Presbyterian Herald November 2023

NOVEMBER 2023

Shining a light in Omagh

A LIGHT ON A HILL

Story of First Omagh Presbyterian

ARMY LIFE

Reflection on Remembrance

WOMEN IN MINISTRY 50th anniversary for PCI

Presbyterian Church in Ireland

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CONTENTS | NOVEMBER 2023

FEATURES 12 150 years of meeting needs Anniversary for the Society for the Orphans and Children of Ministers and Missionaries

14 A light on a hill

First Omagh Presbyterian

18 Army life

Reflections from a PCI army chaplain

20 Growing good leadership Servant-hearted approach needed

32 Women in ministry 50th anniversary

36 Forced scamming

A fast growing form of modern slavery

38 The history of Presbyterians in Pittsburgh

Army life p18

Tracing Ulster connections in the States

REGULARS 5 7 8 9 13 23 31 40 42 47

News Life lessons In this month My story Norman Hamilton Mission Connect Ruth Sanderson Reviews Life in PCI David Clarke

Growing good leadership p20

50 years of women as ministers p32

CONTRIBUTORS Deborah Sloan is a member of Orangefield.

She has four teenage daughters and has recently left a career in academia to pursue her lifelong dream of being a writer.

Dermot Parsons is Secretary to PCI’s Council for Social Witness and a member of West Presbyterian Church, Bangor.

Ben McMechan is the Northern Lead for International Justice Mission (IJM). He is married to Lauren, where they serve at Carnmoney Church.

Billy Kennedy is a senior News Letter journalist and a member of Tandragee Presbyterian Church.

Cover photo: Evie Simpson by Jamie Trimble November 2023 No. 853 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

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 Subscriptions and Advertising: articles do not necessarily contain the official views of the Church, which can only be laid down only by the General Assembly. Acceptance of advertisements Edward Connolly; Hazel Gilliland does not imply endorsement of the goods or services. Advertising will not be Design and Layout: included if the product or service is deemed to be in conflict with the Church’s Edward Connolly official views, or if it is inappropriate for a church magazine. It is not Herald policy Printing: to include any editorial content along with adverts. The editor reserves the right W & G Baird Ltd to decline any advertisement or letter without assigning any reason. Letters may be edited for publication. No correspondence can be entered into regarding nonpublication of advertisements or letters.

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

Herald November 2023

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EDITORIAL Prayer for Israel and the Palestinian territories

History and unity

I find history fascinating – whether watching documentaries on the past, looking at old photographs or reading about how things used to be. However, it can be a sobering exercise to look back. There is a realisation that our lives on this earth do not last forever and as Psalm 144 confirms, our days “are like a breath”.

In this edition, Billy Kennedy takes us on a journey to the USA, looking at the history of First Pittsburgh Presbyterian, which was established through the pioneering efforts of Presbyterian ministers from Ireland. As they embarked on an adventure to an unknown land in the 18th century, did they give thought to the legacy they might leave and how history would remember them?

The fragility of life is highlighted in this month of Remembrance as we honour those who have sacrificed their lives for others. PCI forces chaplain Rev Heather Rendell outlines how she marks the occasion in her role in the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps. Sharing it with colleagues from other countries, she says it is “a multi-layered commemoration”.

In Presbyterian history, 2023 marks the 50th anniversary since the denomination made the decision to ordain women as teaching elders on the same basis as men. The Herald takes a look back at how the press (both Church and secular) recorded events surrounding this. It is clear the Church has, at times, struggled to navigate this often contentious issue. Yet there has always been a striving for unity – the ‘guidelines’ of 1990 were an effort to allow those with conscientious objections to decline attendance at the ordination services of women.

Commenting in the Herald in 2008, editor Stephen Lynas said, “It is vital to the credible witness of our faith that we unite in using the God-given gifts of everyone within our Church”. Jane Nelson, one of PCI’s female ministers, echoes the importance of unity when discussing her ministry at First Omagh. Speaking of the collaboration between other churches in the area, she says: “Rather than building our own empires, we need to build together…”

At the core of any good leader, male or female, is a heart full of humility. Dermot Parsons, PCI’s Secretary to the Council of Social Witness, outlines his thoughts on what good leadership looks like; it includes attributes like integrity, listening to others and servant-heartedness.

To sum it up, he comments: “We would do well to follow Christ’s leadership… The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”

A challenge for us all is to try and hold the concept of history at the forefront of our minds, and strive more ardently for a legacy of unity, humility and love.

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Herald November 2023

PCI Moderator, Dr Sam Mawhinney has issued a prayer for Israel and the Palestinian territories. Dr Mawhinney said: “Please pray for an immediate end to conflict, that God would raise up peacemakers, that dialogue would be reestablished amongst leaders, cycles of hatred and revenge broken, the grieving comforted, the wounded healed and the future marked with dignity, mercy, justice, peace and love.”

Topical Tweets @PCIModerator I am thinking of all who mourn the death of their loved ones on the first anniversary of the explosion in Creeslough. As the reality of loss deepens these moments are painful and poignant. You are in my thoughts and prayers. @OpenDoorsUK Pray for Israel and Gaza: - For an end to hostilities and for rapid deescalation of the conflict - For those who’ve lost loved ones to experience the closeness of God - That God will protect his children, and that the church in Israel and Gaza will be a beacon of hope. @IJM (International Justice Mission) Aung* was just 16 when he was tricked by the lies of a trafficker. He found himself trapped at sea, working on a fishing boat for 12 hours a day with no pay. Help bring freedom and restoration to children caught in modern slavery. @UFUHQ Our costs for producing milk are still high despite falling slightly recently. The amount that you pay in the shop for milk has increased. Farmers do not receive the amount that you pay for milk in the shop – not even close to it. Somebody is making money. But it’s not farmers.

IN THE ROUND | NEWS Hot on the press Last month the Herald team visited W & G Baird, the company that prints and organises distribution of the magazines each month.

The last time such a visit took place was in 1977. Although the Herald has been printed by other companies over the years, in 1977 it was also W & G Baird who did the job. It was an eye-opener for the team to learn of the huge operation involved in printing the magazine and the many processes that take place.

Technologically, things have changed dramatically since 1977, but the job of getting to print, both within Assembly Buildings and then at W & G Baird is a time-consuming and demanding one.

