Five Years In
Five years ago, last Thursday (2nd February 2018), the Archbishop of Dublin commissioned Rev’d David Martin to serve as Director for Irish Church Missions, a recognised Church of Ireland mission agency.
The founding purpose of this agency was to advance the cause of the the reformed doctrines of the Church of Ireland. During the course of its 174 years it has done so, with varied degrees of success, along with certain levels of notoriety (some justified, others not so much). Certainly in its earliest years it experienced great blessing by God, wide support from the Church of Ireland and was instrumental in the planting of many churches across the island.
On the night of the commissioning, it was made very clear this was what ICM intended to recapture by adding momentum to an already renewed desire for church planting. Prior to the appointment of Rev’d Martin, ICM had seen the renewal of Immanuel Church Dublin (formerly known in the diocese of Dublin as The Mission Church), which recently, itself had been instrumental in planting City Church Dublin, along with growing a ministry to asylum seekers, particularly from Iran.
In ICM both the staff and trustees were excited to play their part in the growth of the gospel across the diocese by the starting and strengthening of many churches.
Fast forward 5 years and the resolve of ICM remains the same. Under God, He has supplied for the needs of all its ministries through the continuing interest of established churches and long time supporters. He has also raised up new people who have been generous and so encouraging to the work.
The work itself has inched forward particularly with new ventures. There has been a refocus of the Iranian work in Dublin (though from Covid, this ministry has now a significant international appeal). Rev’d Cameron Jones continues to forge a mid-week ministry to those in the world of work and Christ Church North Dublin is seeking to find ways to reach new communities in suburban north Dublin.
Yet these five years have also involved a considerable cost to the entire enterprise of ICM. Along with the challenges of Covid, lockdowns and social distancing, ICM was experiencing a systemic exclusion from the wider ministry of the Church of Ireland within the diocese of Dublin.
Despite being commissioned to direct a missionary organisation which by definition and precedence had been church planting for many many years, the Archbishop of Dublin removed Rev’d Martin’s licence when Christ Church North Dublin was planted in June 2020. Repeated attempts and appeals by ICM were made to the highest authorities in an effort to resolve the problem. Sadly these all failed. However this was simply the beginning. Rev’d Cameron Jones had been promised a licence which was conveniently reneged on. And due to the de/unlicensing of those ordained the consequences for every ministry has been significant.
Rev’d David Martin comments
‘This has been deeply saddening. In all respects we have been removed from the Church of Ireland for doing nothing else than attempting to start and strengthen healthy anglican evangelical churches’.
He continues
‘This became completely clear in January 2021 when Immanuel Church Dublin’s diocesan subscription was returned. In the following months we were left scrambling as this also effectively stripped from us all Safeguarding Trust provision within the Church of Ireland. Some supportive bishops offered their encouragement, but to a large degree they were unable to change the situation. Indeed when we appealed to the Archbishop of Armagh he effectively washed his hands of it. And every time the trustees of ICM or indeed the vestry of Immanuel Church Dublin sent letters to the Diocesan Council, despite being promised they would be heard, it appears they never made it on to any agenda.’
In the midst of this the trustees and ministry team were seeking to pastor and support those in their churches who were suffering from the impact of the pandemic.
‘However such exclusion continued for some of our newest ministries. An outreach to young people via Christ Church North Dublin was evicted from a local Church of Ireland primary school, even though it had been requested by the principal. All of this was incredibly discouraging and challenging.’
Still Rev’d Martin and the ministry staff in ICM rejoiced that suffering in this small way enhanced the big gospel realities. They are continuing to discover the value of the precious future hope that all Christians share; the fact that the Christian’s identity is in being part of God’s glorious inheritance not any earthly institution; and the humbling experience that here and now His strength is only made obvious through our weaknesses. All these shine brightest when the night is darkest.
ICM remains determined to start and strengthen healthy anglican evangelical churches across Ireland and is prepared to work with or without the backing of individual dioceses.
Rev’d Martin reflecting on the last five years says,
‘I could never have guessed that by doing the very job I was commissioned to do, it would result in our removal from the Church of Ireland. But there is no mistaking it. We have been kicked out. We are now reflecting on what the next five years might hold and how we can remain biblical and anglican in Ireland today. We want nothing other than to promote the uniqueness of Christ, point out the false and empty promises of other contemporary idols which seek only to kill, steal and destroy communities, and all the time rejoice and rest by the Spirit in the completed salvation we have from God through faith. One thing is sure. We will encounter further opposition, both without and within the church as we seek to gather new communities for Jesus’ glory, and therefore we will need all the support you can offer.’
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