This year's General Synod Service at St David's, Naas.

General Synod service raises €2,200 / £1,850 for Bishops’ Appeal

The collection for the Bishops’ Appeal for World Aid and Development at the General Synod Service of Holy Communion in St David’s Church, Naas, on Friday, 9th May, came to €2,200 (equivalent to £1,850).

Many members and guests at General Synod took home sunflower seeds from the Bishops’ Appeal stand to remind them of the seeds of hope planted through the work of Bishops’ Appeal overseas.  Bishops’ Appeal is grateful to everyone who supported us at Synod.

Donations for Bishops’ Appeal, and its individual appeals in response to emergency situations, can be made at any time online, by cheque, standing order, or through parish collections.  A full list of ways to give can be found on the Bishops’ Appeal website at https://bishopsappeal.ireland.anglican.org/give

Sunflower seeds share hope at the Bishops' Appeal stand at General Synod.

Sunflower seeds share hope at the Bishops’ Appeal stand at General Synod.

Enjoying the work on display in Dunluce. Photo: David Johnston.

Art lovers flock to Dunluce as exhibition raises £3,350 for Bishops’ Appeal

Hundreds of art-lovers have enjoyed their visit to Dunluce Parish Art & Photography Exhibition in recent weeks.  The annual Bushmills event was as popular as ever, with locals and visitors alike appreciating the talents of artists and photographers from across Northern Ireland.

Organisers were delighted with the quality and range of works on display and thanked the creative community for making the exhibition such a success – an impressive 39 works by 31 artists were sold over the course of the weekend.  They thanked the members of the public who attended the event, bought artworks, raffle tickets and refreshments and gave so generously to the nominated charity.

All proceeds after expenses go to charity and this year £3,350 (equivalent to €4,000) was raised for Bishops’ Appeal, which is currently supporting the work of Christian Aid on the ground in Myanmar after the disastrous earthquake there.

With thanks to Karen Bushby for report and David Johnston for photos.  A full gallery is available on the Diocese of Connor’s website here: https://connor.anglican.org/2025/05/22/art-lovers-flock-to-dunluce-as-exhibition-raises-3350-for-bishops-appeal

Christian Aid Service 80th Anniversary Banner Image

80th Anniversary Service for Christian Aid

This year marks a significant milestone in the history of Christian Aid Ireland, as it turns 80!

Christian Aid was founded by the Churches in Britain and Ireland in 1945, in the aftermath of World War Two, to respond to the refugee crisis in Europe.  Thanks to the generous and prayerful support of thousands of individuals and local churches, its work continues 80 years on to tackle both the symptoms and root causes of poverty in over 40 countries.

On World Refugee Day – Friday, 20th June 2025 – Christian Aid will be holding a special service of thanksgiving for the global impact made possible by the individuals, churches, staff and partners which make up Christian Aid.  As we give thanks, those present will also focus on the challenges ahead and recommit ourselves to striving for a world free from the scandal of poverty.

Please plan to join in the service:

Belfast Cathedral, Donegall Street, Belfast BT1 2HB Friday 20th June 2025, 7pm

There will be reflections from Christian Aid’s history, and music from Renaissance Choir and Intercultural Worship Ireland.  The preacher will be the former Chair of Christian Aid Ireland, the Rt Revd Trevor Williams.

The service will close with tea and coffee and an opportunity to chat.  To assist with catering and organisation, those who plan to attend are asked to get in touch with David Thomas at dthomas@christian-aid.org or register online at the following link: www.christianaid.ie/get–involved/events/80th–anniversary–service

 

Church of Ireland archbishops call for decisive action on Gaza

The following statement on the current situation in Gaza has been issued by Archbishop John McDowell and Archbishop Michael Jackson:

It is with outrage that we watch the desperation, dislocation, and defenceless resident population of Gaza who feel they have been abandoned by the world.

The international community must grasp reality and respond as never before. They can no longer stand by and watch the cruel starvation of innocent people, particularly the most vulnerable – children, older people and the ill – as well as the ongoing physical destruction of their lives and surroundings.