Price of the Herald is changing The Herald will have a small price rise in 2024 and so the cost of an annual subscription, distributed through congregations, will be £20/€24.

A digital subscription is available for £16 (Euro equivalent) from Issuu (https://issuu.com/presbyterianireland) Editor, Sarah Harding said: “It is very unfortunate that we will have to increase the price of the magazine next year. This is due to rising production and delivery costs, which we have little control over.

“We have tried to minimise the increase and hope that readers will understand why this decision had to be taken. The Herald is committed to communicating the work and witness of PCI and of providing a place for Presbyterians to engage, discuss and debate with each other. We appreciate all our readers and hope for their continued support going forward in 2024.”

PCI at National Ploughing Championships

Pictured at the factory (left) are (L–R): Ed Connolly, Hazel Gilliland, Sam Sharpe (W & G Baird), Sarah Harding, James McCormick, David Hinds (W & G Baird).

Presbyterian Moderator Dr Sam Mawhinney was in County Laois in September, at the National Ploughing Championships, joining volunteers to welcome people to the Presbyterian stand – and it brought back some happy memories for him.

Dr Mawhinney said: “When I was minister in Fermoy and Cahir, Karen and I would often have taken our boys to the National Ploughing Championships. I have really enjoyed spending time at them again, seeing my colleagues on the Presbyterian stand as they witness for Jesus, watching some of the competition, and visiting the other stands as well.”

Last year, the three-day event attracted 277,000 people. One of the largest outdoor events in Europe, it takes place across 900 acres, with 25 miles of walkways and 1,700 trade stalls.

Dr Mawhinney is pictured with Rev William Hayes, minister of Tullamore Presbyterian Church in County Offaly, one of the main organisers of the all-Ireland denomination’s presence at the championships, outside the Presbyterian stand.

National Church Awards finalists

Pictured on a visit to the factory in 1977, Rev Bob Cobain (far left), then editor, checks the first sheets coming off the press.

Two Presbyterian churches are finalists in the National Church Awards. The awards are organised by the National Churches Trust in partnership with the Pilgrim Trust, Marsh Charitable Trust and the Ecclesiastical Architects and Surveyors Association and Mercers’ Company.

Congregations across the UK were able to nominate churches and their buildings for awards in architecture, maintenance, volunteering and tourism.

Sinclair Seamen’s Presbyterian Church in Belfast is a finalist in the tourism category and Killinchy Presbyterian Church in Co Down is a finalist for the maintenance award.

Claire Walker, Chief Executive of the National Churches Trust, said: “Churches have an amazing story to tell – from their beautiful buildings to the faithful volunteers who keep them open, serving everyone in need. Through our research, we know that churches contribute £55 billion towards economic and social good each year and reading through the submissions, it was clear that churches are active across the UK in using their buildings to bring communities together and to help them to thrive.”

The winners will be announced in November.

Herald November 2023

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NEWS | IN THE ROUND East Belfast Presbytery tour Moderator Dr Sam Mawhinney recently completed a week-long tour of East Belfast Presbytery.

“While presbytery tours are primarily pastoral visits to encourage local congregations, seeing how they are bringing the love of Christ to the neighbourhoods they serve, the tours also have strong civic and community elements to them,” Dr Mawhinney explained.

During the tour, he spent some time at the Ulster Hospital meeting senior staff and members of the chaplaincy team. He also toured the hospital’s new Acute Services building, which includes its state-ofthe-art Emergency Department.

Dr Mawhinney visited two schools during the week: Priory Integrated College in Holywood and Mitchell House Special School in east Belfast, praising the “dedication, commitment, passion, and care” of teachers and staff in both environments.

He also visited the senior leadership team of the PSNI and offered the support and prayers of the denomination. He spent time in the RUC GC and PSNI memorial gardens as well, finding it a moving experience to discover a memorial that bears the names of two police officers, murdered in the 1970s, whom he knew growing up in Ballycastle.

Holocaust Memorial Day 2024 Holocaust Memorial Day (HMD) takes place each year on 27 January. It is the international day to remember the six million Jews murdered during the Holocaust, alongside the millions of people of other groups murdered under Nazi persecution and during more recent genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur.

HMD is for everyone. Each year, thousands of people come together to learn about the past and to work towards a safer future. The Holocaust Memorial Day Trust (HMDT) encourages remembrance in a world scarred by genocide.

Shirley Lennon is HMDT’s Northern Ireland support worker, and is keen to help everyone to mark HMD. “It would have an amazing impact if each congregation chose to do something in 2024. Just using a few moments of worship time to reflect or telling the life story of a survivor using the creative resources provided free by HMDT could make such a difference.”

Please get in touch with Shirley if you would like to find out more, by emailing shirley.lennon@hmd.org.uk There are also special resources for youth groups to engage with HMD. Please let HMDT know about your plans to take part via the online map hmd.org.uk/letusknow

Church leaders in Rome

The Moderator with members of the senior management team and chaplains (L–R): Jeff Thompson, assistant director Support Services; Father Henry McCann; Rev Stephen Moore, clerk of East Belfast Presbytery; Tony O’Hara, head of services for patient experience at the Trust; Karen Mawhinney and her husband the Moderator; Rev Don Gamble; Claire Sellar, PCI chaplain; and David Robinson, the Trust’s deputy chief executive.

Pictured (L–R): Rev Stuart McCrea, minister of First Holywood Presbyterian; Alison Watterson, principal of Priory; Sophie McGregor, senior prefect; Alice Cummings, lead prefect; the Moderator; Deirdre Scarlett, leader of learning and teaching; and Amy Hunter, First Holywood’s children, youth and family worker.

Pictured in the RUC GC Memorial Garden, Moderator Dr Sam Mawhinney looks over memorials.

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Herald November 2023

With the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday/Belfast Agreement this year, the Church leaders’ group (Ireland) – the leaders of the Church of Ireland, Methodist Church, Presbyterian Church in Ireland, Roman Catholic Church and Irish Council of Churches – was in Rome in September to take part in a special seminar, where its members shared their personal reflections on this milestone anniversary.

Organised jointly by the British and Irish ambassadors to the Holy See – the UK and Ireland’s official representatives to the Vatican City State – the seminar took place in the Pontifical Irish College, and explored the role that churches and faith-based leaders play in peacemaking and reconciliation more broadly.

