Representatives of the judiciary, departments of state, diplomats, lawyers, An Garda Siochana, the Defence Forces and the Prison Service gathered in the Parish Church of the Law Courts for the annual service over which Archbishop Michael Jackson presided.

Clergy who took part in the service included the Vicar, Archdeacon David Pierpoint, the Deans of Christ Church and St Patrick’s cathedrals, the Very Revd Tom O’Brien and the Very Revd William Morton, Prison Service Chaplain the Revd Alan Rufli and the King’s Hospital Chaplain Canon Peter Campion along with Diocesan Reader Beatrice Somers.

As is tradition, the choir of the King’s Hospital School, under the direction of Ciaran Kelly, sang at the service, providing the uplifting introit and the anthem, despite their fellow schoolmates having a day off. The parish organist Dr Ronan Conroy accompanied the hymns.

Introducing the service, the Vicar Archdeacon David Pierpoint prayed for all who uphold the law of the land; for all who enter the courts that they may see justice being done; and for wisdom for those who care for the downcast in society. He also prayed that those present be beacons of truth and hope and for the safety of all who keep the peace at home and overseas.

In the context of Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union, the address was given by Rory Montgomery. He was Permanent Representative (Ambassador) of Ireland to the European union from 2009 to 2013 and also Ambassador of Ireland to France (2013–2014) and Second Secretary General at the Department of the Taoiseach (2014–2016) and Foreign Affairs and Trade (2016–2019).

Mr Montgomery looked at the growth and development of the European Union and examined whether the Judeo–Christian and Graeco–Roman influence on the foundation of the EEC continued to be reflected in its morals and values today.

“The acid test, however, must be whether in its actions Europe acts, however imperfectly, in accordance with its values. I will look briefly at five issues.  They demonstrate, I think, that the Union is still guided by its values and seeks to act in accordance with them. But defining what this should mean in practice, and manoeuvring through political, diplomatic and financial challenges, is really difficult and often falls well short of the ideal,” he said.

The areas he explored included an example where broad consensus can be blocked by a small minority; where values underpin an agreed objective but there are differences on how to achieve that objective (for example development aid); where values can conflict with hostile public opinion (for example migration); where values can be pitted against necessity (for example the EU originated as a peace project but is now developing its capacity to defend itself); and finally he asked what if there is a strong feeling that the Union is not upholding its values at a crucial time (for example in relation to Israel and Palestine).

Mr Montgomery concluded: “Remaining rooted in and guided by values and principles is  enormously demanding. Political, diplomatic,  economic, strategic and social considerations all bear heavily on governments and legislators. Inevitably this can lead to actions which depart from eloquently–expressed values. But it is always necessary to balance the real and the ideal, interests and principles. Indeed different values can need to be weighed against one another. But the answer is surely not to give up and say that our values are worthless and empty formulae which have no practical meaning. I believe that European leaders, parliamentarians, churches, lawyers, civil servants and the public as a whole are deeply attached to them: the challenge is to navigate by these stars while buffeted by the waves and winds.”

You can read Rory Montgomery’s address here.

The Harvest Celebration of Faith, Flowers and Community was opened on Friday evening (October 2) by Miriam O’Callaghan. It closed on Sunday evening with a celebratory service of Choral Evensong at which the preacher was the Revd Patrick Irwin, the great, great, great grandson of the first Rector of the parish, Henry Irwin. Monsignor Ciarán O’Carroll of Milltown, Donnybrook and Booterstown Parishes was in attendance at the service which was led by the Rector, Canon Sonia Gyles.

The festival not only celebrated 200 years of faith and worship in Sandford but the vibrant life of the parish today which is sustained and enriched by daily acts of service, kindness and shared commitment.

The parish also highlighted its connection with the wider community and colourful creations from neighbouring parishes, schools, charities, community organisations and local businesses featured among the displays.  

The beautiful, creative and at times humorous displays included the Sandford 200 Tree which offers a special record of what Sandford Parish means to many within the community. Visitors were invited to take a blank leaf and write their own reflection to add to the tree.