Amid the daily horror, the beacons of hope are the hospitals and the continuation of medical care, however rudimentary. This continues to point to the spirit of service at the heart of humanity.

In recent days we have seen another glimmer of hope from the resilient staff of Al Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City which is owned and run by the Anglican Diocese of Jerusalem. The hospital was bombed on Palm Sunday and has reopened, as its courageous staff pledged in the days after the attack. They are operating in a tent which was erected in place of their destroyed building and are treating the injured and sick as best they can, in what is by anyone’s reckoning a living wasteland, with whatever resources they have.

We pledge our continuing support for the work of Al Ahli and support the Diocese of Jerusalem as it seeks to find a way forward for the hospital.

We repeat our call for an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages, and the influx of every kind of appropriate aid to alleviate starvation, injury and lack of shelter.

We acknowledge that many feel hopeless and powerless to change what is happening in Gaza. We pray that all those in positions of power globally will stand up and demand an end to this cruelty and seek the reinstitution of international law.

When Jesus speaks of parents offering their children bread and fish, he concludes as follows: “Always treat others as you would like them to treat you …” (St Matthew 7.12).  In that spirit, now is the moment for decisive action.

Solidarity with Al Ahli Hospital

The Most Revd Dr Michael Jackson, the Church of Ireland’s Archbishop of Dublin and Bishop of Glendalough, has issued the following statement after the further attack on Al Ahli Arab Hospital.  The hospital has been supported by Bishops’ Appeal through its Advent Appeal for the Middle East:

As Christian people worldwide mark the entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday we recollect with thanksgiving how he gathered to himself a new community of the despised and the rejected.

He himself became despised and rejected – a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.

We walk in solidarity and in sadness with the brave souls – staff and patients – who have kept Al Ahli Hospital functioning against the odds for so so long.

I share their outrage, having experienced their selfless work and worshipped with them in their hospital chapel, at the destruction and desecration of the hospital – a place of care and healing for all in need.

I appeal for a cessation of violence and warfare in Israel-Palestine and particularly in Gaza.

I appeal to all people in the Dioceses of Dublin and Glendalough to pray throughout Holy Week for those who suffer and for those who serve, for those who die and for those who struggle to live.

Bishops’ Appeal supports Christian Aid’s response to South East Asia earthquake

Following the devastating earthquake last Friday (28th March) in South East Asia in which over two thousand lives have been lost, the Bishops’ Appeal Advisory Committee is sending emergency assistance of €10,000 (currently equivalent to £8,400) to Christian Aid’s appeal for Myanmar.

Parishes and individuals are encouraged to donate directly to Christian Aid to ensure that what we can give reaches those affected as swiftly as possible.

Bishop Ferran Glenfield, who chairs Bishops’ Appeal, remarks: “Myanmar is one of the most closed countries in the world, and generally doesn’t welcome international aid, but the monstrous earthquake has presented an opportunity for organisations such as Christian Aid to offer help to those whose lives have been devastated.  Bishops’ Appeal always works with trusted partners on the ground and Christian Aid is one of those partners.”

Examples of aid are shared below to show how donations can make a direct difference:

  • £10 / €12 could help fund access to safe drinking water.
  • £20 / €24 could support a family to eat for a week by offering a food parcel of essentials such as oil and rice.
  • £20 / €24 could buy hygiene supplies for a family of five for two weeks.
  • £50 / €61 could buy a food parcel for a family of five.
  • £140 / €170 could provide blankets, mattresses and alternative sources of heating material for a family of five.
  • £200 / €240 could fund an emergency shelter for a family who’ve been made homeless.
  • £1,000 / €1,200 could fund emergency shelters for five families who’ve been made homeless.
  • £5,000 / €6,000 could buy food parcels for 100 families, meeting their urgent nutritional needs.
  • £10,000 / €12,000 could provide vital cash assistance so that 70 families can access shelter, food and safe drinking water.

Donations can be made directly through the Christian Aid Ireland website at this link:
https://www.christianaid.ie/appeals/emergencies/myanmar-earthquake-appeal

Julie Mehigan, Christian Aid’s Head of Asia, Middle East and Europe, adds: “Even before this heartbreaking earthquake, we know conflict and displacement has left countless people in real need. Every prayer and every gift will bring hope to people hit by disaster.”

