultures, habits and practices need to change to enable that flourishing and inclusion while shedding the light of Christ onto the attitudes and biases in our hearts.” Evangelical Alliance National Director, Nick Park, said, “Ireland’s experience with immigration and race is unique. The role of the Christian Church is also different from most other countries. We have an incredible opportunity for the Church to be a powerful voice of grace and unity. While slogans and sound bites from other contexts and societies have obviously resonated with many, we need to develop an authentic Christ-like approach that will help us to celebrate and value one another. VOX Magazine has the research experience and breadth of contacts to help us really understand where we are right now with respect to racism and discrimination. As a Christian leader, I consider this research project to be invaluable for those of us who want to be part of the solution rather than part of the problem.” This month, we will go live with an in-depth online survey to deepen our understanding of the experience of and attitudes towards racism and discrimination in churches in Ireland. We explore the potential for unity, integration and inclusion and examine how the church can lead the way in tackling racial injustice. Please visit www.vox.ie/research to take part and encourage others to do the same. Every voice counts.

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FAITH

Deep Roots of Resilient Disciples Developing faith for the long-haul

ick Hill spoke to VOX magazine about his new book on discipleship and why he believes this is a vital topic for Christians in Ireland today.

TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOURSELF

I’m a speaker, leader and writer based near Belfast. I’m married to Sarah, who is a teacher, and we have two young sons, Noah and Micah. Having served in a variety of ministry roles over the past 15 years, I now work for the Presbyterian Church in Ireland in the areas of discipleship and leadership. I am plugged into local leadership in Carnmoney Church, preaching regularly and co-ordinating our discipleship ministry. I spend much of my time training leaders and developing resources across a wide range of churches and I’m passionate about seeing every follower of Jesus equipped and mobilised to serve in God’s mission. Beyond that I am a keen runner and embrace almost anything sport-related.

WHAT PROMPTED YOU TO WRITE THIS BOOK ON DISCIPLESHIP?

Two things were stirring in me in recent years and they collided in leading me

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to put pen to paper; a frustration and a realisation. The frustration arose out of seeing large numbers of my own generation and below drop out of church and Christian faith. Working in youth ministry, I have seen so many teenagers and 20-somethings start well, only seemingly to move away from Jesus. This has troubled me but also caused me to consider what really helps to develop faith for the long-haul. The realisation came as I interacted with others who not only continue to follow Jesus but have flourished in their faith. As I observed and reflected on what I saw in these people, I began to see common trends emerge; a mix of outward practices and inward principles that have created a kind of resilience in their faith. So, I began to write into that space, exploring key principles and practices that might help to future-proof our faith. I was already saying many of these things with young Christians I sought to disciple or emerging leaders I was training, and I liked the idea of capturing it all in a more structured or coherent way.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE KEY ISSUES THAT YOU TOUCH ON IN YOUR WRITING?

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The book explores some Deep Roots of of the key aspects that help develop resilience as disciples. This is by no means an exhaustive list, and there may be others to add but each of the eleven markers are seen in the life of Jesus Christ and offer postures Rick Hill and patterns for a life of long-haul faith. The themes are a mix of both the personal and the corporate. The personal aspect is found in chapters exploring the nature of apprenticeship to Jesus and our reliance on the Holy Spirit. The corporate chapters explore our relationship to the church and how we can contribute to building authentic Christian community. I consider how we can cultivate spiritual habits that will shape and sustain us and touch on issues such as how we relate to and engage with our culture as followers of Jesus, how we share our faith with those around us and how we can become disciples who make disciples. Some themes feel weighty, such as understanding the nature of the cost in discipleship. Knowing that trials aren’t possibilities but promises, should prepare us for following Jesus in the lowest of valleys as well as the high points of life. I share examples of how suffering has produced and developed fresh resilience in people’s faith. One key theme is engaging with culture. Christianity is no longer a dominant worldview or an accepted norm and so as 21st century Christians we find ourselves pushed to the edges of contemporary culture, exiled in a strange

Resilient Disciples

PRINC IPLES & PRAC TICES FOR A LIFE OF LASTI NG FAITH

land. This will cause some to choose comfort or lead others to weaken the root systems of their faith. It is critical we consider how we relate to a culture that will form us in its image if we allow it. I suggest that modernday disciples should neither escape culture nor embrace it but rather actively and critically engage with it.

WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT FOR CHURCHES AND CHRISTIAN LEADERS TO ENGAGE WITH THIS TOPIC?

We are all being discipled. Everyone in our churches is participating in formation and discipleship, whether they are aware of it or not. By accident or by intention, we are being formed and transformed; disciples of someone or something. And so, it is vital for Christian leaders and churches to grapple with a conversation about what really contributes to spiritual formation and develops resilience in faith because the impact of society’s discipleship is strong. The kingdom of self conditions us to think that the world is all about our needs, our desires and our rights. The kingdom of consumerism pushes us to own, have and spend, producing envy within us and creating the assumption that we need more stuff to be happy. The kingdom of digital technology turns us into people of the screen as we become fixated on the next buzz of our phone rather than listening to the voice of God or the needs of others.

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Every day we are being discipled. It is time for followers of Jesus to wake up. We need to be proactive not reactive by developing intentional and sustainable rhythms that shape us more than the dominant narratives of society. So, this topic is of critical importance and I hope that this book can be a useful resource in offering a framework for a life of intentional discipleship - one that is grounded in faithfulness but also pulsing with faithfueled adventure.

WHAT HAVE OTHERS SAID ABOUT “DEEP ROOTS OF RESILIENT DISCIPLES”?

“Rick Hill cares deeply about loving and intentional discipleship, proving it in his life and ministry. He has written a book about resilient discipleship, which is rich in content - an impressive synthesis of spiritual formation and the mission of Jesus - in a biblically faithful and thoughtprovoking way. While Rick’s brilliance is evident through his writing, it’s the reality of how much he cares about this topic, which shines through every page. The effect is therefore much more than a stimulating read and a practical resource but an impartation of God’s heart for passionate, whole-hearted and deeply-formed Jesusfollowers.” Alain Emerson, 24-7 Prayer Ireland, Lead Pastor of Emmanuel Church, Author of ‘Luminous Dark’ “Rick brings significant expertise to this book on discipleship, both academic and his experience as part of a local church. Alongside this... Rick brings his love for

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God and desire that Christians would grow and continue in their relationship with Jesus. That heart for God and God’s ways resounds through the pages of this book.” Rev Dr Heather Morris, Secretary of Conference, The Methodist Church in Ireland “Rick’s writings tackle the challenge we all need to face: how do we help those who begin a journey with Jesus keep walking to maturity. If you’re a parent, a youth leader, a pastor or someone wondering how to keep going, this warm book will draw you in, guide you and give you hope. It’s a book many need to read.” Rev Dr Neil Hudson, LICC Associate, Senior Leader Salford Elim Church & Author of Imagine Church “Rick paints a rich picture of resilient discipleship. You will find yourself drawn in through his questions and stories but more than that he invites you to participate, with vulnerability, courage, and an ever-growing reliance on God.” Dr Helen Warnock, Principal at Belfast Bible College

HOW CAN VOX READERS GET HOLD OF DEEP ROOTS OF RESILIENT DISCIPLES? It can be ordered directly from Deep Roots of Resilient Disciples – SimplyOrderIt and it will be signposted from my website www.rick-hill.com very soon. From the summer on it should be available from a range of Christian bookshops and retailers or via Amazon too.

MUSIC

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Songs for the Wilderness Scott McKeown’s worship music seems to capture the times

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Releasing a brand new EP in the middle of a pandemic might seem crazy but Scott McKeown did just that. “Songs for the Wilderness” is the first outing for White Stone Receivers a collaboration of Northern Irish musicians to record worship songs that Scott himself has written. He chatted to VOX editor Ruth Garvey-Williams about his life, his faith and his music.

TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF

I’m based in mid Ulster just outside of Magherafelt in Co. Derry, which was recently voted one of the favourite places to live in Northern Ireland. Music has always been a big part of my life. At high school, I joined the school band wanting to play guitar but there were too many guitarists so I ended up playing bass and have done so ever since. I have been writing songs for nearly 22 years but mostly with a contemporary Christian rock band called Crave. These latest songs were mainly written in the context of my church. I go to Union Road Presbyterian Church in Magherafelt and all of the songs on the EP have come out of the teaching, fellowship and worship there. Treasured Possession was first written for our 150th anniversary as a church.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR FAITH JOURNEY

I did not have a church upbringing. We started going to church when I was in my teens. We had moved to Cookstown and went to the youth club in the local church. At one youth night (I remember it was Friday the 13th - God isn’t superstitious), the speaker was

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sharing about having a relationship with God through Jesus. I had heard about my need for Jesus for forgiveness of sins but that really struck me. There was a call for anyone who wanted to follow Jesus. I responded and went forward for prayer. The leadership encouraged us to go home and tell our folks and friends at school what we had done. “The longer you leave it, the harder it gets,” they said. For the most part, my friends were accepting. Very soon I started playing in the church Ceili Band doing live music for socials and line dancing (an alternative to discos for the young people from our youth group). To this day, I’m still playing with some of those musicians. Then one morning I remember waking up suddenly with a strong sense that I needed to go to the prayer meeting. From that moment on I really began to take my faith seriously. It wasn’t just about saying I’m following Jesus but about really becoming a disciple. I got myself plugged in to church more.

SO WHAT PROMPTED THIS LATEST RECORDING?

In the run up to 2020, I had been playing some of these songs when I was leading worship and people began to say I should record them. So in January 2020, I rang Trevor Michael, the producer, and we pencilled in studio time for November. This is very much my first solo EP as a singer/songwriter although I’m used to being in a band and many of my friends from Crave worked with me on the recording. Literally three or four weeks later, we went into lockdown but I thought, “It will all be over by November.” As musicians, we couldn’t even practice together and in fact we did not get a rehearsal until

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early November when we had to play outside. (We used an open sided barn in a farmyard!). Thankfully because I’ve played with these guys for over 20 years, we all know each other and I could see God’s hand in that.

WHAT KEPT YOU GOING DESPITE THE CHALLENGES?

There were times when I was doubting myself. In October, I was asking God, “Did I hear you right?” That Sunday I opened up the UCB “Word for Today”. I read one of the meditations from earlier that week and it was all about using your gifting. The example they gave was a violin that sat in someone’s attic for years. “Your best songs are in you,” they said. That really struck me. I wanted the EP to be grounded in scripture and the title “Songs for the Wilderness” really came because of Covid. One song I’m excited about is “Heal our Land”. It was written as a prayer for Northern Ireland and especially recording in the middle of a pandemic I’m conscious of so many broken hearts and broken homes. People’s businesses have failed and relationships have been affected. It hit me as a song for our time and, of course, with fresh outbreaks of violence in Belfast, it brought it back home to me that we still need to see reconciliation.

TELL US ABOUT THE RECORDING

Usually when we record, there is a lot of craic and banter. It was a strange experience with only one or two people in the studio at any one time, wearing masks and putting everything together separately. The vocals were the last thing to be recorded. For me, when I went into

the vocal booth, I was blown away by what God had done. All of a sudden, I was listening to these songs, that had started as grassroots acoustic tracks and now there was this big sound. I’m just so thankful to God for what He has done. I closed the door and shut out everything. I was just worshipping Him as I recorded the vocals. My prayer and my desire is that God will change hearts and lives as people listen to the songs.

YOU’VE CALLED THIS NEW VENTURE WHITE STONE RECEIVERS. CAN YOU EXPLAIN THAT?

I didn’t want to use my own name, and as I was looking through the Bible thinking about names, I was struck by the passage in Revelation when Jesus is talking to the churches. “To those who overcome ... I will give a white stone with a new name written on it...” This resonated with me because it highlights God’s relational nature. One of our greatest needs is to know and be known. How can He give us a new name? It is because He knows us. And today, that is what people need to hear. We’re the ones who’ve received a “white stone”.

SO WHAT’S NEXT FOR YOU?

I’m hoping to record another EP soon. One of the songs I’ve written is a Christmas song called Here He Is. That Jesus who was born the child of promise is my Jesus now and He is alive today. Come What May is a new song from We Are Messengers that really hit me when I heard it recently and it expresses where I am at the minute. Jesus is my rock and my hope. I can trust Him no matter what. God has been with us in the past and we can trust Him. We can throw our full weight onto Him.

