The End of Orientation Week

Well, we've just completed our orientation week.  Since the interns arrived last Saturday we have been almost constantly on the move.  Let me try to catch you up on our activities.  First, it was the Saturday evening dinner, in which each summer intern met their adoptive Abbey family.  Then it was the Sunday morning worship service in which a team of bleary-eyed summer interns and a couple of tired mentors introduced themselves to the congregation.  That afternoon we went down to the Dublin Docklands for the Maritime Festival where tall ships and small ships were tied up to the docks adjacent to the Customs House and vendors from Ireland and Europe were selling what to us seemed like exotic foods: everything from German sausages to Dutch cheeses to "king prawns and garlic potatoes" and Turkish delight.  ("Can I have some more, please," said Edmund.  "I could eat twice as much!")   

Near the Docklands is a monument remembering those who died in the potato famine.  Bronze ghostly figures stand as permanent representatives of an Irish holocaust.  On one of the plaques listing contributors to this monument I discovered the words "ICS, Scranton, PA, United States."  Apparently, the International Correspondence School in my hometown had supported this project. 

Monday was our day off. It was a "bank holiday."  So Kathy and I took the DART (train) to Dun Laohaire (pronounced "Dun Leary"), a lovely seaside town about 7 miles south of Dublin.  It was filled with young families enjoying a day in the sunshine.  We've had five days of that rare commodity here this past week!   

Tuesday began with team devotions that focused on Philippians 2 and our call to follow the pattern of humility set by Jesus, a pattern which we saw would only be a crushing requirement were it not for the fact that the cross is not only a model for us, but the means by which we are forgiven, accepted and adopted into God's family.  The rest of the day was our orientation to child protection guidelines, safety and security guidelines, and general team guidelines.  That evening Katherine Manning and Christy Rodriguez led the team on a walkabout tour of Dublin that ended in a "picnic" dinner at St. Stephen's green.  

Wednesday's meetings began with team devotions on James 4:1-12 and Luke 6:42-45.  The subject was peacemaking and conflict resolution.  We talked about how conflict emerges from the desires of our hearts that have become demands / idols.    The remainder of the day was an orientation to the religious and social history of Ireland, the history of Abbey Church (including a tour of the facilities), and a documentary film entitled "The Pope's Children."  This last item is available on DVD and was packed full of information that is very helpful in understanding the developments of the last couple of decades in Ireland generally and Dublin in particular.  (I recommend it, if you can get it.  But beware, the language is a bit rough.)  That evening, the team gathered in our apartment at "number 5" to watch the film "Once," a story of loneliness and disappointed aspirations in cosmopolitan Dublin.  (If you want to get a glimpse of life in this city, that may help.) 

Thursday morning we left for Rostrevor Renewal Center, a retreat center on the border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.  There we looked at the role of Presbyterianism in Ireland with a view to presenting a positive view to those who would attend "Open Abbey," a daily event in which Dubliners are invited to tour the historic building of Abbey Church. 

Friday Alan Boal presented a theology of evangelism and social outreach which I must say I found quite inspiring.  Frankly, I think it's something from which we at Hope Church can learn.  The rest of the day was filled with presentations on the Arts Ministry at Abbey, an Introduction to Psalm-Praying and a variety of other topics.   Honestly, we were all exhausted and suffered from "information overload" by the end of the week.  Harry Smith, the director of the Rostrevor Renewal Centre told us about a pub in town that had good music.  So, about 10:00 PM we all went in and...wow!  It was certainly the best experience of Irish folk music that Kathy and I have ever had.  Perhaps a dozen musicians gathered in the back room of The Corner House Pub and played Irish tunes and sang ballads until after 1:00 AM.  It was an amazingly joyful experience!

Saturday after breakfast we all took a long walk before catching the bus back to Dublin via Newry.  I think almost all of us slept on the bus.  When we returned we practiced some music including "O Church Arise," which we will be singing in the morning worship service tomorrow morning.  After that, there's a church picnic in Phoenix Park.  Next week, orientation is over and we begin the ministry here in earnest. 

Please pray for Christ's kingdom to come in Dublin.  Pray that God, by his Spirit, would bring many into his kingdom of grace.  By the way, almost everybody here has expressed appreciation for Scott and Lindsay's ministry in Abbey Church.  They are eagerly anticipating their return, along with the rest of the Dublin Team (the Pickens family and the Baker family).  Please pray that Scott and Lindsay would be able to raise the approximately $11,000 in monthly support that they need to return.