20.12.2024
Advent Hope in D&G – Living Out an Ethos of Welcome and Inclusivity in Clontarf
Join us throughout Advent 2024 as we explore signs of hope of the Spirit at work in Dublin and Glendalough. During this time of watching and waiting, we are celebrating the life of parishes in the United Dioceses of Dublin and Glendalough – urban and rural, large and small. We are sharing stories of people in parishes who are working with dedication to reach out to people who are new to their communities, to those who have moved to the many new housing developments springing up or those who come to the country seeking sanctuary from war. There are stories of people exploring how to share the Good News of the Gospel with people who haven’t heard it, or who have forgotten about it. There is news of people carefully preserving their parish churches and buildings so they can continue to provide facilities to parishioners and the whole community and there are rural ministries which provide a focal point for their communities. You are encouraged to reflect on these good news stories but also invited to share stories from your parishes so that we can continue to communicate the joy of parish life and fellowship with others.
By Canon Lesley Robinson
At a time when many people hold little hope for the future of organised religion, here in Clontarf by the grace of God we are experiencing real growth and vibrancy. Hardly a fortnight goes by without an enquiry from a family or individual seeking to join the parish. The answer is always a resounding ‘yes’ and the welcome received by all newcomers is warm and genuine, starting with the Church Wardens who greet them at the door and extending throughout the entire congregation. Some of these new parishioners are already members of our parish school, Greenlanes NS. Others have friends who have recommended us while others still had no connection to the parish previously but have been searching for a spiritual home. A few have started attending after having the funeral of a loved one facilitated in the church despite not having had a connection to the parish before that.
Consequently the numbers at our Sunday services have grown and are now above where they were before the Covid pandemic. Our services strive to be uplifting and inspiring as we seek to convey our heartfelt conviction that God’s love in Jesus Christ is all encompassing– regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation or any other variable. This kind of inclusivity had lead to our congregation boasting people from around twenty different countries, members of the LGBT community and lapsed members of other denominations in addition to our older, life–long members of the parish.
Old and new blend seamlessly together through regular fellowship, usually over coffee and food. There are refreshments after our main Sunday service each week and established parishioners make a concerted effort to invite and include newer attendees. There is also a designated area for the children to run and play safely together after church.
Throughout the course of each year we have several worship services designed to attract particular groups of people e.g. a Pet Blessing, a Grandparents Service, a Songs of Praise and monthly Healing Services and Family Services. We also have soup lunches in aid of charity after the main service on Palm Sunday and after the Harvest Thanksgiving, a Parish Picnic at the beginning of Summer at which an ice–cream van always makes a highly anticipated visit, and an annual Parish Breakfast between the 8.30 and 10.30 services, giving those two distinct congregations a chance to interact.
One of the most successful regular events since Covid has been the introduction of a monthly Coffee and Chat morning, designed simply to encourage people to come together to chat and socialise. We also have run a residential weekend Retreat in Mt. St. Joseph’s Abbey, Roscrea, every year since 2019 which has proved to be a wonderful mix of the spiritual and social, in addition to occasional Quiet Days.
This year, by popular request (following the fun we had on the bus to Christ Church Cathedral for the commissioning of our new Lay Reader, Ziva Newman) we ran a Mystery Tour, with no one knowing the destination other than Rector and the bus driver (it was Newbridge House and Farm in Donabate).
As Rector, I am so thankful to see the movement of the Holy Spirit in the parish, demonstrated not just in the increased numbers but in the genuine and tangible joy and fellowship that abounds, as our weekly Prayer Group holds the parish in prayer. I truly believe in the concept of ‘enjoying church’ not merely ‘enduring church’ and this is achieved primarily by the living out of our core ethos of welcome and inclusivity.
You can read Archbishop Michael Jackson’s reflection on the Church of Ireland census figures and his appeal to people to rekindle their connection to their parish here: https://dublin.anglican.org/news/2024/11/22/why-go-to-church-a
If you have a story to tell from your parish please email the diocesan communications officer – dcodublin@gmail.com