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MUSIC REVIEWS

Old Church Basement ELEVATION WORSHIP & MAVERICK CITY

If you are looking for worship music that is personal, biblical and heartfelt, then look no further than the latest release by Elevation Worship in collaboration with Maverick City called Old Church Basement. Are you old enough to remember when we first stepped outside our traditional denominational churches and started to meet in a room, a loft, or indeed an old church basement? When we just about had a guitar between us? Well, this album brings me right back to those days. I am certain it will do likewise for you. The tracks are long and satisfying, and incorporate just the right amount of ad-lib and spontaneity to give the album that live feel. Here are 13 songs of the very highest quality, and the entire album runs for one and 3/4 hours. A mixture of prayer, worship, praise and memorable melodies, this is an album to play from start to finish in the car, out for a walk, or when you simply want to lock the world outside and let your heart soar. Old Church Basement by Elevation Worship/ Maverick City is a must listen. I highly recommend it.

Hurricane WES GRIERSON

Wes Grierson is a Christian singer/ songwriter and performer, and let me tell you, the strength, courage and tenacity he has to show in his

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daytime job as a firefighter in Belfast city is evident in the songs he writes. Wes Grierson’s music is a mixture of Acoustic Folk and Rock, and his latest album Hurricane showcases his immense talent. It comprises seven guitar/piano driven songs with Wes’ slightly gravellike vocals giving them a beautiful sense of depth and poignancy. The album opens with the sublime Heaven’s Rule, a powerful guitar

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ballad which speaks of submitting and surrendering to God. “I am yours for the taking, I am yours for the breaking, for my heart desires nothing more than you.” The title track of the album Hurricane is lyrically rich. I found myself wanting to listen to every word he sang, and going back over and over again to marvel at his word craft. These long extremely satisfying and thought-provoking songs will be playing over the coming weeks on UCB Ireland, but do yourself a favour and listen to the album yourself. It is truly beautiful. The standout track for me is The day I met you on the road, written from Saul’s perspective as he is blinded by the revelation on the road to Damascus. I will be looking forward to lots more quality music from Wes Grierson in the future.

Songs for the Wilderness WHITE STONE RECEIVERS

What do you do when the music you write doesn’t exactly fit with the music your band is best known for? Well, you start a new band. That is precisely what Scott McKeown of the very popular band Crave did. He called the new band White Stone Receivers. Born out of the Covid-19 lockdown the band takes its name from Revelation 2:17 where we read that believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, who are faithful to the end will be given a white stone, symbolic

of purity, which will be engraved with their new God-given name. In recording the debut EP, Songs For The Wilderness, Scott has brought together an ensemble of some musicians and technicians on the island of Ireland. The five tracks are bursting with quality, an astonishing feat given the logistical nightmare of undertaking such a project at a time of isolation and separation. The EP opens with Forsaken, a recent single release, which is being widely acclaimed. Based on the words Jesus cried out to His father from the cross, this song powerfully expresses the magnitude of the sacrifice paid for our salvation. Track three Creation Song, epitomises the explosive energy of God’s handiwork when He called this world into being. It is a fabulous song that will be lifting roofs when live performances are permitted again. In fact, White Stone Receivers were born for the stage. These songs are sure to thrill audiences. The penultimate track Heal Our Land based on 2 Chronicles 7:14 is what Christian contemporary music is all about, powerful, scriptural, and something to say. Songs for the Wilderness is a wholly satisfying project, and I am very much looking forward to hearing more of this type of material from Scott McKeown.

My Savior

CARRIE UNDERWOOD I have been a fan of Carrie Underwood for quite some time now. Having won American Idol in 2005, she has gone from strength to strength ever since and has received awards for her work. Her eighth studio album My Savior is her

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first full Gospel/ Christian album and it is a beautiful piece of work. My Savior, is an album of traditional hymns given the pop/ country treatment and delivered with the graceful and soothing voice that we have come to expect from Carrie Underwood. It is a winning formula. The album comprises of 12 familiar songs including Blessed Assurance, Great is thy Faithfulness, a duet with CeCe Winan, How Great Thou Art, and Amazing Grace to mention but a few. The chosen songs are personal, the production is stunning, and I have no doubt whatsoever that when award nominations are being bandied about later in the year, My Savior is going to be vying for quite a number of them.

