If the vigour of a church may be gauged from its buildings, then the Methodist Church in Ireland seems to be stronger than it has been for years. Already this month three new buildings have been opened - Clooney Hall in Derry and halls at Lisbellaw and Killylea. Before the end of the month three more will be initiated or completed, a joint church will be dedicated in April, and later in the year work will commence on the redevelopment of the premises of Edgehill Theological College.
Two ceremonies will take place next Saturday. In the morning the foundation stone will be laid for a new suite of halls at Regent Street Church in Newtownards, Co Down, and that afternoon redeveloped halls will be opened and dedicated at Ballyclare, Co Antrim. Four days later new halls will be dedicated at Sligo. In each case old buildings have been demolished to make way for premises that will provide better facilities.
For some years the Methodist congregation at Movilla Abbey on the outskirts of Newtownards has been sharing a building with the Church of Ireland congregation. This has now become inadequate and in April the Bishop of Down and Dromore and the President of the Methodist Church will consecrate a new church for joint use. It is expected that building operations on the new conference centre, library and archive building at Edgehill College will commence in the autumn.
The Belfast Central Mission has recently redeveloped the Childhaven Centre at Millisle, Co Down. This can now accommodate 40 people in residence. It can cater for larger numbers attending a variety of functions on a daily basis, and will welcome family parties as well as church and other conferences, seminars and training sessions.
Cliff College in Derbyshire, which has welcomed many Irish students from time to time, has also announced a development scheme, to cost about £6,500,000. Founded to train evangelists, it is now a designated college of Sheffield University, and offers 11 courses to 253 students. A report in the Methodist Recorder confirms that building plans are being matched with plans for additional courses.
Kevin Mayhew, a Suffolk-based publisher, is about to publish an "unofficial" Methodist hymn book containing nearly 900 hymns. One wonders why another hymn book is thought necessary. Since all hymn books contain hymns by writers of many denominations, why has nobody produced an ecumenical collection?
On Sunday the President of the Church, the Rev Kenneth Todd, will conduct a service for the reception of new local preachers in Cork. On March 24th he will lay the foundation stone of the new halls at Newtownards and open the halls at Ballyclare . On March 25th he will preach in the morning at Monkstown in the Newtownabbey circuit and in the evening at Newtownards. On March 28th he will dedicate the new halls at Sligo.
Clar Ellagh, the Christian holiday centre at Kilkee, Co Clare, has announced details of its programme for 2001, when it will open for Easter, and then from May 31st to September 1st. Contact numbers are Dublin 298 4856 and Kilkee 905 6016.
The Irish School of Ecumenics is holding a public meeting and conference on "Alternative Economics: Is Debt Cancellation Enough?" at the Teachers' Club on Parnell Sqaure, Dublin. The meeting is at 7.30 p.m. on March 27th, and the following day the seminar is from 9.30 a.m. to 4 p.m.