The Rev Ian Magowan will be instituted rector of Connor and St Patrick’s, Antrim, in a service in St Saviour’s Parish Church, Connor, on Monday September 6.

The 59-year-old has been curate assistant in Killowen Parish Church, Coleraine, Diocese of Derry and Raphoe, since his ordination in June 2007.

Ian is married to Hilary and the couple has three daughters, Katherine, 26, Joy, 23, and Grace, 19.

A former teacher, Ian is a native of Dungannon, Co Tyrone, worked in Drumglass High School from 1973 to 2004, where he was head of the school’s art and design department. He was leader in charge of the Scripture Union and also taught RE and technology. Ian is a past president of the Association for Art and Design (NI).

He was a choir member of Drumglass Parish Church, Dungannon, for 42 years, and was also a Sunday School Superintendent, parish visitor and youth group leader.

Ian is a keen photographer who enjoys music and plays the guitar. He is interested in art, reading and history. 

Looking to his new role as rector of Connor and St Patrick’s, Ian said: “We are looking forward to the move and the challenge that lies ahead. I was so pleased to be called here and this is the next step in our journey of faith.

“I am looking forward to working the people in the two parishes and to getting to know everyone. This is big move for us.”

An opportunity is available for individuals and groups to participate in the We Can Talk programme funded by the CAN Peace III Faith Communities Programme.

We Can Talk is part of the Connecting Faith and Community Progamme and is aimed at equipping the local church to understand sectarianism and racism. It is now being delivered to church/faith groups in the Carrickfergus, Antrim and Newtownabbey areas.

For individuals, the course aims to provide participants from faith based organisations with a safe space to meet over a period of time to get to know each other and explore these issues together.

Over 14 sessions the course will explore a number of themes including stereotypes, sectarianism and developing good practice.

We Can Talk also offers creative workshops for church groups. A team of facilitators is available, free of charge to run these workshops for any faith based group including bible study groups, women’s groups and men’s fellowship groups.

The workshops will explore issues such as racism and sectarianism in an interesting and enjoyable way.

Further details including an application form for the We Can Talk programme can be downloaded here.

Parishes in Connor Diocese are being urged to respond through the Bishops’ Appeal to the humanitarian crises ongoing in both Pakistan and Niger.

The Most Rev Alan Harper, Archbishop of Armagh, and the Most Rev Dr John Neill, Archbishop of Dublin, said they and the Bishops of the Church of Ireland were anxious that members of the Church be given an opportunity to respond to the crises. They requested that retiring or other appropriate collections take place in every church on some Sunday before the end of September.

The Archbishops stated: “Moneys given will be distributed efficiently and effectively by the Bishops’ Appeal to partner agencies working on the ground in both Pakistan, news from which has been dominating our TV screens, and Niger, where the needs although less well publicised are also vast, with some seven million people without food and with little support from the outside world.”

They went on: “Our emphasis will be on the task of post-disaster reconstruction. We ask for a sacrificial and prayerful response and we stress that this is a special appeal – the normal commitments/projects of Church of Ireland Bishops’ Appeal for 2010 remain as vital as ever.

“We look forward to this appeal being received with the generosity that characterises Irish people in times like these even in the midst of economic stresses at home.”

Contributions may be sent through the usual diocesan channels or directly to: Bishops’ Appeal, Church of Ireland House, Church Avenue, Rathmines, Dublin 6

St Bartholomew’s Parish Church, Belfast, is holding an Art Exhibition in aid of the church roof fund.

The exhibition will run in the church hall, 183 Stranmillis Road, from Friday September 10 until Sunday September 12.

Original paintings, prints and photographs will be on view and for sale. During the exhibition there will be an auction, by sealed bid, of a limited edition Rita Duffy print.

Refreshments are available and the exhibition is open on September 10 from 2pm-9pm, on September 11 from 10am until 5pm, and from 2pm-4.30pm on September 12.

The Parks Department of Ballymena Borough Council, in partnership with Broughshane Village Improvement Committee, has designed one of the flower beds on the Knockan Road, Broughshane, to mark the 60th anniversary of the Mothers’ Union in Broughshane.  

The Dean of Connor, the Very Rev John Bond, and Sandy Wilson MBE from the Broughshane Village Improvement Committee joined four members of St Patrick’s  MU, Mrs Cathy Doig, Mrs Joyce Bond, Mrs Margaret Ferguson and Mrs Joan Brown for a photocall at the lovely flowerbed.

Lisburn and District Scouts are looking for adults to take on the role of leaders and are appealing for help from local churches, businesses, schools and other linked organisations to achieve this.  

Noel Irwin, District Commissioner, said: “Our district has grown from strength to strength over the last number of years and this strength is down to the quality of leaders involved, their time, commitment, energy and enthusiasm. However, the expansion in our youth membership has not been matched by an expansion in our adult membership

In a letter to local churches, businesses and organisations, Mr Irwin states: “One of the biggest myths about Scouting is that groups are closing down due to a lack of young people wanting to become Members. Nothing could be further from the truth; Scouting in the UK including Lisburn and District is a growing Movement evidenced by the growth in our numbers over the last number of years.  But we need to recruit a greater number of adults to manage this growth.”