Worth of Souls VARIOUS

With so much lost over this past 15 months in terms of esteem and self worth, it is no surprise that so many people are having mental health issues at present. With this in mind I am recommending some music therapy in the form Worth of Souls. This is an album designed to help uplift, and treat symptoms of pain, depression, and anxiety through a spiritual connection with God.

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It comprises 13 serene and uplifting tracks that are the collaborative work of contemporary Christian artists such as Trevor Price, Emily Bea, Kenz Hall, Jordan Moyes, Ellee Duke, Charley Jenkins, Sierra Lauren, Jim Daneker, Ashley Hess and Justin Williams. As you listen to the words and allow them to minister to your soul, you will come to realise that the answer to Jeremiah’s profound question, “Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there?” Jeremiah 8:22 is a resounding, “Yes!” I love this album. The songs speak to me personally and it is my go-to when I need comfort and reassurance that I do indeed have a place in the world and my soul is precious in the sight of God.

Albums reviewed by UCB Ireland Radio producer/presenter Vincent Hughes. Listen to his programme 12-4pm Monday to Friday and 11am-3pm on Saturdays on Virgin Media Channel 918, on Sky Channel 0214 or via the smartphone app. You can contact Vincent at vincent@ ucbradio.ie | www. ucbireland.com.

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BOOK REVIEWS

No Visible Scar By Richard Littledale

My neighbour died of Covid-19 at the start of the pandemic. I tried vainly to show respect and to support his widow and daughter. But as they left for a funeral with only themselves and their Minister present, all I could offer was a subdued wave from the side of the road. Their aloneness must have added greatly to their anguish. This author is a Church Minister who has seen this anguish first hand. But he has known personal grief too; his 53-yearold wife died just a few years earlier. He describes grief as ‘a deep wound with no visible scar’, hence the title. But for the bereaved during the pandemic, this scar has been even more invisible, with nobody there to hold their hand or hear their cry. He starkly describes what many have experienced: ‘Often, a loved one has disappeared in a flash of blue lights and a haze of plastic visors and masks never to be seen again … To be at home while a loved one is in hospital is always an acute source of anxiety … We lurch from each hospital visit to the next, longing to see for ourselves how the person we love is doing.’ This booklet is gentle. Twelve short chapters cover various aspects of bereavement. Whether the person died

of Covid-19, or during pandemic, we are all aware that loved ones could not be present to hug or say goodbye. But are we aware of their possible guilt over that? Apart from a tiny attendance, funeral services were of necessity short and simple with none of the usual choices. But there were the awful choices to be decided about ‘who made the cut’ to attend. Close family abroad could only watch their dear one’s ‘send off’ on the same computer screen that they used for work. Confinement in a house where a lovedone is now missing has been exacerbated by the inability of others to visit. Even going out to a beauty spot or eating place favoured by a loved one wasn’t possible. After a bereavement, it’s always hard to face the world again but it’s been even more so for those with the double whammy of cocooning and loss. As society opens up, they may even discover that, with working from home, colleagues were unaware of what had happened. Pain is always eased a little when someone else recognises it. So this booklet acknowledges the special anguish of death and grief during the pandemic. It’s suitable to give to any friend or acquaintance, and I believe that Church Ministers, Chaplains and undertakers will find it a great resource. I can offer discounts for larger orders.

These book reviews by Julie Carvill of christianbooks.ie (since 2003, and online since 2009), from whom you can order these and other inspiring titles: info@christianbooks.ie or +353 (0)86 839 1870.

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VOX MAGAZINE

Postcards from the Land of Grief

One Mile to Make a Difference

Accompanying someone on their final journey seemed the most difficult part of his calling, so this Minister chose further study into this hardest of all pastoral encounters. He thought he understood all the stages of grief, and had learned to be ‘professional’ while comforting others. But then his own wife died. “Having been both an observer and a participant in all the stages … I would have thought myself to be better prepared for my own grieving. Surely, having watched the grieving process all the way through from early diagnosis, to last days and beyond, I should have been ready.” This new widower turned to writing. He chose a postcard format. A postcard doesn’t need to be polished and each one stands alone. Its message is simply ‘I am here and this is what I see’. A postcard is written when away from home, and he felt very much away from home. He was homesick for life with his wife; lonely and disorientated. When journeying through grief, a postcard is about all one can read. These postcards are ideal for dipping into. They are real but gentle. They don’t give easy answers but they do offer hope. They conclude with some postcards on ‘Faith and the land of grief’ and some practical tips.

