It was a huge privilege for six MWI members from the North Western and the North Eastern Districts to join our members from the Southern District for their 62nd Annual weekend on21st – 23rd April 2023 in the superb Castlerosse Hotel, Killarney with its idyllic views of mountains and lakes.

Wanda Hogan, District Vice President, gave everyone a warm welcome, especially to Olive Rowe, All Ireland MWI President.  Olive gave her musical skills by playing the keyboard alongside Caroline O’Donnell on the flute.  Wanda expressed her thanks to these ladies in assisting with our worship. Special welcome was also expressed to guest speaker Rev Alison Gallagher. Alison, a Methodist minister, has the pastoral responsibility for the churches in Killarney, Kenmare, and the Millstreet Fellowship Group in Boherbue. She was delighted to be our guest speaker and commenced with reading Mark 12 verses 30 and 31 “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this, love your neighbour as yourself”, in keeping with the theme of ‘Nurturing ourselves, each other and the wider church family’.

Alison shared, over four sessions of the weekend what it means to nurture ourselves, each other, and the wider church, using bible verses, her experiences of life and as a Christian minister.  While it is impossible in a short report to bring out all the relevant and useful information that Alison shared with us, the following are just a few thoughts that resonated with me, and I am sure with all those present.

• How important it is to love God, others and ourselves.  It is an Old and New Testatment commandment.  Deuteronomy 6 v 5 says “And thou shalt love the Lord your God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul and with all they might”.  Mark 12 verses 30 and 31 reiterate these words as well.

• We were nurtured from birth by our mothers, grandmothers etc.

• We are already fulfilling the role in MWI of nurturing one another in the ways we watch out for each other, in meeting together, praying and supporting through difficult times.

• Alison drew our attention to two words in Mark 12 verse 31 “as yourself”.  

• For many of us this is a difficult concept as some find it difficult to love themselves. It is not selfish to love ourselves as there is nothing wrong in loving and looking after yourself if our intentions are in line with God’s words. (Philippians 2 verses 3 – 4)

• In Nurturing the wider Church, we could support the country that each of our Districts are linked to.  Southern District – Togo, North Western – Poland and North Eastern– Ghana.  Also, World Mission Partners, World Development and Relief and The World Methodist Council. 

• It is essential to look after our Physical, Social, Mental, Emotional and Spiritual needs of ourselves and others.

• We can not love ourselves or others if our spiritual tank is empty.  We cannot draw from an empty well. 

• Stay close to God.  Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. (James 4 v 8). 

Alison interspersed her talk with meaningful worship songs and break-out groups to discuss and pray together.

The following workshops were also available:

• Nurturing ourselves and each other. (Louise Wilson)

• Nurturing the Wider Church Family. (Madeline Reed and Heidi Hogan)

• Nurturing ourselves and each other.   (Wanda Hogan)

A presentation was made to Barbara Fennell, General Treasurer by Olive Rowe.  Olive thanked Barbara for 9 nine years of exceptional service and her amazing financial skills in keeping our accounts in such good order.  

On Sunday morning we joined the congregation of Killarney Methodist Church. As Gillian Kingston led the service, we came away blessed and enthused by the lovely worship and God’s word ringing in our ears.

After lunch we shared in a Communion Service that was a very fitting way of bringing a wonderful weekend to a close. 

Huge thanks to the Southern District MWI Executive for hosting such a wonderful time of Fellowship and of course to the staff of the Castlerosse Hotel who give outstanding attention to us all.

As I ponder over the weekend, I could not help but notice how the MWI in the Southern District have been diligent custodians of this weekend over 62 years.  May we as MWI members give the same custodial attitude in keeping our organisation alive to enable it to be passed down to our daughters and granddaughters. 

- Joan Strong