The united diocesan council for mission conference, community futures, took place in the lady Gregory hotel, gort, on Saturday 16th of November. The conference proved to be an enriching and illuminating discussion about the topics that are of great significance, and a vital interest, to the 20 to 50 year old age group. One of the common themes of the conference was that of providing spaces for people to be in, to form community or to join an existing one, and to be nourished. food and of consuming it. This took a variety of forms. We heard from Rev Jimmy Ogwal, vice president of the Mary I Students Union, that students want cheaper food on campus, but also want places where they can store their own food and heat it in microwaves etc, if they are commuting long distances, and trying to save money by bringing their own meals to campus. We heard from Jonathan Shinnors, regional emergency accommodation manager with the Midwest Simon Community, about the huge significance, emotionally mentally and spiritually, that a poly tunnel and kitchen garden project has had for their service users, many of whom are forced, due to the continuing housing crisis, to stay for years in accommodation that was planned to be for emergency or short-term use only. And we heard from minister Pippa Hackett about the importance of farmer’s markets, about issues with the supply chain, ethical consequences of the demand for cheap food, and problems with Ireland’s reliance on imported fertilizers.
Other speakers also emphasized the value of opening up spaces, of providing welcome, and of fulfilling the mission of the church in sharing God’s love and forgiveness with all. The dynamics of outside /inside were questioned and re-imagined in generative new ways. Cllr Shane Hickey-O’Mara, a councillor in Limerick City North (Social Democrats) spoke of the importance of spaces in which young people can express themselves artistically as offering a form of home or community that many may not have found elsewhere – particularly in rural Ireland. Rev Johnny Lowden (Glendermott Parish, Derry and Raphoe) discussed ways in which the Church needs to ensure that its welcome is known to all, and ways in which both uses of history and discussions of the future should be sensitively and compassionately developed. Lydia Monds of the Church’s Ministry of Healing: Ireland, used a fable to invite questions about power, tradition, and openness to curiosity, which then led into her discussion of mental health and loneliness. Finally, Rev Philip McKinley (Dunboyne group of parishes/Kildare Centre for Mission) suggested ways in which the Church (and churches) may fulfil our commitment to racial justiceand become places of welcome and of sanctuary, and places in which we do not allow ourselves to rest easily in our inherited comfort.
It was notable that many of the speakers pointed out the importance of physical spaces for the work in which they were involved, or for bringing people together to help to build community and escape lonely isolation. One thing in which the Church of Ireland is not lacking is buildings – and churches, parish halls, etc, could, perhaps, be offered to groups who don’t have much money and are therefore excluded from other usual meeting places that charge a fee. The conference showed that people are happy to engage with the Church when warmly invited – this is something which we sometimes forget, and we can see ourselves instead as set apart from community events that aren’t overtly religious.
One final observation – it would have been rewarding to have had a greater attendance from TLK parishes, and, in particular, from clergy. However, hopefully the release of podcasts/recordings from the conference will bring the richness of ideas and questions to the diocese, and beyond. As we are all aware, many parishes and clergy are concerned about a potential lack, in future, of theany office holders and volunteers who keep churches running. The conversations at Community Futures may shed some light on what might appeal to younger generations.
Report, courtesy of Dr Catherine Smith
