The Launch in December’s Parish Post of the new Pew Bible and Albanian Bible Projects got off to a good start. A gift for 100 Pew Bibles has arrived at the Cathedral Office, along with a generous gift for the Albanian projects outlines in the magazine. Parishioners and Friends of Dromore Cathedral are encouraged to get in early with their gifts so the project can proceed smoothly and quickly.

If Gifts progress sufficiently quickly we will have a dedication service in Mid January, tentatively on Sunday 20th January.

The Bible Version we have chosen to purchase for the pews is Today’s New International Version, a fresh and readable translation which conveys the timeless truth of scripture in a readily understandable way. Internet users can do a search on - TNIV Bibles UK - and will find various outlets. Local shops sell copies too.

A team of seven from the parish attended Down and Dromore Mission Council’s training day at Willowfield. Attending various seminars in the venues at Willowfield and St Clement’s Churches, Stephen and Trevor and the team enjoyed a valuable day. Andrew, Louise, Nicola, Lynn and Pat heard the Bishop declare the good state of health of the dioceses and the issues which cause concern. Included is a photo of their visit.

Click here for the most recent edition of Parish Post december-parish-post.pdf File size approx. 441 KB

This week’s news sheet for download: 071125-upload.pdf 200KB will take seconds on a broadband connection, several more with dial up.

Today’s news sheet is about 200KB in size. Click on the link here to get this PDF file newssheet

The Albanian Blog SIX
The Flight is now under way and it is time for some personal reflections.
Worship this morning: We gathered in an L Shaped room, two blocks 30ft by 20 ft for a very simple act of worship.
Though billed for a ten o’clock start, the church was locked until 9.40 and the congregation was only finally all there when the first hour of the service was over. The ‘relaxed’ Albanian culture clearly affects church life in general, and it is a relaxed atmosphere that enriched our 100 minutes together. After various tuning and sound test exercises, the band of singing amplified guitarist and two miked singers sat down for Altin’s welcome. Altin is one of the two who pastor the little church, Zeph being the other. Zeph was preaching away today.
After the welcome we had a reading from the Bible, though I know not from where. We did have an interpreter but despite his good English he forgot himself frequently and in the holy atmosphere managed to go quiet more often than was strictly helpful! He was Eddie. A time of prayer followed with contributions from the floor of needs and prayers. The worship team took centre stage and led about five songs, two or three of which were similar tunes to English contemporary worship songs. One or two were catchy and very singable and we all joined in. A few were rather more complex and without a recurring chorus were a bit remote. Paul spoke of worshipping with the mind and worshipping without using the mind. This was the latter today.
The team were then introduced and gave our wee spiels. They applauded our comments and greetings.
We then sang a song, “Amazing Grace”, to loud approbation (they were glad we stopped singing). The kind guys allowed me to sing the first verse unhassled by their glorious harmonies, but the congregation didn’t seem to mind too much. This was followed by a fine sermon in two voices from Lindsay Allen with his Altin Hysi interpreter.
Psalm 1 seemed like an unpromising base for a sermon, and I was a bit mystified with the choice; ironic then that Lindsay’s theme was about choice and consequences.
He used 2 Cor 5.16, Psalm 119.11 and another passage to spread the message’s source. Many Christians choose to listen to ungodly advice, take ungodly viewpoints and settle for ungodly convictions until the point comes that they are no different from the world around them. The suggestion was that a distinctive choice early on would lead to a happy outcome.
He used an illustration of the aroma of the flowers in Armagh’s apple spring season being the cause of fruit in the autumn season: we need to be scented with God’s fragrance as a church if we are to be a church which brings forth fruit.
A further illustration which drew great hilarity from the congregation was about a married woman who recognised a growing affection for a fellow passenger on the train, and who asked her husband what she should do: take an earlier train. Don’t be afraid to get off that train. Obedience leads to godly fruit.
When Lindsay said Amen someone said That’s it. And off we went. Most strange ending to a service ever.

Sunday Morning, Tirana.
Bags packed, Breakfast eaten, Ready for worship.
Today we are going to Emmanuel Church a few hundred yards from “Stefan Center” the accommodation where we have been royally looked after. The preacher this morning is Lindsay Allen from Carrickfergus. Lindsay is heading to Macedonia this evening while the rest of us head home. It will bring to a premature end a very happy and congenial team for all of us.

There have been moments when we have each had the opportunity to address a dignitary, a translator, a host or a guest; these have been moments when well chosen words have conveyed just a little of the joy of meeting people that we have found. John Doherty, our leader, has played a quietly remarkable role in keeping us all on track and there have been few moments, man hole cover besides, when we have faced any uncertainty or bewilderment as we have encountered new people and new situations.

The worship this morning will include, we believe, a short act of musical worship from ourselves (it will give us a chance to sing something we know in a language we know) and Amazing Grace seems the likely but by no means definite or final choice.

Today my reading took me to Hebrews 11 where the writer speaks of faith as belief in things unseen. That is very much my feeling as we face going up into the air in a hairy plane. We trust in God, in physics, and in petroleum to bring us safely up and down to home where I hope to reach Aldergrove at 9.20 tonight.

