Presbyterian Herald May 2019

MAY 2019

Talking prayer with Pete Greig CHURCH PLANTING IN IRELAND

The changing landscape of churches

A YEAR IN THE SPOTLIGHT Interview with Moderator, Dr Charles McMullen

WE NEED YOUNG PEOPLE TODAY… NOT TOMORROW

Engaging young people in church

CONTENTS | MAY 2019

FEATURES 8

Browsing a bygone Blue Book Looking back to 1927

14 GDPR one year on…

Top tips for churches

18 Prayer made simple

Interview with Pete Greig, founder of 24-7 Prayer

31 Church planting in Ireland

The changing landscape of our churches

34 A year in the spotlight

Interview with Moderator, Dr Charles McMullen

36 We need young people today… not tomorrow Engaging young people in church

Church planting in Ireland p31

38 Trading punches

Interview with Rev Alistair Bates

REGULARS 4 6 10 13 15 21 22 23 40 42 46 47

Letters News As I see it Life lessons My story Arthur Clarke Talking points Mission Connect Reviews Life in PCI Crossword Betsy Cameron

Pathway to success p16

A year in the spotlight p34

CONTRIBUTORS Pip Florit is a mission support officer for PCI. She is a member of Bloomfield Presbyterian and lives with her husband, Ismael, in Belfast.

Ruth Sanderson lives in Co Down with her husband Harry. She is a freelance radio/television presenter and producer.

Alan Meban attends Kilmakee Presbyterian Church and writes about culture and politics as Alan in Belfast on his own blog and Slugger O’Toole.

Mark Smith is PCI’s press officer. He lives in east Belfast with wife Debbie and daughter Emily.

Cover photo: Aneesa Dawoojee May 2019 No. 820 £1.50 (€1.80) Published by: The Presbyterian Church in Ireland, Assembly Buildings, Belfast BT1 6DW. T: +44 (0)28 9032 2284 E: herald@presbyterianireland.org W: www.presbyterianireland.org

Editor: Sarah Harding Subscriptions and Advertising: Elaine Huddleston; Phil Alcorn; Suzanne Hamilton Design and Layout: Edward Connolly Printing: Nicholson and Bass Ltd.

The views expressed in the features, news reports, letters and book reviews of this magazine are not necessarily those of the Editor.

Editorial comment and signed articles do not necessarily contain the official views of the Church, which can be laid down only by the General Assembly. Acceptance of advertisements does not imply endorsement of the goods or services. The Editor reserves the right to decline any advertisement or letter without assigning any reason. Letters may be edited for publication. No correspondence can be entered into regarding non-publication of advertisements or letters.

The Presbyterian Church in Ireland is a Registered Charity in Northern Ireland (NIC104483); Registered Charity in Republic of Ireland (20015695).

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EDITORIAL

LETTERS General Assembly 2019

Just pray

The 24-7 prayer movement began almost by accident in 1999. Some students started a prayer room in a warehouse on the south coast of England and it soon attracted a crowd – young people flocked there to pray with words, graffiti and music.

A poem by Pete Greig, scribbled on the wall of the warehouse then took on a life of its own, reaching people all over the world. As a result, there are now more than 10,000 prayer rooms worldwide, committed to praying 24-7, 365 days a year.

This month Ruth Sanderson talks to the movement’s founder, Pete Greig, about his new book, How to Pray, described as ‘a simple guide for normal people’.

In his book Pete says, “Throughout history, whenever God was about to do a new thing, he first mobilised his people to pray, and he is currently doing so on an unprecedented scale.” He articulates that we are living in “an exciting and important time to be learning to pray”.

With a bigger-picture lens, 2019 may be an exciting time, but it can also be a difficult one for churches. This month Pip Florit explores the concept of church planting in Ireland, identifying PCI’s response to reach out to communities in the midst of changing demographics and lifestyles. She says, “…if the body of Christ is to grow, new churches and new expressions of church are needed.”

One person who has had a greater opportunity than most to experience the breadth of our denomination is our Moderator, Dr Charles McMullen. PCI press officer, Mark Smith, chats to Dr McMullen about the unique bird’s-eye view he has had of PCI this year. Although acknowledging that, following decisions at last year’s Assembly, he has encountered both “support and heartache” at a local level, he insists “there is a tremendous heart in our Church.” He speaks warmly of how inspired he and wife Barbara have been by the Presbyterians they have met on their travels.

There are undoubtedly many challenges ahead for our denomination, but if, as Pete Greig believes, these are exciting times, then we need to prioritise prayer, remembering that Jesus himself is praying for us and cheering us on. Perhaps we as a Church could take inspiration from the poem that started the 24-7 movement: “This is an army that will lay down its life for the cause... that they might one day win the great ‘Well done’ of faithful sons and daughters…They don’t need fame from names. Instead they grin quietly upwards and hear the crowds chanting again and again: ‘COME ON!’”

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Dear Editor I would like to use your pages to commend the General Assembly to Herald readers. This year it will meet from 3 to 7 June in Belfast.

In last month’s magazine our Clerk of the General Assembly said that for him it had “…always been a wonderful picture of our Church coming together: ministers, who have been called by their congregations, elders who have been elected by their brothers and sisters in Christ, joining with other representatives, all coming together as a Presbyterian family to worship and pray.”

I couldn’t agree with him more.

The election and installation of our youngest Moderator since the 1930s, Rev William Henry, will take place on the Monday evening, which will also see our current Moderator, Dr Charles McMullen, reflect on his year in office.

Once again additional business sessions have been scheduled for Tuesday and Thursday evenings. For the second year running congregations are also entitled to send one additional communicant member, aged 30 or under, to sit and deliberate. I am pleased to say that many did, enabling younger voices to be heard in our debates.

Rev Glen Scrivener, the Australian-born evangelist

and director of the Christian outreach organisation Speak Life, will be our keynote speaker at this year’s Wednesday Evening Celebration. An ordained Church of England minister, he has spoken in a number of our congregations and his wife Emma spoke at the 2016 PW annual meetings.

Once again, I hope that as many people as possible will be able to attend the Wednesday celebration, take part in the week’s proceedings or just come and listen to the debates from the gallery.

For those who haven’t been before, you are more than welcome to join with us in worshipping and praising our Lord Jesus Christ throughout the week.

Very Rev Dr Roy Patton Convener General Assembly Business Committee

Climate change Dear Editor I write in response to Alan Wilson’s letter (April) about my article on climate change (March). The thrust of Alan’s letter appears to be that he disagrees with, or at least is unconvinced about, the veracity of claims that climate change is happening and that human activity is a contributory cause. To quote his closing sentence, “There is enough fake news around without adding more.” I make the following points.

First, Alan may want to watch

Letters to the Editor Write to: Presbyterian Herald, Assembly Buildings, Belfast BT1 6DW Email: herald@presbyterianireland.org

the rhetorical company he keeps. ‘Fake news’ has become the tiresomely standard line trotted out by ‘you know who’ to discredit others, and I, for one, wouldn’t want to share a policy platform, never mind a fig leaf with said person.

Second, regarding Alan’s claim that “climate change is not an exact science; it is an imponderable…driven by scientists who produce ‘evidence’ on demand to feed a certain political agenda,” I query what criteria or ‘evidence’ Alan is using to prove his claim. The material I quoted in my article and as part of the Blue Book report for the 2018 General Assembly was garnered from NASA’s own website on climate change. Given that NASA’s rockets significantly add to greenhouse gases, it is all the more remarkable that they communicate with such candour about the humaninduced causes of climate change and global warming.

Some 97% of climate scientists are convinced that such is the case, and frankly, their informed and overwhelming consensus, along with the views of such respected broadcasters as Sir David Attenborough, weigh more heavily on my scales than a minority of contrary sceptics, who have their own political agenda.

Finally, my article arises from the theological belief that God’s creative action calls for our faithful response – neither neglect, nor rapacity, but frugal lifestyles and appreciative wonder.

Rev Dr Allen Sleith Hillsborough Presbyterian Church

Encountering God Dear Editor I write regarding the ‘Encountering God’ article

Please note: Letters are limited to 300 words and may be edited for clarity and length. They will only be published in the Herald if the author’s name and address have been supplied to the editor. On request these will be withheld from print. Anonymous letters will not be considered for publication. The views expressed in the letters are not necessarily those of the Editor or PCI.

in the February issue of the Herald and wish to express deep sadness that the Council for Congregational Life and Witness perceives a need to organise a training event with the express aim of enabling participants “to think through how to plan, shape and facilitate worship”. It appears the Council has evidence or at least a strong perception that much PCI worship takes place in an unplanned context, illustrated by phrases such as “random selection of praise, prayer and preaching”, “a whole variety of disconnected themes”, “careless disregard for focus” and “going through the motions or boredom”.

Having had a consistent experience of ministry and worship in my present and previous congregations, I had assumed that all Presbyterian congregations throughout Ireland adopted a pattern of planning and preparation for Sunday worship where all aspects – praise, prayers and sermon – are planned around a chosen theme. Alas the ‘Encountering God’ article not only illustrates that my assumption was seriously flawed but also begs some significant questions: • What part does this subject play in the training of our ministry students?

• Why is it felt necessary or appropriate to engage trainers on worship from outside of our denomination?

• Is there not sufficient and appropriate experience and expertise within the wider Presbyterian family to deliver an event which would refresh, stimulate debate and provide opportunity for sharing on this crucial subject?

I would wish to offer encouragement to those ministers and others who consistently and

conscientiously commit to planning and preparing all aspects of worship in an attempt to ensure that those who gather on Sundays can experience a close encounter with God. How disappointed, frustrated and undermined you must have felt by the article and the event. Keep going, PCI needs you.

Name and address supplied

does not appear to be a part of these decisions, and maybe other decisions that have not reached the media.

I pray that eyes may be opened and hearts softened before the next General Assembly.

E. McPherson Belfast

Pray for Brexit

Dear Editor Anyone watching the latest developments on Brexit Dear Editor in the House of Commons The names of 17 newly installed elders were published at Westminster must be flabbergasted at how things in the March issue of the are going (or not going) Herald. Of this number, five forward. Public opinion seems were ladies; a small fraction to be describing the current of the total, we might say. Let crisis as “extraordinary times” us be aware that it is never a and the UK is fast losing scarcity of suitably equipped credibility among the nations and eligible ladies which of the world, not only in is responsible for the small Europe. numbers being elected to The last time the country the eldership. It is simply that faced such distress was we find difficulty in dealing during World War II when with some of our outworn King George VI requested traditions, but thankfully we that a National Day of Prayer are making progress.

Robert A. Sharpe be observed and in a moving Cootehill radio broadcast the king called upon the people of the nation and the empire to commit Denominational their cause to God. After some events led to the deliverance decisions of Allied troops, subsequently Dear Editor a National Day of Thanksgiving Two thousand years ago was held quoting Psalm 124: the Pharisees were pillars of “Our help is in the name of the the community. As Paul put Lord.” it, being a Pharisee, he was Psalm 50:15 says, “Call upon a member of the strictest me in the day of trouble” and sect in the Jewish faith. The the prophet Jeremiah confirms Pharisees, including Saul, that in so doing God “will believed it to be their duty answer you”. to judge and reject anyone I would suggest Britain who did not conform to needs to return to God and their understanding of the his standards. Would it be Scriptures. Thus, they rejected unthinkable to call the country their long-awaited Messiah. again for a national day of Now 2000 years later, prayer for Brexit? These are, nothing seems to have been after all, unprecedented times. learned from history. The Colin Nevin Presbyterian Church in Ireland Bangor has judged the Church of Scotland, the gay community and their babies. Christian love

Eldership

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NEWS | IN THE ROUND Visitor exhibition opens PCI’s new visitor exhibition has been officially opened by the Deputy Lord Mayor of Belfast, Councillor Emmet McDonoughBrown.

Located on the ground floor in Assembly Buildings, the permanent exhibition tells the story of Presbyterianism in Ireland over the last four centuries and the work of the Church at home and overseas today.

PCI Moderator Dr Charles McMullen said the exhibition had been made possible by a significant investment from the city’s council.

“While we are an all-Ireland church, the administrative heart of the denomination is here in Belfast and we want to be supportive of the city that we are a part of in so many different ways. In this building we welcome people from across these islands and from around the world, and while we have been able to provide them with some information, we have not been able to really tell them of our Church’s rich history and its contribution to society across Ireland.

“Our new visitor exhibition does just that and we are very thankful for the contribution that the city council has made to enable this to happen.”

PCI Cyclone Idai Appeal PCI has responded to Cyclone Idai, which caused severe flooding and major loss of life in Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe, by releasing £60,000/€69,192 to provide aid and launching a Moderator’s Appeal.

Immediately after the cyclone hit, the Church released the money to Christian Aid and Tearfund, who are working through their partners on the ground to get food, shelter and medical help to those in need, and also to PCI’s partner church in Malawi, the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian (Blantyre Synod), which has been deeply impacted by this disaster and also engaged in the relief effort.

Launching his appeal, PCI Moderator Dr Charles McMullen said, “It is unimaginable what those affected must be facing. Large areas of agricultural land have been submerged by the floodwaters, undoubtedly destroying crops.

“The consequences of this disaster are likely to be felt over the coming months and years, with many people likely to be in need of food and emergency aid for some time.”

Sadness at Queen’s review decision

Councillor Emmet McDonough-Brown (Deputy Lord Mayor of Belfast), who officially opened the exhibition, with PCI Moderator Dr Charles McMullen and the Deputy Lord Lieutenant for Belfast, Dr Philip McGarry.

Across different stand-alone interpretive themed panels and interactive exhibits, visitors can walk through a brief history of Presbyterianism on the island. From the arrival of Scottish Presbyterians in Ulster some 400 years ago, to the founding of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland in 1840, they will discover the work, mission and ministry of the Church today.

Mr McDonough-Brown, said, “I am delighted to officially open this new visitor exhibition which has been installed thanks to funding from Belfast City Council’s Social Outcomes Fund…I have no doubt the exhibition will be very successful in attracting more visitors – both local and out-of-state – to the historic Assembly Buildings.”

The exhibition also tells the stories of some of the influential men and women who have left their mark on Irish Presbyterianism, takes a look at the democratic nature of Presbyterian church government and some of the religious and political controversies, past and present.

With over 30 special artefacts on display, many of which have been loaned by the Presbyterian Historical Society of Ireland, there are also interactive exhibits and audio-visual installations. These enable visitors to locate the denomination’s 500-plus congregations across Ireland, interact with a 19th century map of Presbyterians in Ireland and view short films on the history, life and work of the Church.

Guests at the official opening of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland’s new visitor exhibition.

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At the beginning of April, Queen’s University, Belfast decided to stop awarding degrees in the subject of theology and end its link with Union Theological College.

Speaking to the Herald, Rev Trevor Gribben (Clerk of the General Assembly) said, “After a long and mutually beneficial academic relationship that has lasted for nearly a century, we are naturally disappointed and deeply regret the recent decision by Queen’s.

“We recognise that the University authorities have the right to make their own decisions about their Institute of Theology, which is currently made up of four different local theological colleges. Queen’s has now concluded that the Institute is no longer viable with just one of those colleges, Union Theological College, teaching undergraduate degrees.

Nevertheless, we regret that other options were not fully explored and a mutually agreed solution found.

“It is important that we acknowledge that this has been a difficult and unsettling period for both institutions – especially in the context of last summer’s intense reporting and speculation around the relationship between Queen’s and Union College. It was during this time that the senior leadership at Queen’s first informed their counterparts at Union College that, ‘the University is taking active steps to review the nature of the relationship with Union Theological College.’ This was formalised several weeks later and Queen’s has now announced the results of that review.

“Some months ago, anticipating this decision, the College’s Management Committee appointed a Review Group to look at a variety of options moving forward. Some of those plans have already been agreed and will be in place for this new academic year, when students will continue to be taught by academic theologians of the highest standing, some of whom are indeed world leaders in their field.

“Union will have a positive and exciting future and while we are disappointed with the decision of Queen’s, College staff and the Management Committee are working towards the future that ultimately the Lord has for us.”

He concluded by saying, “I would pay special tribute to the principal and staff who give of themselves each week to ensure that students continue to benefit from theological study in a warm and positive Christian environment.”

The full statements can be found www.presbyterianireland.org/UTC

IN THE ROUND | NEWS Walk with me

Plastic waste campaign

‘Together’ is a youth ministry network made up of Irish denominations and agencies whose aim is to advance Christ-centred youth ministry in Ireland.

For the past six months a group of youth ministry leaders involved in Together have been developing ‘Walk with me’; an exciting new resource to help churches, youth groups and centres build deep, intentional intergenerational relationships.

Once completed, the project will offer an app and supporting materials anchored in Scripture, prayer and growth that provides a range of ‘Journeys’ to help everyday Christians follow a six-session course with a young person or young adult. Each Journey caters for young people at a different stages of the Christian walk; from those who are searching to maturing followers and young leaders.

The app and and other supporting materials will launch in September.

PCI Moderator, Dr Charles McMullen, and his wife Barbara have helped launch a Tearfund campaign to highlight the impact that rubbish is having on the world’s most vulnerable people.

Two billion people in the world’s poorest countries don’t have their waste collected and are forced to live among or burn their rubbish, with serious consequences to their health and to the environment.

Tearfund supports programmes that encourage communities to reuse plastics and manage waste through recycling hubs. However, Tearfund is also urging multinational companies, who sell their single-use products in countries without waste management, to tackle the waste crisis. The campaign is encouraging people to pledge to reduce their own plastic use, too – just like Charles and Barbara have done.

They chose to give up single-use plastic in as many ways as possible in the lead-up to Easter, looking at everything from food packaging to toothpaste – using soap bars, even finding a way to reduce plastic around toilet roll.

Charles says, “I visited Tearfund’s work in India in 2015 so I’ve seen firsthand the difficult environment that many people in poorer countries are living in. Every action we take to protect creation can be an act to love our global neighbours as ourselves.” Barbara adds, “Take one thing at a time. Pick something that works for you. And then keep going, step by step. Those little steps become incremental.”

Northern Ireland misses out as stake is slashed on GB betting machines The much-anticipated cut to the maximum stake on highly additive betting machines has come into force across Great Britain, although it will not apply to Northern Ireland.

Regulations passed by MPs at Westminster last year mean the stake on controversial fixed odds betting terminals (FOBTs) will be just £2, a big reduction on £100 it was previously.

Christian charity CARE in Northern Ireland says the situation is unsatisfactory and it highlights the urgent need for a functioning Assembly.

Moderator in Dáil visit PCI Moderator, Dr Charles McMullen, has led a church delegation to the Oireachtas, where he met members of Dáil Éireann.

Dr McMullen was accompanied by Rev Trevor Gribben (Clerk of the General Assembly) and former Moderator and minister emeritus of Lucan Presbyterian Church, Dr Trevor Morrow.

During the visit the senior Presbyterians met An Ceann Comhairle Seán Ó Fearghaíl TD and Seán Crowe TD, chair of the Joint Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement.

Dr McMullen said, “As an all-island denomination it is important that we continue to engage with TDs to represent the voice of Presbyterians both north and south of the PCI Moderator, Dr Charles McMullen, with An Ceann Comhairle Seán Ó Fearghaíl TD at Leinster House. border… Our conversations have been wideranging and reflected on the continued lack of government in Northern Ireland, the ongoing Brexit important for us to continue to build relationships discussions, and the pace of legislative change in that provide opportunities to discuss the issues that Ireland following recent referenda. affect people living their lives day-by-day and the “Against the current backdrop of uncertainty, it is world in which we live.”

IN BRIEF Historical Society The next meeting of the Presbyterian Historical Society is the Robert Allen Lecture, with ‘Angels who have lost their way’ as its theme.

The lecture takes place at Union Theological College, Belfast on Thursday 9 May at 8pm.

Dr Leanne McCormick, from Ulster University (Coleraine), will examine the role of the Presbyterian Church and its members in preventative and reform work with prostitutes and women and girls felt to be morally at risk in Belfast.

She will also consider the changing position of women within the city in a period of turbulent change.

Streaming network launched A Christian TV streaming network has launched, with the aim of winning one billion people to Christ.

WhatTV will stream the message of Jesus Christ into every nation through multiple channels, each one serving the cultural needs of every region of the world.

SAT-7 appoints new international CEO Christian broadcasting network SAT-7 has appointed Rita Elmounayer as International Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

She takes over the role from SAT-7 founder Dr Terence Ascott, who will continue to serve as president.