Speaking from Rome in a joint statement, the Church leaders said: “We would like to thank the British and Irish ambassadors to the Holy See for their kind invitation for us to take part in this important event. It is a welcome opportunity to spend time, not only reflecting on where we have come from over the past 25 years, but also looking to the future, highlighting our common allegiance to Jesus as Lord, and the responsibility of all Christians to work for peace, wherever they may be.

We are thankful for all who worked to ensure that the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement could come into place. We are mindful too of all who suffered, and continue to suffer, as a result of needless violence over the decades.

“As individual Christians, and as leaders in our respective Christian traditions, we are committed to working towards a vision of an island of restored relationships, where all can flourish and fully participate in our common life… for all the people of Ireland, north and south.”

Pictured (L–R): Rt Rev Andrew Forster, President of the Irish Council of Churches; Most Rev John McDowell, Church of Ireland Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland; Most Rev Eamon Martin Roman, Catholic Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland; Rt Rev Dr Sam Mawhinney, Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland; and Rev David Turtle, President of the Methodist Church in Ireland.

PERSONAL VIEW

Life lessons Liz Hughes

Minister emeritus of Whitehouse Presbyterian I grew up with the clear understanding that God calls both men and women to serve him in ministry and mission. My parents belonged to a mission organisation called the Faith Mission and as a family we were constantly moving around the UK and Ireland. The Faith Mission was founded in the 19th century on the same principles as the Salvation Army – with both male and female personnel serving as evangelists.

My parents settled in Portadown when I was ten years old. We worshipped in First Portadown and I came to faith as a teenager.

I loved reading as a child and read the books I received as Sunday school prizes over and over again – stories of women like Catherine Booth, Elizabeth Fry, Mary Slessor, Gladys Aylward and Amy Carmichael – they so fired my imagination from early days that it was an almost immediate reaction after kneeling to commit my life to Christ, to ask: “What does God want me to do with my life?”

I was painfully shy right into my 20s – tutorials at university were a nightmare because you were inevitably forced to speak out loud and I was in constant dread of being asked a question.

However, in my personal search for God’s calling, I felt after I graduated in English that I should train as a nurse and maybe serve others in some overseas location. During my RGN training, I discovered that when you concentrate on others you forget about yourself and one way or another, I learned to talk to people. A text that came to have very special meaning for me was Philippians 1:27: “Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ.”

I discovered that a mega need for people in hospital was just for someone to listen and to give genuine pastoral care. I checked with my own minister in First Portadown, Rev Dr W.M. Craig. He didn’t agree with women in ordained ministry but he suggested I train as a deaconess. So I did, and I became a deaconess in West Church Ballymena. While I was there, the minister took ill on a couple of occasions and I had to fill in and preach the sermon at short notice and I began to feel called to preach as well as give pastoral care. When I applied for the ministry, I remember posting the application in faith and praying: “If this isn’t right Lord, don’t let it go any further!”

I met my husband Brian at Union College – it so happened we were two out of the three students who were signed up members of the

Student Missionary Society. We married and went to work with a PCI partner Church – the United Church in Jamaica. We lived there for over eight years, during which time our two daughters Sarah and Bethan were born.

We learned so much from the Jamaican church – very lively worship, for a start; church and community working together – and we had many churches to look after – 13 between us at one stage. That’s when we discovered that every member of the church is called to use their gifts in a whole variety of ways, so we saw our job as primarily to train and equip our church members for service and ministry both in the church and outside in their regular weekday world.

When we returned to Ireland in 1995, I had the privilege of working alongside Rev Willis Cordner as associate minister in First Bangor. Then I was called to Whitehouse in North Belfast. I fell in love with that congregation on the day I first preached there in October 2000 and the relationship just got deeper and deeper through fire and flood and all the various adventures of faith.

Jobs that have not only kept me busy in retirement but also challenged and inspired me have included being convener of the Council for Global Mission up to June 2022 and my ongoing current responsibility as chair of Christian Aid Ireland. It’s not hard to see how the influence of those years in Jamaica are continuing to shape me – even into my 70s.

I have never doubted the call to ministry, but I have often doubted my own ability to follow through in response. It has been a lonely journey at times – fellow ministry students and later colleagues have openly questioned whether I have any right to be in ministry. One unexpected person did encourage me – my home minister, the late Rev Dr W.M. Craig, who said: “Elizabeth you know my views, but I know you and I know you will have searched the Scriptures to see if these things are true.” I have searched the Scriptures and continue to do so and am thrilled by the great variety of Bible women that God has called into service for him. Down through the centuries women have attested to that call. When Jesus says, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel”, I believe he is speaking to all of us.

Herald November 2023

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IN THIS MONTH...

November 2009

Dipping into the archives to take a look back at what was making Presbyterian headlines and news in history.

The malign power of sectarianism David Stevens

“For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the cosmic powers of the present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12).

The American theologian Walter Wink has written a trilogy on the biblical concept of the powers and principalities. The powers, says Wink, are the various systems, institutions, structures and customs by which society operates. Each of the powers has an outer, visible and material aspect and an inner, spiritual aspect…

Closer to home we need to focus on sectarianism and its effects. Sectarianism is our “sickness unto death”. It continues beyond reason and despite ourselves and our best efforts… We are constantly pulled into old patterns of relating defined by distrust and violence. Sectarianism is transgenerational – new generations are brought into its grasp. Young people find themselves acting out ancient Judith Hill pathologies.

Sometimes I feel like the Church can We need to resist the vertigo be scared of the sound of its own voice. of malign power. The Ephesians Maybe we’re scared to raise our head above text uses the metaphor of the parapet, fearing that media detractors “spiritual armour” to do this and will laugh at our opinions. Maybe we don’t speaks about the need for truth, feel like we really need to be speaking out integrity, faith, prayer, the gospel in the public arena or the media; that if we of peace… just go about our work quietly then all will David Stevens is leader of the be well.

Corrymeela community.

But our silence has painted us into corners. If you stop the average person on the street and ask them what the Church stands for, they will be well aware, I’ve no doubt, of its stance on familiar talk show debate subjects such as homosexuality or abortion. They know what the Church stands against but would they ever have got a sense of the sacrificial passion we should have for people?

There is an urgency that the Church should raise its voice; a voice than can be passionate, strong, hopeful, colourful, inspiring, live-saving; a voice that Jesus gifted it with.

