Presbyterian Church in Ireland News.

In Let’s Pray, the Presbyterian Church in Ireland’s (PCI) daily prayer points for members, the Church is focusing on the situation in Republic of Cameroon in west Africa today. Violent clashes, with increasing loss of life, is growing between Cameroon’s English-speaking Anglophone community and French-speaking Francophone community.

As Rev Uel Marrs, Secretary to PCI’s Council for Global Mission explained, “Through reports coming via family contacts of Cameroonians who attend Presbyterian churches in the Republic of Ireland, we understand that thousands of people have been displaced as the situation in parts of the country deteriorates, particularly in the Northwest Region and Southwest Region.

“The increasingly violent situation has its origins in the division of the region during various colonial administrations and post-independence settlements. The situation is amounting to a ‘silent civil war’, as some have described it, as that has the potential to be a second Rwanda. Today we wanted to highlight the situation in the country and ask people to pray,” he said.

“Prayer is an essential and powerful part of the Christian life and we are asking people to pray specifically for peace and calm in all areas of Cameroon and for tensions to decrease. For just and fair treatment of all people by the authorities and prayer for help and support for those affected by the violence.”

Speaking about the situation, Rev Alan Boal, minister of Abbey Presbyterian Church in Dublin, who has a number of people attending his Church with family members in the country said, “One member of my congregation recently described the escalating crisis taking place in his region like this, he said that it was ‘a second Rwanda’.

“We have about a dozen Cameroonians in Abbey, mostly English speaking, but some French speaking as well and I have met with a number of them to discuss the situation.

“From what I hear there are government curfews, reports of the gassing and burning of groups of villagers, the destruction of villages and summary executions. Two families report that their villages have been emptied and destroyed. In one place men and boys between the ages of 15 and 50 have left towns and villages in fear of their lives, while women and children prefer to camp out underneath trees rather than risk attack at night.

“These political situations are of course more complex, and our own history shows us that here in Ireland. Prayer for all of our Cameroonian brothers and sisters and the country is of course vital, but there must also be action. It can’t be right for the international community to be so silent.”

If you would like to receive Let’s Pray, PCI’s daily prayer points by email, you can subscribe here.

Following their meeting with Northern Ireland’s political parties at the end of September and with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Rt Hon Karen Bradley MP earlier this month, the leaders of the main Churches in Ireland met the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Simon Coveney TD today (25 October) at Iveagh House, Dublin.

Following the meeting at the Department for Foreign Affairs, the Church leaders said, “As part of the ongoing dialogue in relation to restoring the devolved institutions to Northern Ireland, following the collapse of the Assembly in January 2017, we welcomed the opportunity today to meet with Mr Coveney as an important part of those discussions.

“In our previous meetings with the political parties and the Secretary of State over the last few weeks, we have impressed upon them our concerns that the absence of devolved government in Northern Ireland was affecting many areas of community life, the delivery of public services and cross border co-operation. We conveyed these concerns to the Tánaiste, while emphasising the importance of continuing to build relationships and trust among all concerned, even in these difficult times. We also welcomed the opportunity to hear the Irish government’s assessment of the current situation.

“While not underestimating the challenges involved in moving forward, we emphasised the importance of dialogue and finding the space that encourages engagement and participation. As we had done with the political parties and the Secretary of State previously, we reiterated our willingness and desire to assist in the process where we could.”

The Church leaders present were: The Most Rev Dr Richard Clarke (Church of Ireland Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland), Rev William Davison (President of the Methodist Church in Ireland), Monsignor Joseph McGuinness, Diocesan Administrator for the Diocese of Clogher (representing The Most Rev Eamon Martin, Catholic Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland), Right Rev Dr Charles McMullen (Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland), Rev Brian Anderson, President of the Irish Council of Churches.

Photo: Pictured at Iveagh House in Dublin, during today’s meeting between the leaders of Ireland’s main churches and Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Simon Coveney TD, are (left to right) Fergal Mythen, Director General, Ireland, UK and Americas Division, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Minister Coveney, Rev William Davison, President of the Methodist Church in Ireland, Rev Trevor Gribben, Clerk of the General Assembly and General Secretary of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, The Most Rev Dr Richard Clarke, Church of Ireland Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland, Right Rev Dr Charles McMullen, Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, Monsignor Joseph McGuinness, Diocesan Administrator for the Diocese of Clogher (representing The Most Rev Eamon Martin, Catholic Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland) and Dr Nicola Brady, General Secretary of the Irish Council of Churches.

Writing in the News Letter today, Presbyterian Moderator, Rt. Rev. Dr. Charles McMullen, reflects on the events of the past week, which he says ‘has witnessed much hurt’. Addressing some of the misunderstandings, Dr. McMullen also talks of needing to ‘somehow combine unconditional love with the absolute truth of God’s Word.’

I think that it was Harold Wilson, the late Prime Minister, who said that ‘a week was a long time in politics’. It can also be said of life in a church.

At last week’s General Assembly there were wide ranging discussions on various pressing issues of our time. Most of the media coverage, however, concentrated on our decision not to send our moderators to future Church of Scotland General Assemblies, given the Kirk’s position on same sex marriage. The Presbyterian Church in Ireland holds to the biblical and global Christian perspective that marriage is between one man and one woman. The Church of Scotland’s trajectory in recent years has been somewhat different.

