Last December, at a special service on Sunday 12th, we celebrated the recent valediction (in Newington Green, London) of Cathal Courtney to the Unitarian ministry. Cathal, a former member of the Dublin Unitarian congregation, is the first Unitarian minister to emerge from the Irish Republic (the first of many, may we be allowed to hope?) so this was a truly historic occasion and we felt very proud of him. He led the worship himself and during it he paid a moving tribute to his parents who were in the congregation, to his partner Dan, and to Bill Darlison who had supported and encouraged him at every stage of his Unitarian journey. The service was joyful and uplifting and there was a splendid symbolic moment when the beautiful embroidered Unitarian stole was passed from the shoulders of Rev. Bill Darlison, minister of Dublin, to those of Rev. Cathal Courtney, minister of Newington Green.
Celebrations continued more informally after the service over tea and coffee, when Cathal’s family was introduced to the members of the congregation and Cathal met up with all his Dublin friends once more. The partying continued well on into the afternoon, but then it’s not every day that we have the opportunity to launch a Unitarian ‘Brendan the Navigator’ on his voyage . . .
On January 23rd there was another ‘first’ - a special service for three young members of our congregation who were marking an important rite of passage. This was the Coming of Age celebration for Ruth Ni Chumhaill, Katie Delany and Belle Edelman. At the beginning of the service Maud Robinson, who (helped by Michelle Reid) had been instrumental in initiating and supervising the Coming of Age Programme, spoke to the congregation outlining the preparation that the participants had undertaken and completed during the year; then Belle, Katie and Ruth in turn conducted a short order of worship which they had devised themselves. The address was given by the President of the General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches, Dawn Buckle, who had travelled from England to be with us for the occasion.
Afterwards instead of the usual tea and coffee we had a lunch party downstairs in the Damer Hall and enjoyed a wonderful and ample selection of refreshments organized and supplied by Margaret Harte, Bridget Spain, and Morag Darlison. Everyone was truly delighted by the spirit of the service and by the achievements of the three girls.
Rev.Bill Darlison