The Synods of the eight Districts of Irish Methodism held their Autumn meetings within the past fortnight. The Dublin District Synod expressed deep concern at the treatment of refugees arriving in this country. It was disturbed by the increasing incidence of racism and the number of physical attacks being made on members of the refugee community.
It made three responses to the situation. In the first place, it strongly urged the Government to fully implement the 1996 Refugee Act. Secondly it commissioned one of its standing committees to co-ordinate a practical response to the problem by the members of Methodist Churches in the District. Finally it asked its Secretary, Rev Philip Agnew to explore with other Churches an ecumenical approach to a solution.
The first Methodist preachers to appear in Cork did so in the summer of 1748, closely followed by the great hymn writer, Rev Charles Wesley, brother of the Founder of Methodism. The Founder, Rev. John Wesley, did not arrive there until 1749.
To celebrate the 250th Anniversary of the Methodist Church in Cork a number of special events have been planned. A Service of Thanksgiving took place last Sunday morning in Wesley Chapel, Ardfallen, Cork, when the preacher was Rev. Dudley Levistone Cooney. This weekend a Flower Festival organised by the Cork Flower Club is being held in the Chapel.
The Anniversary will be celebrated there in music and drama this evening at 8.00 o'clock. The drama will present scenes from the early years, and the President of the Church, Rev. David Kerr will give an address. Mr Kerr will preach at the morning service tomorrow. He will spend the next three days visiting Methodist and other groups in West Cork.
On Sunday, October 11th, the President will visit the Methodist Church in Sandy Row, Belfast.
The Methodist Hall in Northumberland Avenue, Dun Laoghaire, will be the venue of an ecumencial Youth Alpha Course. This is sponsored by St Michael's Prayer and Bible Study and the Scripture Union, and is for young people between the ages of 16 and 20.
It will be held each Monday evening at 7.30 for 11 weeks from October 12th to December 21st. The cost of the course is just £2.
Wesley College in Ballinteer has been developing a regular programme of encounters across the Border, and the latest event in this will take place at 7.30 p.m. on Wednesday, October 14th in the Ulster Hall, Belfast. The choir and orchestra of Wesley College will combine with those of St. Malachy's and Methodist Colleges in Belfast to perform the Jerusalem Passion by Murray Wylie of which the Wesley College musicians gave so memorable a performance in Dublin a little while ago.
The soloists will be Lorna Palmer, Lynn Henderson, Niall Morris, Derek Shaw and Peter Harper, and the narrator Barbara McCaughey. Once again the performance will be directed by Frank Hughes. Tickets are available from the colleges.
Apart from the musical quality of the programme, this performance will be important as the first occasion on which the three colleges, each noted for its musical excellence, have collaborated in a single production.
The Church's Youth Department is again presenting Autumn Soul at Hamilton Road Methodist Church from October 16th to 18th. The programme includes worship, a variety of workshops and, this year, interviews with leading politicians.
Mount Tabor, the nursing home for the elderly established by the Dublin Central Mission in Sandymount, has been in operation for several months. Of the total cost of £3.2 million all but £400,000 has been raised. In addition to addressing the business of raising that, the Mission has established a Trust Fund to assist applicants who, even with State subsidy, are unable to meet the costs involved.
Towards both of these projects a programme, "Musical Moments", has been arranged at the National Concert Hall on Thursday evening, October 22nd. This will be presented by Barbara McCaughey, and among those contributing to the programme will be Mary Sheridan De Bruin, "Professor" Peter O'Brien, the Army No 1 Band, principals and chorus of the DMDS, Inis Ealga Dancers and Jonathan Browner. Tickets may be had from the National Concert Hall.
Tomorrow morning RTE Radio 1 (Medium Wave will broadcast morning worship from the Methodist Church at Bloomfield in Belfast. The Service will be led by Rev. John Moore. On Sunday morning, October 11th, RTE1 will broadcast morning worship from the studio led by Rev. Samuel Anketel and members of the Presbyterian and Methodist Churches in County Wexford.