Diocese receives an anointing for the future
In his second ‘Farewell’ message to the diocese, Bishop Harold invited everyone present to receive an anointing for the calling that God has placed upon their lives.
As in 2 Kings, Elisha desired a double portion of the spirit that was upon Elijah, Bishop Harold consecrated some oil as ‘the oil of the double portion’. In a powerful act, the six bishops present then anointed members of the congregation one by one.
The bishop said that we must pursue the anointing of God no matter what. “Hanker, hunger after it, drive into it, determined to find it. It means we will be in the right place when it happens,” he said.
It was the culmination of a message that was both powerful and personal as Bishop Harold related the story of how God anointed him for the role of bishop when he had no inkling of his appointment to Down and Dromore a year later.
And, as he prepares to lay down his responsibilities over two decades on, he said he believed that with the anointing of the Holy Spirit, the future for the diocese would be even better than the present.
Reception
Before the gathering in the church, Bishop Harold hosted a drinks reception for representatives of Select Vestries. Every parish was invited and very many accepted, which kept our team of volunteers on their toes! The bishop took the opportunity to thank the Select Vestries of the diocese for their invaluable work.