New Corrymeela leader Rev Dr Alexander Wimberly has been appointed as leader of Corrymeela.

Originally from the United States, Alex is no stranger to Ireland. For almost seven years he worked in Belfast as minister of McCracken Memorial Presbyterian Church.

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Browsing a bygone

Blue Book In the run-up to this year’s General Assembly, Alan Meban takes a fascinating journey down memory lane to the General Assembly of 1927.

T

he death of my mother in June last year triggered a clearing out of cookbooks and sporting biographies from the shelves of the house I grew up in. One book seemed older and more tattered. At first, I expected it would be Sadie’s choral score for Handel’s Messiah. But when I lifted it down, it was the Minutes of June 1927’s General Assembly.

A good neighbour from across the road must have given it to Mum when she was ordained as an elder in Railway Street Presbyterian Church. The minutes and reports may have originally belonged to representative elder James Hasley who attended the 1927 General Assembly on behalf of Cargycreevy congregation, and then, somehow, the book made it into the hands of the Gillespie family and most recently the Mebans.

Back in 1927, PCI had 560 congregations across 35 presbyteries. The largest churches were all in Belfast, some more sizeable than whole presbyteries put together. McQuiston Memorial was home to 1,450 families, closely followed

by Great Victoria Street (1,434), Agnes Street (1,320), Newington (1,170), Westbourne (1,100) and Townsend Street (1,000).

Beginning at 7pm on Monday 6 June,

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General Assembly wouldn’t finish until 9.20pm the following Tuesday 14 June; 523 representative elders and more than 500 ministers were on the roll.

On the opening night, Rev Dr James Thompson was called to the chair and addressed the house as the new Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. He’d scooped all but one of the presbytery nominations. Rev W. J. Lowe was the Clerk of Assembly, and Rev W.A. Watson the Junior Clerk.

The previous General Assembly in 1926 had taken the decision to ordain women to the ruling eldership. Only two newlyordained female elders seem to have been chosen to represent their congregation: Miss E.A. Harbinson (Rostrevor) and Mrs Robert Small (Warrenpoint). The

Back in 1927, PCI had 560 congregations across 35 presbyteries.

ordination of women to the ministry of Word and sacrament wouldn’t be agreed until 1973.

Education and training The Belfast Presbyterian College had a cohort of 16 students, while in Londonderry, the McCrea Magee College was home to 33 students studying catechetical courses (benefiting from 26 scholarships and bursaries) with a further five students in its Divinity School. Seven students were recommended to their respective presbyteries to be licensed.

The Belfast Presbyterian College reported expenditure “incurred by the cost of installing electric light in the houses of two of the professors”. Its elocution class was being taught with “unbounded enthusiasm”. With the College’s Botanic Avenue building hosting the Parliament of Northern Ireland (1921-1932), lectures took place in a house on University Square.

Meanwhile, negotiations were ongoing with Queen’s University “with a view

to establishing a Theological Faculty”.

The application for ‘recognition’ had been submitted, and it was hoped that “regulations under which examinations will be conducted and the affairs of the Faculty administered” would be completed in time for General Assembly in June 1928.

The committee on the Students’ Bursary Fund responded to a memorial from the Synod of Dublin seeking the cause of the “serious decline in the number of students for the Christian ministry” to be addressed.

The report looked at financial barriers, noting that: “The supply from the wealthier homes has failed. The time has come for our Church to take a step which will make it possible for any suitably gifted boy to enter her ministry…no matter how obscure the place of his birth or how destitute of friends he may be.”

Church relations Negotiations between the Church of Ireland and the Presbyterian Church in Ireland “with regard to Church union” were to be kept in abeyance until after the World Conference on Faith and Order in Lausanne later that summer, to which PCI would send an augmented fourminister deputation.

A report from the General Presbyterian Alliance – a precursor to the modern World Communion of Reformed Churches – reported on a “touching request” for membership “from an isolated congregation in Russia seeking recognition as a distressed and remote member of the Presbyterian family”. The agenda of a conference of the ‘Eastern Section’ in Budapest promised to look at the “Spiritual independence of the church: Relations of church and state” as well as Protestant unity across Europe, and relationships with the Roman Catholic and Greek Orthodox Churches.

Manses The 1926 Assembly decided that newlyordained ministers and those accepting a call to a new congregation would “cease to have a right to the use of the manse…

IN THIS YEAR...

An anti-Davey group who opposed modernism seceded from PCI after the appeals failed…with 10 congregations. when they retire from active duty”. A committee proposed a Manse Surrender Fund which would benefit ministers willing to surrender their life interest in a manse at the time of retirement in return for a “satisfactory annual grant in lieu thereof ”, with this central funding supplemented by the congregation. The overture was submitted to the House, but subsequently withdrawn.

Temperance South of the border, the Assembly wished the “beneficial results produced by the Free State Intoxicating Liquor Act (1924)” would continue despite “deplorable compromises and surrenders” as the 1927 Bill passed through the Dáil. They still hoped that it would “fulfil its intended purpose of lessening the stranglehold of drink upon the people of Ireland”.

General Assembly desired the amendment of the licensing of pubs and clubs in Northern Ireland to synchronise common “hours during which intoxicating liquor may be supplied”. Every one of the 3,000 licensed houses in the north was deemed to be “a source of impoverishment and demoralisation to the country”.

Heresy trial appeal After lunch on the Thursday, the House sat in private to “hear the appeals of the

Rev James Hunter [Knock] and others against five decisions of the Presbytery of Belfast in relation to the five charges brought against the Rev Professor Davey for holding and teaching doctrines contrary to the Word of God and the subordinate standards of the Church.”

Belfast Presbytery had acquitted the college professor after a lengthy and somewhat unusual process, often referred to as the ‘Davey heresy trial’.

After four hours of debate, the business lapsed until the next morning when Davey himself addressed the House. Having considered the charges “with the utmost care… [along with] Professor Davey’s avowal of his own beliefs, together with his defences and his expressions of regret that statements in his books and lectures have been misunderstood, and also his pleas of justification”, each of the five appeals were dismissed and presbytery’s finding of not guilty of heresy was sustained.

An anti-Davey group who opposed modernism seceded from PCI after the appeals failed, forming the Irish Evangelical Church in October 1927 with 10 congregations. Twenty-six years later, Professor Davey would be elected Moderator of the General Assembly, in the year that marked the centenary of Assembly’s College.

Scottish correspondence Whilst not in official attendance, the General Assembly of the United Free Church of Scotland sent greetings by letter to the “honoured brethren” meeting in Belfast, reciprocating the message PCI had posted to them. The United Free letter finished with an observation and a prayer: “As we are in Scotland, so you in Ireland are faced by the same great tasks in the presence of the prevailing worldliness and indifference that constitute a challenge to every Christian Church. It is our earnest prayer that God may bless Ireland, and give you peace and settled government; and that your Church may ever be a centre of light and truth in the land…”.

1927

Charles Lindbergh becomes the first to complete a non-stop transatlantic airplane flight

The United Kingdom officially terminates diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union

Production of the Ford Model T ends after a 19year run , producing over 15,000,000 vehicles

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AS I SEE IT...

The world at one Dr Ron Savage

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omen are better prayers than men. Many of of her nation after the American civil war, Mary Ellen James, us, especially of an older generation, learned to sent out a call to Presbyterian women in 1887 for a national pray at our mother’s knee: “I lay my body down day of prayer. Three years later two Baptist women suggested to sleep I give my soul to Christ to keep...”; an international day of prayer for overseas missions and the “Jesus, tender shepherd, hear me...”; “Take my life and let it be two combined in 1919. Canada joined in 1927 and soon other consecrated, Lord, to thee...” Often these prayers come to mind countries were observing a day of prayer for international as circumstances of our lives need them and we are blessed. mission. Grace Fargon, a Scottish representative, attending All over the world on the first Friday in March every year an international missionary conference in Jerusalem heard women from virtually every nation and denomination observe about the day of prayer and introduced the idea to Scottish a day of prayer from dawn to dusk and dawn again. “As o’er churches. The first service in the Republic of Ireland was in each continent and island the dawn leads on another day the 1934 and in Northern Ireland was 1943, held in May Street voice of prayer is never silent, nor dies the Presbyterian Church. Since then it has strain of praise away.” The first service is Participants discover the gone from strength to strength and held at dawn in Tonga on the international year celebrated 75 years in NI in a richness of the Christian last dateline, then as the earth rotates, a wave special service of praise and prayer in the of prayer rises through the Pacific to Presbyterian Assembly Hall, Belfast. faith…across multiple countries like Fiji and New Zealand and Now over 6,000 services are held in the denominations and continues through to Asia, India and the British Isles on the first Friday of March Middle East, to Africa, into Europe, across lands. each year and in 170 countries, in 100 the Atlantic, through the Americas and languages and 1,000 dialects. Attending onto the Pacific again to the last service of the day held on the the 75th anniversary of the WWDP in England in 1987, I island of Samoa. reflected on the diversity of the movement even then as I sat On Friday 1 March 2019 in Northern Ireland, over 1,000 between the head of the Salvation Army and the black, female women representing virtually every denomination met together President of the Baptist Church. in about 90 centres to follow guided prayer provided this The motto of the movement is ‘informed prayer and prayerful year by women of Slovenia. Each year the guided prayer is by action.’ It becomes more than an annual event with Bible women of a different nation. Next year it will be Zimbabwe studies, conferences, coffee mornings and prayer sessions with the theme ‘Rise take your mat and walk’; then Vanuatu: through the year. It is often incorporated into programmes of ‘Build on a strong foundation’; and in 2022 England, Wales women’s fellowships of all kinds. and Northern Ireland will provide the material currently being Through the preparation and the service, participants come prepared under the title ‘I know the plans and have for you’. to know how people of other countries, languages and cultures Once when I was in Malawi and in conversation with understand the biblical passage in their situation. They hear some of the Malawi Christians, I made reference to my wife’s of the needs and concerns of others around the world and involvement in our national committee of the Woman’s World feel at one with them in their faith experiences and journey, Day of Prayer (WWDP). “Oh yes,” said the mission school evangelism and care. Participants discover the richness of head, “That’s observed here too on the first Friday in March. the Christian faith as it grows deeper and broader in its We value the solidarity.” international expressions across multiple denominations and In recent years WWDP committees have been at pains to lands. As they listen and pray, they share each other’s burdens, encourage men to join in their services and finally in England, fears and hopes and rejoice in belonging to the family of Christ Wales and Northern Ireland they have followed other national ever increasing across the world. and local committees in referring to it as the World Day of Preparation days are planned for Grosvenor House Methodist Prayer (WDP). Are women better prayers than men? Perhaps Centre, Garfield Street, Belfast on 17 October and First more inclined to pray? Well, certainly they would welcome male Dungannon Presbyterian Church on 2 November. involvement in the prayer task and more and more men are Visit www.wwdp-natcomm.org.uk interested in joining the women in this prayer tryst.

Where did the WWDP all begin? Concerned about the state Rev Dr Ron Savage is minister emeritus of Stormont.

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Herald May 2019

NEWS | PCI

News

Find out more on www.presbyterianireland.org

Events

DIARY DATES

Disciple-making Leadership

PCI Intern Scheme Applications are still open for the 2019-20 PCI Intern Scheme. This opportunity is for individuals with a passion for God, a heart for the church, a willingness to learn and with gifts to contribute.

This is a 12-month programme focused on developing young leaders while placing them within a local congregation to contribute to ministry there. As well as serving, interns will receive quality and regular training to help develop their gifts. For more information or an application form, contact the CLW office.

Summer teams Spaces are still available to take part in a PCI summer outreach team.

Those on the teams will be working with children, teens, adults, and in the community to show and share the good news of Jesus with a needy world.

If you think God is calling you to be on a team this summer then visit www.presbyterianireland.org/ summerteams for further information.

Assembly Buildings in Belfast will host the Disciple-making Leadership event on Friday 21 June, from 10.30am to 1pm.

Ideal for any minister, elder or leader in a congregation, this event will unpack how our disciple-making should be shaped by a biblical understanding of what the church is, what it’s for and the God-given purpose of its leaders.

The guest speaker is Mark Stirling from St Andrews in Scotland. Mark is the director of the Chalmers Institute and the leader of the European Disciple-Making Leaders Network.

He will explore where discipleships fit into the overall context of the body of Christ, helping to position discipleship as patterns rather than programmes. This is a free event but booking is essential via the CLW office or the events page of the PCI website.

May Taking Care designated persons training

West Presbyterian, Bangor – Thursday 2 First and Second Markethill – Tuesday 21

Taking Care refresher training

Hamilton Road Presbyterian, Bangor – Tuesday 7

Presbyterian Women annual conference

Assembly Buildings, Belfast – Thursday 9

Youth Night and Unplugged This year’s Youth Night and Unplugged event will take place at Assembly Buildings, Belfast on Saturday 8 June from 7.30pm. The theme is ‘Called’. Tickets cost £5 (euro equivalent) for Youth Night only or £7 (euro equivalent) to include the Unplugged event.

For more information visit www.presbyterianireland.org

MAD 2019 ‘Newsfeed: God’s story in headlines’ is the theme of this year’s MAD weekend.

Taking place at Ulster University, Coleraine, MAD is a quality youth weekend of Bible teaching and activities for youth groups.

Tickets costing £50 (euro equivalent) per person will go on sale on the PCI website at 1pm on Thursday 16 May.

Presbyterian Women’s annual conference Helen Warnock, principal of Belfast Bible College, will be the guest speaker at this year’s conference, held in Assembly Buildings, Belfast, on Thursday 9 May. She will be speaking on the theme ‘Restore’ at both the annual meeting, which begins at 2pm, and the evening celebration, which begins at 7.30pm.

For more information visit www.presbyterianireland.org/pw or follow Presbyterian Women on Facebook @presbyterianwomen

Resources

Presbyterian Historical Society lecture Union Theological College, Belfast – Thursday 9

MAD 2019

Tickets released – Thursday 16

June General Assembly

Assembly Buildings, Belfast – Monday 3 to Friday 7

Youth Night and Unplugged

Assembly Buildings, Belfast – Saturday 8

Disciple-making Leadership

Assembly Buildings, Belfast – Friday 21

July Summer teams

Passing the baton

Latest Proximity resource available

A new resource, ‘Passing the baton’ is now available.

Designed to be used by kirk sessions or those already engaged in young adults’ ministry, the resource aims to consider how to be more effective in ministry with this age group and offers four different models which could be adopted.

For further information visit www.presbyterianireland.org/ passingthebaton

If you are looking for a resource to help in your discipleship journey, then the new Proximity resource might be helpful for you.

Containing personal Bible reflections, questions for discussion and space to journal, the Proximity resources are ideal to use in small group discipling relationships. ‘Life in God’s Story’ explores how to live in response to God’s big story. The eight sessions point to God’s identity as creator, redeemer, rescuer and renewer, helping us to understand our responsibility as his children.

Booklets cost £2 (euro equivalent) and can be ordered at www.presbyterianireland.org/proximity or from the Council for Congregational Life and Witness office.

Mullingar – Friday 5 to Saturday 13 St Andrew’s Bangor – Saturday 13 to Saturday 20 Dungannon – Saturday 20 to Saturday 27 Abbey, Monkstown – Saturday 20 to Sunday 28 Seaview – Saturday 27 to Sunday 4 August Sion Mills – Sunday 28 to Sunday 4 August

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NEWS | PCI IN FOCUS | General Assembly 2019

General Assembly 2019

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ade up of ministers and elders, men and women, from congregations throughout the land, the Presbyterian Church in Ireland’s 2019 General Assembly will meet in Belfast from Monday 3 June to Friday 7 June. Following last year’s initial trial, additional business sessions have again been scheduled for Tuesday and Thursday evenings to enable more ministers and ruling elders to participate. Business on Thursday will start at 1.45pm.

Congregations are also entitled to send one additional communicate member, aged 30 or under, to sit and deliberate – a move designed to encourage younger voices to be heard.

The General Assembly will open on the Monday evening at 7pm, when Presbyterians, invited guests and members of the public will have an opportunity to hear the Moderator, Rt Rev Dr Charles McMullen, reflect on his year in office.

Our new Moderator for 2019/2020, Rev William Henry of Maze Presbyterian

Church in County Antrim, will then give his opening address.

Tickets are not required for any of the week’s business sessions which commence at 10.30am on Tuesday. Those who are nonvoting members are also welcome to sit in the gallery for the public sessions.

Once again there will be two one-hour alternative presentations: • Council for Congregational Life and Witness – Tuesday at 7pm; • Council for Public Affairs – Thursday at 1.45pm.

Between the two, the ‘Listening to the global church’ presentation will take place on Wednesday at 2pm.

The keynote speaker for the traditional Wednesday Evening Celebration is the Australian-born evangelist, Rev Glen Scrivener, the theme is ‘Enjoying God’.

An ordained Church of England minister, he is director of the Christian outreach organisation, Speak Life. Glen will also speak at worship on Tuesday at 12.15pm and Thursday at 2.45pm. Your attendance is encouraged for these special times of

#pciga19 highlights Opening Meeting

Wednesday Night Celebration

Monday 3 June at 7pm

7.45pm – Assembly Hall ‘Enjoying God’ Speaker: Rev Glen Scrivener All welcome – no tickets required

Outgoing remarks – Dr Charles McMullen Installation of Moderator – Rev William Henry All are welcome – no tickets required

Worship TUESDAY 11.45am – Communion service WEDNESDAY 12.15pm to 1pm – in the Assembly Hall THURSDAY 2.45pm to 3.30pm – in the Assembly Hall

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Assembly details Monday 3 – Friday 7 June Assembly Buildings, Belfast

praise, worship and teaching.

On Wednesday evening at 6.15pm the Youth Assembly will organise a Fringe Event. Themed around developing and building unity, booking is essential via PCI’s website or clw@presbyterainireland. org. A light tea will be served.

Throughout the week daily minutes will be posted on www.presbyterianireland.org Proceedings will be streamed live and can be followed on Twitter @pciassembly using the hashtag #pciga19. You can also catch up on Facebook.

Business timetable 10.30am

(TBC) 2pm 4.15pm 7pm

8pm

TUESDAY 4 JUNE Business Committee Presbytery reports Reception of delegates General Council – Session 1 Council for Global Mission Alternative presentation (Council for Congregational Life and Witness) Linkage Commission

9.30am 11am 2pm 3.30pm 4.45pm

Council for Public Affairs Council for Mission in Ireland Listening to the global church General Council – Session 2 Council for Congregational Life and Witness

1.45pm

4pm 7pm 8pm

Alternative presentation (Council for Public Affairs) Council for Training in Ministry Council for Social Witness General Council – Session 3

9.30am

(TBC)

12 noon 1pm

Private session – Judicial Commission Public session – General Council – Session 4 Trustees report Business Committee (Final report) Close of Assembly

No tickets required Further information: www.presbyterianireland.org/ generalassembly2019 Email: info@presbyterianireland.org Call: +44 (0)28 9032 2284

WEDNESDAY 5 JUNE

THURSDAY 6 JUNE

FRIDAY 7 JUNE

PERSONAL VIEW

Life lessons Jeanne Kamara

Country manager for Christian Aid in Sierra Leone I am the country manager of Christian Aid in Sierra Leone. I have responsibility for programme delivery and implementation across our activity streams. I also manage a team of nine core staff, with additional support staff, as well as our portfolio of partners, because we do not implement the work ourselves – we work through local development partners.

There are lots of challenges in Sierra Leone and we cannot do everything. So, our main strategic objective is to add value where we have experience and expertise. We work mainly in two big areas – accountable governance and health.

Sierra Leone is situated on the west coast of Africa and has a population of just over seven million. There are key challenges around governance; gender (the ways women are socialised and treated); power (how this can lead to marginalisation and keeping people poor); and also health. Around 10% of mothers will die in childbirth and 10% of children will not live to see their fifth birthday due to diseases like malaria, cholera and diarrhea – all preventable. Ebola really decimated our health system, which was already weak and we lost about 10% of our healthcare workers – so it’s within that context that we’re operating. It’s also a context which is quite vulnerable in terms of weather patterns and climate change.

I think my passion and drive come from the fact that I believe in my veins that it can be done. We’re reaching some small milestones and we’re beginning to tip the scales of people’s lives. Particularly when I see the women – we have moved them on by focusing on what they can do – in our programme we focus on giving people a hand up, not a hand out.