Judith Hill is a member of Muckamore Presbyterian Church and a journalist with UTV.

What should the Church be speaking up on?

Also from November ’09 8

TV comedy Miranda premieres on BBC2

Herald November 2023

Susan Boyle’s debut album, I Dreamed a Dream, becomes the biggest selling album of the year

What is PCI communicating?

Austin Hunter

The Presbyterian Church is not particularly good at communicating its message. There may be a different view within the hierarchy of the Church but many of the people who sit in the pews every Sunday morning, other members of the public who are not Presbyterians, and the media, believe that Presbyterians are often poor at getting across what they stand for. The Church is slow to react to a crisis and slow to deliver its message.

Austin Hunter is an elder in Second Comber Presbyterian Church.

New manse dedicated Pictured outside the new manse for the Presbyterian Church at Clontibret in the Presbytery of Monaghan are Rev Dr Andrew Rodgers; Rev John Rushton; Mrs Helen Rodgers; Mrs Eva Hagan; Rev Same Anketell and Rev Jim Hagan.

Edward Woodward, the British actor from The Equalizer, dies at 79

MY STORY...

Michael Bailie, a member of First Larne Presbyterian Church, tells his story of illness and life-changing surgery to Lisa Fagan from Christian Aid.

Living simply so others can simply live

M

ichael Bailie (60) was in his final year at university physical and social, and what the reaction of other people will when he experienced the first symptoms of a be. I try to provide reassurance that there are solutions to the disease that would blight the next 25 years of his problems and that life with a stoma can be good.” life. Within a few months, he’d been diagnosed Fourteen years after the operation that ended his nightmare with ulcerative colitis, an incurable disease of the bowel. illness, what has the experience taught him? “It taught me how Despite his diagnosis, Michael graduated with an honours fragile life is and how fortunate I am. I’ve always had food to degree in mechanical engineering and began his working life at eat, a roof over my head and a bed to sleep in. I’m blessed to live Harland and Wolff before moving into a career in government in a country with a good National Health Service. If I’d been laboratories. His doctors did their best to born in a poor country, I may have died manage his condition with medication but It taught me what’s early. the illness took a toll on his personal life.

“It taught me what’s important in life important in life… That too. I’ve never been the sort of person who “I enjoyed my work because it was interesting, and I have many happy wants a lot of stuff. I could spend money money could help a memories of the banter with colleagues. on a bigger car or the latest mobile phone, But too often it felt like that was all I did. community that doesn’t but I don’t need or want those things.

You get locked into a recurring cycle of money could help a community have the things we take That illness and tiredness and I had little energy that doesn’t have the things we take for for anything else. Even holidays were spent for granted. granted.” just recovering from work.”

Michael has been supporting Christian Michael’s condition worsened over time and in 2009, he Aid for many years. He says, “I remember watching Michael needed emergency surgery to remove his colon. Normally, this Buerk’s report about the famine in Ethiopia. I started full-time would involve a couple of weeks in hospital but in his case, work in 1985 and decided to donate regularly to Christian Aid.” complications set in after the surgery. “The surgeon told me He has also pledged a gift in his will: “There will still be poor months later that he had only lost three patients in his lengthy people needing help when I’m gone, so I want what I have no career, all were elderly and had other conditions, but he was more use for to be used well.” worried that I would be his fourth.”

These days, Michael is retired and enjoying his many passions: Michael spent three months in hospital before coming home golf, gardening, woodturning and cooking, as well following his to convalesce, but despite having to adjust to life with a stoma favourite teams – Larne FC, Arsenal and Ulster Rugby. He also bag, he focused on the positive. “That operation was lifecares for his 91-year-old mother. He says, “I was fortunate to be changing. After years of struggling to do things, you have no able to walk away from work at 55. I live on my pension and my idea what a release it was to have energy again. It gave me back savings. I have enough.” my life. I even completed the Belfast marathon – by walking, Michael’s support for Christian Aid is helping many people not running.” on the other side of the world – babies are being immunised, Since his surgery, Michael volunteers occasionally with a children are drinking clean water and families are growing their charity offering support to other sufferers of bowel disease – own food. people facing surgery or adjusting to life with a stoma bag. “It can be a struggle to come to terms with major surgery. Stoma To hear more stories like Michael’s or to find out details on how to patients often worry about the effects of the operation, both support Christian Aid, go to: www.christianaid.ie

Herald November 2023

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NEWS | PCI

Find out more on www.presbyterianireland.org

News Pray for PCI partner churches facing persecution According to Open Doors, one in seven Christians around the world face persecution for their faith. Some of PCI’s partner organisations are based in some of the most affected countries.

In August, a mob of around 7,000 people attacked Christian colonies and churches in the Jaranwala district of Pakistan, following accusations of blasphemy. Church buildings were burned, homes were ransacked and Bibles destroyed. At least 250 Christian families were directly affected.

The Pak Mission Society instantly launched a campaign to help those affected to rebuild their lives and the Council for Global Mission has sent funds in support of its work. Pak Mission distributed cash vouchers to families, students and churches in the immediate aftermath and continues to offer ongoing psychosocial and spiritual support, as well as to rebuild churches and support the livelihoods of those affected.

Since the gospel arrived in Nepal, the Christian community has experienced periods of both relative peace and intense persecution; however, recent reports have highlighted a significant anti-Christian atmosphere in the country. A city in the east of the country has recently experienced riots after a church was built close to a Hindu temple, while in the west, a large anti-Christian rally took place.

A longstanding PCI partner has advised its teams around Nepal to prepare contingency plans in case the offices are attacked.

As we join together freely each Sunday, our prayers are needed for our partner churches around the world who do not enjoy the same freedom.

Accredited Preacher Scheme to relaunch The Accredited Preacher Scheme will relaunch in 2024 and is open to church members, male or female, who have a gift in communicating God’s Word. There is no upper age limit.

The scheme develops the gifts of participants through training and mentoring over one year. On successful completion of the scheme the participant will be recognised as an accredited preacher for the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. Accredited preachers will then be able to provide support by leading worship services and preaching, for example, in vacant congregations or their own congregation.

The classes for the course are delivered in an intensive one-week period, from 9.30am to 4.30pm each day, Monday to Friday, during the first week in July. All participants are also assigned to a preaching mentor who will help them develop through the practical experience of taking three Sunday services.

