The General Synod of the Church of Ireland continues this morning in the Armagh City Hotel. Following morning devotions led by the Bishop of Limerick and Killaloe, the Archbishop of Armagh, welcomed the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Armagh, the Most Revd Eamonn Martin.

Archbishop Martin received a warm welcome and said it was a joy and an honour to attend. He said it was wonderful to see people who have a real interest in their Church, their faith and willing to give up their quality time to ensure the Church remains fresh and new.

He said that when he became Archbishop he was asked to pick a motto and he chose ‘Sing to the Lord a New Song’. “Ever since that I’ve been troubled by my own motto and I’m not sure what it means to me,” he said.

Archbishop Martin said that the real inspiration was a call to conversion for each one of us every single day. He wondered if it meant new words or a new melody. Then along came Pope Francis and he put down a challenge to people to try doing things in a new key – so it’s the same words and melody in a new key. And Pope Francis says this is a missionary key. “We are challenged to get out there with the message of the Gospel to get out to the messiness of people’s lives, to the reality of where they are living. We’re in the present and we’re called to sing a new song. I know that’s not always easy. In wishing you well for your deliberations for these days I encourage you to consider how you sing a new song to the Lord, delivering the challenging message of the Gospel without alienating people but calling them to Come and See,” he concluded.

Among the items on the agenda for this morning is the report of the Representative Church Body and the report of the Commission on Episcopal Ministry and Structures. Later today the Boards of Education NI and RI will present their reports and the Commission on Ministry will present their report.

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