The evening commenced with the Triennial General Meeting chaired by CIMS General Secretary and Dean of Armagh, the Very Revd Gregory Dunstan.

CIMS Chairman, the Rt Revd Alan Abernethy had been off on long term illness and had announced his intention to retire on 31 Dec 2019. Best wishes were sent to him for his retirement.

Members were also told that our Media representative Garth Corbett MBE DL had died in August.

Committee members were elected for the three years commencing 1 Sept 2019 and Reports and Financial Accounts for the previous three years were received.

Annual  Meeting for Branches

This was followed by a talk entitled “Uncertain Future” – Our Society and Faith as we Face Post-Brexit   by former Church of Ireland Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland and member of the House of Lords for 24 years, the Rt Revd Lord Eames OM.

This took place a few days before the United Kingdom was scheduled to leave the European Union and Lord Eames reflected on the effect uncertainty was having on our Society and Faith.

 He talked about his experience of growing up in an all Ireland Church which straddled a national border, even dioceses and parishes straddled the border. Membership of the European Union had reduced the effect of the border reuniting communities, there were fears that Brexit would again divide communities.