There was a steady flow of visitors to the festival throughout the weekend with the Rector, Canon Sonia Gyles, reflecting that they had enjoyed a wonderful weekend of colour and community, connection and friendship. She thanked all who made the festival possible.  

In his sermon the Revd Patrick Irwin brought the congregation through a brief history of the Harvest Festival in Christian times. He added: “As we give thanks to God for the harvest and for 200 years of faithful witness to the Gospel here in this church we are surrounded by a wonderful array of beautiful flowers.

“The flowers are beautiful in their own right but also in what they represent – the faith of individuals and groups and our community who, in their different ways are giving thanks to God. We are celebrating the 200th anniversary of this church but we are not, to retain the floral image, resting on our laurels. We are striving forward into the future, trusting in the God who is with us and accompanies us on our voyage through life.”

Archbishop Michael Jackson, as Chair of the Church of Ireland Board of Education (RI) commented:

“The grant increases announced in today’s budget will ease pressure on schools and families in coping with the day–to–day costs in schools, and will be a great encouragement to Boards, principals, teachers, SNAs, parents and pupils alike. I greatly welcome this timely provision in today’s budget and wish to express our thanks to the Government and the Minister for Education and Youth, Ms Hildegarde Naughton, TD, for recognising the increased financial need in schools.”

The Secretary of the Board, Dr Ken Fennelly, commented:

“The Church of Ireland Board of Education (RI) joined with a range of other education stakeholders in raising this issue in advance of the Budget and we are both relieved and glad that Government has heard the financial concerns which we articulated on behalf of schools over the last number of weeks. We are in daily contact with School Boards and principals so we know how rising costs are affecting school finances. We greatly welcome this €68 increase in primary level capitation and €40 for free scheme post primary schools.  We hope that these financial increases, and last years too, signal a recognition of the necessity to make the tackling of education costs a priority in budget considerations into the future.”

As the world experiences a period of significant unpredictability, particularly in relation to the provision of fuels and energy, the increases in State pensions and core welfare payments including the Fuel Allowance are welcome. However, as many families seek to exist on fixed incomes, and many more struggle monthly to stay above the poverty line, there remains significantly more to do. No family should have to choose between heating and eating.

In the sphere of healthcare, the introduction of a €500 annual disability payment is particularly welcome as a recognition of the extra costs to those who find themselves living with or supporting disability. While this is a positive step, this area requires consistent structured support, rather than a reliance on lump sum payments. As Christians we are called to uphold the dignity and rights of all people.

One of those groups in our society which is perhaps most under pressure, are young families. While the measures introduced are welcome in their support of the rising cost of childcare, the reality is that many families require both parents to work full–time in order to make ends meet. Family life should not be undermined by economic pressure, and further advocation is needed to cement a work–life balance and parental wellbeing.

We all recognise that one of the defining issues of our generation is homelessness, and the chronic shortage of housing. The practical assistance of the expansion of the Help–to–Buy scheme is welcome, however the supply of affordable housing remains the more deeply rooted issue. The recognition that housing is a social good, not a market commodity, must remain the focus of us all. While the Government moves to address housing shortages, the national homelessness figures continue to break previous records, as young families are forced to live out of hotel rooms. 

Consistent and growing support for rural Ireland continues to pose a challenge. The wellbeing of rural Ireland ultimately depends not only on short–term financial relief but on sustained investment in the people, services, and community life that allow communities to flourish. The common good requires that no community is left behind because of where it is located. Transport infrastructure and interconnectivity between rural areas, and their greater environs, is something which requires significantly more investment. Investment in transport and infrastructure is not merely about roads, buses and buildings. For rural communities it is about connection, dignity and belonging. The true measure of these investments will be whether they reduce isolation, sustain local communities and ensure that people can continue to live and flourish in every part of Ireland, and are not penalised or disadvantaged for choosing to do so.

