Finding a home within global Anglicanism

As 2024 comes to a close, the scene of Anglicanism on the island of Ireland is changing.  A small home focused mission agency called Irish Church Missions (ICM) and the churches it supports have celebrated the ordinations of three leaders in these churches to the diaconate by Bishop Andy Lines. 

In many ways this is historic. It signals a clear commitment to maintain a continuity not only with the evangelical heritage of many Anglicans in Ireland amidst a cultural encroachment in the wider church, but it also connects ICM and its churches with the vast majority of Bible believing Anglicans worldwide too.

The reason for such a step is sad. For the last four years, ICM has been struggling to reach a point of rehabilitation with the Archbishop of Dublin.  He removed the Director of ICM’s licence and evicted Immanuel Church Dublin (which had been part of the diocese since 1853) for no other discernible reason, other than the fact that ICM was seeking to evangelise the city and plant new churches. This has been its purpose and passion ever since it began in 1849. Those involved with ICM received gracious support from other dioceses within the Church of Ireland, but even they were unable to materially alert the situation with the Archbishop of Dublin and therefore with the wider Church of Ireland.

As a result both the trustees of ICM and the collective congregations that it seeks to support requested help from outside the Church of Ireland. 

This has been a long and difficult road. This decision was not reached without much consultation, prayerful consideration and a degree of hesitation over the last four years.

However, it has now the reached the point that for our future mission and Anglican identity the churches of ICM decided to seek assistance from those willing to help.  

Therefore, on 1st December 2024 Kieron Lynch of Immanuel Church Dublin, Davood Mahmoodnezdh of The Iranian Gospel Church Dublin and Mark Smith of City Church Dublin were ordained to the diaconate with much encouragement and support from their families, churches and wider Christian community.  The ordinations were conducted by Bishop Andy Lines of the Anglican Network in Europe. 

These ordinations, God willing, will be followed in 2025 with the affiliation of a number of ICM churches into the Anglican Convocation Europe and more widely establish a formal connection with Gafcon (Global Anglican Future Conference). 

It must be stressed that ICM and its churches never desired to leave the Church of Ireland. But when we were forced out this caused great consternation and we are so thankful that Bishop Andy, ACE and the wider Gafcon movement were able and willing to support us. In fact we still do earnestly pray that rather than diminish our ties with the Church of Ireland, this will in fact only strengthen our bonds of likemindedness in mission and church growth among evangelical Anglicans across the island. 

We are grateful to our providential God who delights in steadfast love and sacrificial service, so that we might receive undeserved blessings from his abundant hand.  This has been so evident in all we have met within ACE and Gafcon already and seek your continued partnership in extending this same love and service to the people of Ireland.