Christian Aid has shared the following prayer for Myanmar, to encourage intercession:

God, our strength and our refuge,
We pray to you for the people of Myanmar.
We hold in mind those who are injured or have been bereaved.
We ask your protection for everyone awaiting rescue.
May those who have lost homes and belongings be comforted.
May emergency workers and medical staff be safe as they pour their energy into saving the lives of others.
May the international community respond quickly to support those affected.
God, our strength and our refuge,
Be with our global neighbours today.
Amen.

Pancakes and Prayer: Update

Thank you so much for your support so far!

As we crack on with Pancakes and Prayer through Lent, we want to thank every young person and youth leader taking part for helping children in South Sudan say: “I am educated, I am fed, I am safe and I am loved.”

That’s the aim of Fields of Life’s Thrive Programme which seeks to bring out the potential of children in Ibba and Maridi, two very remote parts of a country with many struggles, where many families regularly go without clean water, food and comforts we take for granted.

Your prayers and your giving really matters and makes a difference!

As Mothering Sunday comes closer (don’t forget it’s this Sunday, 30th March!), what about making treats after church on that special day?  Or you can make a donation each time your youth group meets or when you go to school – maybe the same amount you would normally spend on drinks or snacks?

Food really matters to you, and to the kids and teenagers you are helping by giving up a little bit to make a difference.  While our food comes from shops, children and young people in South Sudan often receive theirs from gardens at school … but a garden never grows overnight!  All this takes time to train staff who can plant and look after crops and seedlings.

The money you give means that children in South Sudan are fed day after day, week after week and month after month.  It will give them a better future long after Lent ends, and as you grow up too and discover your skills and abilities.

It costs about £8,000 per year (€10,000) to set up and keep a school garden going.  Each one can feed up to 3,500 children for a year for less than €3 (£2.50) for each child.

Check out our latest video clips on CIYD’s Facebook and Instagram pages made by others who have been making pancakes and praying along with you.

Leaders can give donations from their youth groups and schools at https://store.ireland.anglican.org/donations/the-bishops-appeal

From Simon Henry (our National Youth Officer)
and Hilary McClay (Bishops’ Appeal’s Education Advisor)

Pancakes & Prayer

Pancakes and Prayer for Lent!

Young people encouraged to raise money for South Sudan schools

Pancakes & Prayer

Bishops’ Appeal and the Church of Ireland Youth Department (CIYD) have teamed up to encourage all Church of Ireland youth groups / youth clubs / schools to take part in Pancakes and Prayer, a special initiative for Lent 2025, focussing on several schools in South Sudan within the Dioceses of Ibba and Maridi. The schools are all part of the Fields of Life Thrive Programme which helps every child to say: “I am educated, I am fed, I am safe and I am loved.”

We are asking young people and leaders throughout the Church of Ireland to pray throughout Lent for the students, teachers, and the wider communities of schools in South Sudan who are part of the Fields of Life Thrive programme. But also encouraging each group to run a special fundraising initiative at some point during this period – it could be a pancake party on or around Shrove Tuesday (4th March), or treats after church on Mothering Sunday (30th March), or simply to provide an opportunity for the young people to make a donation each time the group meets, in lieu of money they would normally spend on drinks or snacks.

Funds raised during Lent will go towards running school gardens, growing food to feed children during the school day.  Training in growing and protecting crops, equipment and seedlings are all part of what will be provided through the generosity of young people within the Church of Ireland.

Many of us choose to give up something for Lent – be it sweets, fizzy drinks or crisps and snacks.  The money we save, donated through Bishops’ Appeal to the schools in South Sudan, will enable children in South Sudan to be fed day after day, week after week and month after month.  Long after Lent ends the legacy will live on through the impact of our prayers and through our giving.

It costs a little over £8,000 per year (€10,000) to set up and maintain a school garden in a group of schools, feeding up to 3,500 children for a year at a cost of less than €3 per child or £2.50.  That’s not per child per day, but per year!  This is a project where a small amount of money can make a big difference – and where our prayers for safety, welfare and the protection and presence of our loving God can and will transform lives.