The Church is acutely aware of the way in which many farming communities are now struggling through the unprecedented increase in fuel costs. While we continue to focus on environmental stewardship and climate change, and indeed welcome the government’s commitment to these issues, the reality is that many industries still rely on traditional fuels. As part of the monumental transformation needed, the Government must ensure that those poorest households, and those at high risk of fuel price increases, are protected from what will be a costly energy transition. 

As we reflect on the opportunities and challenges presented by this budget, may we recognise the resilience and contribution of all communities throughout Ireland. Consistent and adequate investment in people, communities, and local services remains essential if our society are to flourish. In that spirit, we are reminded that “Let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest–time, if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9).

The Most Rev Dr Michael Jackson

Archbishop of Dublin and Chairperson of the Church and Society Commission

With the cathedral’s millennium approaching in 2028, Dean O’Brien gave thanks to God for the legacy of the cathedral’s past and looked to its future.

“May everything we do here continue to honour those legacies as we point beyond ourselves to Jesus Christ,” he stated. “So that a thousand years after Christians first worshipped on this site, a new generation might come through these doors and discover that this monument to a faith once held, remains a living church preaching a living gospel and proclaiming a living Saviour.”

The uplifting service, at which Archbishop Michael Jackson presided, also marked the Dean’s institution as incumbent of the Christ Church Cathedral Group of Parishes, which is connected to the cathedral. Members of the parish, representing the historic churches of St Werburgh, St Michan and All Saint’s Grangegorman, were part of the service and presented the symbols of the teaching and sacramental ministry of their Rector.

Tom was joined in the congregation by his wife Daniela, their son Dylan and daughter Tara–Rose, and their daughter Rebekkah was watching online from Perth, Australia.

Clergy and Lay Readers from across Dublin and Glendalough turned out in great numbers to support the new Dean. The Dean of St Patrick’s Cathedral, the Very Revd William Morton was present along with members of the Chapter there. Ecumenical guests included the Very Revd Kieran McDermott, Administrator of St Mary’s Cathedral, Dublin, and the Very Revd Ivan Tonge, PP of Ringsend Parish. Pastor Florian von Issendorff, Lead Pastor of the Lutheran Church in Ireland was also present.

Many of Tom’s former colleagues and friends from his 30 years of service in the HSE were in attendance. Representatives of the parishes in which Tom has served came from Holmpatrick, Howth, Kill O’ the Grange and Raheny and Coolock and many travelled in from Crinken.

There were many reference to the cathedral’s long history. As the service booklet noted: “Prayer has been offered in this place for close to a thousand years. Deans have come and gone; the city around us has changed beyond recognition; but still the daily round of worship continues, and still this cathedral seeks to be a place of welcome for Dubliners, for parishioners and for visitors from every corner of the world. This evening adds another name to that long history, and asks God’s blessing upon the chapter that unfolds tonight”.

In his sermon, Dean O’Brien turned to the Old Testament reading (Haggai 2: 1–9) and said he was drawn to the story of Zerubbabel. He was given an enormous project – they had returned from exile in Babylon and the temple was in ruins. Zerubbabel had to lead a discouraged people and the Dean suggested that today he might be called a project manager. He suggested that every good project manager knows that they cannot complete the project alone.

“You need people who know things you don’t know. People who tell you when you’re wrong. People who encourage you when you’re struggling. People who sometimes believe in you before you quite believe in yourself,” he said. “And when I look back on the road that has brought me here today, I see so many of those people, many represented here today.”

He said that in his journey in the HSE and in ministry, he learned something that Zerubbabel must have discovered, that leadership is never about the person whose name appears at the top, rather it is about those around them and the people that God surrounded them with.

“And now the journey has brought us here. Christ Church,” the Dean said. “For nearly a thousand years Christians have worshipped on this site. And as we approach that millennium, I find myself thinking again about Zerubbabel standing before the temple. What an inheritance. What a responsibility. What a project! Yet after these first weeks here, I already know that I am not undertaking it alone.”

He commended the dedicated cathedral team and paid tribute to his family who, he said, had given so much of themselves to the work of the church and without whom he could not walk the road of ministry.

