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'Sense of awe' at Gartan Service
11.06.18
THE annual St Columba
Service of Thanksgiving in Gartan drew its largest
attendance for a number of years on Sunday afternoon
– the day after the saint’s Feast Day which falls on
June the 9th.
The service was the first organised by the Rev David
Houlton, who was instituted as Rector of the United
Parishes of Conwal with Gartan in January 2018. He
was assisted by his wife, Rev Heather Houlton, the
Dean of Raphoe, the Very Rev Arthur Barrett, Rev
Canon Brian Smeaton and Rev Katie McAteer. The
Bishop of Derry and Raphoe, Rt Rev Ken Good,
presided. |
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Clergy make their way to the old
abbey site at Gartan for the annual Service of
Thanksgiving for Saint Columba. |
The Service is held on
the site of Saint Columba’s Abbey, overlooking
Gartan lakes, near the spot where the saint was
reputedly born almost fifteen hundred years ago.
In his sermon, Rev Houlton said “Standing here,
where Saint Columba lived, if you look at the hills,
and you can see the lakes of Donegal, it’s not hard
to be struck, is it, in awe at the beauty of planet
earth – the planet God’s given us to live in and
care for?”
Bishop Good welcomed the “newish” Rector and his
wife, Rev Heather Houlton, to Conwal and Gartan, and
thanked them – their parishioners and the wider
community – for organising the annual Service.
Music was provided by the Britannia Concert Band
from Derry, which won a Queen’s Award for Voluntary
Service recently.
Bishop Good revealed he had visited Gartan on
retreat shortly before his consecration as Bishop of
Derry and Raphoe 16 years ago. “I did so again
yesterday, and I was here, walking around this lake
and praying – thanking God that he brought me to
this place and this diocese and to these people. I
am thankful to God for this place, for the sense of
awe here – the sense of his presence – and for the
many blessings we’ve had over those 16 years.” To
view more photos click
here . |
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