Sunday's Drumcree service 'no different from any other service'

UNDER the constitution of the Church of Ireland, neither a bishop nor an archbishop has the authority to ban a church service. And, under the parliamentary structure of the church, it could take up to two years for such a change to be passed by Synod, as it must be, and enacted.

As matters stand, it is for the local church rector and local select vestry to decide whether a service goes ahead. Where Drumcree is concerned, the local rector, the Rev John Pickering, and his select vestry have decided the 11.30 a.m. service will go ahead, as does the 11.30 a.m. service every Sunday.

They insist that what will take place in their church on Sunday is no different from any other service. It will not be "an Orange service" but a normal Church of Ireland service with a sermon by the Rev Pickering.

The local Orange Order has asked for permission to come along, as they have on every Sunday before July 12th since 1807, and, as has been the case over the previous 189 years, this request has been acceded to by the rector and the select vestry.

At the Church of Ireland Synod in Dublin last May, the Rev Pickering pointed out that the stand-off at Drumcree last year took place "on the public road" after the service, "separate from the service and the church". What had taken place "outside" could have happened outside any church.

Some ugly things had occurred for which there was no excuse, he said, but he believed that the Orange Order should not "be blackened because of this, or Drumcree church either - just because it is seen in the background in every newspaper photograph". (The Rev Pickering is not a member of the Orange Order.)

Referring to criticisms directed at himself following last year's stand- off, and by fellow members of the Church of Ireland, he told the Synod that "it is very different when you live in Drumcree and were present for five days and five nights not knowing what the outcome was going to be".

He assured the Synod there was never any question (last year) of the army firing any shots". He knew this because he had "spent some lime on the army side".