Metrics of Renewal, 3: Seemingly Vibrant Churches in Unexpected Places
Cork, Ireland was far more interesting than I’d imagined. I only had two real expectations when we visited Ireland in 1997. First, I expected to see beautiful, green pastures with medieval ruins and countless sheep scattered across rolling hills and coastal cliffs. Second, I hoped to feel and taste the atmosphere in village pubs brought to life with bands and bards singing ancient tunes amidst a non-stop flow of Irish stout served up in pints. Our week in Ireland certainly provided all that and more. What I didn’t expect, however, was to have a meaningful church experience during our journey. Just like in Prince Edward Island , Churches of Christ of the American Restoration Movement have no real presence in the Republic of Ireland. Well, I mean that we have no presence outside the capital city of Dublin. And even that is an infinitesimally small work in the midst of a large city. So basically, we didn’t plan to cross paths with any CofC friends. On our only weekend on the ...