This commitment people had offered throughout his life brought him to the New Testament reading from Colossians (1: 15–23). He said that the future of the cathedral was not about Dean Tom O’Brien but about the work God is doing in him through his spirit and the many friends He put in his path along the way.

“Everything is about Christ. He is to be encountered in our worship, proclaimed in this city and, I hope, reflected in our care for those who find themselves on the margins,” he stated.

Dean O’Brien continued: “So as we move towards the millennium of this extraordinary place, I do not know everything God will ask of us. Although we have an amazing past, we will not fear the future. I am empowered also to know that I do not attempt it alone. Together we will step forward in faith. We thank God for the past and for the faithful legacies left behind, including those of Dean Dermot and Celia. May everything we do here continue to honour those legacies as we point beyond ourselves to Jesus Christ.”

You can read the full text of Dean Tom O’Brien’s sermon here. 

The second half of August falls within the Monsoon Season. 2026 was no different from any other year – wet and getting wetter all the time. Our first stop was Kolkata where we stayed in The Bishop’s Inn, accommodation in the grounds of The Bishop’s House. Bishop Paritosh Canning is also The Moderator of the Church of North India. Our time there was short but we packed in a number of interesting and important things. The first was meeting staff and students in The Bishop’s College, the theological college for North India, following the Serampore Syllabus for all the Christian traditions and currently with one hundred and forty students on the books along with sixteen full–time and three part–time staff. During our time there, we saw not only the lasting influence of Bishop Packenham–Walsh but also significant new building projects and held an interactive seminar on the character of the church in the contemporary world.  

The second was worshipping in St Paul’s Cathedral. The archbishop was afforded the privilege of preaching on the tenth anniversary of The Friendship Centre which is based in the cathedral, serving the needs of those who are lonely, distressed or disturbed irrespective of creed, class or caste. (You can read the sermon here.) During the afternoon, we visited a residential facility for old ladies and we blessed them ; we also visited the repurposed Oxford Mission to Calcutta (now Kolkata). This was extremely interesting as Dublin, Oxford and Cambridge Universities all had Missions to India. The Oxford Mission began as a boys’ orphanage. Today it continues doing the same work and also has been developed by the current Moderator, himself a former member of the Community, as a music school in both Indian and Western Music.

On Monday, we travelled to Ranchi, the home of The Diocese of Chota Nagpur. There we were greeted by long–standing friends from the diocese and settled into the diocesan hotel – The Maplewood. There was a possibility that we might travel on the Tuesday to Hazaribagh but this proved to be impossible because of the monsoon. During Wednesday and Thursday, the archbishop and The reverend Steve Brunn, accompanied by Dr Houston and the Reverend Paul Monash who joined us from Australia, contributed to three days of intensive teaching for The Catechists. DUMCN has assisted and supported The Catechetical School for many years and is delighted to do so again as it comes back to operational life after the long delay caused by Covid–19.

The archbishop spoke on the components of a holy life and on The Anatomy of Crucifixion and The Body of Christ, inspired by a close reading of St Mark 13. Steve spoke of the five smooth stones of pastoral ministry, taking the image from the young David: love, listening, story–making, grieving, leadership. Paul took up the theme of personal holiness and the capacity of leadership to interpret something that was happening as a work of God. His strap–line was: holiness is the habit of being one person with God. The second day of teaching concluded with a visit and a seminar to the Grossner Lutheran Theological College in Ranchi. The College still has as the centrepiece of its chapel the wooden cross constructed by the first missionaries. This proved to be most informative and illuminating experience as it set in clear context the early interactions of the Lutherans and the British Army in Ranchi and explains the current good relations between both traditions, not least in the local training together of ordinands on both traditions side by side.   

Hazaribagh was our next port of call. We began in St Stephen’s Church and Parish. This is always a special place for the Irish delegation as we love to see the restoration of life to St Columba’s Hospital which almost disappeared off the landscape of history but has returned with both confidence and competence. It is wonderful to see the expansion of clinical services including obstetrics and gynaecology, paediatrics and anaesthetics full–time and with other specialist doctors on call to the hospital. As things stand, emergency cases have to go to Ranchi.