During Covid-19, we lost many of our freedoms. But this is the norm for those behind bars. Delivering donations of inspirational Christian books to prisons, I encountered a world previously unknown to me. I still have little grasp of what it’s like to be incarcerated, but this book gave me more understanding. The title refers to the one mile that begins a released prisoner’s journey from the prison gate into the outside world. The author is what is called a ‘Through the Gate Prison Chaplain’, who has worked in various roles in prisons for over 15 years. He now helps to prepare prisoners for their release date. Then on that day, he is there to walk with them the mile from the prison gate to the local train station. Typically there is nobody outside to meet the person, and they have no idea whether anyone will be glad to see them, or where they will spend the night. Sadly with some he has walked this mile repeatedly, as they are no sooner released than they return. But then there are the ‘successes’ who make it onto the train and who are focussed to turn their lives around. There is also a chapter on how we can help, whether praying or volunteering. Then there’s a very realistic treatment of how churches can support released prisoners, which also addresses the challenges and necessary safeguards. Whether or not you have any interest in prison ministry, this book makes for fascinating reading.

By Richard Littledale

By Simeon Sturney

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BOOK REVIEWS

Ten Words to Live By: Delighting In and Doing What God Commands By Jen Wilkin

Ten Words to Live By offers a fresh, Biblical perspective on the 10 commandments. Jen Wilkin shows how the 10 commandments impact our lives as we seek to love God and others, live in freedom and look forward to eternal life with God. Obedience, rules, commands are words that have become unpopular the world round. This is true for Christians and nonChristians alike. Many Christians today are more focused on a relationship with God, than following God’s rules. This in turn has led to disinterest in and a misunderstanding of the role of God’s life-giving, perfect law in the Christian life. Instead, Jen Wilkin shows how the law of God is life-giving and beautiful. She shows that there is room for both the law and grace. Jen says: “The Christian faith is absolutely about relationship. But while that faith is personal, it is also communal. We are saved into special relationship with God, and thereby into special relationship with other believers. Christianity is about relationship with God and others, and because that statement is true, Christianity is also unapologetically about rules, for rules show us how to live in those relationships”. Each chapter focuses on one of the ten commandments - with an explanation of how the commandment applied to the people of Israel, and also an exploration of how it relates to believers today. Each chapter ends with questions for reflection, and further verses to meditate on. The book closes with the conclusion that it’s a delight to remember the Word and law of God. Jen says: “Ten words to live by. Ten Words to show us the pattern of Christlikeness and to stir in us a longing for the kingdom to come. Ten words to convict us, to shape us, and to give us hope. Ten words that Jesus came not to abolish, but to fulfill.” This is a great read for anyone who wants to understand the relevance of Old Testament scripture for modern Christians.

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VOX MAGAZINE

Bible Infographics for Kids Harvest House

Do you want your children to spend some time getting to know the Bible better this summer? If yes, then this book is a perfect choice. Bible Infographics for Kids will spark children’s excitement for God’s Word with this amazing collection of infographic spreads designed to make the Bible come alive. These colourful creations visually depict the key concepts, important people, and most unusual facts from the Bible in a new and exciting way. For instance, did you know? The hairiest baby in the Bible was Esau. Deborah was the only female judge in the Bible. There is a talking donkey in the Bible. Og is the tallest person in the Bible. The phrase “a leopard can’t change its spots” comes from Jeremiah 13:23. There is also a Bible timeline board game contained within the book which will help your kids see God’s plan through the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. This is a hardback book which is perfect for children from the ages of 8 to 12 and will encourage them to learn more about God’s great book.

These book reviews by Ireland’s newest online Christian bookshop Teach Solas. To purchase these and other great Christian titles go to www. teachsolas.ie or phone John on 089 454 0427.