Sierra Leone is the focus for Christian Aid Week this year. It’s about standing together to rebuild and refurbish health centres which need updated. Without health centres, we would not be able to keep mothers alive. Then also it’s standing together to improve hygiene and sanitation which many people take for granted – things like water buckets, soap and hand washing behaviour. These things help to keep children alive who often suffer from diarrhea and cholera, especially in the rainy season.

Also we’re working on providing medical training for staff.

A time when I felt close to God was during the heat of our Ebola crisis recently. This was a time when we were losing close to 100 people a day, when the virus was ravaging communities. We as Christian Aid were part of the emergency effort and we visited a community in the eastern part of Sierra Leone where almost all the households in the area were quarantined, meaning that someone in them was showing symptoms of Ebola. I saw young children who were really suffering. I really felt so close to God – it was a humbling experience for me and I just prayed and begged that God would take this scourge away from Sierra Leone. It was frightening – we had conflicting advice coming from inside and outside, so that was a very difficult time.

My mother did not have much growing up, however she was really hard working. In our home, I saw the way we shared the very little that we had with so many. And I saw how she put her faith to action. Particularly, I saw how she embraced people who were marginalised – I now have a very strong sense of justice and equality.

It is difficult living up to the tenets of our Christianity sometimes. It can feel like you are battling with what is unachievable, especially in some contexts. The most difficult bit is to keep the faith, especially when things are out of your control, and to keep going and believing that God put you on earth for a reason.

My favourite hymn is How Great Thou Art. I sing it when I’m happy, when I’m down, when I’m scared. I just feel that it gives me such a spiritual uplift.

My idea of relaxation is squash. I’m not a fantastic player but I play it now and again. Also, I love to relax with family and have a good laugh. I think in another life I would have been a standup comedian.

My favourite book is Things Fall Apart by an African writer, Chinua Achebe. It’s a book I did for my A-levels and I’ve read it over and over again. It resonates with issues around how governance can make or break a nation. For me it is a book that holds true for a lot of the challenges which we are having in Africa around leadership and unity and around seeing the bigger picture.

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GDPR one year on...

Edgar Jardine, convener of PCI’s GDPR task group, offers some key advice for congregations on their handling of people’s personal information.

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welve months ago, our letter boxes and inboxes were being inundated with correspondence from banks, building societies, companies and charities reminding us of the imminent introduction of the European General Data Protection Regulations (2018) which replaced the existing law on data protection. This has resulted in much greater public awareness of the need to protect personal data and a recent survey by Deloitte showed that 78% of respondents were aware of the key rights that they have under GDPR. Congregations, presbyteries and PCI centrally, all separate charities in their own right, are required to comply with the 2018 Regulations, just like any other charity or organisation.

The 2018 GDPR Regulations were required to reflect the new ways in which personal data is collected, stored and used and the use of modern technologies to process the information. The main purpose of GDPR is to provide us with assurance that, whether we are dealing with our bank or our local church, our personal data is held securely and handled with care.

PCI established a task group to take this work forward on behalf of the Church. The group’s remit was to produce guidance and guidelines for (a) the Councils and departments of the General Assembly and (b) presbyteries and congregations to enable compliance with GDPR by the implementation date of 25 May 2018. The task group was supported

by Assembly staff and a part-time project manager.

An early priority was to put training on GDPR in place for Assembly Buildings staff, presbyteries and congregations.

Seven regional meetings were held in Belfast, Ballygowan, Omagh, Ballyclare, Kilrea, Lurgan and Lucan which were well attended and the Q&A exchange assisted the task group to respond to particular issues raised by those present.

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A range of new policies to assist the Church with the implementation of GDPR were prepared by the project manager and these are available on the GDPR section of the PCI website.

These should be of great help to congregations as they seek to comply with the new regulations. We have aimed to draft these in such a way that they can be readily edited with information specific to congregations, which will

The main purpose of GDPR is…our personal data is held securely and handled with care. avoid unnecessary work for those with responsibility for implementing GDPR. While the regulations may seem to be more relevant to large institutions which control vast quantities of sensitive personal information, the underlying principles constitute good practice for all organisations which handle personal data.

The key message for churches is to be proportionate and to consider the risk of the personal data we hold being misused.

The task group has prepared a list of ‘Top 10 tips’ as a quick guide to best practice.

Top 10 tips for GDPR 1. GDPR doesn’t only apply to data held electronically; it also applies to data held in hardcopy form.

2. Only collect the information that you need. If you cannot demonstrate a legitimate reason why you need an individual’s personal data then don’t obtain it. You cannot be held responsible for data that you don’t possess.

3. Undertake a comprehensive data audit of all the data in your possession. Until you know what data you have and where it is, GDPR compliance is impossible.

4. Keep your privacy policies under review. Make sure you tell people what their information is needed for, what it will be used for and what rights they have. Each congregational committee should have appointed a data protection lead. Unless someone takes the lead on data protection there is a real risk of non-compliance.

5. Consider the impact of a breach. If you have personal data that could, if lost or misappropriated, cause harm or loss to the individuals concerned, then pay particular attention to that data, as to its security from collection through to disposal.

6. In the event of a breach follow the procedures set out in your Breach Policy document.

7. Communication and training are essential. Although there are many instances of data being stolen by hackers or through data theft, the majority of data breaches are still due to human error – data left unattended, given out inappropriately, disposed of in an unsecure manner etc.

8. Keep your personal data secure and keep it only for as long as you need it. Lock it away, restrict access to it and don’t leave it unattended. If held electronically, use password protection and ensure antivirus protection is kept up to date.

9. When publishing information, where possible and appropriate, make individuals anonymous or use pseudonyms (e.g. consider using weekly freewilll offering or a membership number) to protect and minimise the risks associated with processing personal data.

10. Apply a common sense approach.

Don’t use the data in a way that would surprise the person e.g. by passing it on without authority or using it for another purpose.

MY STORY...

Derek Johnston, lead chaplain for the Belfast HSC Trust, encourages individuals and congregations to invest in learning CPR, highlighting how someone’s quick actions saved his life.

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The day I (nearly) died!

Paul Hamilton, Rev Derek Johnston and Phillip Frizzell, outside RVH chapel

t was a normal working day – Thursday 9 August 2018. support and all their prayers too. I know it has been a shock for That morning I had spent several hours with a colleague them as well. at Muckamore Abbey Hospital, helping him with some According to the British Heart Foundation Northern Ireland, e-learning and supporting him at the weekly service. In the there are over 1,400 cardiac arrests every year in Northern afternoon I returned to the Royal Victoria Hospital (RVH), Ireland, and devastatingly less than one in 10 survive. If this Belfast, for some visits and office work. happens in front of a bystander who starts CPR immediately At 4.30pm I left RVH to go to football at a local recreation before the arrival of the ambulance, the patient’s chances centre, which has been a regular part of my routine for almost of survival can double. Every minute without CPR or eight years. Football is one of a variety of health and wellbeing defibrillation can reduce a person’s chance of surviving a cardiac activities offered free to Trust staff. Most weeks we have arrest by around 10%. between 8-20 people playing football, from a wide variety of What would you do if someone collapsed in front of you, on disciplines and service groups. It’s great fun, good exercise and the street, in your workplace, in church? If you collapsed, what helps build friendships. would you want someone else to do for Every minute without It was almost 6pm and the game was you? nearly over. One minute I was playing and CPR or defibrillation can One of the things I’m trying to do now a split second later I was on the ground. I is to get resuscitation training more readily think at first the guys thought I was joking reduce a person’s chance available for non-clinical staff in our Trust. but they quickly realised something was Twenty-one people have completed a of surviving a cardiac seriously wrong. Two of my colleagues, training evening in the RVH. We hope to Paul Hamilton, a doctor, and Phil Frizzell, arrest by around 10%. have similar events across different sites. a radiographer, recognised that I had At least six of my football colleagues have stopped breathing and my heart had stopped. I was in cardiac undertaken resuscitation training since 9 August. arrest. Paul and Phil started CPR quickly and kept my heart/ When someone has a cardiac arrest, it most likely won’t blood pumping until the ambulance arrived and the paramedics be a stranger in the street – it will be your mum, dad, friend defibrillated me twice on the pitch before rushing me to RVH. or colleague and standing by while the minutes tick on, not Within an hour I had a stent fitted and was a patient in one knowing what to do is devastating. We need everyone to learn of the wards I serve as chaplain, before being moved to the this life-saving skill to give them the confidence to step in and Ulster Hospital the following day. On Sunday afternoon I was give CPR when someone collapses after a cardiac arrest. It released from hospital. could mean the difference between life and death. It was for me!

I owe my life to Paul and Phil. One consultant told me I Do you have people trained in your church or workplace who am one of the few people to survive such an incident outside could carry out CPR if needed? of hospital without any major brain damage. Those first 3-5 Do you have a defibrillator for emergency use? You don’t need minutes after my cardiac arrest were critical in saving my life. to be an expert to use them. They show you and tell you what The swift actions of my colleagues, Paul and Phil, in starting to do.

CPR saved my life and minimised damage. Literally, the right There are various organisations that offer basic first aid/ people, with the right knowledge, in the right place at the right resuscitation training. Recently my wife, Linda, and I took time. I am very thankful to them and to God. part in a British Heart Foundation Heart Start lifesaving skills After nine weeks’ sick leave I went back to work on a training course. I now appreciate how important it is to know phased return for five weeks, before resuming full-time duties CPR and be able to act fast so that if the worst happens to in December. I am very grateful to my family, friends and someone else we can do our best to help save their life. colleagues, within the Trust and outside, for their wonderful For more information visit www.bhf.org.uk/cpr Herald May 2019

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CONGREGATIONAL STORY

Pathway

Photography by Jamie Trimble

to success

Rebecca McConnell visits Windsor Presbyterian Church’s job club, an inspiring outreach to help Iranian refugees in Belfast find employment.

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magine you have just arrived in a foreign land. You have been forced to flee your home and your country because you are a Christian. You look different to those around you, you speak with a different accent. Your grasp of the language is poor but you are willing to learn.

The circumstances around you have changed but your mind, the skills you have remain the same. You go to find work to provide for your family and it’s here the difficulty lies. You cannot seem to get anywhere. Everything is different, the process is unfamiliar, the forms are different. You feel helpless and even more homesick.

Now imagine, someone invites you to a place where you are welcomed, where you receive help and patience to make those important first steps. You get assistance with putting together a CV. You get practise with interview skills. Somewhere where you can be empowered and encouraged.

That has been the story of Mehrshad and Ali. Thanks to the vision of business

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leaders in Windsor and Orangefield Presbyterian churches, and Windsor’s strong connections to the International Meeting Point (IMP), a job club has been formed to help refugees find and secure employment.

Ali has a bachelor’s degree in Applied Chemistry and a master’s in Polymer Engineering. He is currently working as a chef in a nursing home in Cultra as he continues to apply for jobs relevant to his qualifications. Like Mehrshad, he is a member of Windsor Presbyterian Church. “The great thing about the job club is the connections. It is somewhere to go to get help.”

The key word for me is ‘pathway’ – these people…can’t work their way through it without someone helping them.

Both Mershad and Ali help translate the advice from locals at the job club from English into Persian. Ali completed an interpreting course, OCN level 4, and is the only person in Northern Ireland to hold this for the Farsi/Persian language.

He came to Belfast with his father and recently his mother also came over from Iran when she obtained refugee status. A talented pianist, he plays at services in Windsor as well as serenading the residents of the nursing home. Manager Sharon Bryans of Richmond Nursing Home, Cultra couldn’t speak highly enough of Ali and others that she has employed from the job club.

“I have been very happy with the standard of their work and it has been a joy to see them grow in confidence and settle in to employment with us.

It is easier for them to get a job if they are in one and I can see their faith is transformed as well; they are glowing and they feel valued.

Ali

“I am happy to be a stepping point on their journey to employment in their chosen fields – and I would encourage other companies to consider taking on people from the job club. You have to be patient with their English as they learn the language but they are very punctual and reliable employees.”

Minister of Windsor Presbyterian, Rev Ivan Steen, explains, “A lot of people are coming to this country as Christian refugees. They have a period of time where they are in an asylum seeker process – that varies between six months and 10 years. They were coming to the end of their process with 28 days to find a home and a job – that is almost impossible! Because of that, they would end up picking up jobs in other parts of the UK because they had a connection or a cousin who had found work over there. It wasn’t that they wanted to leave Belfast, they couldn’t make a life here.”

Merhshad competed for Northern Ireland in the Homeless Football World Cup in Mexico in November 2018. The 37-year-old was a photographer in Iran before he was forced to leave because of his Christian beliefs. He’s currently living in a hostel in east Belfast.

“Ivan is a good teacher and pastor and he wanted to do something to help people stay here in Belfast. The job club helps people to find work and be able to live in Belfast and worship at Windsor.

At the moment, there are 60 of us from Iran attending. Back home, our church was underground – here is completely different.”

Merhshad is currently on a two-day-aweek programme with Mallusk Extern Works and also does some volunteering with several organisations. He has been trained up in electrical installation and forklift and telescopic handler driving.

“I would like to find a job as an electrician but my longer-term plan would be to work as a photographer

Mehrshad

…we would like to see more Presbyterian business owners come forward and offer… positions to give our participants a helping hand.

Ivan Steen, Peter Shields and Angus Beck

– that makes me happy – capturing weddings and birthdays. I’d love to do that. I have my camera but not all of the equipment that I need – but step by step!”

When I met Mehrshad, he had just come from a jobs fair in the Europa Hotel. He is keen to find employment and is not work shy.

“I was invited to the International Meeting Point and it was the first time I met other Iranian people. My English wasn’t great then. They said they go to Windsor Presbyterian Church. They are kind and I feel welcome there.”

It was Angus Beck, a member of Windsor, who first identified the need, desiring to set up a job club. His friend, Peter Shields, a member of Orangefield, had a timely connection with the Iranian church in Greece, going back and forward with teams to work with internationals, specifically with the Persian people. Together, with their extensive business backgrounds and connections, the job club was formed.

Owner of an IT firm, Peter spent time in Greece where it is estimated

there are 43,000 refugees. “The church and aid agencies are doing a great job there but the people still live in shipping containers. It broke my heart – they need a sense of community, that they can contribute to and maintain their self dignity.

“The key word for me is ‘pathway’ – these people are out of their comfort zone, they can’t work their way through it without someone helping them. If I was stuck in Iran, I would be exactly the same.”

The club began last year on an ad hoc basis but has taken more formal structure and is currently finishing a 12-week programme. A mentor is also appointed for each participant. “The success of the programme comes down to the mentor – the relationship they develop and the coaching,“ insists Angus.

Ten mentors from Orangefield, who commit to at least six months, invest time with the participant; helping them to practise English and gain confidence for interviews. This has proved positive, not only for the mentee, but also for the mentor as they get to experience another culture.

Ivan unashamedly proffers a challenge: “One or two business leaders have taken a risk to take on our participants – we would like to see more Presbyterian business owners come forward and offer either voluntary or paid positions to give our participants a helping hand.”

Angus says, “Getting to know the refugees, it is clear they have huge potential but unfortunately there are multiple barriers to them when it comes to that first step of getting a job.”

The Windsor job club is surely a positive step to overcoming these barriers, as grace and love are offered in new and practical ways.

If you would like to offer employment opportunities to the participants, you can email Angus at angus@beckco.eu Herald May 2019

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Photography by Aneesa Dawoojee

Prayer made simple

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Ruth Sanderson chats to Pete Greig, the founder of 24/7 Prayer, about his new book, How to Pray.

f all the things which make up the fabric of our Christian life, surely prayer must be one of the most important. What a privilege, a joy to be able to talk to our Father God, and for him to answer us.

For many, it’s something engrained from childhood – prayers before bedtime and dinners. There are prayers in church, weekly prayer meetings, pre-service prayer meetings. There are prayer ministry teams, sermons on prayer, devotional guides which even suggest things to pray for. It should be the easiest, most natural thing in the world.

Yet, if you’re anything like me, prayer does not feel easy. I hear stories of prayer warriors, intercessors and find myself wondering why I struggle so much to put time aside, and talk to God. I have a

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sneaking feeling I’m not alone in this, yet still somehow it feels taboo to admit it.

So, when I was asked to interview Pete Greig, the founder of the 24/7 Prayer movement, I was somewhat apprehensive.

I guessed I would feel hopelessly inadequate.

I’m talking to Pete about his new book, simply entitled How to Pray – and it does what it says on the cover. It’s a simple, step-by-step guide of how to pray, why

…prayer…at its deepest, it’s contemplation and communion…like an old couple holding hands not having to talk anymore.”

to pray and when to pray. Not only is it a good read, but a practical one, with simple steps and suggestions. Almost the first thing I discovered as I read, was that I was probably praying much more than I thought.

“Most people think prayer is just asking God for stuff, but it’s so much deeper and broader than that,” Pete tells me when we meet.

“To be human is to pray. I often say prayer at its simplest is asking. Yet prayer at its best is conversation, it’s listening to God as well. At its deepest, it’s contemplation and communion, and that is prayer which is beyond asking and listening. It’s just being with God, like an old couple holding hands, not having to talk anymore.

“We all find prayer difficult,” he

continues. “Firstly, life is so busy – it’s not getting any slower, and there’s something about prayer which flourishes at a slower pace of life. Secondly, God is invisible and quite tricky to hear! Thirdly, people are struggling with their own disappointments with prayer, and the church culture isn’t honest about that.

The Bible is more honest than the church about the struggles of faith and the disappointment of unanswered prayer. If we aren’t honest about that and we don’t process it properly, then it’s difficult for us to trust God for the next thing, if you feel disappointed by the last thing.

“There also isn’t a lot of great teaching on prayer – a lot of it is too rarefied.

When I read about the life of Jesus – there’s someone who made prayer simple, normal and accessible, that’s why this book is called How to Pray: A simple guide for normal people!”

However, I ponder, there is nothing simple or normal about prayer. We are talking and interceding with an almighty God. Is that something we sometimes overlook?

“The word ‘prayer’ comes from the Latin precarious – we pray because life is

Celtic Christianity is the great legacy of the island of Ireland – it’s your greatest gift to the world. too precarious and marvellous for us to cope on our own. The goth rock singer, Nick Cave, has a song with an opening line: ‘I don’t believe in an interventionist God, but I know baby that you do’ – so there are many people out there who believe in God but don’t expect him to intervene in their own lives. But when we read the Bible we see very clearly that God does intervene, but not as often as we want. C.S. Lewis talks about how miracles have to be rare because if God was continually micromanaging the laws of nature, the world wouldn’t work very well.

“However,” he says, “I think more people are open to a supernatural God – we have to understand that secularism is dying all around the Western world; hyper liberalism is eating itself right now – its world view is no longer coherent but no one knows what to do. Some people are now looking for the kingdom of God

without God! Yet if you go to the cinema, or read books – people do believe in miracles.”

It’s this difficult global mindset and the malaise of modernity which Pete believes is driving a worldwide renaissance in prayer.

“The empirical is changing – why? The church is becoming hungry again – we know we can’t rebrand or re-strategise our way out of our current predicament.

The world’s in a mess – everything from Brexit to 24-hour digital porn. How do we live in this chaos? More people are turning to God in prayer for his help. A few years ago, people thought politics could sort the world out – now we aren’t convinced by our political leaders any more. People thought the economy would be fine, but now the predictions are quite bleak. So, the old things people used to find security in are breaking down – but Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever.

“We are seeing a rise in the sea level of prayer in the UK and the Western world at the most extraordinary level.

Take the ‘Thy Kingdom Come’ initiative which was launched by the Archbishop

Books available by Pete Greig Red Moon Rising £9.99 The story of the rise of 24-7 Prayer, Red Moon Rising tells of the first five years of the movement, from Pete Greig’s vision of a coming army of young army warriors to the formation of prayer rooms and the practice of continual prayer around the world.

Dirty Glory: Go where your best prayers take you £10.99 Continuing the story of 24-7 Prayer, Dirty Glory describes stories of transformation across four continents, and invites people to experience the presence of God through prayer.

How to Pray £13.99 A down-to-earth introduction to prayer, How to Pray is Pete Greig’s latest book and is a guide to a deeper relationship with God. Its message is that prayer is an exciting and essential tenet for a life of faith.