There is the expectation of a fully functioning ICU, the rebuilding of the activity of the Nursing School will not only create nurses but will also attract doctors. There is the recognition that a Geriatric Department is also urgently needed. To see the board in the hospital entrance showing the range of doctors and services on offer is very cheering to us and affirming of the work that has gone into the hospital in the last half decade . Elsewhere in Hazaribagh, we visited St Elizabeth’s School, St Columba’s School and St Kieran’s College along with The Hamilton Primary School. These schools remain the lifeblood of DUMCN along with the hospital and the university. Signing Visitors’ Books, as you are invited to do on such trips, you realize that we from DUMCN alone of Westerners visit these people and these places today. This is a chilling thought and makes the work of DUMCN all the more urgent.

On Saturday we made the journey to Koderma. I had long wanted to go to Koderma which lies beyond Hazaribagh and further into the tribal area of the Diocese of Chota Nagpur. This area would have been forest in the days of the first missionaries . The city is thriving and the church was well worth a visit. It was the one church in North India which the missionaries built in 1901 and it is dedicated to St Thomas, the Patron Saint of India. It was a great joy to meet the parish priest and members of the congregation and to see the church compound. The location of the church is in the heart of the original city and its growth and development have tremendous potential. At one stage, I was called outside the church by the word: monkey. I went out and, sure enough, a magnificent cappuccino coloured male primate was walking along the back wall of the church compound. My surmise is that he smelt other primates in his territory and was marking our territory!

The culmination of our visit was spending Sunday morning in St Paul’s Cathedral, Ranchi.  I had the privilege of preaching at both the English–language and the Hindi–language services (You can read the sermon here.) where, in both instances, there was a substantial congregation. The three delegates from DUMCN were welcomed and feted in the customary and elegant Indian style. During the evening, we had the opportunity to meet with the School Principals and clergy who had visited Dublin last year. This was convivial and also gave scope to look ahead to a further visit, perhaps also incorporating some of those involved in healthcare as well as in education, as is in tune with the two strands of DUMCN. Jesus Christ was a teacher and a healer. Kenneth Kennedy was both a medical doctor and a priest and subsequently bishop. The work continues in tense and difficult circumstances. Those who do this work along with all members of the Diocese of Chota Nagpur need our prayers and our support in the shared work for God in which we are invested in body, mind and soul.

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. 

Where there is hatred, let me bring love.

Where there is offence, let me bring pardon. 

Where there is discord, let me bring union. 

Where there is error, let me bring truth. 

Where there is doubt, let me bring faith. 

Where there is despair, let me bring hope. 

Where there is darkness, let me bring your light. 

Where there is sadness, let me bring joy. 

O Lord, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console, 

to be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love, 

for it is in giving that one receives, 

it is in self–forgetting that one finds, 

it is in forgiving that one is forgiven, 

it is in dying that one awakens to eternal life. 

Amen.

 

On Sunday, the Archbishops issued the following joint statement:

“As Archbishops and Pastors in our different Christian traditions, we have always taken seriously our call, in Christ, to speak and act together when we can. We do this because we share the conviction that the greatest commandment, and the greatest witness anyone can give to the Gospel in our world today, is in love of God and love of neighbour.

“As our community faces the crisis in Drumcree today, in which so many sincere views, painful histories and important issues are at stake, we cannot think of any time in the last thirty years when this simple message needs to be more urgently heard. How can we be good neighbours to each other? What can we do to patiently, constructively and positively build on all the sincere and generous efforts over recent years to foster mutual trust and understanding among our different traditions?

“Respect for the rule of law, and use of peaceful and democratic processes are vital to a stable and democratic society, even when they are difficult and challenging. As Christians, we are also called to ask ourselves what is generous, what is neighbourly, what builds up peace and the common good among us? As disciples of Jesus, our golden rule calls us to turn the other cheek, to go the extra mile and ultimately, to ensure that love of God and neighbour is the core value that determines all our actions and decisions.

