New look SEARCH journal and website launched

Wednesday October 29th 2014

The Rev Rob Clements, Canon Ginnie Kennerly, Bishop Harold Miller and the Rev Barry Forde at the launch of SEARCH in The Hub. Picture: Annette McGrath.

The new look SEARCH Journal and website was launched in Belfast at The Hub at Queen’s on Monday October 27.

The redesigned journal, published by APCK, features a mix of church and faith–related articles, aiming to stimulate discussion and fresh thinking in the Church of Ireland and beyond. The articles are now shorter, more varied, and easier on the eye.

The website features added information, easier payment methods and Facebook and Twitter feeds.

Launching the new suite of resources, The Bishop of Down and Dromore, the Rt Rev Harold Miller, said that he greatly valued SEARCH. He praised the journal for the variety of its contributors and contributions, the wide range of book reviews, its topicality, and ‘the platform it gives to Irish people and especially those in the Church of Ireland, to write independently and in some depth.’

Chairman of SEARCH’s editorial committee, Canon John Bartlett, thanked the Church of Ireland and Methodist Chaplain at Queen’s, the Rev Barry Forde for hosting the event and Bishop Harold for his remarks.

He drew attention to the SEARCH strapline, ‘Thinking and believing today,’ and said how important it was to give a platform to allow people to express aloud their thinking about belief. Professor Bartlett also thanked the editor, Canon Ginnie Kennerley, “without whom,” he said, “SEARCH would not exist.”

Canon Kennerly reminded the gathering that SEARCH is for the whole Church of Ireland and to secure the best of northern content and interests, said the Rev Rob Clements had joined the editorial committee as northern coordinator.

Highlighting the journal’s engagement with new media, Mr Clements said: “SEARCH doesn’t want to be a dusty journal that’s lost on the shelf but something that we can dialogue with and engage with. I know that as we go forward we want to do things that are new and different and I’m excited to be a part of that.”