God bless all who have joined me in this adventure by your prayers and your interest. Thanks for being with me.
Stephen

The Albania Blog FOUR
You know those trees that grow around the Mediterranean, the one with thin leaves, almost devoid of substance but which can survive arid months of summer heat? They fall to the ground like strips of shredded paper and fill the kerbs and corners, many ending up floating on the edge of the sea.
Today we met some of those leaves they were lying on the shore of the Adriatic Sea on the Albanian Coast; they were piled high between the lapping sea and the sandy shore. As we walked the shore we were faced with the truth that we had a warm sea, an idyllic blue horizon stretching off in sunlit immensity, and a barrier between us and them of these leaves, this natural litter.
All it would take is a man with a rake and a wheel barrow, or better still a small tractor, to lift a few barrow-loads of debris each morning and in a few days the beach and the sea would meet.
It made me think [CAUTION SERMON POINT APPROACHING] of the barriers which build up so quickly between our daily experience and the vastness of God’s mercy. The habits which mess up the time of entering into an encounter with God; the point of view or outlook which faces away from God rather than towards God and make entry to the ocean of his awaiting grace impracticable; the sins which obscure the route to washing and cleansing which those same sins so desperately need.
Life is imperfect, and in every experience there are down sides or faults which impair the perfect work of God. But surely we can see some of the things which make the enjoyment of God for ever (as my good Presbyterian friends confess) more difficult, and take steps by God’s grace to sweep them away.
In some countries where there is no snow, the Bible Translation that uses such a metaphor would not work: instead they read:
“Though your sins are as scarlet, they shall be as white as coconut.”
As my first Albanian experience draws to a close with tomorrow’s flight home, the Lord being willing, may we all find ways to eradicate the interruptions that prevent us enjoying the fullness of God’s love.

The Albanian Blog: Three
I’m not sure what the PC word for manhole cover is, but on a street not far from here, I need not worry. For there isn’t one. Now over recent days we have been impressed with many features of this new from old country, and have seen signs of growth and development at a rapid scale. But walking a few inches from a 2 foot wide hole in the road was not such a sign. It was terrifying. Like a parable warning of the danger of imminent doom it sat quietly gaping wide in a semi lit street a few yards from the main thoroughfare.
Taking a photograph of a hole is rather dull, but mercifully none of us fell into it.
We were going for a walk “round the block” which turned into a two mile hike through back streets until eventually we asked directions and found our way home. “Tired pair of dogs you have there, a bit tired myself” as they used to say as we all headed for sleep at 10 pm!
Today we had the privilege of meeting the Archbishop of Albania at his cathedral in Tirana. He is a delightful man who sees scripture as a key element of the faith we share with other believers in Albania. He engaged with us for nearly an hour and a half in the midst of a busy schedule.
Team talks, those endless discussions which church leaders have when they get a chance to explore their shared and diverging views, spread far and wide today. They started at breakfast and ended at 9.00 pm with the successful walk around the man hole. We agree, I think, on most things, but chiefly today that it was a good thing we didn’t fall into the hole.

Thursday 1st November All Saints Day
Tirana is a city like you see on Eastern Bloc movies, lots of people, chaotic roads, hundreds of police, “dingey” shops interspersed with very high class outlets, loads of folk standing about watching the traffic, and a general air of decay mixed with energetic and frenetic building.
The individuals we have met and spoken to have all been gracious, kind and friendly. Their relaxed approach to life gives way to a deep and earnest approach to the things of God, and their self-mocking view of their nation is matched with a fierce determination that it will do better. It feels similar to the way we Irish love to mock ourselves, but well dare anyone else!
Last night we met a guy who works for the central bank. We’ll call him “Tony” because his name is Tony. (Sorry! That’s that Eastern bloc thingy again!) He is one of those genuine, godly, capable and energetic guys whom God will use to transform this country in the next few years. He has a passion for godliness in government, quality in church life, application to work and warmth in relationships. His outlook was quite inspiring, and I’ll tell you some of what he said in another context.
The morning began with a meeting with Zeph, one of the three guys who translated a new version of the New Testament into Albanian which was published last Monday. Zeph is a multi linguist, a pastor with Altin at the local church we will attend on Sunday next, and is currently doing a Ministry Degree. The principles of translation he outlined for this New Testament were clarity, dignity and beauty. Maintaining clarity involved using words which people could understand. Developing dignity required a careful attention to the sacred source of scripture that nothing of its content would dishonour God. Creating a thing of beauty, in terms of syntax, cadence and style, was appropriate for that which contains the word of life.
Later in the morning we visited an Orthodox Theological College, and the delightful Bishop Nicole, as well as meeting the second of the three translators, a guy called Johan. A very high quality academy was situated a half mile down a muddy track which led directly from the motorway/A1 we have come to know and love. (32 petrol stations in 23 minutes etc) About twenty staff taught about forty students in basic languages, theology and other courses, using the medium of English for reading, Greek for worship and Albanian for teaching. The Church was very special: simple yet fulfilling all that is expected of a church in the Orthodox tradition. Pictures some other time
Lunch was followed by a marvellous rendition of music by the student body, strengthened by about 40 young people from the local high school. A rather lame joke (don’t ask me, ask John D: at least he tried) was followed by an impromptu performance of Crimond and the Lord’s My Shepherd by the five Ulstermen. It was good to be part of that community for those hours.
Another meting awaits us tonight after a short break which I have savagely interrupted by writing a blog, whatever that is.
See you.