Herald May 2019

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of Canterbury last year in five cathedrals: in three years that has spread to 85 countries and millions of people – not to go to a concert or hear a speaker, but to turn up to pray! The 24/7 Prayer movement now celebrates its 20th anniversary – it has spread from one prayer room to over half the nations on earth. Not many years ago, if you wanted to see night and day prayer you had to go to South Korea – now you can go to lots of churches and chances are they don’t think it’s odd to pray through the night.”

In How to Pray, Pete says prayer is like traffic lights – sometimes God’s answer is ‘yes’, sometimes it’s ‘not yet’, and sometimes it’s ‘no’. I suggest to Pete that much of people’s reticence to pray is because of the let-down caused by unanswered prayer.

“Yes, that’s hard,” he agrees, “but we have to trust God. Although, when I was growing up, I prayed I’d be a zookeeper and marry a Spice Girl, so I’m delighted he said ‘no’ to that one!”

I chuckle in recognition, perhaps looking back, we can see how prayers which seemed unanswered, were actually answered correctly after all.

Pete knows all about unanswered prayer. He is open when he talks about his wife Sammy, who was diagnosed with a brain tumour several years ago – surgery saved her life but left her with epilepsy, which has impacted all of the family.

“It’s important that we are honest about our disappointment, but also that we don’t try to jump to the top of the staircase in one leap – that we take it one step at a time. I will sometimes pray the big prayer for Sammy – ‘Dear God please heal her’ – and my prayer still hasn’t been answered. But sometimes my prayer is: ‘Give us a good medical appointment next Thursday’. Once you keep praying the small prayers, you will have the faith to pray the big prayers.”

Something wonderful is happening in the Presbyterian Church in Ireland – I see many great signs of renewal and hope.

Pete goes back to an analogy used by the educator Frank Laubach, who compared praying to throwing stones in to a pond. “At first you might not see the stones, but very soon they pile up and become visible above the waterline – you just have to keep throwing the stones in to the water.”

How to Pray uses the Lord’s Prayer as a base for its chapters. At the end of each section, Pete gives a potted life summary of someone who was influential in global prayer. These range from Amy Carmichael to the Desert Fathers and Mothers. One notable figure is Saint Patrick – he talks about St Patrick’s legacy still being borne out today in Ireland.

“St Patrick, it seems to me, is more relevant than ever. Here you have a man who is trafficked, who goes on to bring freedom to many. A shepherd boy who learns how to pray out on the hills.

Charles Spurgeon said, ‘Learn to pray by praying’ and that’s what Patrick did. He was political, he engaged with the rulers of his day. He founded great religious communities, which in their own way were the original 24/7 prayer movement.

Civil society grew out of their influence.

Celtic Christianity is the great legacy of the island of Ireland – it’s your greatest gift to the world.”

That gift, Pete believes is more important than ever.

Week of prayer Back in February, PCI Moderator Dr Charles McMullen called for a week of prayer.

Resources, including PowerPoints and videos, are still available from www.presbyterianireland.org/prayer

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“The island of Ireland is a Christhaunted landscape, and I’m not referring to the partisan, militarised religion of the past 50 years. I’m talking about something which is centuries old – we will find the keys to our destiny in our history, we must look back to the legacy of Patrick. The monastic movement which began in the Celtic nations spread out to throughout Europe.”

Pete has a passion for Ireland – he has been visiting friends and churches in Northern Ireland for years and his son is even studying at Queen’s University, which means more time over here for the Greigs.

“Something wonderful is happening in the Presbyterian Church in Ireland – I see many great signs of renewal and hope.

There are some extraordinary leaders which are coming through in different generations, it’s a very exciting time.”

He says the residue of faith here means that we are primed for a true awakening.

Referring to John Wesley whose aim was to revitalise dead religion, and who said it was much easier to revitalise existing religion than start from scratch, Pete says of the local context: “The level of religious awareness means a movement of the Spirit could reach people at a level which is much harder to do in England, Scotland and Wales.”

Pete might look to past heroes of prayer, but he is firmly fixed on Jesus, and his example. It is exciting to hear him talk about the bigger, global impact of prayer, which starts every day with each one of us. Whether it’s a whispered ‘thank you’ or a harried ‘please’ – God is listening, and responding. Talking with Pete, and reading the book, made me approach prayer with a new mindset. I was heartened by his final advice to me on prayer: “Keep it simple, keep it real and keep it up.”

REFLECTIONS

Hasty confessors Arthur Clarke Study in Luke 8:1-8

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he immediate appeal of John Bunyan’s The not changed; they naturally turn to their own course again.”

Pilgrim’s Progress was to make it the most Both Temporary and Turnback received the word with joy, popular work of the imagination for more but lacking moral earnestness, they soon weakened in their than two centuries. Its language, setting and profession. Violent emotion is a sign of shallowness and seldom characters entered the national consciousness. Bunyan’s book, lasts, but where tender-heartedness is present it disposes the alongside the Book of Common Prayer and the King James mind to thoughtfulness, and where that attitude is present, that Version of the Bible helped to shape our English language.” So decision is permanent. “Each one should be fully convinced writes Malcolm Bradbury, a contemporary critic and novelist. in his own mind” asserted Saint Paul (Romans 14:5 and 1 Among Bunyan’s many characters, there is one whose spiritual Corinthians 14:20). Saint Paul’s assertion in the presence of story is akin to the person Jesus described in this parable: Festus (Acts 26:25) still holds: “What I am saying is true and “Those on the rock are the ones who reasonable.” John Stott put this truth thus: receive the Word with joy when they hear …the spiritual decline of “It is no accident that the pioneers of it, but they have no root. They believe for scientific revolution were Christians. the person, represented the a while but in the time of testing they fall They believed that the rational God had away” (Luke 8:13). by the seed falling upon stamped his rationality both upon the That character is one ‘Temporary’, as world and upon them. In this way seekers rocky ground …withers are thinking God’s thoughts after him.” we shall see. As Christian makes his pilgrimage he is joined on the way by one and dies, as is the Secondly, these two good men contended ‘Hopeful’. They are kindred spirits and Temporary’s fall was hastened as he placed ultimate end of all hasty too much importance on the favour of the so they discuss issues maturely. Christian inquires of Hopeful: “Well then, did crowd. Bunyan put it this way: “They have confessors of faith. you not know, about 10 years ago, one slavish fears that overmaster them; I speak Temporary in your parts, who was a of the fears that they have of men for the forward man in religion then?” Of course, Hopeful knew this fear of man bringeth a snare.” While striving to be at peace with man: “Know him! Yes, he dwelt in Graceless, a town about two all sorts of folk, there is an inevitable divergence in morals and miles off of Honesty, and he dwelt next door to one Turnback.” opinions that distinguishes the Christian from the crowd and Christian concurs and adds: “He told me once that he resolved then the snide remark, the prejudiced innuendo and callous to go on pilgrimage, as we do now; but all of a sudden he grew sneer is let loose and the world which hated Christ without a acquainted with one Save-self, and then he became a stranger to cause reveals its opposition to people of faith. me.” Hopeful continued: “Now, since we are talking about him, Thirdly, the lapse of Temporary was hastened by his let us a little inquire into the reason of the sudden backsliding unwillingness to take up his cross. Bunyan put it this way: of him and such others.”

“The shame that attends to religion lies also as a block in their Christian and Hopeful now commence discussing the way. They are proud and haughty and religion in their eye is reasons for Temporary’s withdrawal from pilgrimage and lapse low and contemptible.” Persecution is part and parcel of faith’s into ungodliness. The reasons they list can cast light upon the confession and cannot be evaded. But this must be noted as spiritual decline of the person, represented by the seed falling Jimmy Carter said: “You can tell a lot about any person when upon rocky ground and lacking moisture, withers and dies, as is you get a look at their enemies.” the ultimate end of all hasty confessors of faith.

Firstly, the couple agreed that Temporary’s decision lacked intellectual content. Bunyan put it this way: “Though the consciences of such man are awakened, yet their minds are

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TALKING POINTS

Ease

Norman Hamilton discusses the ease in which we live our lives and questions if this is a biblical concept.

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ecently I read an article in a Christian magazine that their life for me and for the gospel will save it.’” described ‘ease’ as the new vice. I get that. We are In our home we do have smartphones (two of them); we also surrounded by labour-saving devices and gadgets… our have a washing machine and a dishwasher. And a TV. However, phones can turn on the oven while we are travelling in the self-parking car is not on our wish list! For me, the biggest the car so that the meal is ready when we arrive; tumble dryers challenge of this era of ‘ease’ is how I spend my time, who with, ensure that we never need to go outside with the washing, and and doing what. dishwashers are now commonplace. There is no need to buy a There is, for example, a real temptation to only do coffee with newspaper, for we can access all the news we need on the TV people who won’t offer any real challenge to me; or visit people by a click of a button whilst sitting on the sofa beside the selfwho are already close friends or family; or only read books and regulating central heating. And of course, your car can now park magazines that reinforce what I already believe. It is much more itself in a tight space while you go off to have a coffee made by costly both in time and energy to take the initiative and have someone else in the café down the street. Ease and self-comfort coffee with someone I don’t really know or even someone I are delightful new gods to which we can bow down, and on don’t really like. And I do feel the pressure when challenged on which to spend our money. what I believe by someone who seriously At no point did Jesus There is another side to this of course. disagrees with me.

The ease with which we can get so many either seek or know a life Yet in these and other circumstances, things done means that we can now fill our I am nearly always glad that I took the of ease…And he was time with a lot more activities than even opportunity these encounters offer. For a few years ago. And we most certainly do almost always I learn something or am crystal clear that his that. There is a terrible irony in our ability forced to rethink my views. I have come followers should not to save time doing the ordinary things of to the view that my walk with the Lord life, yet also being what is called ‘time poor’ must include some substantial challenges. expect ease either.

– not having enough time to do the things If they are not there, then my relationship we feel we need to do or want to do. with God drifts under the pressure of a These trends are posing a serious threat to the costly business deceitful ‘easy’ discipleship. of following Christ. Witness and open-hearted generosity The possibility of being like the people in Laodicea to our neighbours is now a rarity. We don’t do ‘neighbouring’ (Revelation 3) is frightening. “I know your deeds, that you are any more. Relatively few people can be bothered to open their neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! homes for a regular Bible study, and it is often a struggle to So, because you are lukewarm – neither hot nor cold – I am have a healthy congregational prayer meeting. Costly love to a about to spit you out of my mouth.” The eternal cost of spiritual member of the congregation in real need is rarely an attractive ease is much too high. option – even though we may well be sitting beside them on a Sunday morning.

The article I referred to earlier includes these words: “God entered the bother of embodied life. As a boy, he was subject to the slow agony of growing up. As a man, he was harangued by crowds, touched by lepers, and kept awake on sleepless, hungry nights in prayer. On the night of his arrest, Jesus took up the bother of the basin and towel, washing the feet of his disciples, even those of his betrayer. He carried that bother all the way to his execution for the sake of love.”

At no point did Jesus either seek or know a life of ease. He even said that he had nowhere to lay his head (Luke 9). And he was crystal clear that his followers should not expect ease either.

Rev Dr Norman Hamilton Mark 8 tells us that “...he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must Norman Hamilton is the convener of the deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For Council for Public Affairs and minister whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses emeritus of Ballysillan Presbyterian Church.

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MAY 2019

Mission Connect

Developing childhood teaching in Zambia

Sharing in the journey of recovery Frances Craig Serving God in Kathmandu Peter and Jayne Fleming

Mission news from workers around Ireland and the world.

Building relationships in Sligo Rev David Clarke Listening with empathy and understanding Heather McCracken Developing childhood teaching in Zambia Diane Cusick

Every aspect of our Church’s mission depends to some extent on United Appeal. Hundreds of projects and programmes at home and overseas are helping to advance God’s kingdom, showing God’s love in action to hundreds of thousands of people.

A ministry of accompaniment Rev John Gilkinson

Including May prayer diary

Sharing in the journey of recovery Frances Craig

Project worker, Gray’s Court

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hen I read the accounts of Jesus’ life on earth, I am with each person to address how they wish to move forward. impressed by his love and compassion for people who Each plan addresses what they want to do to improve their were rejected by society. People who have alcohol and health, mental health, and recovery from substance misuse. It also drug difficulties suffer rejection by society and often their own looks at building relationships with family, culture and religion. It communities. Some people have lost their homes, are estranged identifies aspirations in relation to education, work or voluntary from their families or cannot return to their previous environment work and how these may be realised. On a practical level, we begin after treatment for fear of relapse. For this reason, Gray’s Court was the process of finding a permanent home, maximising income opened in the year 2000. and managing household Gray’s Court supported responsibilities.

The ethos of Gray’s Court is one of acceptance, living is managed by Carlisle The value of Gray’s Court is House Substance Misuse best expressed by people who respect and compassion. It is about coming Treatment Centre under have lived here. the directorship of David “In this drug and alcohol-free alongside those who use the service as they Cuthbert. Situated in north environment, I had the time seek to rebuild their lives.

Belfast, it consists of seven and space to reorder my life tastefully furnished selfwith the companionship of contained flats with a communal lounge/conservatory and a others like myself and reassurance and support from staff.” private garden area with vegetable troughs. Gray’s Court offers “It gave me a good solid foundation to proceed in my recovery.” temporary supported accommodation for men and women “An ideal start for a clean life.” who have completed treatment for alcohol and/or drug misuse, “I feel purpose coming back into my life again.” who are homeless, and who want to continue their recovery in a substance free environment.

Most people who come to Gray’s Court have completed the Please pray: Carlisle House programme, but we also accept referrals from other • What I find most painful about working in the field of treatment agencies from across Northern Ireland. Residency is for homelessness and addiction is that I know something of the a maximum of two years. Since it opened there have been almost scale of substance misuse in Northern Ireland and the effects 300 referrals with an average turnover of 10 residents per year. it has on the lives of so many people and their families. Please The ethos of Gray’s Court is one of acceptance, respect and pray that solutions may be found to combat this ever-growing compassion. It is about coming alongside those who use the problem and that there would be more services to meet the service as they seek to rebuild their lives, reintegrate into their needs of those affected. communities and secure suitable permanent accommodation.

• Pray for Christians affected by addiction and those who become It has been my privilege to have worked at Gray’s Court for the Christians, that they may find a fellowship of other believers past 12 years and to have shared in the journeys of those who where they feel accepted. have used the service. My role is to collaboratively design a plan Mission Connect | Herald May 2019

Serving God in Kathmandu

Peter and Jayne Fleming Global mission workers, Nepal

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fter 35 years of teaching, you would imagine I should be As teachers we work hard, but we also have a lot of fun and winding down, putting my feet up and taking it easy. fellowship together as we support one another. At the end of However, one of those many quotes that pops up on my each term staff socials can involve anything from human Hungry Facebook page reminds me: “You can retire from your career, Hippos to lip sync battles! Pupils also have many opportunities to but you will never retire from display their creativity to the serving God” (Rick Warren). My wider community.

We strive to live out the core values of love, husband, Peter, and I moved to Approaching the academic Kathmandu, Nepal in January year 2019/2020, there is an grace, community, justice and excellence.

2018, not to retire but to serve urgent need for secondary We are conscious of them in our classes, him there. teachers. I need someone to Kathmandu International teach P3 in term one while in the playground, as we play sport…

Study Centre (KISC) where I I am on home assignment. teach, has approximately 220 Maybe you could be that students from P1 to Year 12, and 21 nationalities are represented. I teacher? Maybe you could consider taking a career break or using arrived expecting to be teaching a Key Stage 2 class, but was told your teaching experience here (www.kisc.edu.np/vacancies)? with my experience I was needed to teach P3! Honestly my first KISC is a wonderful place to work with amazing colleagues and term was very stressful as I got to grips with a different curriculum, children. teaching methods and the many cultural differences represented Now at the end of term three, I can look back and I am amazed both in the staff and in my classroom. and thankful for God’s provision. I have known safety as I have However, I was so aware of God’s presence each day as I dealt travelled to school and had good health. I love going to school with every new challenge. each day and the children I teach are wonderful. I am constantly I leave our flat each day at about 6.45am and either ride my learning new things and have made great friendships. I am truly electric scooter or take the staff bus to Thecho, an area five miles blessed by an amazing God. south of Kathmandu where KISC has built a new school. Pupils arrive at 7.45am and our school day begins at 8am. As you pass Please pray: many primary schools in Northern Ireland, you will see vision • Pray for funding to build a library, music and art rooms at KISC. statements on school gates. It is no different here in Nepal. At KISC, • Pray for a replacement teacher for term one (1 August to 4 we strive to live out the core values of love, grace, community, November) to teach P3 as Jayne is on home leave. justice and excellence. We are conscious of them in our classes, in • Pray that there will be enough secondary teachers to begin the the playground, as we play sport and as we live in Nepal. KISC has new academic year.

Christian principles and is not afraid to proclaim them.

Mission Connect | Herald May 2019

Building relationships in Sligo Rev David Clarke Sligo Presbyterian Church

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was recently asked to speak to some second-year pupils at our Moderator, Dr Charles McMullen, and his wife, Barbara, before we local grammar school on what it means to be Presbyterian. A gathered for a special evening service of worship. good question indeed! As I mulled over the different aspects The Moderator’s theme for this year, ‘Building relationships – of our rich theology and ecclesiology – the absolute authority of Christ’s love compels us’, seems very apt for our congregation. In God’s Word, the sovereignty of God, the centrality of the cross, the a rapidly secularising and increasingly sceptical Ireland, building all-age covenant community – I began to wonder how on earth relationships is often a necessary first step in evangelism. In I might communicate these recent months, we’ve been things to the pupils in a way encouraged that some new We have at least 15 different nationalities which impacted them and did faces have joined our church not send them immediately to family and we’re praying that gathering to worship together on Sunday sleep! As I thought more about God might bring others in his it, the word ‘family’ kept coming time. As part of our outreach mornings – a wonderful reminder that to mind. Our congregation into the local community, we God’s family is taken from every tribe, is a family; intergenerational, hosted a Christianity Explored ethnically and socially diverse, course and are looking forward tongue and nation. yet united together with the to this year’s children’s summer one God as our Father, the one Bible club in June. Ultimately Jesus as our Saviour and the one Spirit who dwells within us and our vision and prayer is that as each church member lives unites us. We are brothers and sisters in Christ, with the privilege distinctive, holy lives in our community, God might grant them of bearing each other’s burdens and sharing in each other’s joys. opportunities to share their faith and the reason for the hope that We exist not on our own, but connected to and supported by is within them – the gospel that embraces sinners and makes the wider PCI church family and indeed the other local Christian them family, children of the living God. denominations with which we enjoy good relationships.

In Sligo Presbyterian we have at least 15 different nationalities Please pray: gathering to worship together on Sunday mornings – a wonderful reminder that God’s family is taken from every tribe, tongue and • Pray that in our Sunday worship services God’s Spirit might work nation. As we listen together to God’s Word on Sundays and in powerfully, using his Word to speak to us, deepening our faith and renewing our minds so we might become mature disciples our midweek Bible studies, we’re praying that God might mould of Christ. and shape us into the likeness of Christ, our elder brother. Like • Pray that we might have an ever-increasing confidence in the any healthy family, we enjoy spending time together and building gospel and a renewed desire to see those we know and love relationships with one another – more often than not over food. come to faith.

After the church service, the hall is abuzz with chat and laughter • Give thanks for last year’s very encouraging summer Bible club. as people linger over tea, coffee and biscuits. Our men’s and Pray for the children who will come again this year, and the ladies’ groups meet regularly for fellowship, often over a bite to members of the congregation who will lead the club. Pray for eat. Members of the congregation recently spent a very enjoyable safety, joy, unity and faith.

Sunday afternoon in the manse for food and fellowship with the Mission Connect | Herald May 2019

Listening with empathy and understanding

Heather McCracken

Deaconess, Belfast Trust hospitals

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he long corridors are quieter than usual as the clock ticks A hospital chaplain can call or be called at any time of day or slowly for many. It’s 5am and the night staff start preparing night. We are available for everyone, whether they attend church all the patients for the new day. The staff have been working or not. We listen with empathy, understanding and a nonand watching throughout the night, but slowly the ward wriggles judgmental attitude, seeking to be approachable and present. awake. The day begins early for many who haven’t slept well, with Many come to the Quiet Room and chapel/churches in our pain or noises, beeps and hospitals to pour out their grunts all around, and those prayers to God, and for many A hospital chaplain can call or be called at who awake thinking and the sacred spot is at their worrying about what the day any time of day or night. We are available for bedside when a chaplain calls will bring. One patient says, and the conversation moves everyone, whether they attend church or not.

