The United Diocesan Council for Mission is delighted to announce that, as its first project as
a united diocesan body, it will be holding a one-day conference entitled “Community
Futures” on 16th November 2024, in the Lady Gregory Hotel, Gort. This conference is aimed
at the 20-50 year old age group, and will create a public forum in which ethical, spiritual, and
political aspects of sociological topics that affect the young adults of the Church of Ireland
are debated. Topics to be debated: mental health/well-being/loneliness; how the Church
welcomes newcomers/immigration/; shared island; housing/homelessness, ethical future of
agriculure/environmental intiatives.
Speakers with significant expertise in the chosen topics will address the conference, and
invite debate and discussion.
The conference will encourage the Church to be transformed by the voices of young adults,
while simultaneously providing a space in which these adults have an opportunity to realise
the transformational potential of the Church in their own lives.
This conference provides a community-based space in which the Church may respond
actively to challenging socio-political issues, raise questions, trouble received notions, disrupt
established hierarchies, voice doubts, and develop its faith-based response to urgent social
needs among the chosen age group in this diocese and at a national level.