Dr Inderjit Bhogal Guest Preacher at Belfast Cathedral Sunday Morning 5 February
On Sunday morning 5th February, 2023 the guest preacher at the 11am Cathedral Eucharist will be the Reverend Dr Inderjit Bhogal OBE, former leader of the Corrymeela Community, a previous President of the Methodist Church in England and founder of the Sanctuary Movement.
On the Cathedral's Good Samaritan Sunday, Dr Bhogal will preach on the subject of "Hospitality and Sanctuary for All".
As founder of the City of Sanctuary Movement in 2005, along with Craig Barnett, Dr Bhogal is eminently qualified to speak on this subject in the current refugee context across Europe.
From establishing the City of Sheffield as the first UK City of Sanctuary in 2005, the organisation City of Sanctuary UK coordinates, supports and grows a UK wide network of welcome.
As the organisation's own website declares, City of Sanctuary "works with individuals, groups and organisations to encourage inclusivity, solidarity and compassion for people from across the world who have experienced forced displacement."
The organisation promotes networks of welcome to ensure "coordination, collaboration, and practical training" for people who have lived within the UK's asylum system and seek welcome within our own communities.
In 2022 Belfast City Council voted to make our city an official City of Sanctuary within the UK wide movement.
As 11 separate local charities will receive awards from the Belfast Black Santa Appeal at the afternoon's Good Samaritan's Service, specifically for their innovate work with Refugee Communities, it is particularly appropriate for us to welcome Dr Bhogal to our morning service.
Full details about Dr Bhogal's work can be found at https://cityofsanctuary.org/ and also at Dr Bhogal's own website https://inderjitbhogal.com/
At 7.00pm, at St John's Parish, Falls Road, Dr Bhogal is the keynote speaker at the closing event of this year's Four Corners Festival with the theme "Dreams. Visions for Belfast." The full Four Corners Festival programme can be accessed at https://4cornersfestival.com/2023-programme-overview/
In addition to Dr Boghal as our morning preacher, we shall also welcome the Choir "Cantemus" under the direction of Tony Morrison to both services on 5th February. At the morning Eucharist, the choir will sing the "Communion Service in F", by Herbert Sumsion, with the anthems "Do not be afraid" with music by Philip Stopford, and "To thee O Lord do I lift up my soul" with music by Rachmaninoff. The organist is Stephen Hamill.
Do please join us if you can.
The Order of Service can be downloaded below