“There is more noise in hospital quickly to faith, God’s Word than in Belfast Zoo!” and prayer.

The ward rounds start with the medical students, God, who is love, shows us how to love in the daily cycle of everphysiotherapists and occupational therapists, while the teams in changing needs and people in our fantastic NHS. Any one of us the operating theatres, surgeons and anaesthetists also get going. could be a patient before nightfall of any day, but not any one of There are beds and wheelchairs occupied by patients moving us could be a staff member and give the care, love, kindness and around, going to surgery and for scans and tests. dignity needed to help those in difficult health situations.

Then its lunchtime with choices to make. It takes all the staff Jesus was moved at the sight of pain and difficulties – we must serving and helping. Lunchtime also brings a rush of anticipation stretch out our love and care for all who suffer and share the peace as it will soon be visiting time. I call it the ‘Mary Poppins time’ (the which God alone can give. spoonful of sugar that makes hospital bearable), as it brings the love of family or friends arriving with cups of tea and a caring glance of understanding.

Please pray: Evening time comes, the sun sets and the light fades, and once • Pray for all the staff in our hospitals: medical, domestic, catering again you are by yourself with your thoughts and unable to go and others. outside or return to your normal life. For many their focus moves • Pray for all patients, especially for calm and healing spirits. to the ‘things of God’ – looking for, leaning on, hoping in. As • Pray for those who are ‘nil by mouth’, whose thirst or hunger Scripture reminds us, “When you come looking for me, you’ll find troubles them. me” (Jeremiah 29:13, The Message). God is seen in the smile of • Pray for those who are lonely. a passing stranger, the warmth of a loved one’s eyes, the gentle • Pray for our hospital chaplains. touch of a carer and the affirming concern given by the healthcare • Pray that God would bless the hands and hearts of all who work team. In my experience, God draws near with a gentle reminder of in our hospitals. his presence, comfort and unfailing love and care available for all.

Mission Connect | Herald May 2019

Developing childhood teaching in Zambia Diane Cusick

Global mission worker, Zambia

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hree of our neighbours – Mozambique, Zimbabwe and We have begun the process of developing a child protection Malawi – have suffered devastating effects of flooding after policy. Miyanda (one of our early childhood development teachers Cyclone Idai hit in March. Many people have lost homes, from Chilenje, which closed earlier in the year) and myself are family members, crops and lives… in fact everything. Here in visiting Mtendere Church of Central Africa Presbyterian (CCAP) southern Zambia, we are Community School doing suffering drought – little rain activities with children to find …children are really enjoying the play-based since January means that out what they know about crops are dying of thirst and child protection and giving programme. Parents are very appreciative the harvest this year will be them information too. This is an sparse. Sometimes we ask exciting development for our of how their children are being cared for. why. Why does God allow church. such things to happen? Things Thank you for your continued we fail to understand and yet we have the hope that God is our support. Please keep updated with my life and work by checking refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Please pray my blog: www.dianecusick.com for the people of these four nations, that help can reach the most desperate and vulnerable as the humanitarian aid effort continues.

Please pray: I travelled recently to Livingstone and Monze to visit our two • Pray for the people affected by flooding in Mozambique, early childhood development centres. It was great to see they are Zimbabwe and Malawi – that help may reach them and that both doing quite well and that the children are really enjoying the disease and malnutrition will be prevented. play-based programme. Parents are also very appreciative of how • Pray for those affected in Zambia by drought, as harvest will be their children are being cared for. little and water supplies later in the year will be difficult too.

The Teachers’ Council of Zambia has started registering all • Pray for Diane as she works together with Miyanda to discuss teachers (at a fee) and of course not all of our teachers have a child protection issues with children in Mtendere CCAP qualification. So, we are looking at ways we can assist them – if Community School. they begin a distance learning course over three years, they will • Give thanks for our teachers and pray that we can find means to still be able to teach in the schools with a temporary registration. assist them in doing an early childhood teaching course in the This is one option that we need to look into if we want to keep the near future. same teachers.

Mission Connect | Herald May 2019

A ministry of accompaniment

Rev John Gilkinson

Chaplain in Antrim Area and Causeway hospitals

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or the past five years, I have been working as generic to calm and reassure him. He indicated that he was a Christian chaplain in Antrim Area Hospital and covering Presbyterian but was afraid of the surgery ahead. I sought to reassure him that patients in Causeway Hospital. Alongside the obvious clinical God would be with him during his surgery and in the days ahead. I and medical symptoms present in patients admitted to hospital, prayed with him. As I was about to leave, he thanked me for taking there can be numerous spiritual distresses present, including time to listen to him and for my prayers. He said he felt a lot more anxiety, panic, hopelessness, financial worries and uncertainty, at peace. Such an encounter highlights what I understand to be alongside the big questions of life – purpose, destiny, identity, my role as chaplain – ‘a spiritual care provider in the midst of an etc. I understand my role as anxious system’. hospital chaplain within the Increasingly much of my I have come to appreciate the unique and integral time wider multidisciplinary team is spent with hospital is to provide spiritual, pastoral role chaplaincy plays in the inclusive and holistic staff who are working in a and religious care that seeks very stressful and demanding care given to all patients who enter our hospitals. environment. For me, to identify and address such spiritual distresses. chaplaincy is grounded in Antrim Hospital chaplains work a generic model of chaplaincy initiating and developing mutual and empathetic relationships which has been a liberating and challenging experience for me, with patients, families and staff. This development of genuine while providing numerous opportunities to minister to patients relationships provides the opportunity to offer appropriate and families who have no declared faith or religious background. spiritual, pastoral and religious care.

I have come to appreciate the unique and integral role chaplaincy plays in the inclusive and holistic care given to all patients who Please pray: enter our hospitals.

• Pray for John as he seeks to minister to patients, their families Much of my work is a ‘ministry of accompaniment’, where I and members of staff in both Antrim Area and Causeway seek to come alongside patients and their families and journey hospitals. Pray that God will open gospel opportunities. with them through what can be, for many, difficult and trying • Pray that John will be an appropriate care provider in the midst experiences. Of course, this means listening and befriending, and of an anxious system. being available to provide a ministry of presence, comfort, peace, • Pray that the change of chaplaincy model from generic, back to solace and appropriate hope. denominational in Antrim will not hinder opportunities to reach I encountered a patient recently who had just come into hospital out to all patients irrespective of their faith background. the day before. He seemed rather tense and nervous. After a brief • Pray for Joanne Dunlop (deaconess) who works alongside John introduction, he said, “I came in for a check-up and the doctors just in Antrim. told me I require major surgery – all a bit of shock really.” I sought Mission Connect | Herald May 2019

Please pray for... n IRISH MISSION – Philip Whelton, Irish mission worker serving in Arklow. Pray for the children’s and youth clubs, as well as the holiday Bible club, that through these ministries many young people will come to know Jesus. n HOME MISSION – Carrigart and Dunfanaghy congregations, and for the minister, Rev Andrew Watson. Pray for extra opportunities for sharing the gospel in local schools. n CYCLONE IDAI – Pray for all affected by Cyclone Idai. Pray that those affected will be given the assistance they need over the coming months to rebuild their homes and livelihoods. n HOME MISSION – Greystones congregation whose vision is to be a church that reaches out to the men and women of north County Tracey Nicholl Wicklow with Christ’s transforming message of grace, love and forgiveness. Pray too for the minister, Rev Gary McDowell. n DEACONESS – Michelle Purdy serving in Ballyclare, and for all the opportunities she has to love others through the toddler group, foodbank and links with community groups. n ZAMBIA – God’s wisdom and guidance for the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian Synod of Zambia. Pray for those in Zambia who struggle at times due to poverty and for the church as they seek to help them. n URBAN MISSION – The work and witness of Strand congregation in east Belfast, and for the minister, Rev Danny Rankin. Pray for Strand’s new after-school club for post primary children. n HOME MISSION – Rev Rodney Thompson and Glenelly congregation. Pray for the ongoing ministry of the Word and for the presence of the Holy Spirit. n PAKISTAN – The work and witness of the Presbyterian Church of Pakistan. Pray for wisdom for the leadership and ministers of the Church. Pray too for Gujranwala Theological Seminary, which is training people for ordained and lay ministries. n CHILD ABUSE – Children and young people are subjected to many forms of abuse, harm and exploitation. Give thanks for organisations that work tirelessly to prevent this and pray for those in recovery having survived their abuse. n HOME MISSION – The congregation of Smithborough and for Rev Alan McQuade as he settles into ministry there.

MAY 2019 n COMMUNITY OUTREACH – Jonathan David as he continues to settle into his new role in First Rathfriland and seeks opportunities to share the gospel. n KENYA – Stephen and Angelina Cowan serving in Tuum, engaged in training and skills development; sharing the gospel; nurturing believers and developing Christian leaders. n HOME MISSION – The congregations of Cahir and Fermoy, and for the minister, Rev William Montgomery. Pray for wisdom and guidance for all in leadership roles within the congregations. n DEACONESS – Tracey Nicholl serving in St James’ Ballymoney. Pray for their new project ‘Living Hope Community’ which seeks to help those who struggle to afford school uniforms. n MALAWI – Lyn Dowds in her medical work at the David Gordon Memorial Hospital, and for Johnny’s work with the ‘Living Trees for Livingstonia’ project. Pray too for their children at boarding school in Zambia. n COMMUNITY OUTREACH – John McCandless in all his work with Mountpottinger and Mersey Street congregations in east Belfast, especially for the work on the streets and door-to-door meetups. n HOME MISSION – Rev Helen Freeburn and Galway congregation. Pray for more Sunday school teachers and small group leaders. n HEALTH SERVICE – Pray for staff at all levels who are often abused physically and verbally by members of the public. Pray that health managers will ensure suitable systems are in place which meet patient needs and are timely and effective.

n CHAPLAINS – Wisdom for John Coulter, chaplain at the Ulster University (Coleraine campus), as he seeks to provide a useful chaplaincy ministry in a radically and fastchanging university context. n HOME MISSION – The life and witness of Carlow and Athy congregations and for the minister, Rev Stephen Rea. Give thanks for a number of immigrants who recently joined Carlow congregation. Pray for wisdom and motivation to reach out to others. n NIGHTLIGHT – Linzie Cobain and the work of Nightlight in Belfast. Pray that God would continue to bless conversations staff and volunteers have with people on the streets. n TRINITY HOUSE – Trinity House is PCI’s latest residential home, set in spacious grounds in Garvagh, Co Londonderry.

Give thanks that Trinity House provides accommodation for 50 residents. Pray for home manager Jayne Bellingham and the staff team as they care for the residents. n HOME MISSION – The elders and members of First Bailieborough, Trinity Bailieborough, Corraneary and Ervey congregations. Give thanks and pray for the teenage youth group ‘Focus’. n INTERNATIONAL MEETING POINT – For Henry Coulter, assistant project leader at the Meeting Point, as he serves there. Pray for the Meeting Point as it continues to help and share the good news with many refugees, asylum seekers and other local people on the Lisburn Road in Belfast. n WILLOW BROOK – Elizabeth Wilson is project manager at Willow Brook supported housing scheme for people with a learning disability and Topley Court for people with a physical disability. Pray for Elizabeth as she ensures that tenants are encouraged to live as independently as possible with appropriate support from staff to help with personal care, domestic and social skills. n PORTUGAL – James and Heather Cochrane as they lead the church plant in Senhora da Hora and seek opportunities to build relationships with local people.

n NEPAL – United Mission to Nepal’s work in the areas of education, healthcare, n LEADERS IN livelihoods, disaster TRAINING – Leaders James and Heather Cochrane response, integral from partner churches development and which PCI supports peacebuilding. Pray for new appointments while they undertake further study aimed made recently in UMN. at helping their personal development for future ministry and leadership within their n BRAZIL – Naomi Keefe as she continues church and context. her work in church-based, Bible-based community development and evangelism in the Olinda area in north-east Brazil.

www.presbyterianireland.org/prayer

Church planting in Ireland Pip Florit looks at the changing landscape of our churches and their missional opportunities.

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reland is changing.

The signs are everywhere, from cities to schools to streets to churches.

The Ireland of 2019 is a different country from the Ireland of 1999, let alone 10, 20, or 30 years before that.

What was a largely white, Englishspeaking island has become a multicultural melting pot. What was a place where most people looked to the church for meaning and morals has become more and more secularised. Society is changing in a hurry; what does that mean for the Church and its response?

In 1975, the Presbyterian Church in Ireland had 380,000 members; by 2018, that figure had decreased by 43% to 215,000 (General Assembly Annual Reports, 2018). The problem is, by no means, a lack of churches – in some parts of this island, it seems there is a church on every corner, but how many of those beautiful, steepled buildings with inviting signs outside are less than half full? And why, in the midst of declining membership, would anyone think that

the solution is to start more churches?

Could it be that in that context of dwindling congregations, new expressions of church are exactly what is needed?

Over the past 10 years, a number of Presbyterian churches have begun to examine this: what is our response to a society that is moving quickly, lauding diversity above all else, becoming more interested in spirituality and less interested in Christianity? In this society with its new priorities and new problems, the Church needs a new response.

Church planting Planting churches, in itself, is not a new thing. It is not even a new thing for the Presbyterian Church in Ireland.

From the mid-1920s to the 1980s, in response to migrating populations, PCI

...if the body of Christ is to grow, new churches and new expressions of church are needed.

engaged in what was known as ‘church extension’. The need for a new church was determined by assessing households in an area; if two out of seven households were identified as Presbyterian, a church would be built. Eighty churches were started in this way, but as society has changed, this strategy has changed. Church extension was a way to give believers a place to worship; church planting is about introducing non-believers to a God who is worthy of worship.

Church planting was a key part of mission and evangelism for the Apostle Paul, but did he only plant churches because there were none? If that was the case, should church planting be as central to our mission and evangelism, when we have plenty of churches? Consider that Paul planted churches to reach people for God and if there’s anything our society needs, it is to be reached for God.

Church, but not as we know it In his article, ‘Why plant churches?’, Tim Keller cites many studies claiming that Herald May 2019

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the average new church gains 60-80% of its members from those who are not attending any worshipping body, while churches older than 10-15 years gain 80-90% of new members from other congregations. With this in mind, it seems clear that if the body of Christ is to grow, new churches and new expressions of church are needed.

Why is it that a church plant, in its embryonic state, is better placed to reach people than an established church, with its experience and programmes and structures? A church plant is church, but not as we know it, we who have attended services with a predictable structure at 10.30 or 11am every Sunday for years. A church plant might meet on a Wednesday, there might be tea and coffee before the service, it might not meet in a building with a steeple or a pulpit. In these differences, these new expressions are a platform that can allow the plant to meet needs in ways that established churches can’t. A newly planted church may have the following benefits: Outward focus. Many established churches have a missional focus and intentional commitment to the communities around them, but for church plants, the nature of this focus and commitment is different. The church plant’s survival relies on bringing people in from the outside, so the emphasis has to be on the needs of the people outside the church walls. An established church

has people inside its walls whose needs are high priority.

Natural contact with non-Christians.

When a church is made up of mainly new converts, there will naturally be more contact with non-believers. As well as providing more opportunities for personal invitations, this can make church plants more sensitive to the society around it and its needs.

New attracts new. If you want different results, you have to do things differently.

None of this means that established churches are becoming redundant or are unable to reach out.

If you want to draw in new people, do something new. ‘New’ is exciting and interesting, but it’s also easier to be new when the situation you’re going into is new, without well-established routines or unspoken rituals.

Breaking the mould. In Ireland, there are certain perceptions of church – what it is, who goes to it, what is expected.

These perceptions can deter new people.

Church, as they perceive it, is not for ‘people like them’ – they may fear being judged, not knowing when to stand or sit or any number of things that are second nature to anyone who has been in church

for a long time. In a church plant, which is starting from the start, there is freedom to break the mould, making the church more accessible to those outside it, who may have certain expectations of it.

Geography. When most of our established churches were started, they were started where they were needed – in rural hubs or town centres. They were started where the people were.

The problem is that people have moved.

Fewer people stay in rural settings throughout their lives and more people live in suburbs than in urban centres.

Church plants have the relative freedom of not being tied to a particular building – they can go to where the people are.

None of this means that established churches are becoming redundant or are unable to reach out. Not at all. There are many churches that are thriving, nourishing and growing the body of Christ. The problem comes when we try to separate the Church into categories – church plants and established churches.

We are the body of Christ and we are not in competition with each other. More than that, what one part of the body does has an impact on the other parts. Church plants bring renewed ideas, new family members, new leaders, and new opened doors. We need to rejoice in the building up of the body of Christ, even if our little corner seems to be declining.

The Plant: Donabate Presbyterian Church Andy Carroll leads Donabate Presbyterian Church, which he planted along with half a dozen families from Malahide Presbyterian who lived in the area. A little more than eight years after it started, it has around 200 people as part of its community.

“I became a church planter more out of a desire and sense of call to minister in the Republic of Ireland rather than a sense that I would plant churches. When I was eligible for call, the Board of Mission in Ireland (as it was then) was seeking to call someone to plant a church in North County Dublin. I was excited about the possibility of being involved. Being from the north side of Dublin, this meant I’d be getting the opportunity to bring the gospel to an area that was close to home.

I’ve learned a whole lot from the experience of church planting. Maybe the thing that strikes me most is a renewed understanding of how God is often working in people’s hearts and minds long before they come into contact with a church. Many of the people who have come to faith over the

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years in Donabate were triggered to connect with us through a hunger for God or a longing for answers that wasn’t provoked by us or by any programme or event we were running. For whatever reason, when those longings and questions arose, we were known as a people who might be able to help out.

Church planting allows us to shape our ministry and mission to the contexts in which we find ourselves. Instead of pouring all of our resources of energy and people into ministries designed to maintain Christians or ‘church-going’ people, starting fresh allowed us to shape church life in ways that enabled us to connect with people who had no notion of going to church. Our very existence depended on seeing others becoming disciples of Jesus Christ and using their gifts to lead the church and see it grow further.”

Rev Andy Carroll

Doing it right When it comes to doing new things, there is usually a bit of fear and even reluctance. There are many things about the way Presbyterians have done church for years that work really well. If we move away from established ways of living and sharing the gospel into the new and untested, do we risk changing that gospel, perhaps diluting it to suit our audience and our environment? Any new or different expression of church must keep God, his Word and the gospel central, but, while we don’t change the contents of the package, we can change the package and to draw people in, that’s precisely what we need to do.

Another important factor is the base from which a church plant grows. A new church should not stand alone, but should come from a more established base that can nourish it with support and prayer.

In recognising the importance of planting churches in the right way, PCI has assembled a church planting panel, a group of individuals passionate about seeing new churches spring up. This panel exists to see: • New life in Christ grow across this island, north and south, through the planting or re-planting of churches; • New people trusting in Christ who have a desire and giftedness to lead a planting work; • New places springing up for planting or re-planting in diverse locations with new burdens and energy for planting to be placed on congregations, north and south.

We need to rejoice in the building up of the body of Christ, even if our little corner seems to be declining.

Throughout the early part of this year, Mission in Ireland rallies have taken place across the country, during which, there has been a call to prayer for this new life, these new people and new places. Let’s take up this call and get behind this movement as it gains momentum. Pray that God will lead the right people to the right places. Pray for wisdom and perseverance for those involved. Pray for the church plants that already exist – thank God for his provision and guidance.

When you look at the statistics, when you listen to what society is saying, the story might not look great for the church in Ireland, but in the midst of statistics and secularism, there is hope rising up in the form of church plants – new life, new people coming to God in new places.

Pip Florit is PCI’s Mission Support Officer for Partnerships.

The Plant: Maynooth Community Church In our 12th year as a congregation in Maynooth, we have come to see that there is both a simplicity and a complexity in the work of establishing new churches. The following are some of the basic things that have shaped our development, though we know that it is Jesus who really does the building.

1. Grace-centred community When our new members share what struck them most as they first encountered MCC, they almost always answer with something like “the sense of acceptance and love we felt here.” There is something truly attractive about a community that embodies God’s grace in its interactions and, whatever the size of our congregation, this a resource that we all have full access to.

2. Building bridges with our wider community In thinking about mission, we have always felt God calling us to build connections not just with people but with our town itself. From the earliest days, we have tried to connect with Kildare County Council, our local politicians, Maynooth Community Council, the university, our schools, sports clubs and other local churches. Some of this happened naturally through existing relationships. Some required quite an effort.

