St. Macartin's Cathedral
Enniskillen, Northern Ireland
Welcome!
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The Church of Ireland - part of the Anglican Communion
Services & Meetings
(last updated 3rd May 2008)
St. Macartin's Church of Ireland Cathedral has a prominent position in the main street of Enniskillen, the largest town in County Fermanagh. The church has a long and distinguished history, much of which you will find on this website. If you know details that we haven't recorded, tell us and we will publish them!
We are somewhat surprised that there are church members who regularly use the Internet but are unaware that this website exists! So if you find it interesting and/or useful, please spread the word around - the more visitors we have the more encouragement there is to keep it alive.
Click HERE to listen to our bells (recorded in March 2003)
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Rev. Canon Brian Courtney BD MA
Hello, you are very welcome to our website - wherever you are in the world! Whether you are already a church member or a visitor, we invite you to look around - you will find much to interest you!
If you have any comments you can use the form on the "Contact us" page.
If you have any comments you can use the form on the "Contact us" page.
Jim Kerr, Norman Hilliard and Sam Morrow at the Church dinner on 19th April when Norman was honoured for over 50 years of service as the church treasurer.
A word from the Rector
How will we use the future?
As a Parish, how will we respond to the challenges and use the opportunities that lie ahead? I think I can say with confidence that we are very glad that Revd Betty Thompson is part of our immediate future. Betty has come among us, not as a replacement for Ian but as an additional member of staff. I have been much encouraged, as I know she has, by the spontaneous and warm welcome she has received and deserved. I am sure that as you get to know her you will grow even more in your appreciation of her ministry.
We cannot stand still, when we do, the world moves on, and closer to home, people and the community move on. In the short term, it seems unlikely that we can fill the vacancy left by Ian’s departure. At this point we are investigating the possibility of appointing a youth worker to supplement and support existing youth activities.
A book I recently acquired makes this claim: ‘Most of what present-day Christians do in church each Sunday is rooted, not in the NT, but in pagan culture and rituals developed long after the death of the apostles.’ The authors go on to ask:
Are we really doing church ‘by the book’?
Why does the pastor preach a sermon at every service?
Why do church services seem so similar week after week?
Why does the congregation sit passively in pews?
In addressing such issues it can be helpful to return to how it all began and see if what we do is in keeping with the beliefs and practices of the Apostles and the Apostolic Church (hence our Sunday morning sermon series on Acts 1-2). Acts 2.42-47 gives a snapshot of life in the infant Jerusalem church, showing their interest in teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread and prayer. The result: they are found praising God and enjoying the favour of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. Here is the church being the church, not diverted by secondary matters (although those soon come) but glorifying God and seeing others come to share their Christian faith.
In this 21st century what prevents us from being a church God can bless? There are no new sins and usually it is the ever present attractions of idolatry and immorality in one form or another. We live amid a secular society that may not set out to convert us but yet expects us to conform to its norms. Secularisation means making the church like the world. It is often a fifth column within as much as an enemy outside the church door.
For some, the desire to see people won for Christ leads them to dress the Gospel up in secular clothes and package it with music and activities that are a Christian version of popular culture.
For yet others, those we might for convenience call liberals, there is a tendency to downplay the difference between the values and morals of the church and the world. This is a big part of the trouble within modern Anglicanism.
We best counter secularism, in whatever form it takes, when we seek to glorify God and seek his will. Are we a people who hunger for the Apostles’ teaching and for fellowship with one another? Are we people who honour Christ by our disciplined sharing in the breaking of bread? Are we people of prayer? Do we want to be a self-denying, God glorifying church – and can there really be any other kind?
To Drumcliffe with Thanks
We wish to express sincere thanks for the generosity you have shown as we leave the Cathedral and move to Drumcliffe. We will take with us memories of a very special parish evening in the Cathedral Hall on Saturday 19th April. Clearly a lot of work went into the planning and preparation and we thank Hilary Campbell and her team for all their efforts. Thanks to Norman and Helen Coalter for the catering, those who served our meals so cheerfully and efficiently, and all who set up and tidied the halls. The oak bookcase presented as a gift to us is truly beautiful, and will have pride of place in Drumcliffe rectory. We know it will be a reminder of many happy times in Enniskillen. We were taken aback by the cheque we also received and assure you that the money will be put to good use as we set up our new home. Thank you to the Rector and Trevor Stevenson for their kind and generous words during the presentation.
Afterwards we were treated to some marvellous entertainment which was evidence of the great talent that exists within the parish! Thank you very much to Gill Spence and the Cathedral Choir; Jayne Boucher and the Praise Group; Rose Saunders, Clare Saunders, Rachel Elliott, Emma Crowe and Rebecca Campbell for their rendition of Amazing Grace; and not forgetting the cathedral comedian Willie Holmes! Thanks also to Karl Saunders and Ronnie Carson for managing the technical equipment. Although at the time of writing the Service of Institution in Lissadell still lies in the future, we know that many parishioners intend to travel to Co Sligo to share with us in the occasion. We are grateful to you for being there, and know that your presence and your prayers will be a great encouragement to us. If ever you have cause to be in Drumcliffe or the area, we hope you will look us up and say hello. No doubt we will also be in Enniskillen regularly, and so we hope that our leaving will be more of an ‘au revoir’ than goodbye. Be assured of our prayers and may the Lord richly bless you as a church family.
We wish to express sincere thanks for the generosity you have shown as we leave the Cathedral and move to Drumcliffe. We will take with us memories of a very special parish evening in the Cathedral Hall on Saturday 19th April. Clearly a lot of work went into the planning and preparation and we thank Hilary Campbell and her team for all their efforts. Thanks to Norman and Helen Coalter for the catering, those who served our meals so cheerfully and efficiently, and all who set up and tidied the halls. The oak bookcase presented as a gift to us is truly beautiful, and will have pride of place in Drumcliffe rectory. We know it will be a reminder of many happy times in Enniskillen. We were taken aback by the cheque we also received and assure you that the money will be put to good use as we set up our new home. Thank you to the Rector and Trevor Stevenson for their kind and generous words during the presentation.
Afterwards we were treated to some marvellous entertainment which was evidence of the great talent that exists within the parish! Thank you very much to Gill Spence and the Cathedral Choir; Jayne Boucher and the Praise Group; Rose Saunders, Clare Saunders, Rachel Elliott, Emma Crowe and Rebecca Campbell for their rendition of Amazing Grace; and not forgetting the cathedral comedian Willie Holmes! Thanks also to Karl Saunders and Ronnie Carson for managing the technical equipment. Although at the time of writing the Service of Institution in Lissadell still lies in the future, we know that many parishioners intend to travel to Co Sligo to share with us in the occasion. We are grateful to you for being there, and know that your presence and your prayers will be a great encouragement to us. If ever you have cause to be in Drumcliffe or the area, we hope you will look us up and say hello. No doubt we will also be in Enniskillen regularly, and so we hope that our leaving will be more of an ‘au revoir’ than goodbye. Be assured of our prayers and may the Lord richly bless you as a church family.
Ian and Amanda Linton
Ian will have responsibility for three churches in the Sligo area: Drumcliffe, Lissadell and Munninane. All are located in rural communities along the coast road just north of Sligo. Drumcliffe has a weekly congregation of around 70 and a healthy Sunday School. It is well known as the burial place of the poet W. B. Yeats. The other churches have smaller congregations. You can read more about the parishes on line at: www.drumcliffe.elphin.anglican.org