Mr Irwin states that no previous Scouting experience is needed – simply energy, enthusiasm and a healthy interest in children.

Scouting is to promote the development of young people aged six to 25 in achieving their full physical, intellectual, social and spiritual potentials, as individuals, as responsible citizens and as members of their local, national and international communities. The Movement takes young people from all backgrounds, faiths and creeds and through a structured programme of games, learning activities and adventures, tries to enable each young person to grow.

“Scouting offers bridges to a world of social involvement and inclusion through education and activity teaching us all respect for others in addition to self respect,” said Mr Irwin. 

Any interested adults can contact Mr Irwin at 028 38881617 / 07773713810 or at clanconnel1@btinternet.com.

The ‘Building Blocks’ Children’s Ministry Conferences are fast approaching, with one conference in Dublin on November 13 and one in Belfast on November 20.

The conferences are for all involved in children’s ministry, whether as a volunteer in Sunday Club or mid-week groups, as a leader in a uniformed organisation or as clergy – whatever your level of experience Building Blocks aims to encourage and equip you for this vital ministry.

The Conferences have been running since 2002 and keynote speakers bring a wealth of experience and knowledge. Participants have the choice of a wide range of seminars whether they are just starting out or have many years experience.

There is also the opportunity to discover the wide variety of resources and courses available.

The Dublin Conference is being held on Saturday November 13 in All Hallows College, Drumcondra, Dublin 9 and will cost €35 (includes lunch and all conference materials). The Belfast Conference will take place at Orangefield Presbyterian Church, Castlereagh Road, Belfast on Saturday November 20 and costs £25 (includes packed lunch).

This year the key-note speaker is Ivy Beckwith who is an author and also Minister for Children and Families in a Church in Connecticut, USA.  One of Ivy’s books is entitled ‘The Ultimate Survival Guide for Children’s Ministry Workers’.

A wide range of seminars include Starting Out as a New Leader; Stuck in a Rut; When Parents Separate; as well covering topics such as Puppets, Music, Drama, Prayer, Craft, Assemblies and much more.  There are seminars for everyone.

Brochures can be downloaded from the website or are available from –

Dublin: Rev. Anne Taylor Tel: 00 353 1 4905543 Email: dublin@buildingblocks.ie.

Belfast: Donna Thompson & Kathy Brown Tel: 028 90322284 Email: belfast@buildingblocks.ie 

For further information check out www.buildingblocks.ie

A group of 44 clergy from Bangor Diocese in Wales will visit Connor when they hold their Clergy School at the Farset International Hotel in Belfast from September 7-9.

The theme of the Clergy School is Reconciliation and the Bishop of Connor, the Rt Rev Alan Abernethy, will introduce this topic when he addresses the clergy on their first evening. Bishop Alan will meet the Welsh visitors again on Wednesday afternoon, on this occasion in the company of Father Tim Bartlett, senior aide to Cardinal Sean Brady.

Other speakers during the three day visit will be Dr David Shepherd, Director of Belfast Bible College, and Arfon Williams.

The group will also visit Stormont where they are scheduled to meet with representatives of the DUP and Sinn Fein, before lunching at St Michael’s Parish, Shankill.

The Bishop of Bangor, the Rt Rev Andy John, was guest speaker at the Connor Clergy Retreat which took place in Co Durham last June.

There will be a special service in St Anne’s Cathedral, Belfast, on Monday, September 13 to pray for the revival of the Faith here in this land. 

This is part of a programme of seven years prayer for revival, which began in June 2009 and is organised by Interdenominational Divine Healing Ministries. 

Brother David Jardine, director of Divine Healing Ministries and one of the organisers, said that in recent years there has been quite a drift away from the Faith in this country.  This prayer initiative is geared towards bringing faith alive again.

Bro Jardine said: “I have been moved by the books of a Bishop from Uganda, Festo Kivingere, who looking at his country and continent in the mid 1980s and all the turmoil going on, said that it is Christ’s revolutionary love that Uganda and Africa desperately need to bring radically new relationships between clans, tribes, nations, races, political parties, and ideologies. 

“I believe that that is what we need in this country as well; that it is only a revival of our Christian faith and love that will provide the answer to our social, political and spiritual problems.’

At this time there are about 400 people in this initiative praying daily for revival.  The service on September 13 is an opportunity for everyone to come together.

Worship will be led by the Holy Family Prayer Group from Drogheda.  Brother David Jardine will preach the sermon on the theme ‘What is Revival?’

All are welcome to join this service which begins at 8pm.

A number of children’s leaders from Connor will be attending a conference in Chester in September  focused on extended learning skills for church based-children’s ministry.

The More Core Skills Conference is taking place at the University of Chester from September 3-5, and among the Church of Ireland group travelling are Connor leaders Karen Webb, John O’Neill, Margaret Fullerton (Lisburn Cathedral),  Andrew Neill (Glenavy) and Gordon Harper (Carnmoney). Also attending will be Connor Diocesan Training-Co-ordinator Peter Hamill who has been instrumental in the ongoing Connor Children’s Ministry Project.

The More Core conference takes the shape of a multi-choice programme, offering 18 workshops including the original Core workshops, new Core workshops and six further seminars looking at the ‘voice’ of children in the church.