Diocesan Evangelists will be commissioned on St Patrick’s Day
The theme for this year’s Down and Dromore St Patrick’s Day celebrations at Saul Church and Down Cathedral is ‘In the Footsteps of Patrick – Proclaiming Christ’ and, fittingly, our first group of Diocesan Evangelists will be commissioned at the Festival Service.
Introduced in 2014, the Diocesan Evangelists Course is one strand of diocese’s leadership development programme. It has been co–ordinated by Captain George Newell of the Church Army and is distance–learning based and accredited by St John’s College, Nottingham, with the practical elements facilitated by ‘Through Faith Missions’.
Eight individuals have completed the first two–year course and will be commissioned on St Patrick’s Day before being deployed in the diocese. Seven more evangelists are in training.
Captain Newell is to give the address at the Holy Communion service in Saul Church at 9.15 am and the Diocesan Evangelists will lead the prayers on the pilgrimage from Saul to Down Cathedral. At the Festival Service, beginning in the cathedral at 11.45 am, Bishop Harold will give the address. The service will be followed by the wreath–laying ceremony at St Patrick’s grave and lunch in the marquee.