So often we expect others to encounter the gospel by crossing our thresholds. Often it is us who need to cross theirs.

3. Every member ministry Every Sunday, around 23 people are involved in our services.

This is both a necessity and a blessing. Participation is a crucial element in discipleship. Creating a place where participation is encouraged, where it is ok to have a go even if it doesn’t work out, helps people to feel included.

4. Service Gaining the trust of our local communities is difficult. This is where service can make such a difference. Our annual arts festival, our Christmas concerts in aid of refugees and our Saint Patrick’s Day breakfasts have been some of our public attempts to serve. Service changes how we are perceived, as well as leading to great opportunities to share our faith.

It has been such a joy to see people come to understand the wonder of God’s grace for themselves. Ministry is often hard and discouraging but amidst our strains and struggles, God continues to draw people to himself and give them a whole new life.

Rev Keith McCrory

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A year in the spotlight As the Moderator begins his last full month in office, PCI’s press officer, Mark Smith, caught up with Charles McMullen to discuss the ‘bird’s-eye view’ that he’s had of the Church this year.

“I

t’s a funny old feeling” was the text I got from the Moderator the night presbyteries met to elect his successor in February. “How do you mean?” I texted back. Given the year that the Church has had, his response may surprise many: “Sad, I suppose that my tenure is now moving to an end. An indication of how much I have enjoyed this year.”

While Dr McMullen admits that it has been more challenging and intense than he had imagined, it has been a year when he has been inspired and excited by what he has seen of the work of the Church across Ireland and overseas. “It may seem a bit twee, but it feels like in many ways that every day has been Christmas Day. “Each day has been special, encouraging and different. I have met all kinds of people and experienced such hospitality, realising that there is a tremendous heart in our Church and that is one word that I would want to emphasise as I step down, this whole idea of ‘heart’, and the overall heart of our denomination is good.

“There is a great love, a great commitment, a great dedication and

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desire to serve the Lord across our congregations, a vibrant beating heart that reflects the rhythms of grace.

This year has given me a renewed passion for the local church and how it is not on its own, but part of a bigger family. It has also shown me and reinforced the overall importance of relationships,” he says.

‘Building relationships, Christ’s love compels us’ – Dr McMullen’s theme for his year in office – has been a constant presence. It has also been a theme that may have seemed a little unfortunate to some, foundering at the General Assembly’s decision to end its symbolic relationship with the Church of Scotland and other controversial issues. While

…there is a tremendous heart in our Church and that is one word that I would want to emphasise as I step down…

hindsight is a wonderful thing, he completely disagrees.

Looking back, he says that his theme came to him on the night of his election.

“Two words struck me: ‘building relationships’. I believe I was given those words, it was as if God said to me, ‘This is right, but it will not be altogether easy… this is very much for the long haul.’ Throughout the General Assembly and the ensuing year, bearing in mind I believe that God gave me this theme and said that it would be for the long haul, it became all the more vital and all the more imperative,” he says.

In the immediate aftermath of the Assembly, with the headlines and general reaction, Dr McMullen says that as he began his engagements and preaching in different congregations, he encountered both “support and heartache” over what had happened.

“Initially when I was elected I might have talked myself into this role by saying it would be a career break from my

congregation for a year, I soon discovered that it wasn’t. As Moderator you try always to listen and weigh things up, and one of the phrases I found myself using in those early days was ‘on the one hand/ on the other’.

“As a Church it is vitally important that we state what we believe in accordance with the Scriptures, but we must also stress the importance of having a pastoral heart and throughout the year perhaps God has given me the grace to respond to the challenges as I have tried to set the tone, always being gentle and consensual,” he explains.

He admits, however, that it has been challenging and that he has been personally stretched in different ways, having had to grapple with many complex issues and deal with the media profile that he was suddenly given.

While some of the work has attracted positive headlines, such as the Church leaders’ initiative to bring Northern Ireland’s politicians together, and attending the state reception in Dublin for Pope Francis, much of it hasn’t attracted the spotlight – yet it has, in his own words, been “life changing”. His overseas tour of Jordan last August and his visit to Greece in particular.

“We went to Jordan to encourage colleagues connected with PCI and it was there that we came face-to-face with Christianity and the rawness of faith in a kind of way that was simply amazing.

In refugee camps we met brothers and sisters in Christ, who had experienced persecution in other parts of the Middle

In the immediate aftermath of the Assembly…Dr McMullen…encountered both “support and heartache” over what had happened.

East, people who had put their needs on the line to serve Jesus. For me, it put a lot into perspective,” he says.

In March he travelled to Greece to meet with representatives of the Greek Evangelical Church. During the visit he also saw first-hand the work of the Church in reaching out to Syrian refugees, which he says he found inspirational and deeply moving.

“On one occasion we visited a church planted right in the heart of a Roma community camped on the edge of the perimeter fence of the local airport, on what really was a rubbish heap – and yet lives were being changed for Jesus Christ,” Dr McMullen explains.

But it wasn’t just in Jordan and Greece that he discovered people making a real difference in demonstrating Christ’s love to others. Throughout his four weeklong presbytery tours, his visits most Sundays to local congregations, touring the denomination’s homes and support units and seeing Presbyterians showing leadership in business, have all given him an incredible bird’s-eye view of life in

PCI, which has also left him “in awe” of his ministerial colleagues.

“As time has gone on I have had a renewed passion for the church of Jesus Christ. We live in a society that is fractured and broken, but the local Christian community of God’s people is very much the hope of the world, something that I have witnessed across our Presbyterian denomination and farther afield.

“I have been inspired by the example of our people, from the exuberance of a thousand teenagers committed to Christ at last year’s ‘MAD’ event in Coleraine, to being so blessed by the long years of Christian witness of the centenarians I have met, and so many faithful people in between,” he says.

So, after such a year, is the Right Reverend Dr Charles McMullen looking forward to hanging up his robes and becoming ‘the Very Reverend’, the subtle change in title that denotes a former Moderator?

He answers thoughtfully, “I’ve seen this year as a marathon sprint and I will keep praying that the Lord will get me safely over the line at the beginning of June.

There will be a certain amount of relief, but it will be tinged with genuine sadness that it has come to an end. But I have run the race, supported so steadfastly by Barbara, by the prayers of many and the awesome power of the Holy Spirit. As a parish minister first and foremost, I will look forward to returning to West, but with memories of an unbelievable year.”

Herald May 2019

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We need young people today...

not tomorrow Graeme Thompson challenges congregations to include young people fully in the life and service of their church.

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ou may have heard some well-meaning person say how we need young people as they are “the church of tomorrow” or perhaps break into song, “I believe that children are our future…” Don’t be surprised if an overhearing youth leader chokes on their post-church coffee, not because young people are unimportant for our future, but because if we miss their importance today, we miss the point entirely.

that troublesome home repair problem?

Did they arrange your home insurance renewal? Did they service your car? Did they perform a medical procedure? Did they teach your child? Did they perform on stage in front of thousands of people?

When we think about it, there are young people performing key tasks in every part of society, often with great skill and responsibility and our significant trust.

Should it be any different in church?

Spot the youth

…there are young people performing key tasks in every part of society…

Should it be any different in church?

Think about your past week – when did you interact with anyone under 25 and what roles did those young people fill?

Did they serve you your low-fat vanilla latte? Did they advise you on your latest fashion purchase? Did they fix

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Every body The Bible describes it in different ways, as in 1 Corinthians 12:27: “Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it” or Romans 12:5: “in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.” There is no age-discrimination in these verses and the clear implication is that we need everyone to function as the church. We miss anyone, we miss out.

Inverness minister Jonathan Frazer highlights another biblical image, the “priesthood of all believers” (1 Peter 2:9), as also transcending age. He quotes Martin Luther: “If you want to look at the Christian, you must not see any differences and must not say: this is a man or a woman, a servant or a master,

old or young, as Paul says (Galatians 3:28)…they are altogether priests.” Frazer believes that approaching youth ministry from this participative angle is more likely to result in genuine and lasting faith in young people.

Endeavour president, Tim Eldred, is a passionate proponent of youth participation and uses a baking analogy.

“Making chocolate chip cookies requires putting chocolate chips in the batter before you bake them. Anything else seems foolish…trying to produce a generation of youth in ministry without putting youth in ministry from the beginning is equally as silly…If we want to see the next generation take ownership of their faith and responsibility for their lives, we must bake that into the process.”

Eldred cites Christian Endeavour founder, Dr Francis E. Clark: “Never do anything for young people they can learn to do for themselves.”

Rules of thumb There are key values to bear in mind when we are facilitating young people’s roles in church life. We must avoid throwing them in at the deep end, instead allowing them to shadow and observe, guiding them as they become more hands-on, and remaining supportively in the background until they become confident. We should bear in mind that young people have specific needs and commitments, especially at certain stages, so it is best not to disrupt those unnecessarily. A healthy approach will gradually train them up to play a full part in the life of our church family, looking for opportunities to involve them from an early age – even children love to be part of church life and be given responsibilities, and not just on children’s day but all year! We also want to make sure that we are not asking the same people too often, as it can be tempting to think of those who are more prominent, more extrovert, or from families we know well. As with adults, there are people with quieter personalities but huge passion and ability, so we may need to ask around to identify them. Often young people just

It is by participating fully in the life of church that our young people learn what it means to belong to Christ... need an opportunity to try something out, without fear of failure or criticism – safe ways to test out and discover is important.

Change of mindset Even if you are convinced of the need to help young people identify and develop their talents and passions, it might be hard to know where to start. Perhaps the most effective idea is to simply do what we do already with a different mindset. Rather than assuming there are some things that young people don’t do, we can think about who can fill all our roles, regardless of age or background.

In whatever area of church life you are involved, think about ways that young people can become a great part of those.

For example, if you organise tea and coffee after church or at church functions, can young people serve alongside the adults, or can families be involved (mindful of health and safety!)? If there is a church work party to clear leaves or cut grass, can young people help? How easy would it be to have young people of any age as part of the welcome team rota? Often young people help meet the audio/visual needs of a church – perhaps they could train others up? Many young people love to play instruments and sing and often congregations find this an excellent way to involve them as part of weekly worship. Some ministers will use members of the congregation for readings and prayers during regular services and will include younger people as part of this.

Perhaps you are a youth leader and you have fallen into a habit of doing everything for or to young people rather than doing it with them. That can feel easier in the short term, but in the longer run it is more beneficial to give young people responsibility and a say in programmes. Tim Eldred says, “This generation of young people are seeking significance and searching for belonging.

Today’s youth are ready to put their faith in Jesus Christ to work and to make a difference with their lives for his cause, but they feel left out by the church.”

In wider church event planning, there may be huge advantages from including young people in arranging a church fun day, residential or social event. The point of this mindset is that we do not consider age as a factor when looking to fill a role. How wonderful it would be if we were no longer surprised to see a young person serving in any particular capacity but it becomes the norm to see people of different ages serve together. Think how much that would impact the life of our churches.

Perhaps you already see this happening in your congregation, but we can only start where we are; there is always some small step we can take to move toward integrating people of every age in the life and service of our churches. It is by participating fully in the life of church that our young people learn what it means to belong to Christ and to serve him in the world.

Graeme Thompson is PCI’s Youth Development Officer.

For resources to assist with youth ministry in your congregation please visit www.presbyterianireland.org/youthandchildren

Herald May 2019

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Sarah Harding chats to Ballymena minister Alistair Bates about his recent venture into writing and the lessons he has learnt in his ministry so far.

B

oxing is probably not a common pastime for PCI ministers, but it earned Alistair Bates the newspaper headline: ‘Rev in the Ring’, when he took part in a charity fundraising boxing match. Having enjoyed boxing from his teenage years, he has now written an autobiographical book, Trading Punches, which takes up the boxing analogy to consider how we are all involved in a fight against the flesh, the world and the devil.

Alistair, who is now minister of Wellington Presbyterian Church in Ballymena, focuses the book on his upbringing, his path into ministry and his time at his first charge, Scrabo Presbyterian in Newtownards. “Life is a mix of blessing and pain,” he says. “I wanted that to come out in the book. We have a very real God who doesn’t always take away the pain, but certainly helps us work through it. Ministers and their families are not exempt from that.”

Early years Growing up, Alistair did not thrive at school as his parents had hoped.

Following a series of humiliations by an unkind teacher, he withdrew into himself and lost all confidence in his abilities, which played out in his exam results. “I felt a failure,” he says. “I felt

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Herald May 2019

disappointment in myself and for my parents. I didn’t realise how painful this was for me until I started to write the book.”

His parents never gave up on him though. “When I could see no future for myself, and even when they could see none for me, Mum and Dad believed that God had plans for me.

That’s how they lived.” Both sacrificed much to support him through his schooling and training, although sadly neither lived to see him ordained. After his mum’s death, his father revealed that when Alistair had been going through some very difficult years, with no direction in his life and no faith to speak of, his mum would lock herself in the bathroom and sob and pray for her son. One evening she emerged at peace, telling her husband that she had asked God to not only save Alistair, but to lead him into full-time ministry.

He says, “She had a deep unwavering conviction that God had spoken and that he would keep his word.”

We have a very real God who doesn’t always take away the pain, but certainly helps us work through it.

A candid account Alistair’s book is refreshingly honest. He is not afraid to look back on his life with a critical eye. He says, “I cringe at the arrogance I had as a young Christian.”

One example he cites is when, at an Elim college, he walked out when a female classmate was presenting her sermon for critique. “I waited for her to get up to speak. As she did, I walked from the back of the class, navigated past her out the door, and closed the door behind me with a firm click. The defender of the faith had left the building.” A respected professor gently pointed out to him that his actions were neither kind nor effective.

Alistair explains, “I’ve turned around completely on this issue but even if I hadn’t – even if I was a complementarian as opposed to an egalitarian in ministry terms – I dread to think that I would ever act like that now.”

Over the years, God has taught Alistair other lessons about arrogance and how this leads to overestimating one’s own abilities. After three months at Scrabo, he was dutifully preaching but his heart and soul were miles away. “Inwardly I bemoaned the fact that people I had trained with were in what I deemed healthier churches and ministries than I was. I was shocked that I had become so envious and jealous of other people’s blessing. The battle within had robbed me of joy.”

Photography by David Cavan

Trading punches

Valerie McGall (Bible study leader) with Alistair

It was after a supernatural encounter one morning that things started to change.

Alistair refers to one particular Sunday: “While waiting to preach, God spoke to me as clearly as if he were standing in the room: ‘Alistair, you can either do this with me or without me. It is your choice.’ It was as stark as that. God had turned up in the link corridor, and his message was unmistakable... That’s when my ministry at Scrabo really began.”

Blessing and pain One of the chapters in the book is entitled ‘Standing back to watch God do extraordinary things’. After Alistair’s experience with God in the link corridor, he began seeking and surrendering to God’s will and found that his ministry started to flourish. Attendance at services increased and the congregation began to develop more ways to reach out to its local community.

Just as things seemed to be going well, however, Alastair soon faced a spiritual attack that drove him to reassess his theology. “It began by receiving unsolicited phone calls at the manse…

Then paranormal activity in the manse began, marked by doors banging, windows opening and footsteps being heard running along the first-floor landing.”

Signs were also showing at church. “Some of the new Christians were beginning to struggle with doubts.”

After conversion, Alistair trained for three years at a Pentecostal Bible college, so he was not unfamiliar with the idea of spiritual attacks. Although he says, “Since leaving the Pentecostal movement I had

basically sidelined all of that. Because I was reformed theologically, I didn’t feel any need or compulsion to explore any of these things. I was a practical cessassionist – I didn’t believe that the gifts of the Holy Spirit were actually still functionally useful today.”

The situation continued for some time and it was only after prayer, fasting and a period of biblical reflection that things began to turn around. He says, “Our church emerged from the battle scarred but victorious.” Alistair points out that as believers we need to be equipped for warfare. “He [God] defends us against the enemy, but he also provides us

…don’t use your shield to batter others. Rather, lock them together and stand firm against the enemy of our souls. with an offensive weapon: the Bible.

Unfortunately, some Christians are weak in their biblical knowledge today.

Consequentially, they are weak in every battle.”

Alistair describes himself as a ‘convinced evangelical’ but is keen to avoid certain labels because they can be divisive. He says, “Labels are also exceptionally limited as there are so many nuances in theological interpretation.” He has learnt from experience just how the devil will exploit division and so is mindful of not allowing a foothold to form. “If you want a strong church, don’t use your shield to batter others. Rather, lock

them together and stand firm against the enemy of our souls.”

Passion for preaching Alistair’s passion for ministry, and in particular for preaching is clearly evident.

He says, “Before I step into the pulpit to preach, I kneel to pray. This is no empty ritual. It reminds me that I am here because he took a broken life and is repairing it. It reminds me that the message I am about to deliver can change lives.”

His advice for any men or women entering ministry is: “Love your people – spend time with them and develop a heart for them. I believe that as a pastor, unless you truly know what people are going through, it cannot inform your preaching in a way that it should.”

Alistair moved from Scrabo to Wellington Presbyterian in 2013, and although they are very different congregations in many ways, he quickly realised, “People are the same everywhere.

I feel God has been teaching me that it’s never about me. Scrabo wasn’t about me and Wellington isn’t about me. I still wake up some days and say to God: ‘You are such a God of grace and love.

Whatever anyone thinks of me – good or ill – I am only ever effective because of what you have done.’”

Alistair’s story is both a challenging and inspiring one. In Trading Punches he encourages readers: “We are all on a journey to a deeper walk, a richer faith in God. I hope your fears will give way to confidence as you realise that the coach in your corner is the greatest of all time – Jesus Christ.”

The following publications by Alistair Bates are available from www.timelesspublications.co.uk or amazon.co.uk Trading Punches: Fighting the flesh, the world, and the devil £8.99

Halloween: Happy holiday or dangerous deception? £6.99

Against the backdrop of James 4, Trading Punches traces Alistair Bates’ dramatic shift from a youth failing at life to finding his fulfillment in God.

Alistair examines four common responses from churches today and calls on faith leaders to consider what is at stake when popular holidays are incorporated into Christian belief and practice. Can Halloween be redeemed or should families reject the holiday completely?

Defiant Hope £6.99 The dying words of Jesus on the cross brought hope in the midst of despair.

In Defiant Hope, Alistair explores these words in detail and presents a picture of grace and relentless love.

Herald May 2019

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REVIEWS

Unless otherwise stated all resources are available from your local Faith Mission Bookshop or online www.fmbookshops.com

Indescribable: 100 devotions about God and science Louie Giglio and Nicola Anderson

Holy Roar Chris Tomlin CAPITOL CMG

£12.99

«««««

Chris Tomlin is an undisputed stalwart of worship through song.

He has recorded 15 albums and sold more than seven million records worldwide. In fact, according to Time Magazine, he may be the most sung recording artist of all time! So this latest album, Holy Roar, comes with high expectations which, for the most part, Tomlin fulfils.

The idea of a ‘holy roar’ is, along the vein of many of Tomlin’s pieces, a cry of adoration for God. As well as being the title track, the theme is revisited throughout the album.

Fans will recognise the guitarbased, rock/pop style and the posture of God-focused worship that is familiar from hits like Indescribable and How Great is Our God. However, there are a couple of collaborations with other artists that I particularly enjoyed. I Stand in Awe, featuring Nicole Serrano, and How Sweet It Is, featuring Pat Barrett, were among my favourites on the album, with a slower, more stripped-down sound than many of the other tracks.

One of the things I often look for in a worship album is how singable the pieces would be for the whole congregation, including children, and I think a lot of these pieces are very singable. One in particular that stood out was Nobody Loves Me Like You, a simple but beautiful piece that children could easily pick up. Most of the songs have fairly straightforward lyrics, often based on biblical text, and melodies that are easy to pick up, as we have come to expect from Tomlin.

LI

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THOMAS NELSON

£12.99

«««««

Louie Giglio is an American author and pastor who has written a devotions book to help children discover the wonder of God’s creation. These devotions are based on popular messages that Giglio has delivered previously to adults.

Giglio aims to encourage children to awe at the creativity of God through looking at space, galaxies, planets and stars; earth, geology, oceans and weather; animals and humans. He suggests experiments, explains science and helps to discover the wonder of the universe.