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VOX PS

LIFE - THE LONG AND THE SHORT OF IT BY SEÁN MULLAN

ortality. It will be the death of me. In the last few months, three contemporaries from my school days have died. It was a small school with only about 50 in each year so even in our early 60s three in a few short months seems a bit much! There have been moments recently when I glimpsed a reflection of an old guy in a window and realised I was the only one around. That, along with Covid, has reminded me that whatever blips there might be in the slope of the graph, the number of survivors of my school days is heading towards zero. The only unknown is how long it will take. Mortality will be the death of all of us. It is life’s only certainty. Benjamin Franklin said taxes were the other certainty in life. But avoiding taxes has developed into a significant career for some. On the other hand, no one has

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ever made a successful career out of death avoidance. People who live under the leadership of Jesus of Nazareth share an understanding that, though death is certain, it is not a terminus but a transition to a continuing life. This understanding is based on Jesus’ teaching which contains many such assurances. When death is imminent this provides a way of travelling that path with calm, comfort and hope. And for those facing the loss of a loved one, this understanding is a rock to stand on in a sea of turbulence. There is, however, a significant difference in emphasis between what Jesus taught about eternal life and what many people believe. That need for comfort about mortality has led to a focus that Jesus never espoused - the idea that eternal life begins when you die. In the four gospels, there’s only one

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recorded conversation Jesus had of the “where will you go when you die” variety. And that was when both Jesus and the man in question were hours from death. This man was in need of reassurance and he got it. Yet there are lots of other conversations about eternal life where Jesus shifts the focus from then to now. The normal and consistent focus is on how eternal life impacts the life we’re living. Eugene Peterson’s beautiful phrase, “to live eternal life in ordinary time” captures it well. The teaching of

Jesus is not that we transition from ordinary life to eternal life at death but that eternal life is present and accessible in the lives we’re now living. The distinction matters. If the life I am living now is of unending significance, I will treat it differently than if I believe it all ends when I breathe my last or if I believe that this life is just a waiting room for ‘real’ life after death. A ‘death-ends-everything’ view relegates all life to the ultimately ‘doesn’t matter’ category. ‘Waiting room’ thinking demotes this life to a second

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THE TEACHING OF JESUS IS NOT THAT WE TRANSITION FROM ORDINARY LIFE TO ETERNAL LIFE AT DEATH BUT THAT ETERNAL LIFE IS PRESENT AND ACCESSIBLE IN THE LIVES WE’RE NOW LIVING. class experience, a shrunken and diminished version of the real thing, which is somewhere in the ‘sweet by and by.’ Pretty soon some of us will experience a sense of relief as we head off on holiday for the first time in a year or two. We will find ourselves lying on a sunny beach, summitting a majestic mountain or savouring a fine meal in a restaurant and we will think, “Ah this is the life!” Indeed, it is the life. But that January lockdown when our cities were ghostly towns, that was life too. And March last year when we first began worrying about the strange virus, that too was life. And those moments in between when we worried about loved ones or mourned those who died, that too was life, though we may not have known it. What if eternal life is the life we’re living right now and we don’t know it? What if we are missing out because we don’t pay attention or allow our imaginations to roam beyond what we can see and hear, measure and control? The best of our poets, prophets and preachers call us to an awakening that

enables us to see the reality of eternal life in ordinary time and ordinary place. Patrick Kavanagh’s childhood garden where... “In the sow’s rooting where the hen scratches We dipped our fingers in the pockets of God.” By expelling eternal life from our everyday experience, we impoverish ourselves and those who share them with us. Eternal life is in the next conversation I have, whoever it’s with. I will be speaking to and listening to someone who is, as Dallas Willard said, “an unceasing spiritual being with an eternal destiny in God’s great universe.” Perhaps the conversation can reflect that. Eternal life is not quantity; it’s quality. It’s not when; it’s now. It’s not where; it’s here. Eternal life is the opposite of restricted, diminished, shrunken life. It is unbounded, flourishing and full, even when it involves weakness, poverty and pain. Eternal life is not just a promise for the future; it’s also a promise for the present.

Seán Mullan has been working in church leadership for many years. He has developed a project in Dublin City Centre called “Third Space”.

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SPEAKERS Chris Wright BIBLE TEACHING

Malcolm Duncan NEWHORIZON.ORG.UK

EVENING SPEAKER

Amy Summerfield EVENING SPEAKER

9-13 August 2021 Livestream event on Youtube

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