Applicants are first interviewed by their presbytery and, if endorsed, have a further interview by a panel from the Council for Training in Ministry.

For applicants who do not wish to pursue preaching, the course still gives the opportunity to receive instruction on how to handle, and communicate, God’s Word in an effective manner, in a variety of settings.

Application forms can be obtained from Union Theological College, 108 Botanic Avenue, Belfast, BT7 1JT, tel: +44 (0)28 9020 5080 or by emailing: a.eustace@union.ac.uk (applications close at 12pm on Friday 8 December 2024).

New Safeguarding Newsletter PCI’s Taking Care team has revitalised its Safeguarding Newsletter.

It will be published every two months and will contain information, news and prayers for those involved in safeguarding in congregations.

It will also outline details of upcoming training.

The newsletter, along with other resources, can be found on PCI’s website at: www.presbyterianireland.org /safeguarding

Applications welcomed for deaconess training New applications are being invited for those who wish to explore training as a deaconess.

Currently, deaconesses are engaged in activities such as local outreach, evangelistic courses, youth and family ministry, marriage preparation, Bible teaching, small group leadership, prayer ministry, pastoral work and much more.

To help ensure that the provision of deaconesses to the wider Church remains at a healthy level in the years ahead, the Council for Mission in Ireland has opened recruitment for a new cohort of trainee deaconesses.

This recruitment process is open until 30 November 2023, when those interested need to have completed and returned an application form.

It is planned that training will commence at Union Theological College, Belfast in September 2024.

All enquiries should be sent to Helen Johnston via email hjohnston@pcinet.org or on +44 (0) 28 9041 7265.

Alternatively, in writing to Presbyterian Church in Ireland, Council for Mission in Ireland, Assembly Buildings, 2–10 Fisherwick Place, Belfast, BT1 6DW.

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Herald November 2023

Find out more on www.presbyterianireland.org

News

DIARY DATES

New project leader in Friendship House

New uniforms in PCI care homes

November

A new project leader has been appointed in South Belfast Friendship House.

Robert Dalzell will take up post this month and bring fresh leadership to the activities of this mission project, under the direction of the Council for Mission in Ireland. Robert was previously the youth and children’s worker at Second Comber Presbyterian Church.

If you are interested in volunteering with any of the youth, children’s or family activities within Friendship House, please contact the Mission Department (email: cmi@ presbyterianireland.org; tel: +44 (0)28 9032 2284).

PCI has recently invested in smart new uniforms for its care home managers. Pictured back row (L–R): Karen Zeigelmeier (Lawnfield House), Anna McCaffrey (Sunnyside House). Front row (L–R): Lisa Taggart (River House), Francis Mooney (Aaron House Day Care), Mae Irvine (Corkey House).

Assembly Buildings – Thursday 9

Refresh

December Explore

Dundonald Presbyterian – Friday 1

January Bible storytelling Union College Monday 8–Friday 12

February Explore

Clogherney Presbyterian – Friday 23

Events Not everybody engages with the Bible by reading it or in a group study. For people who don’t enjoy reading or who learn in a more interactive way, Bible storytelling is a method of bringing God’s Word to others without a printed Bible.

This training is for ministers, leaders or anyone who would like to be able to tell fascinating, accurate stories and to lead interactive discussions on Bible passages. It could be a helpful tool for those leading ministries with any of the following groups of people: migrants; unchurched individuals (children or adults) with little Bible knowledge and/or low levels of literacy. Course details are as follows: Instructor course: Monday 8–Friday 12 January 2024 Practitioner course: Wednesday 10 January–Friday 12 January 2024 Venue: Union Theological College, Belfast Delivered by: www.simplythestory.org To find out more and to book a place, go to: www.presbyterianireland.org/biblestorytelling

Refreshment for elders Refresh is an opportunity for elders to come together to be renewed and refreshed in fulfilling the calling of eldership.

Taking place from 7.45pm to 9.15pm, Refresh will be held on the following dates: u

u

Thursday 9 November 2023 Assembly Buildings, Belfast (in person and livestreamed) Thursday 14 March 2024 Second Limavady Presbyterian Church (in person)

To find out more or to book go to: www.presbyterianireland.org/refreshforelders

PCI is partnering with Growing Young Disciples to run a brandnew event for young people aged 11–16.

‘Explore’ will run identical programmes in three different locations from 7.45pm to 9.30pm: Friday 1 December 2023 – Dundonald Presbyterian Church Friday 23 February 2024 – Clogherney Presbyterian Church, Omagh Churches are invited to bring along young people to explore how we are made for a different world and to discover what it is like to trust Jesus with our whole lives.

To find out more and book in for Explore, go to: www.presbyterianireland.org/explore

Resources All the days of my life ‘All the days of my life’ is a six-session, light-touch, evangelistic resource specifically designed for use with those in later life.

Walking participants through Psalm 23, this booklet aims to bring to light an awareness of God’s presence throughout life as those who use it look back, then to gently facilitate a response of faith and trust in the Good Shepherd.

It may be used individually, one to one, or in a range of small group settings in a church, residential facility or private home. Copies cost £1.50 (euro equivalent) including postage and packaging and can be ordered from: www.presbyterianireland.org/allthedaysofmylife

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150 years of meeting needs Jason Nicholson highlights the 150th anniversary of an organisation that is helping the children of ministers, missionaries and deaconesses within our denomination.

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023 marks the 150th anniversary of the Society for the it would be at least another 60 years before benefits for widows Orphans and Children of Ministers and Missionaries would be provided for by statute. This period in our history, of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. therefore, is characterised by an atmosphere of precariousness, Having already established the Presbyterian Orphan with additional support to ministers, missionaries and their Society in 1866 to support the children of Presbyterian families children scant. William Johnston was determined that the basic in financial need, Rev Dr William Johnston, encouraged needs of children and young people should be met, whether by many others, launched a complementary organisation to living in the main street or in the manse. support the orphans and children of ministers and missionaries.