“As Church leaders, we are profoundly aware of our own failings and inadequacies. Imperfect as we may be, we feel deeply the concerns of the people of Drumcree and the wider community that we serve.

“We are willing to do all that we are asked to guide the feet of all, in the name, and after the example of Jesus, on the way of peace, and the building up of a better future for all. We call for the urgent creation of a constructive, inclusive and reconciling initiative to patiently find a way through this current crisis. Too much is at stake.”

Bishop Andrew was consecrated by the Archbishop of Dublin, the Most Revd Dr Michael Jackson, with the Right Revd Adrian Wilkinson, Bishop of Cashel, Ferns and Ossory, and the Right Revd David McClay, Bishop of Down and Dromore as co–consecrators. The bishops of the Church of Ireland and the wider Anglican Communion were joined by Revd Dr Janet Unsworth and the Revd Laurence Graham, representing the Methodist Church, in the laying on of hands during the act of consecration. The President of Ireland, Catherine Connolly, was represented at the service by Captain Niamh FitzGerald, Aide–de–Camp to the President. Senator Jerry Buttimer was also among those attending.

Bishop Andrew was joined on the day by his wife, the Revd Susan Green, their adult children Rachel, Ciara and Patrick, and members of their wider family. There was also a large attendance from Cork, Cloyne and Ross, including clergy, diocesan lay readers and parishioners from across the United Dioceses, who travelled to Dublin to share in the service and support their new Bishop as he begins his episcopal ministry.

The lessons were read by Jim Farrell, Chair of Eco–Congregation Ireland, and Hilda Connolly, Diocesan Youth Officer for Cork, Cloyne and Ross.

The preacher at the service was the Right Revd Michael Burrows, Bishop of Tuam, Limerick and Killaloe, who took as his text the words of Jesus from St Luke 12:32: “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”

The same text was used at the consecration of George Otto Simms as Bishop of Cork in 1952 and Bishop Burrows looked back at sermons preached at the consecrations of successive Bishops of Cork in 1952, 1978, 1988 and 1999, drawing from them a message for the new Bishop and the Diocese today. He encouraged Bishop Andrew to approach his ministry with faith, bringing together different traditions and perspectives, remaining grounded in prayer and compassion, caring for communities large and small, and having the courage to dream boldly for the Church’s future. Above all, he encouraged him to bring joy to his episcopal ministry, trusting that the future of the Church ultimately rests with God.

Bishop Andrew succeeds the Right Revd Dr Paul Colton. He was elected by the Episcopal Electoral College in June, and his election was subsequently confirmed by the House of Bishops.

Ordained deacon in 1992 and priest in 1993, Bishop Andrew has served in a variety of ministries across the Church of Ireland. His parish appointments have included incumbencies in Castlecomer, Castleknock and Tullow, and he previously served as Archdeacon of Ossory and Leighlin. Since coming to Cork, Cloyne and Ross, he has served as Archdeacon of the Diocese since 2023, and as Chaplain to Midleton College and Priest–in–Charge of Youghal Union since 2018. 

Alongside his parish and diocesan ministry, Bishop Andrew has had a longstanding involvement in environmental and creation care work. He formerly chaired Eco–Congregation Ireland and has represented the Church of Ireland in international environmental networks.

Bishop Andrew will be enthroned in each of the three cathedrals of the Diocese in October.

You can see a lot more photos from the day over on our Facebook page:

Natasha Coombes Liddle (Armagh), Andrea Black (Dublin and Glendalough), Laura McIvor (Armagh) and Eric Hughes (Dublin and Glendalough) were commissioned by Archbishop Michael Jackson during the weekly Community Eucharist. They are among seven ordinands who have embarked on their first year of study in CITI this year.

The students were presented for licensing by the Revd Dr Chris MacBruithin. Student Readers are called to lead worship, proclaim the word of God and assist in the distribution of Holy Communion.

Archbishop Jackson addressed the students in his sermon as they embark on a life towards ordained ministry and said they were being commissioned to learn. He urged them to “learn long before you lead”. The commissioning, he said, is not ordination but about moving into a realm of informed, experienced preparation towards ordination.