Giglio writes, “God orchestrates time, creates light and speaks things into existence – from the largest stars to the smallest fish. God is a powerful, personal, unparalleled God.” The devotional will not only grab children’s attention, but will help them to wonder at the creation of God that they see every day. Often Christianity and science are seen as opposing arguments, but this devotional can help children to see that science can help us understand more about ourselves, the world, and – most importantly – our Creator.

This book was also given to every group that attended Kids’ Big Day Out 2019, which also had a science theme to help children understand more of who God is and what he has done for us. We want children to continue to learn and discover the awesomeness of the God who loves them personally. This book would make a great gift for any primaryaged child, whether from family or as an end of year gift given at children’s day in a congregation.

RB

Defiant Hope Alistair Bates

TIMELESS PUBLICATIONS AVAILABLE FROM WWW.TIMELESSPUBLICATIONS.CO.UK/SHOP

£6.99

«««««

“During the agony of the cross, where fear, despair, and heart-pounding sadness filled the air, Jesus’ dying words brought hope in the midst of despair. Jesus extended grace and hope to us all.”

Against the backdrop of Jesus’ crucifixion, Defiant Hope examines the final statements of Christ, spoken from the cross, and how they point to a radical hope that defies expectations. Taking each statement in turn, Bates unfolds the deeper spiritual meaning behind Christ’s words, putting us in the shoes of those who overheard and directing us to see the light of God’s relentless love playing out in the midst of the darkness and grief of Golgotha.

With each chapter focusing on a specific statement (for example, to the thief on the cross, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise”), Bates closes each chapter with three sub-sections: points to ponder; life blog; and life application.

Containing a mix of ‘Bible-study’ style questions and some examples from the author’s life, these concluding sections help to drive the reader onwards in considering how this defiant hope in the gospel should shape our attitudes and actions, towards God and others.

Defiant Hope is a book that points to the light of God’s grace in a world of suffering and darkness. As Bates writes, “We do not grieve as those without hope but rejoice in a sure and certain resurrection.” This examination of Christ’s final statements from the cross are a worthy addition to the existing volumes on this topic.

PA

REVIEWERS

PA – Phil Alcorn is an administrative officer for the Herald RB – Ruth Bromley is PCI’s Children’s Development Officer

The Right to be Ridiculed Andrew Conway

ONWARDS AND UPWARDS PUBLISHERS

£6.99

«««««

The question has arisen over the past decade about the ‘right to ridicule’ – is it fair to ridicule the beliefs and opinions of others, perhaps in the hope of exposing nonsensical or illogical arguments? While this could be argued back and forth, states Conway, one right Christians are most certainly granted by Christ is the right to be ridiculed.

Using Matthew 5:11-12 as a basis, Conway gives a beautifully simple, yet beautifully insightful, overview of how a follower of Jesus should respond to facing ridicule for their faith. Tackling the topic in a mature and upfront manner, he begins by making clear that we are to expect ridicule for following Christ, and is realistic about the fact that ridicule hurts.

Yet, much like a parent comforting a child, Conway gently directs our gaze back to Christ – to the very real comfort he gives, and the great reward that awaits us in heaven.

A real highlight of the book is how Conway concludes each chapter with a section entitled ‘Use’. Following in the puritan (and biblical!) pattern of majoring on application, each ‘Use’ section contains four key lessons for the practical outworking of the spiritual insights laid out in the previous half of the chapter.

I found myself consistently both challenged and comforted when reading this book – challenged to all the more boldly proclaim my faith, and comforted in the grace of Christ, who calls me onward. Whether we face persecution or ridicule, Conway has reminded us – Jesus is always completely worth it.

PA

LS – Louise Smith is part of the worship team at Lowe Memorial LI – Louise Irwin is part of the worship team at Kirkpatrick Memorial SH – Sarah Harding is the editor of the Herald

Victory Bethel Music BETHEL MUSIC

£12.99

«««««

This is the latest release from Bethel Music, the worship collective born out of the Bethel megachurch in California, and features 14 live recordings. The list of credits reads like a who’s who of contemporary worship music, with Bethel stalwarts like Cory Asbury being joined by Chris Tomlin, Phil Wickham, and Ed Cash among others. The result is an album that is incredibly diverse in style and tone, with songs sharing the underlying theme of God’s

How to Pray Pete Greig

HODDER & STOUGHTON

£13.99

«««««

This is definitely one of the best books on prayer I have read. Pete Greig’s promise of ‘a simple guide for normal people’ completely delivers. His latest book is down-to-earth and straightforward but also inspiring – you’ll be torn between not wanting to put it down and, on the other hand, laying it aside so you can get down to praying!

ultimate victory in our lives.

With tracks dating back as far as 2015, some may be familiar to you already (such as Living Hope). This album presents them as live collective worship experiences, although as ever with live recordings, the line between worshipping and performing can be problematic.

Highlights include opening track Raise a Hallelujah and Molly Skaggs’ reinterpretation of Ain’t No Grave. This piece of traditional gospel Americana is reconstructed as a slow-burning bluesy stomper with epic slide guitar. In true Bethel style, both of these songs pitch in at eight minutes in length. Daniel Bashta’s Drenched in Love is another cracker, built around the chorus of the hymn Nothing but the Blood, and Jenn Johnson’s Goodness of God is the pick lyrically of the mellower numbers.

With such diversity this album covers a lot of ground. While not all of the songs are equally impactful lyrically, there is something here for everyone – whether you are looking for fresh inspiration for your Sunday praise or you just want a good singalong in your car.

LS Pete explores three key pieces of advice: keep it simple, keep it real and keep it up. He also guides us in our approach to prayer, taking us through four helpful stages (P.R.A.Y.): pause, rejoice, ask, and yield. He points out that prayer is difficult and needs to be learnt – even the disciples had to ask Jesus, “Teach us to pray”. Pete encourages us to also ask this: “Pray for prayer. Pray until you can really pray.”

He has a refreshing way of expressing what an authentic prayer life should look like and how it is unique to us as individuals: “God invites you to pray simply, directly, and truthfully in the full and wonderful weirdness of the way he’s actually made you.” He highlights the need for us to be honest with God and to incorporate prayer and relationship with him throughout every aspect of our day.

This book will inspire you that prayer is not a chore, a wish list or a tick box exercise, but rather a vibrant, exciting, and essential tenet for a life of faith.

SH

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LIFE IN PCI

Retirement in Raffrey William (Billy) Morrow recently retired as clerk of session of Raffrey Presbyterian Church after 24 years of service. He was presented with a copy of the Reformation Bible and a gift from the congregation by Rev Brian Small (minister of the Co Down church).

New minister in First Dromara Rev Scott Moore has been installed as the new minister in First Dromara.

He is pictured with Rev Gareth McFadden (moderator of Dromore Presbytery), Rev John Davey (clerk), Rev Kenny Hanna (convener) and commission members from Dromore Presbytery.

Due to the increased use of small digital and phone cameras we are having to reject some of the photos due to their quality or size. Digital images should have a minimum resolution of 2000x1500 pixels (approx 7x5 inches) at 300dpi and be the original, unedited image.

Further information can be found in our submission guidelines at www.presbyterianireland.org/herald

Queen’s Badges presented at Granshaw Logan Milligan, Jordan Brown, Peter McCreery and Garrett Robinson receive their Queen’s Badges from their mums at the Granshaw BB display in Co Down.

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Birthday milestone in Randalstown

New elders in Killinchy

Susie Houston, of OC Presbyterian, Randalstown, celebrated her 100th birthday with Dr Donald Patton (former Moderator and minister emeritus), Rev Jonathan Sloan (current minister of the Co Antrim church) and PCI Moderator Dr Charles McMullen.

Six new elders have been ordained and installed in Killinchy Presbyterian.

They are pictured with Rev Hiram Higgins, Rev Mark Spratt, Dr Annes Nel (minister of the Co Down church), Morna McGibbon (clerk of session) and members of Down Presbytery commission.

Herald May 2019

To share good news stories from your congregation please send your photographs and details to herald@presbyterianireland.org

Retirement in Cregagh Bobby Irvine (centre) recently stood down as WFO convener at Cregagh Presbyterian Church in Belfast after many years of service in that role.

Dennison Mahood (clerk of session emeritus) and Rev Edward McKenzie presented him with a framed photograph of the newly refurbished church building on behalf of the congregational committee.

Thanksgiving service in First Ballymoney Pat Crossley (hon secretary/support officer, MS Society, Ballymoney and District Branch) is pictured with PCI Moderator Dr Charles McMullen and Joan Christie (Her Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant for the County of Antrim) at a MS service of thanksgiving held in First Ballymoney Presbyterian Church.

Chaplain ordained in Cooke Centenary Jonathan Charles Newell has been ordained and inducted as a chaplain to Her Majesty’s Forces (RAF) in Cooke Centenary Church, where he had been an assistant minister since September 2015. During the service, the charge to Rev Newell and the congregation, delivered by Dr Patton Taylor, was encouraging and inspirational. The congregation presented Mr Newell with clergy ceremonial robes at the reception which followed.

Mr Newell is pictured with his wife Michelle.

Retirement in Burnside Frances Bleakley (centre) has retired as leader of Burnside PW. She is pictured being presented with a gift and flowers by group leader Anne Freeman (left) and Deirdre Gregg (right) at the annual PW dinner.

Anniversary service in First Comber An anniversary service to celebrate 70 years of PW in First Comber was held recently. Jenny Clegg, a retired deaconess, was the guest speaker. PW originated from the Women’s Work Party, which was founded by Adela Hamilton in 1949, later becoming the Presbyterian Women’s Association.

She served as president for 36 years. Pictured are members of First Comber PW with the guest speaker after the service.

Herald May 2019

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LIFE IN PCI

Long service marked in Kilkinamurry Unbroken attendance rewarded in Largy Poppy Crown received a Bible to mark 10 years of unbroken attendance at Largy Sunday school. She is pictured with Peter Currie (Sunday school superintendent) and Dr Clive Glass (minister of the Co Londonderry church).

Presentation in Mosside Mosside Presbyterian Church recently presented a gift to Morris Smith in recognition of his 10 years as BB captain. Pictured are Mabel Morrison (clerk of session in the Co Antrim church), Mr Smith, Linda Smith and David Rowe (the new BB captain).

Kilkinamurry Presbyterian Church members have thanked Margery Adams for her long and faithful service as PW treasurer (32 years) and Wider World secretary (50 years). Mrs Adams took on the Wider World role just after she joined the Co Down congregation on the occasion of her marriage to John, keeping the role in the family as the previous secretary was also a Mrs Adams – her mother-in-law May. To recognise her service, Rev Philip Cleland, on behalf of the congregation, presented Mrs Adams with a beautiful bouquet of flowers. Mrs Adams (front left) is pictured with her daughter Karen Quigley and clerk of session Mervyn Copes, Mr Cleland and John Adams.

Presentation in Trinity Rev David Irvine presented a painting of the church building to Victor McLean in recognition of his 20 years’ faithful service as clerk of session in Trinity Presbyterian Church, Ballymoney.

Groomsport donation Members of Groomsport Presbyterian Women have sent 16 boxes of medical and educational supplies to Malawi.

This is the 30th year such aid has been sent from the Co Down church to Malawi. The PW members are always overwhelmed by the generosity of the church congregation and members of the community who all contribute to these parcels.

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Herald May 2019

Irvinestown, Tempo and Pettigo Presbyterian Churches invite you to our

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For numbers of 15 or over a reservation would be appreciated.

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This will include a wonderful display of dresses from our three parishes – from the very old to the very new!

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Herald May 2019

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info@glenada.co.uk www.glenada.co.uk P: 028 4372 2402

Would you like a speaker for your Congregation or Church group?

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29 South Promenade Newcastle Co. Down BT33 0EX

CROSSWORD

90x130 Meth.Glenada Ad.indd 1

10/02/2017 19:12:45

Puzzle no 250 1

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ACROSS 1 Close-fitting sight enhancers (7,6) 8 Could be a dog, a car or a tin of biscuits! (5) 9 A biblical desert area (5) 10 A shortened Philip (3) 11 University class (7) 13 Label (3) 15 One of the Great Lakes (4) 16 Anger (3) 17 To choose by voting (5) 19 Paul’s final destination (4) 21 Alkali’s opposite (4) 22 Latin for king (3) 23 A popular small car (4) 24 To gain a benefit (4) 27 And so on (3) 28 A four-wheeled carriage (6) 29 Cotton thread (4) 30 Two acting in unison (6) 31 Cork’s river (3)

DOWN 1 Our religion (12) 2 The 11th month (8) 3 Flowers might be in one (11) 4 Police stunner (5) 5 He was the fastest milkman in the west (5) 6 This happened to Paul (11) 7 Jesus is a great one (8) 12 Auditory organ (3) 14 Ancient means of recording the Bible (6) 18 A dictionary (7) 20 Where the Magi journeyed from (6) 24 Royal Naval Reserve (initials) (3) 25 Car rescuers! (2) 26 Blessed are the …. in heart (4)

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compiled by Harry Douglas

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March 2019

39

REFLECTIONS

White Saviour Betsy Cameron

I

grew up in a time and a place in which the pigment of your themselves. I get that. The ‘optics’, as we say now, are difficult, skin determined so much about your life. That’s how it was, perpetuating an idea of Africans as passive victims and recalling and as wrong as it so obviously is now, it was difficult back the tensions of the colonial past. then to imagine a world in which colour did not matter.

Many of you have gone to other countries, especially those in We struggled as a society and still do to this day to live without Africa, to give of your time, energy and talents. Amazing work barrier, prejudice or hatred. For me, personally, of course life was has been done and, yes, this is a good thing. But – oh, I want easy. As a white person, I sailed through without experiencing to be so careful here – it also raises many difficult and vexing the burden of intense, often hostile, scrutiny by others or having questions. These countries – complex, diverse, rich in culture, to figure out what others might be thinking about me. shaped by history, economics and geography – are not there When I went to Malawi to live, though, I got to experience for us to visit as ‘poverty tourists’. We must do more than react what it means to be the different one. The one people stare at. with simplistic emotions of pity, however heartfelt, and then Everywhere. All the time. The one who return home determined to see afresh how makes small children cry. The one who blessed we are. The lesson for us to observe It is for us to ask hard could never fade into the woodwork and is not ‘they have so little, but they’re so just, even for a little while, stop being questions. Why do I have happy’ as if our life’s ‘challenge’ is learning an object of curiosity. I remember once to be happy in our comfort and prosperity. when a small toddler ran from me towards so much and others have It is for us to ask hard questions. Why do the safety of his mother, screaming and so little? Is my prosperity I have so much and others have so little? sobbing, “Mzungu!” (white person) – Is my prosperity connected to the poverty except that it came out “Jungu!” (pumpkin). connected to the poverty of others? What systems are in place that I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. stack the deck against the developing of others?

If we were under never-ending scrutiny ‘two-thirds world’? Is this the world God for looking different, our white skins also wants? opened doors and brought us undeserved favour. I remember Another question we need to ask ourselves is: what can people going on a supplies-buying trip with the headmistress of our from other parts of the world teach us? We need humility, boarding school, a remarkable, no-nonsense Scottish woman curiosity and open-mindedness. We think we can arrive as who had been in Malawi for years. At that time, there were outsiders with answers to hugely intractable problems instead sugar shortages in Malawi, a sugar-producing country, because of realising that we, too, need to learn. Perhaps you watched everything was exported. We joined a very long, weary queue the recent documentary about Africa made by actor and to buy big bales of sugar for our staff and students. I know presenter Ade Adepitan. Travelling the length and breadth of this doesn’t seem like a crucial necessity, but it is hard for a the continent, he showed us Africa as we may never have seen it Malawian to imagine a cup of tea, milky and smoky from the before and celebrated the gifts, skills and energy of the people. fire, without the requisite sugar. Anyhow, we were spotted To that I say, “Amen!” I remember Malawians for their quickly by staff – well, by everyone – and ushered with great determination, their graciousness and their entrepreneurial ceremony to the top of the queue, to the anger and frustration energy. They were resourceful problem-solvers, even with the of all those people who had been waiting for hours. I can’t think flimsiest of resources, and creative thinkers. The pupils we of a time when I have wanted so much to disappear. taught were motivated and engaged, with a drive to learn that Skin pigment has been a topic of debate in the news in recent was inspiring. months, from the discussion of the ‘white saviour’ stereotype Should we be involved in God’s mission in the world? Of in fundraising efforts to the ‘whitewashing’ of race relations in course! Should it matter what colour skin we have when we this year’s Oscar winner for Best Picture, Green Book. I have respond to the need of another? Of course not! Paul reminds us followed these stories with interest. MP David Lammy, in the in Galatians that those distinctions we make – status, gender, run-up to this year’s Comic Relief, criticised the practice of race – are ultimately irrelevant in the uniting love of Christ, fronting white celebrities to tell the stories of impoverished who makes us one.

Africans, portrayed as helpless victims unable to speak for

Herald May 2019

47

CHURCH RECORD VACANT CONGREGATIONS, MODERATORS AND CLERKS OF KIRK SESSIONS (Information supplied by Clerks of Presbyteries, Conveners of Assembly Commissions and Councils).

1 LEAVE TO CALL GRANTED AGHADOWEY & CROSSGAR: REV. DR. MARK GOUDY: (Aghadowey) Mr. William Knox, 46A Mullaghinch Road, Aghadowey, Coleraine, BT51 4AT. (Crossgar) Mr. William Reid, 87 Broomhill Park, Coleraine, BT51 3AN. BAILIEBOROUGH, FIRST; BAILIEBOROUGH, TRINITY, CORRANEARY & ERVEY: (Reviewable Tenure - 7 years) REV. D.T.R. EDWARDS: (Bailieborough, First) Mr. Fred Gilmore, Lisgar, Bailieborough.

(Bailieborough, Trinity) Mr. Bert Coote, Kells Road, Bailieborough. (Corraneary) Mr. Eddie Martin, Ardmone, Canningstown, Cootehill. (Ervey) Miss Jean Archibald, Largy, Drumcondrath, Co. Meath.

BALLYGAWLEY & BALLYREAGH: REV. D.W. REID: (Ballygawley) Mr. Paul Coote, 2 Alexander Drive, Aughnacloy, BT69 6DP. (Ballyreagh) Mr. Trevor McDaniel, 120 Mullaghmore Road, Dungannon, BT70 1RD. BALLYGILBERT: REV. J.M. BROWNE: Mr. Alastair Vance, 1a Seahill Road, Holywood, BT18 0DA. BALLYMONEY, FIRST: REV. K.D.W. CROWE: Mr. Neil Robinson, 15 Kirk Road, Ballymoney, BT53 6PP. BALTEAGH & BOVEVAGH: REV. J.G. JONES: (Balteagh) Mr. William Robinson, 46 Drumaduff Road, Maine South, Limavady, BT49 OPT. (Bovevagh) Mr. Boyd Douglas, 279 Drumrane Road, Dungiven, Co Londonderry, BT47 4NL. BLACKROCK & BRAY: (Reviewable Tenure - 7 years) REV. R.H. HOUSTON: (Blackrock) Mrs. Merle White, “Carnalea”, 71 Foxrock Manor, Dublin 8, D18 H2XA. (Bray) Mr. Karsten Lux, 73 Castlegate Apt., Castle Street, Dublin 2, D02 RC83.

BOARDMILLS, TRINITY: REV. S.A. WOODBURN: Mr. Adrian Patterson, 41 Cabra Road, Legacurry, Hillsborough, BT26 6NB. CAIRNALBANA & GLENARM: (Reviewable Tenure - 5 years) REV. D.A. MCMILLAN: (Cairnalbana) Mr. B. Alexander, 84 Drumcrow Road, Glenarm, BT44 0DL. (Glenarm) Mr. D. Preston, 42 Rossburn Manor, Connor, BT42 3RB. CARLISLE ROAD & CROSSROADS: (Reviewable Tenure – 7 years) REV. K.H. HIBBERT: (Carlisle Road) Mr. Ivor Ferguson, 24 Riverside Park, Altnagelvin, Londonderry, BT47 3RU. (Crossroads) Mr. Richard Russell, 31 Creevagh Road, Londonderry, BT48 9XB.

