ST PETER'S CHURCH BICENTENNIAL CELEBRATIONS

BICENTENNIAL FESTIVAL EUCHARIST

The bicentennial Festival Service with Eucharist and Thanksgiving celebrating 200 years of worship took place on Wednesday night 29 th September in St Peter's Church, Portlaoise.

It was a fitting climax to the week long festivities which had taken place in the town and included a spectacular floral festival, a visit by President Mary McAleese, Songs of Praise, hosted by RTE's Bryan Dobson, a children's pageant, art exhibitions and a concert by the Clonmel Gospel Choir.

The celebrant for the service was the Right Revd Peter Barrett, Bishop of Cashel and Ossory, who also dedicated a Flower Dais in memory of Mabel Jestin. He was joined by the special preacher, The Most Revd John R.W. Neill, Archbishop of Dublin and Primate of Ireland, and the Rector, The Revd Hilary Dungan.

Warmly appreciated was the presence and support of clergy from sister churches: Fr John Byrne and the Revd Noel Fallows, and from the wider diocese: Canon Herbert Whyte, Arcdns John Murray and Michael Nuttall, Dean Trevor Lester and the Revds Stella Durand, Anne Wallace, Peter Cole-Baker and Philip Heak.

In attendance for the special occasion was the choir 'Voxtrot' directed by Michael Finlay. The Kyrie, Gloria, Sanctus, Agnus Dei and Benedictus were sung to a setting by Franz Joseph Haydn. 'Voxtrot', a travelling liturgical choir, came together in their present form in St Peter's Church last September and their return was warmly welcomed by all who attended the service.

The readings and prayers were read by Dennis Walshe and Dick Allen, members of Select Vestry and Parish Readers Gloria Armitage and Nicola Rowan.

The Vble J.G. Murray, Archdeacon of Cashel and Ossory, led the recitation of the creed. The parish was also delighted to welcome back Revd Canon H.B. Whyte who helped celebrate the service. The Revd Canon Whyte was Rector of the Parish from 1958-1968.

The Archbishop spoke of the long history of the Church and how it had adapted over the years.

A champagne and anniversary cake reception concluded the celebrations after the service. We had an absolutely fantastic response to all the events and have so much for which to be thankful. Perhaps our bicentenary prayer sums up all our thoughts:

Great is your faithfulness, O God, and great is our joy at this time as we celebrate the bicentenary of this church, built for your glory and dedicated to St Peter. We thank you for the witness it has maintained down the years as a centre of Christian worship and witness, teaching and service; for all who have loyally served it as clergy and laity; for the continuance of its life and work at the present time. Accept our thanksgiving, O God; multiply your blessings upon us today; and lead us forward in the power of your Spirit to fresh ventures of faith in the days to come; through Jesus Christ our Lord.