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10 new student readers commissioned at CITI
Ten student ordinands at the Church of Ireland Theological Institute have been commissioned as student readers by the Archbishop of Dublin.
Lindsey Farrell (Clogher), Sean Hanily (Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh), Derek Harrington (Derry and Raphoe), Alison Irvine (Clogher), Andrew Irwin (Down and Dromore), Berni McEvoy (Down and Dromore), Ian Mills (Derry and Raphoe), James Price (Connor), Trevor Sargent (Cashel, Ferns and Ossory) and Richard Waller (Down and Dromore) were commissioned during the Community Eucharist in the Chapel of CITI for the Feast of St Simon and St Jude [28 October 2015].
They were presented for licensing by the Director of the Institute, Canon Dr Maurice Elliott and Lecturer in Missiology, the Revd Dr Patrick McGlinchey.
In his sermon, Archbishop Michael Jackson said the readings for the Feast Day of Simon and Jude [Isaiah 28.14–16; psalm 119.89–96; Ephesians 2.19–22; St John 15.17–27] went beyond imagery and fantasy to construction.
He added that the Collect for the day stated that foundations lead to cornerstone and cornerstone lead to temple. The Collect’s description is of the church built on prophets and apostles with Jesus as the chief cornerstone.
The Archbishop compared being commissioned to an invitation to contribute and belong to the Kingdom of God.
“The Kingdom of God is what this movement and this community is called: it is more than an idea – it is an activity; it is more than a group of people together – it is a team; it is more than something inside the church – it is part of the life of the world to which God belongs and which belongs to God and is loved by God; it is more than a word – it is a way of life. It is to this that you who today are commissioned are invited to contribute and to belong. It is this Kingdom that binds the rest of us here today to you,” he said.
The Archbishop added that everyone had the same opportunity to be part of the Kingdom of God. Some took the opportunity and others turned their back on it but the invitation continued even when people did not respond.
Commissioning was a strengthening and building up and out of the faith and goodness already present and a protection against evil, he said. “Evil is a reality in today’s world and that is why we who are sent need to build on the foundation of prophets, apostles and Jesus Christ,” the Archbishop stated.
Testimony was the key that bound the Father, Son and Spirit and us, he suggested. Testimony had to do with standing up and being principled, the Archbishop said adding that we in the Northern Hemisphere must recognise that we are connected to those who suffer brutality and degradation in the Southern Hemisphere. “It is our duty to recognise this and to stand in solidarity with those who suffer and with those who suffer for their faith in God and who testify to God’s presence,” he said.