At present, the Society is supporting seven children from The need for such a ministry of compassion had long been five ministerial families who have been bereaved. A total of felt; in 1872, following debate at the £22,631 was issued in orphan grants General Assembly, the proposal for the Today, 150 years later, we during 2022 to eligible families. However, formation of the Society was warmly recognising the need for additional support accepted. Following this, in February 1873, continue to support to other families, the Society developed its a statement was issued that included the education grant programme. manse and missionary following description of the background to After assignment of designated funds and reasons for this exceptional initiative: families who have to those families who have experienced “In the Presbyterian Church there are bereavement, remaining funds are used experienced many devoted ministers with large families to help support the educational expenses and very limited means. Notwithstanding bereavement… of the children and young people of the utmost economy, they are unable to ministerial, missionary and deaconess procure for their children such an education as will give them families where there is exceptional need and where income a fair chance in the battle of life, and not a few die without is limited. In 2022, a total of £17,325 was given in education being able to make any provision for their family beyond the grants to 11 ministerial families, seven missionary families, and Widow’s Fund – sometimes not even that. When a minister in one deaconess family with a cumulative total of 42 children such a position dies, one of two things must happen – either receiving help. For a small organisation, this is a tremendous the widow and children are left to fight the unequal battle alone achievement. and drop out of the ranks of respectability; or the ‘inevitable’ Reflecting on his own experience of the work of the Society subscription list is opened, and according as the deceased at our Annual General Meeting, having served as Secretary for minister was known or popular, more, or less provision is made almost a fifth of its existence, Dr Paul Gray provided a concise for his family. In either case, pain and humiliation are added to and helpful summary: the cup of bereavement.”

“In this 150th year in the inventory of history, the longevity The inaugural meeting of the Society took place on 14 July of this Society will be judged a virtue, the directors’ instincts 1873. Today, 150 years later, we continue to support manse and will always be remembered as decent, and the unstinting help missionary families who have experienced bereavement; and, provided to children of ministers, missionaries and deaconesses where possible, with modest income mainly from investments, seen as a model of service. Johnston would be justly proud to provide for the education and welfare of children and young see what has been achieved in 150 years.” people whose families are engaged in the active service of the With that encouragement we look forward with confidence Church. and in support of each other.

Inspired by Scripture and with the clear intention of helping the children of ministers and missionaries “earn an honourable independence in life”, the Society could be described as both biblical and radical. It is not just another voluntary agency, but deeply committed to what it does because there is a biblical mandate to do so. It was formed as a radical alternative to the prevailing social and cultural attitudes in late Victorian Ireland Jason Nicholson is executive secretary of the where there was no welfare, only the workhouse. Furthermore, Presbyterian Children’s Society.

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TALKING POINTS

More respair needed Norman Hamilton takes another look at the long-lost word ‘respair’.

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’ve had lots of feedback to my recent exploration think it inappropriate in any way to ask myself such questions, (Presbyterian Herald September 2023) on the importance of for we are also guided in Scripture to be very self-aware. ‘respair’ (an old English word meaning encouragement or Proverbs 4:23 is insistent that: “Above all else, guard your heart, hope in a bleak situation). So, with the editor’s permission, I for everything you do flows from it.” would like to develop the topic a little more this month.

Yet, alongside such scriptures, there may be an ‘elephant in the It is almost self-evident that if we are to be people who room’ of our soul and spirit. It is that we are often very reluctant bring respair and encouragement to others, we must be very or even unable to receive encouragement ourselves when we purposeful and deliberate in doing so. For example, Hebrews need it, for we do not let our hearts and minds be open either 3:13 is crystal clear that such a ministry is not to be haphazard, to the words of Scripture or the words of others. So private that casual or occasional: “…encourage one another daily” (note neither the Spirit of God nor a Christian friend can actually “daily”). Paul says in 1 Thessalonians 5: minister respair/encouragement to us. “…encourage one another and build each …we are often very I genuinely think this is a widespread other up, just as in fact you are doing.” reluctant or even unable and major spiritual blind spot, and one Such verses suggest that encouragement that I need to be ever conscious of in my to receive of others is to be a perfectly normal daily own life. One of the questions raised by discipline, just like prayer or worship. this subject of mutual encouragement is: encouragement Yet encouragement does not stand on “Exactly what do we mean by fellowship?” its own in living for Christ. Core integrity ourselves when we need Tea and buns together? Certainly! Prayer alongside it matters just as much. For together? Hopefully! Open heartedness it, for we do not let our there is virtually no part of our modern about the hopes and fears and needs of our hearts and minds be society where integrity is not or has not souls? Rarely. been questioned or actually brought Scripture is clear that our faith in Christ open either to the words must into disrepute – politicians at every be personal, but it never ever tells us level, journalists, banks exploiting their of Scripture or the words to be private about that faith. And I would customers, public servants of many kinds… (tentatively) go so far as to say that the of others. and yes – the church of Jesus Christ is privatising of faith is one of the greatest no stranger to scandal and wrongdoing. hindrances to evangelism today. It does Proverbs 10:9 puts it clearly: “Whoever walks in integrity walks seem to me that if I am not on the receiving end of ongoing securely, but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out.” encouragement in the Lord, then I am very unlikely to be in a And Jesus had no truck with deceit or hypocrisy. Matthew 5:8 good place to tell others of the delights of salvation and living says: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” for Jesus.

Scripture itself gives a bird’s eye view of the impact and It is no accident that our society is full of groups of likeeternal value of what it means to be an encourager in the minded people seeking change in almost every area of national Lord. The last chapter of Romans is neglected too often to our life. We see them actively sticking together on our TV detriment. There, Paul is at pains to spell out just how much the screens and speaking together loudly and regularly. Mutual encouragement from many people (many virtually unknown encouragement and support is central to what they do and say. to us) meant to him in his very public, very demanding and, So, is it too much to ask for – and work for – God’s people to at times, dangerous ministry in Christ’s name. For example, in offer constant mutual respair/encouragement in the Lord to verse 6 he writes: “Greet Mary, who worked very hard for you.” one another. not least because it is a key direction in which And in the very next verse he says: “Greet Andronicus and Scripture guides us?

Junia, my fellow Jews who have been in prison with me. They are outstanding among the apostles, and they were in Christ before I was.”

As I have reflected a great deal on this ministry of respair/ Norman Hamilton encouragement, I have asked myself this question many times: “How many people do I think would describe me as Very Rev Dr Norman Hamilton is a former ‘outstanding’ or someone whose ‘fidelity to Christ has stood the Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in test’ (Paul’s description of Apelles in Romans 16:10)?” I do not Ireland.