The Download pack will be available at www.ciyd.org and a link to donate – https://store.ireland.anglican.org/donations/donate?appeal=the-bishops-appeal&subappeal=Pancakes+%26+Prayer+Lent+2025

Then, each week, there will be new video clips on social media to encourage prayer, and further information about the project, running for the six weeks of Lent.  Whenever the group meets, midweek or on Sundays, we encourage you to take a few minutes to watch the latest video clip and to pray for the children and young people of South Sudan.

Bishops’ Appeal encourages prayer for ceasefire to hold and continued support for Middle East appeal

Bishops’ Appeal has encouraged members of the Church to pray that the ceasefire arrangements agreed between Israel and Hamas would hold and lead to a more lasting peace after they take effect.  This follows a welcome from Archbishop John McDowell and Archbishop Michael Jackson yesterday (Thursday, 16th January) for the announcement of a proposed ceasefire and release of hostages.

The appeal for the Middle East, organised by Bishops’ Appeal on behalf of the Anglican Diocese of Jerusalem and Tearfund, continues to be open for donations, which will be shared equally between the two organisations to support vital humanitarian work. The Diocese of Jerusalem covers Israel, Palestine, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon and Tearfund partners are present across the region.

Readers can find out how to give online, by bank transfer, or in other ways at https://bishopsappeal.ireland.anglican.org/give

The full joint statement from the archbishops is as follows:

‘This represents a fragile moment of opportunity, with the prospect of an end to the war in Gaza and the release of all hostages.  We pray for blessing on peace-makers in every community in the Middle East who build bridges and reconcile relationships between those divided by conflict.

‘Beyond every number mentioned in reports of casualties in the region is an individual human being made in the image of God with value and dignity, regardless of their nationality or background.  The needs of people who mourn or who have been displaced and injured must be foremost in our thoughts and prayers at this time.

‘We hope that this development will lead to a just and lasting peace, the full supply of humanitarian aid to relieve extreme suffering now, and the healing of physical and mental wounds.  This requires leadership which relentlessly pursues a desire for peace, over and above any lesser gain, for the well-being of the people who live in the lands in which Our Lord found his earthly home.’

Al-Ahli Hospital continues to serve Gazans

Bishops’ Appeal is pleased to share the news that al-Ahli Arab Hospital, which is administered by the Anglican Diocese of Jerusalem, is continuing to provide essential care and support for people in urgent humanitarian need in Gaza City.

Canon Don Binder, the Archbishop of Jerusalem’s Chaplain, recently remarked: “Although our Ahli Hospital in Gaza City is overrun with the influx of hundreds of sorely wounded patients from the besieged north, there is today a singular sign of renewed dignity and hope: literally a new sign at the hospital entrance, replacing the one destroyed in earlier attacks.

“Please continue to pray and advocate on behalf of Ahli, the only remaining functional hospital in the north, whose overwhelmed staff is under–supplied and facing starvation, even as they work around the clock to save lives.”

In an interview with the Melbourne Anglican, the hospital’s director, Suhaila Tarazi, added: “We don’t discriminate. We are not part of this conflict … Our humanitarian mission is to show the love of Jesus.”  She also explained the extreme pressures on staff: “On certain days, we have no anaesthesia, so the doctors have to do surgeries and amputate parts of the legs of children and injured without it. We suffer from a shortage of sterilisation solutions, so we sometimes use vinegar to clean some equipment.”

Al-Ahli receives around 750 patients daily and is seeking to maintain the services offered before the conflict, such as the early detection and treatment of diseases, as well as caring for the injured.  The hospital recently re–opened a chemotherapy centre and, in co–operation with the Princess Basma Centre in Jerusalem, has also opened a small unit to provide physical therapy for children with cerebral palsy and their families.  A clinic has also been opened in the Khan Yunis refugee camp where staff care for approximately 200 patients each day.

Bishops’ Appeal is running an appeal through Advent and Christmas, supporting the ministry of the diocese and Tearfund partners.  Donations can be made through bank transfer, cheque or parish collections, and details on how to give are available here on the Bishops’ Appeal website.