Anniversaries!
For our Methodist colleagues 2007 is an important year as it marks the 300th anniversary of the birth of Charles Wesley, who was born at Epworth, Lincolnshire on 18 December 1707. The Methodist Church in Ireland is also celebrating, along with the Church of Ireland, the 5th anniversary of the signing of the Church of Ireland-Methodist Covenant.
The Covenant was signed on 26 September 2002 by Archbishop Robin Eames, Primate of All Ireland, and the Revd Winston Graham, President of the Methodist Church in Ireland. The signing took place at Chrome Hill, near Lambeg, where John Wesley in 1787 had entwined two beech saplings as a symbol of his hopes for a growing relationship between the two churches. These trees, now fully grown, played an important part as a background to the signing of the 2002 Church of Ireland-Methodist Covenant.
Bishop Harold, in a recent letter to his clergy, asked them to mark this important anniversary and said: ‘I would ask that you note this over the next Sunday or two, by singing one or two good Wesley hymns, and by including special prayers of thanksgiving and intercession for the Methodist Church, and for our special relationship. You may also consider inviting a Methodist preacher over the next period of time."
The Covenant Coordinator for Down and Dromore is the Revd Ian Gamble and he can be contacted on (028) 9188 2594 or by emailing rector.donaghadee@tiscali.co.uk. The Covenant can be viewed in full on this website - see the ‘About Us' section.