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CONGREGATIONAL STORY

Photography by Jamie Trimble

A light

on a hill

Deborah Sloan chats to Rev Jane Nelson about ministering west of the Bann in the congregation of First Omagh Presbyterian.

“O

magh is not usually somewhere people head for a day out,” says Jane Nelson, minister of First Omagh Presbyterian Church.

When travelling west of the Bann on the A5 through County Tyrone, most tend to bypass the town as they either visit the Ulster American Folk Park to find out more about their ancestors, or journey onwards to holiday by the sea in Donegal.

A one-way traffic system in the town centre means it can often be a struggle for visitors to find their way from High Street to First Omagh. Those asked for directions have been known to say, “Oh, you’re looking for the church with the woman minister?”

Standing on a green bank at the junction of the Dublin Road beside Omagh Academy, Jane describes First Omagh as “a light on a hill”. Records show that there has been a minister attached to the church since the 1660s.

Originally a rural congregation, First Omagh has had three buildings in its 400-year history, with the current one opening in its present location in 1897.

The 1721 structure has now been restored

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and erected at the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum in Cultra. Although the town has a population of only 28,000, church spires dominate its skyline, and it is home to churches of all denominations.

There are two Presbyterian congregations within the town boundaries and a further seven within a six-mile radius. “We’re a bit of an outcast, though,” Jane says. First Omagh is the only church located at the bottom of the town with four others, including Trinity Presbyterian, positioned at the top.

The impact of the car bomb that exploded on Market Street in 1998 is still deeply felt. On 15 August this year, a memorial service was held to mark the 25th anniversary. Alongside support groups for bereaved families, the commemoration was organised by Omagh Churches’ Forum. Established before the bombing, the Churches’ Forum became an immediate way for the clergy to respond pastorally. Its

Jane describes First Omagh as “a light on a hill”.

ongoing reconciliation work has led to considerable respect for the church, with their presence welcomed at civic events such as St Patrick’s Day and the switching on of Christmas lights. Representatives from the Forum are regularly invited to say a prayer and give a blessing and Jane has had the opportunity to address thousands of people through a Christmas message.

Ministers stay in First Omagh for a long time and Jane is only the 17th minister, having accepted the call there in 2012. In her late thirties when she made the decision to leave a career and train for the ministry, Jane initially dismissed the idea because she felt she wasn’t academic enough. Leaving school at 18, she went straight into the Northern Ireland Civil Service, working her way through the management ranks, ending up with responsibility for 150

Jane believes in collaborative leadership with the teaching elder and ruling elders working together to develop ‘every member ministry’. staff. Because she hadn’t taken a typical route into ministry, Jane had to return to education to take an additional A-level before commencing her university studies.

As a member of Rosemary Presbyterian in north Belfast, she developed a passion for children’s ministry and was elected as an elder at only 25. When the call to ordained ministry came, she says she could see how God had been preparing her for leadership. The words of John 21 came to her. “Feed my lambs” had been her experience of children’s ministry, “take care of my sheep” was her role as a pastoral elder. Now she had a deeper desire to “feed my sheep” and teach God’s Word. Affirmation came from friends, family and her minister. “I sense in you the gifts of ministry,” he had said.

“Someone having confidence in me made all the difference,” says Jane. “If you sense

gifts in someone, it is important to tell them.”

As the only paid staff member in First Omagh, Jane believes in collaborative leadership with the teaching elder and ruling elders working together to develop ‘every member ministry’. Jane has worked extensively with her kirk session to empower and enable them to effectively use the gifts God has given them. The church currently has four sub-committees, focusing on worship, fellowship, discipleship and mission with each person encouraged to move about and explore different areas. “It’s a joy,” Jane says, “when you see people stepping out and using the gifts God has given them.”

Jane describes Omagh as a friendly town with a real sense of community.

The town has always been known for its vibrant shopping area, but due to rising energy costs, businesses, shops and cafés are now struggling and a significant number have been forced to close. There are also emerging social issues, particularly deprivation and unemployment. The Churches’ Forum and the Council’s Good Relations Team have been working together to consider how the churches can best respond to financial poverty.

There are already foodbanks in the town, so rather than run its own, First Omagh

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is supporting existing initiatives.

It donates items to Reach Foodbank and for the last four years, it has provided over 80 Christmas dinner hampers in conjunction with Life Triumphant Church.

The recent census highlighted that Omagh is now 64% Catholic and 31% Protestant. Faith is very much a part of the town’s identity, with most locals expecting to get married and have their children baptised in the church. But, in terms of regular attenders on a Sunday, Jane is seeing an increasingly ageing congregation and a decrease in younger families. This reflects a growing elderly population in Omagh. In the 1960s and 1970s, Omagh benefitted from a large influx of professionals moving in to take up posts through regionalisation of the public sector and the rise of health and education as major employers.

Closures of schools, hospitals and banks a few decades later has meant that the generations who leave to go to university are not coming back, settling instead in Belfast or further afield. The west of the Bann is notorious for delayed upgrades to the roads network, poor investment and a declining economic infrastructure. Many who work in Omagh now are commuting to it rather than living in the town.

Fewer families means fewer teenagers and Jane and a couple of her Presbyterian colleagues have found that the best way to run youth events is to share resources and rotate around each other’s buildings

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…it can be incredibly hard for newcomers to break into a settled community, and it is important for the church to extend a welcome. on Saturday or Sunday evenings. “Rather than building our own empires, we need to build together,” she says. This summer, when it returned post-Covid, the venue for First Omagh’s annual holiday Bible club was moved from the church to Hospital Road Community Centre.

“We were concerned that it was only children whose parents belonged to the

church who had been coming in previous years,” says Jane. “This year, there was encouraging participation from those of various denominations and none.” On the Friday night, families were invited to the church for a BBQ. On the back of this, two new families joined.

New ethnic communities are also emerging in Omagh, particularly Ghanaians and Filipinos employed in nursing homes and eastern Europeans in local factories. First Omagh now runs a cross-community ‘Toddle Along’ on Thursday mornings for adult carers and, once a month, it hosts a coffee morning for Ukrainians to meet and chat in their own language. Jane explains that it can be incredibly hard for newcomers to break into a settled community, and it is important for the church to extend a welcome.

Like most churches, First Omagh has struggled to fully return post-pandemic.