Our Doctrine Committee also brought guidance in relation to our understanding of a ‘credible profession of faith’ – something that applies to all, regardless of background or orientation – and who want to become communicant members of our Church, or have their children baptised. Simply put, it means that we declare with our lips that Jesus Christ is our Lord and our lifestyle is consistent with His example and teaching.

There have been some misunderstandings as to what was agreed, but nobody is being prevented from coming into Sunday services, or from taking Communion as the Lord’s Table is open to all. In our reformed tradition, baptism has nothing to do with denying children anything, but with the promises parents must be able to take on their behalf – However, this week has witnessed much hurt.

As I said in my opening night address to the Assembly, when we deal with so many complex issues in today’s world, we need somehow to combine unconditional love with the absolute truth of God’s Word. If we err on the side of truth, we become harsh and judgmental and can easily forget that we are dealing with individuals, families and friends.

At the other end of the spectrum, we can run the risk of diluting the high standards of Christian teaching and behaviour to the extent that it becomes meaningless. Jesus had the amazing ability to show grace, but also the ability to bring strong challenging messages. To the woman caught in adultery, for example, he showed compassion and saved her life, but also instructed her to sin no more.

As I reflect on last week’s Assembly, there are two personal comments that I would like to make. When it comes to our human sexuality and the challenges that we face in so many other areas as well, we all stand in greenhouses and none of us should dare to throw the first stone.

Secondly, now that this decision has been taken, more than ever we need to show the sacrificial love of Jesus Christ. No outsider will believe in Jesus until an insider treats him or her as a brother or sister. Therein lies the challenge! I am deeply grieved for those who have been hurt, but now even more committed to my theme for the year – ‘Building Relationships: Christ’s love compels us.’

The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland will meet in Belfast from Monday 4th to Friday 8th June.

The General Assembly is the principal decision-making body of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. The weeklong gathering is an important time of coming together, of fellowship, worship, Bible study, celebration and debate where decisions taken will set the direction for the life and ministry of the Church over the coming year and beyond.

The vast majority of its business is open to the public, as are the worship services:

• Tuesday 11.45am – as part of the Assembly Communion Service
• Wednesday 12.15pm
• Thursday 2.45pm

and the Wednesday Evening Celebration at 7.45pm – all are welcome.

Following a resolution passed at last year’s General Assembly to make each more accessible, changes were made to the times that the Assembly would meet, with additional evening sessions being included.

The 2018 General Assembly will meet at the following times:

Attended by upwards of 1,000 ministers and elders from the Church’s 500-plus congregations across Ireland, on the Opening Night, Monday 4th June (which is also open to the public) the Assembly will formally elect and install Rev. Charles McMullen of West Church, Bangor, County Down as Moderator of the General Assembly for 2017/2018.

More details on this year’s General Assembly will follow in the coming weeks on this website and via social media. You will be able to follow events at this year’s Assembly @pciassembly on Twitter using the hashtag #PCIGA18 and @pcimoderator. You can also catch up on Facebook/pciassembly.

The Moderator, Rt. Rev. Dr. Noble McNeely, along with former Moderator and minister emeritus of Lucan Presbyterian Church, Dr. Trevor Morrow, and the Clerk of the General Assembly, Rev. Trevor Gribben, has written to fellow ministers and congregations in the Republic of Ireland outlining the position of the Church in relation to May’s referendum on abortion.

In their letter, which was sent on Wednesday in time for yesterday’s Sunday services, the senior Church figures said that in light of the Government’s clear intention to introduce unrestricted access to abortion up to 12 weeks of pregnancy, if the Eighth Amendment is repealed, the Church had concluded that “meaningful protection for the unborn can only be secured if the Eighth Amendment is retained in the forthcoming referendum.

Describing the Government’s proposals as “regressive, incompatible with human dignity and morally unacceptable”, the senior ministers explained that representatives of the Church had written to TDs and Senators in January during the debate on the Oireachtas report on the Eighth Amendment, affirming the value of every human life, while emphasising the importance of care for women, children and families in times of crisis. They said that they had also urged them “to work for a truly progressive Ireland where the weak and vulnerable, including children in the womb, are cherished and protected.”

In writing to every active Presbyterian minister in the jurisdiction, the Moderator and his colleagues said, “As Christians, we see the scriptures speaking consistently of the importance and value of human life, including that of the unborn. On that basis, we are responsible before God to honour the sanctity of human life.

“While recognising that there are mixed views within our Church about the adequacy of the current Constitutional provision, particularly around those exceptional circumstances in which the termination of pregnancy may be necessary, we consider the proposals for unrestricted access to abortion up to 12 weeks to be regressive, incompatible with human dignity and morally unacceptable.”

“Having monitored the developments of recent months closely, the General Council of our Church, acting with the authority of the General Assembly, has concluded that meaningful protection for the unborn can only be secured if the Eighth Amendment is retained in the forthcoming referendum.”

The letter concluded by saying, “We therefore encourage Church members to consider these matters prayerfully and with great care over the coming weeks and to vote in accordance with their conscience.”

You can read the full text of the letter here.