KILBRIDE: REV. D.T. McNEILL: Mr. Alistair Lamont, Church Office, Kilbride Presbyterian Church, 12 Moyra Road, Doagh, Ballyclare, BT39 0SD. LISSARA: (Reviewable Tenure – 7 years) REV. W.H. HIGGINS: Mr. Matthew Cuffey, 227 Derryboy Road, Crossgar, Downpatrick BT30 9DL. MARKETHILL, FIRST & SECOND: REV. N.J.E. REID: Mr. Ken Toal, 9 Magherydogherty Road, Markethill, BT60 1TX. MOSSIDE & TOBERDONEY: REV. A.J. BUICK: (Mosside) Mrs. Mabel Morrison, 284 Moyarget Road, Mosside, Ballymoney, BT53 8EH. (Toberdoney) Mr. Hugh Hill, 5 Castle Park, Deffrick, Ballymoney, BT53 8EW. RAMELTON & KILMACRENNAN: REV. C.M. WILSON: (Ramelton) Mr. David Armour, Loughnagin, Letterkenny, Co Donegal. (Kilmacrennan) Mr. Nathaniel Rogers, Gortnavern, Coolboy, Letterkenny, Co Donegal.

SAINTFIELD ROAD: REV. DR. IAN HART: Mr. Alistair McCracken, 19 Beaufort Crescent, Belfast, BT8 7UA. ST. ANDREW’S, BELFAST: (Reviewable Tenure – 7 years) REV. M.R. BURNSIDE: Mrs. Edith McCallum, 115 Comber Road, Dundonald, BT16 2BT.

2 LEAVE TO CALL DEFERRED GORTNESSY: REV. J.S. McCREA: Mr. Ross Hyndman, 32 Temple Road, Strathfoyle, Londonderry, BT47 6UB. RICHVIEW: (Part-Time (60%); Reviewable Tenure – 5 Years) REV. N.S. HARRISON: Mr. Victor Garland, 25 Abingdon Drive, Belfast, BT12 5PX.

SETTLED STATED SUPPLY APPOINTED BALLINDERRY: REV. W.J. HENRY, Minister of Maze BOVEEDY: REV. DR. T.J. McCORMICK, Minister of 1st Kilrea

CARROWDORE & BALLYFRENIS AND BALLYBLACK: (Deferred Linkage) REV. S.A. LITTLE: (Carrowdore & BallyFrenis) Mr Herbert Robinson, 9 Islandhill Road, Millisle, BT22 2BS. (Ballyblack) Mr. Alex Warden, 92 Bowtown Road, Newtownards, BT23 8SL.

CAHIR: REV. WILLIAM MONTGOMERY, Minister of Fermoy

CASTLEWELLAN & LEITRIM: (Reviewable Tenure – 5 years) REV. N.J. KANE: (Castlewellan) Mr. Desmond Wilson, 44 Ballylough Road, Castlewellan, BT31 9NN. (Leitrim) Mr. Drew Harte, 100 Carrigagh Road, Dromara, BT25 2HR.

KILREA SECOND: REV. S.A. MORROW, Minister of Moneydig

CAVANALECK & AUGHENTAINE: (Reviewable Tenure - 7 years) REV. W.D. CUPPLES: (Cavanaleck) Dr. Charles McKibbin, Cooneen Old Rectory, 9 Tattenabuddagh Lane, Fivemiletown, BT75 0NW. (Aughentaine) Mr. John McCrory, Screeby Road, Fivemiletown, BT75 0TP. COOKSTOWN, FIRST: REV. D.S. BROWNLOW: Mr. Gordon Black, 21 The Dales, Cookstown, BT80 8TF.

48

GLENDERMOTT: REV. K.A. JONES: Mr. George Walker, 3 Beverley Gardens, Londonderry, BT47 5PJ.

KATESBRIDGE: REV. N.J. KANE, Minister of Magherally

TYRONE’S DITCHES: REV. J.K.A. McINTYRE, Minister of Bessbrook

3 DECLARED VACANT ARKLOW: REV. GARY McDOWELL: Mrs. Emily Kearon, Malindi, Sea Road, Arklow.

CULNADY & SWATRAGH: REV. D.W. LEACH: (Culnady) Mr. Robert Kyle, 75 Culnady Road, Upperlands, BT46 7TN. (Swatragh) Mr. Ivan Bolton, 55 Barnside Road, Swatragh, BT46 5QS.

ARMOY & RAMOAN: REV. NOEL McCLEAN: (Armoy) Mrs. Ann Campbell, 77B Bregagh Road, Armoy, Ballymoney, BT53 8TP. (Ramoan) Mr. Robert Getty, 23 Carrowcroey Road, Armoy, Ballymoney, BT53 8UH.

DROMORE, FIRST: REV. R.A. LIDDLE: Mr. Cecil Gamble, 12 Diamond Road, Dromore, BT25 1PQ.

BALLYCAIRN: REV. ROBERT LOVE: Mr. J.B. Milligan, 19 Glenariff Drive, Dunmurry, BT17 9AZ.

DUNDALK: (Home Mission - Reviewable Tenure - 5 years) REV. T.D. HAGAN: Mr. David Redmond, Corderry House, Knockbridge, Dundalk, Co. Louth.

BALLYCARRY: REV HEATHER RENDELL: Mrs Daphne Bashford, 36 Island Road, Ballycarry, Carrickfergus, BT38 9JE

Herald May 2019

Editor’s Note: Information for this page is supplied by the General Secretary’s Department.

Vacancies for Conveners of Commissions, councils and committees of the General Assembly are online at www.presbyterianireland.org/convenerships BALLYHOBRIDGE, CLONES, NEWBLISS & STONEBRIDGE: REV. C.G. ANDERSON: (Ballyhobridge) Mr. David Jordan, Drumboghamagh, Newtownbutler, BT92 8LL. (Clones) Mr. Tom Elliott, Bellmount, Newtownbutler, BT92 6LT. (Newbliss) Mr. Thomas McConkey, Killyfuddy, Newbliss, Co. Monaghan.

(Stonebridge) Mr. Gerald Mackarel, Roughfort, Clones, Co. Monaghan.

BELVOIR: REV. B.J. McCROSKERY: Mr. Brian Dunwoody, 19 Drumart Drive, Belfast, BT8 7ET. BURT: REV. JAMES LAMONT: Mr. James Buchanan, Heathfield, Burt, Lifford, Co. Donegal.

CAIRNCASTLE: REV. R.I. CARTON: Mr. Cowper Lynas, 2 Croft Heights, Ballygally, Larne, BT40 2QS. CARNDONAGH, GREENBANK, MALIN & MOVILLE: REV. DR. DAVID LATIMER: (Carndonagh) Mr. David McKeague, Claggan, Culdaff, Co. Donegal. (Greenbank) Mr. Campbell Armstrong, Whitecastle, Quigley’s Point, Co. Donegal. (Malin) Mrs. Barbara Smyth, Dunross, Culdaff, Co. Donegal. (Moville) Mr. Joseph McNeely, Rock House, Lecamey, Carndonagh, Co. Donegal.

COAGH, BALLYGONEY & SALTERSLAND: REV. T.W.A. GREER: (Coagh) Mrs. Amy Allingham, 17 Coagh Road, Cookstown, BT80 8RL. (Ballygoney) Ms. Essie Hessin, 10A Ballyloughan Road, Moneymore, Magherafelt, BT45 7YB. (Saltersland) Mr. Matt Hyndman, 4 Brennan Court, Magherafelt, BT45 6AT. CRUMLIN ROAD: VERY REV. DR. T.N. HAMILTON: Mr. James Coleman, 2 Abbeydale Parade, Belfast, BT14 7HJ. DERVOCK REV. R.M. MOODY: Mr. John Surgenor, 82 Toberdoney Road, Dervock, Ballymoney, BT53 8DH. DRUMBANAGHER, FIRST AND JERRETTSPASS & KINGSMILLS: REV. B.D. COLVIN: (Drumbanager, First and Jerrettspass) Mr. George Moffett, 16 Glen Road, Jerrettspass, Newry, BT34 1SP. (Kingsmills) Mr. Raymond McCormick, 119 Kingsmills Road, Bessbrook, Newry, BT35 7BP. INCH: REV. JAMES LAMONT: Mr. James Buchanan, Heathfield, Speenoge, Burt, Co. Donegal, F93 W3K6.

Clerks of presbytery please note: Only material received by the General Secretary’s Department by the first Friday of the month can be included in the Church Record.

KELLS: (Home Mission) REV. DAVID NESBITT: Ms. Ruth McCartney, Shancarnan, Moynalty, Kells, Co Meath.

A82 PF60.

TOBERMORE & DRAPERSTOWN: REV. DR. J.A. CURRY: (Draperstown) Mr. Gordon Dickson Jnr, 7 Strawmore Road, Draperstown, BT45 7JE.

THE ELDERSHIP Ordained & Installed: KILLINCHY: Alison Galbraith, Dickson Hall, Robert Humphries, Doreen Neagle, Janet Smyth, Patrick Smyth TEMPLEPATRICK: Danny Bill, Karen Boyce, Wilma Mackarel, Colin McClean BALLYEASTON SECOND: Margaret Boyd, Eric Cooper, Susan Drummond, Simon Harkness, Ruth Stevenson DUNDROD: Gareth Bell, Jo Dunlop, Rob Dunlop, John Irvine, Alison McClure, Marguerite Ramsey MUCKAMORE: Bobbie Goudy BALLYLENNON: David Crawford, James McKean, James Robb CARRICKFERGUS FIRST: Carol Carson, Pamela Forsythe, Thomas Galway MIDDLETOWN: Alastair Heatrick DRUMLEGAGH: Maurice Adams, Janette Beattie, Ian Beattie MOUNTJOY: Elaine Catterson, Glenda Ewing, Kenneth McFarland Installed: DRUMLEGAGH: John Magee BALLYEASTON SECOND: David Beattie Died: CROAGHMORE: Mary Warner LISSARA: William Robinson RANDALSTOWN OC: John Stewart, Natt Nesbitt, Thomas Nicholl TEMPLEPATRICK: Thomas McSorley RANDALSTOWN FIRST: Willie Walker HIGH STREET, ANTRIM: Ivan Gillespie MAGHERAMASON: Noel McCrea STRABANE: Hill Robinson DERRY FIRST: William Loughlin

KILKENNY: REV. WILLIAM MONTGOMERY: Mr. John Ellis, Annamult, Stoneyford, Co. Kilkenny.

THE MINISTRY

MAY STREET: REV. GRAEME FOWLES: Mr. Arthur Acheson, 56 Quarry Road, Belfast, BT4 2NQ.

Resigned: Rev Gabrielle Farquhar, Minister of Ballycarry, on 1 April 2019 Rev Simon Henning, Minister Without Charge, on 10 March 2019

NEWINGTON: REV. DR. I.D. NEISH: Mr. John Lynass, 8 Bushfoot Park, Portballintrae, BT57 8YX. RYANS & BROOKVALE: REV. F.J. GIBSON: (Ryans) Miss Nora Hamilton, Rathfriland Manor Nursing Home, Rossconor Terrace, Rathfriland, BT34 5DJ. (Brookvale) Mr. Norman McCrum, 49 Ballynamagna Road, Rathfriland, Newry, BT34 5PA. SESKINORE & EDENDERRY: REV. C.F.C. CLEMENTS: (Seskinore) Mr. J.A. Patterson, 119 Letfern Road, Seskinore, BT78 2JU. (Edenderry) Mrs. Muriel Good, 14 Racolpa Road, Mountfield, Omagh, BT79 0HU. VINECASH: REV. DR. MICHAEL McCLENAHAN: Mr. Thomas Graham, 38 Richmount, Portadown, BT62 4JQ. WARRENPOINT & ROSTREVOR: REV. S.A. FINLAY: (Warrenpoint) Mr. Denis Brady, 28 Seaview, Warrenpoint, Newry, BT34 3NJ. (Rostrevor) Mr. Terry O’Flynn, 15 Aurora Na Mara, Rostrevor, Newry, BT34 3UP.

TEMPORARY STATED SUPPLY ARRANGEMENT BELVILLE: REV D.S. HENRY: Mr. Jack Parks, 95 Dromore Road, Hillsborough, BT26 6HU. DONEGORE, SECOND: REV. JONATHAN BOYD: Mr. Samuel Gawn, 120 Parkgate Road, Kells, Ballymena, BT42 3PQ.

Died: Rev Robert Lockhart, Minister Emeritus of Elmwood, on 13 March 2019 Rev Arthur O’Neill, Minister Emeritus of Fintona, Ballynahatty and Creevan, on 25 March 2019

CROSSWORD Solution to No 250

ACROSS 1 Contact lenses 8 Rover 9 Sinai 10 Pip 11 Seminar 13 Tab 15 Erie 16 Ire 17 Elect 19 Rome 21 Acid 22 Rex 23 Mini 24 Reap 27 Etc 28 Landau 29 Yarn 30 Tandem 31 Lee

DOWN 1 Christianity 2 November 3 Arrangement 4 Taser 5 Ernie 6 Shipwrecked 7 Shepherd 12 Ear 14 Scroll 18 Lexicon 20 Orient 24 RNR 25 AA 26 Pure

Herald May 2019

49

CLASSIFIEDS

Please note: Adverts must be received in writing (email or post) by the first of the month preceding publication to guarantee inclusion. Adverts received after that date will be published if space permits. Advertising rates can be found on the website – www.presbyterianireland.org/herald – or telephone the Herald office on +44 (0)28 9032 2284 for more information.

Accommodation Northern Ireland PORTSTEWART: Five-bedroom semidetached chalet bungalow overlooking sea coastal road. OFCH. Non smokers. WiFi available. Tel: 028 25582525.

PORTSTEWART: Luxury 4-bedroom cottage and 5-bedroom townhouse available June-Sept. Call: 07513 826551, Email: pabloguy50@gmail.com. Facebook: @campbellandcorentalproperties PORTSTEWART: Five-bedroom house for rental high and low season. Enclosed garden, private parking. Tel 07598 719348 after 6pm.

CAUSEWAY COAST: Luxury self-catering, www.causewaycountrycottages.com W I L L A N LO D G E, P O R T R U S H: Picturesque log cabin set among gardens located in quiet residential area. 3 bedrooms (one en-suite). Fully furnished and equipped. Reasonable rates. Telephone 07989 815312.

PORTSTEWART: A modern 3-bedroom semi-detached house presented to a high standard, with off-street parking and a fully enclosed rear garden. Near local amenities.

Available high and low season. No smoking and no pets allowed. Contact Paula: 07840 123518 or 028 79632163.

P O R T S T E WA R T H O L I D AY L E T : Luxur y 3-bedroom townhouse in private development, 2 minute walk to promenade, no pets / no smoking.

Telephone: 028 90401745 or 07800 802662. www.northcoastholidaylets.co.uk P O R T S T E WA R T/S T R A N D R OA D : Penthouse apartment, 4 bedrooms (2 double, 1 en-suite, 2 twin) sleeps 8. Sea views to Mussenden Temple / Donegal Hills.

TV/DVD, washing machine, tumble dryer, microwave, electric showers. No smoking, no pets. Town centre 2 minutes’ walk. £395 pw. Tel: 028 90826986 (evenings).

MODERN 3-BEDROOM END terrace in Portstewart available for holiday let June – end August. Close proximity to beach and town centre. Contact Denise 07738 632366.

PORTSTEWART: Modern 3-bedroom house (1 en-suite). All mod cons. Situated in quiet cul-de-sac (Lisadell Mews). Corner house, very private. Large enclosed garden to rear. Walking distance to promenade and beach. Available July/August. Tel: 07973 134576.

FOR HOLIDAY RENTAL: A beautiful luxury 2-bedroom apartment on the coast road between Portrush and Portstewart, just past Tides restaurant. Unobstructed sea views over the Ballyreagh pitch and putt course. Living area on the ground floor, lounge on the first floor, completely redecorated and all new furniture etc.

Please note no pets nor smokers. £465 per week or £495 for July/Aug. Tel: 07745 158454.

HOUSE IN PORTSTEWART FOR RENT – Lovely 5-bedroom (one en-suite) semidetached house. Downstairs bedroom and cloakroom. Cost £400 per week. Contact Fiona 07920 016326.

BEAUTIFULLY FURNISHED HOLIDAY bungalow to let in Castlerock. 3 bedrooms sleeps 6. For all enquiries please phone 07968 963932.

PORTSTEWART HOLIDAY LET: Spacious family home on the coast road with beautiful uninterrupted seaview. Tel: 028 40630294.

PORTRUSH HOLIDAY LET: Modern 3-bedroom house, 1 en-suite, WiFi. Easy walk to town/West Strand. Can send photos. Tel: 07769 744816.

5-BEDROOM HOUSE for rent off Lisburn Road, Belfast. Convenient to Queens, Stranmillis, City Hospital. Available beginning September. Further details 07743 960046.

HOLLIDAY COTTAGE ANNALONG, beside the sea. One bedroom, sleeps five.

For details phone David: 07711 653921. £200 Saturday to Saturday.

G I A N T ’S C AU S E WAY H O L I D AY RENTAL: 3-bedroom, fully equipped cottage near the Giant’s Causeway for rent with wood burning stove, WiFi and smart TV. Views of Dunseverick Castle, situated beside coastal path walk. Sleeps 5/6 plus cot. Enclosed back garden. Well behaved dogs welcome. Contact Sandra for more details: 07901 645783.

NORTH COAST: Newly built studio in a quiet rural setting, fitted to a high standard, close to Coleraine and within a 5-mile radius of Portrush and Portstewart. Private parking and separate entrance. Sleeps 2/3 with en-suite. Tea/coffee making facilities, small fridge, toaster and TV. Continental breakfast is included. No smoking or pets.

Available to let July, August and September.

Minimum stay 2 nights. Please contact 07743 575799 after 6pm for further details.

offering the perfect location for visiting the stunning North Coast.

Ideal destination for walking and golfing breaks as well as family gatherings and memorable holidays.

For rates, availability and details of our eight delightful cottages visit www.giantscausewaycottages.com Or call Audrey on (028) 2073 1673

50

Herald May 2019

To Let Northern Ireland PORTSTEWART STUDENT LET: 93 Old Mill Grange, Portstewart. September 2019 – May 2020. 5 double bedrooms – 1 en-suite.

Easy access to university. Would accept 4/5 students. WiFi included with all mod cons.

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Self Catering SELF CATERING: FLORIDA (villa) lake view/private pool. Disney 20 mins. FLORIDA (apartment) resort – full facilities – heated pool. Disney 10 mins. SPAIN – large coastal apartments. Beach/restaurants mins. NORTHERN IRELAND – apartment – north Antrim coastal views – shops/ restaurants 5 mins. Contact 07971 194211/ geraldsmyth@hotmail.com

SLIGO PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH will be delighted to cater for groups coming to visit Sligo, Mullaghmore, Drumcliffe and surrounding areas of interest on the Wild Atlantic Way. Morning coffee, brunch, lunch, afternoon tea, high tea provided.

Contact Fiona 00353 871014058.

Services VIDEO RECORDING: Professional service for church, corporate, charity, interviews, website videos, short stories, appeals, events and weddings. Tel Phil 07531 779502 www.reelimpressions.com

Catering CATERING: heading to or from the North Coast? Ballyclare Presbyterian is in an ideal location for morning coffees, lunch or high tea. For more information contact Margaret on 07521 888365.

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07855 450887 Clough Presbyterian Church The Kirk Session of Clough Presbyterian Church, Co Antrim wish to appoint an

Organist/Director of Music for a traditional, thriving and mixed-aged congregation of approximately 300 families.

The successful candidate will have the responsibility of both planning and developing the music ministry within the congregation (as outlined by the Minister and Kirk Session).

For an application form or further enquiry, please feel free to contact: Minister: Rev David A. McMillan Tel: (028) 2565 4694; Email: d.a.mcm@btinternet.com or Clerk of Session: Mr Ian Johnston Phone: (028) 2568 5259; Email: ianjohnston12@hotmail.com Closing date for applications: Friday 31 May 2019 To him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honour and glory and dominion forever and ever.” (Revelation 5: 13, NASB).

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Charity Reg No. NIC103593 NICHS_legacy AD_Pres Herald.indd 1

20/04/2016 21:49

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Pastor Richard Wurmb endurance under Christians worldwide by the Romanian rand was arreste secret police and d imprisoned for 14 in the 1950s and years 1960s, with three of them confinement. He was repeatedly torture spent in solitary and maintained a d, yet developed Christ-like attitude of love towards his tormen tors. This is his inspirin and forgiveness to remember our g story and his call persecuted brother s and sisters who even today sufferin are g for the sake of Jesus Christ.

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AN AUTO BIOGR APHIC AL ACCO UNT with special photographs section

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