“Learning is about being open to receive not only new stimuli – but also to being open to being informed and corrected regarding things you do not know, you thought you knew well or have previously known differently. And you will learn both from and alongside seasoned and skilled exponents of the work of ministry. Like your first day in ‘big school’, it is all about to start all over again,” he said.

He encouraged the ordinands to learn to serve, to learn to listen and to learn to be served.

He concluded by saying: “LEARNing is what lies ahead of you. The greatest learning that you can do is to learn to let the cross and the glory of Jesus Christ disclose, shine forth and shine through the ministry on which you now embark as you let God the Holy Trinity help you to navigate it, and also the people among whom you will work, towards the Kingdom of the same God.”

You can read the text of the Archbishop’s sermon here. 

The Dean of St George’s College, The Reverend Canon Richard Sewell, had informed me that an Irish woman, Emma Cowan Leite, had worshipped in the cathedral on the previous Sunday and was working with The Tent of Nations southwest of Bethlehem. I preached in St George’s at the 10am Service of Holy Communion on Sunday 13th September. (You can read the sermon here.) This afforded me the opportunity to present a Celtic Pectoral Cross (from St Patrick’s Cathedral) to Archbishop Hosam Naoum as a mark of our diocesan partnership in the work of Christ.

The Tent of Nations

Between them, Richard and Emma enabled me to visit The Tent of Nations on Sunday afternoon. It is rare indeed to find people whose motto is: We refuse to be enemies … but that has been the case with the Nassar family throughout the lifetime of this remarkable group of people who live on an outcrop high above Bethlehem, the last outcrop that has not been appropriated by Israeli Settlers. They explained to me that a Settlement begins with prefabricated dwellings and develops from that starting–point into a full–blown community. There now are such prefabs right beside the Nassars’ farm. One such Settlement, on the opposite side of the valley from the farm, has a Torah School along with accompanying Boarding Facilities. The family live under Israeli Military Law. I was told on the farm that the state mechanism is such as to make life so regularly and so sporadically challenging for Palestinian farmers that they are pressed either into violence or into emigration.

The Nassar family alone remain there to farm their land as Palestinians and as Christians in the face of bulldozing of well–established olive trees and ploughing them into the ground days before the olive harvest – in order to give the impression that their land is not a continuously working farm but virgin soil and therefore ripe for state appropriation. Other families have left everything behind and gone abroad on foot of repeated and sustained physical, mechanical and legal harassment based primarily on forcing people who have been there for generations to produce documents which simply do not, nor can they, exist. Failure to provide such documentation results in summary eviction. This is the legal battle the Nassars have waged daily for decades.

While The Settlements and their occupants have the benefits of tarmacadamed road systems (and an exclusive new highway is in the process of being constructed) along with electricity and running water, the Nassar family is not permitted to build any buildings, they collect water in cisterns, use solar panels and live in caves. 

The farm is first and foremost a statement of intent. It is also a community who welcome individuals and groups from around the world who hold with the values espoused by the Nassar family: belonging to one’s inheritance, working one’s land, espousing non–violence, providing opportunities for education in issues of humanity and justice to anyone willing to participate and learn and to contribute, by loving and not hating. All of those to whom I spoke, who had come from abroad, found the experience both gutting and transformative – but they would not have wished to be elsewhere. Experience of undying goodness breeds love and loyalty. The positive contribution that can be made by anyone (see www.tentofnations.org) is to contribute financially, to buy new olive trees to replace those removed or destroyed on a regular basis by forces, to work in various ways on the farm in line with your own talents and skills including in the educational development side of the work.

My lasting impression is that it is an organic and non–judgemental community where humanity and nature come together very beautifully. In this way, it is possible to share the Nassars’ belief in a future that they cannot possibly see but in which they hope, namely that with international support and advocacy their farm thrives, they survive and human dignity with its accompanying rights flourish within a short distance of the little town of Bethlehem. They would cherish the support and the interest of any or all of us in what they are doing and in what they are enduring.

The Majma in Jordan

On Monday 14th September I travelled with Canons Binder and Sewell along with The Right Reverend Dr Peter Easton, bishop of South Florida, to Amman, Jordan overland through The Crossing at The Allenby Bridge. This was a harrowing experience in its own right, not so much for me, but by observing the experiences of people who, I suspect, largely for family reasons were making the crossing and the Sisyphean struggle they had in effecting that journey. We proceeded to The Schneller School in Amman (well–known to diocesan clergy who have accompanied me on retreat with the clergy of the Diocese of Jerusalem) where Mr Saba Walid Kerry was made deacon on Holy Cross Day. 

This was a joyous occasion with all the participating Synod Members present. After the ordination, the archbishop dedicated the refurbished Guest House at Schneller and all enjoyed dinner together. The service led us into the theme of the Majma (Synod): The Cross of Christ: Power and Life. I recall a most memorable phrase from the archbishop’s sermon: ‘The Cross is not simply an event belonging to the past. It is the pattern of the Church’s life in every age. From the Cross, the Church learns the meaning of leadership; from the Cross, ministry receives its spirit; from the Cross, communion is renewed; and from the Cross, mission draws its authority.’ One senses that the understanding of the Church in the Diocese of Jerusalem is instinctively Anglican and instinctively Ecumenical. There is little if any scope for wrangling and squabbling over The Gospel when you live in a pressure cooker in a war zone. 

Our Saviour’s Church and School in Zarqa

On Wednesday September 16th the whole Majma visited Our Saviour’s Church and School in Zarqa. Zarqa is a city of more than a million inhabitants and it is mainly a military and a mechanical based economy. It was described the whole of Jordan in a small space. Ecumenical and Inter Faith relations are very good. The Principal, Mrs Duua Haddad is married to Archdeacon Faeq Haddad. She has served for thirty–three years in a school that has been going for seventy–one. She and her staff and pupils have shown significant initiative in developing the school infrastructure including interactive teaching boards and a soon–to–be–updated computer room for the students. For me it was a genuinely tender moment as I had been there before to see two trees that the school had planted in memory of April Banks, a young pupil of Springdale National School, Raheny, through the initiatve of both School Principals. 

Synod

The Synod itself is spread over four days, from Tuesday 15th September to Friday 18th September. In 2026, the days began with an hour long Bible Study on 1 Corinthians 12 in three successive sections: One Spirit – One Calling; One Body – Many Vocations; Appointed by God, for God’s Mission. This took the form of setting the context and reflecting on it, followed by the reading of the relevant passage of Scripture and then a series of questions for table discussion. Over the course of the three days, the Bible Study developed into a Synod–wide discussion of understanding and developing ministry. What struck me, as it would strike any of us, is that this was not a warm fireside conversation. This was a discussion of a vital ecclesiastical matter by members of a community under oppression and losing members to emigration at an alarming rate weekly. This is planning for the future by people whose present is intolerable.  

Rightly, the Synod covered matters from the year past that have to do with property and finance, youth work and institutions, both schools and hospitals. I have long known that the institutions are the lifeblood of the diocese. The Synod also came up with an agreement actively to explore The Permanent Diaconate as a further strand in the provision of publicly authorized ministry in the diocese. This was an exciting development and, in my own address to the Majma, I suggested that this might be a way to bring the caring institutions into the community beyond the various buildings in a new dynamic way.

The highest point of the Majama – and there were many high points – was when Suhaila Dawani, the Director of Al Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza, spoke about the on–going work of the hospital in a community and a land devastated and destroyed, dehumanized and degraded. It is hardly what we associate with synods, but nobody present could hold back tears as we heard the voice of care and of goodness, of realism and of response and always of the absence of any desire to hate or to give up hope.

Suhaila’s testimony on behalf of her staff and patients was followed by Elections to a range of Committees. Everyone knew that they were, and remain, essential to good governance. But at this stage the heart had gone out of an administrative synod. The people were still with Suhaila in Gaza City and in the hospital to which she gives her life.