Jane describes the last two years as being all about planning one day, then cancelling the next. A dedication service to mark the 125th anniversary of its building had to be postponed due to the Queen’s funeral. But this has had an unexpected outcome of creating space to review mission development. Although First Omagh has an established history of engaging in overseas mission, sending out joint teams with Hamilton Road in Bangor to Malawi, those returning from trips were becoming much more aware of the need to take their learning into mission at home. Jane describes building relationships with others

through fellowship and building a relationship with God through worship and discipleship as key to mission. She says, “People have to be sure that they know who Christ is before they engage in mission”.

Jane believes that churches have to be responsive to the context in which they find themselves. Motorsport is a huge attraction in the region, with regular rallies taking place in nearby forest parks.

During a recent weekend focusing on navigating faith, First Omagh organised an evening with Alan Jardine, a Christian rally driver from Aughnacloy. The conversation, followed by an epilogue, was attended by over 150 people. Rather than predict gendered interests, it was advertised as a motorsport event rather

than a men’s event. “Women are rally drivers too,” says Jane. Three further events tapping into specific interest groups are planned up to June 2024 – one for the farming community, one for the ex-military community (those who served during the Troubles) and one for the sporting community.

Challenges in Omagh are no different from those in other churches and Jane has been considering how to effectively move back out of the hybrid world. Being able to livestream during the pandemic was essential to maintain connection but then the question was whether to turn it off.

But with a congregation that has many members who are elderly, housebound or have experienced Covid-advancing decline, she feels livestreaming is now

meeting a specific pastoral need. She says it can be easy to judge those who aren’t there in person but there are many who faithfully worship in this way – not just the elderly but also those who previously came only once or twice a month due to work or family commitments and couples who could only attend separately but now watch together. There is also work to be done to get people regularly back out to worship in person.

Ministry can be all-consuming, and it can be challenging to carve out space for refreshment. Jane explains that in a rural presbytery, covering for others and hospital visiting can mean travelling from one end of the presbytery to the other, so she tries to ensure that she takes every Monday off for a ‘Monday meander’. “I simply take photos and notice the details around me,” she says. “The beauty of God’s good creation restores my soul.”

When asked how the role of a full-time ordained minister has changed in the last 50 years, Jane highlights how much the society we’re living in has changed.

A generation ago, a minister would see the majority of their congregation on a Sunday. Now, a smaller proportion are there on a regular weekly basis. This has meant an increasing emphasis on discipleship and mission and a need to go out into the community in a way they never had to before. “Our greatest challenge is to go beyond our walls to be the gospel now,” she says.

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Army life PCI army chaplain Rev Heather Rendell reflects on Remembrance and describes what life is like for her in the ARRC.

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RRC stands for the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps, which is the highest formation in the British Army. It is a permanent headquarters (HQ) offered by the UK to NATO and is at the disposal of the Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR). We have 21 nations represented in our HQ, with about two-thirds from the UK, and I have had the privilege of being chaplain here for almost 18 months.

Our biggest Participating Nation is Italy, with Germany and the USA close behind. We have some NATO countries represented by just a single officer and some by more than 20, but all are equally appreciated and valued for the contribution they make, not just to our work, but to our cultural and social life as well. From a chaplaincy perspective, it is fascinating as I offer pastoral, spiritual, moral and ethical care to personnel from traditionally Mediterranean Roman Catholic countries, but also to those whose state Church is Lutheran or Orthodox; Muslims from North Africa serving with the French Army as well as Turkish personnel, whose religion may be Muslim, but who come from a secularist military background. We have our Commonwealth partner of Canada, and the UK also has a spread of religious

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requirements, as anyone working in the public sector would appreciate. This gives a Remembrance commemoration a little more variety than I had previously experienced as a unit chaplain, where we knew some of our fallen personally, as well as paying our respects to the names graven on memorial stones.

Remembrance at ARRC One of the greatest privileges of my job is to visit cemeteries and memorials across Europe, as part of various battlefield studies. During these, we learn lessons from World War II (mostly), apply them to what we are facing or planning for in the future, and consider if we would do anything differently. We usually visit sites or memorials of significance to our NATO partners and not just the UK, so I have had the honour of taking services at French, German and Italian cemeteries in Italy as well as at Commonwealth war

…representing so many allies and former enemies who are now friends, Remembrance is a multi-layered commemoration.

graves in Norway and Turkey (Gallipoli).

Remembrance, however, is complicated.

Our recent NATO history reminds us of the sacrifice of personnel in Afghanistan and Iraq, but for many NATO nations, their remembrance is of fellow citizens giving their lives to fight for freedom against the Communists and the might of the Soviet Union. History is still very raw for those countries that only gained their freedom and independence in the early 1990s, with many colleagues having personal recollection of these events.

For example, our Lithuanian partners use the forget-me-not flower to commemorate Freedom Defenders Day on 13 January every year, which is a memorial to those who lost their lives in the Soviet invasion of Vilnius in 1991. Turkey commemorates the defeat of the allies at Gallipoli as part of its national day. Our Dutch colleagues celebrate their liberation every May, but November brings thoughts of the sacrifices of others to the fore. Italy celebrates national unity as well as commemorating the end of World War I on 4 November, but for Poland, France, Belgium, the UK and Canada, 11 November is the main commemoration.

So for HQ ARRC, representing so many allies and former enemies who are now friends, Remembrance is a multi-

layered commemoration. On Armistice Day, I will wear the French cornflower (the bleuet) as well as the poppy, and give thanks for our unity, solidarity and strength in common purpose against a foe of tyranny, which resonates with all of us, given the situation in Ukraine.

‘Normal life’ at ARRC Much of our core business is planning, and chaplaincy is no exception. While the HQ has to plan for multiple possible deployments in 2024, my job is to ensure that I and other chaplains will be in the right places, able to offer pastoral and spiritual care to those in need, whatever that looks like. If we have to deploy to help defend a NATO ally, chaplains have to offer care for POWs as well as those in medically critical conditions, in addition to supporting our own troops.

The possibility of a European deployment is greater now than it has been for years, and that is challenging for many people, some of whom are still coming to terms with things that happened in Afghanistan or Iraq, so pastoral care is a key element of my job.

As well as the operational aspect to my role, I am also chaplain to the whole station, which includes our Support Battalion, which is Gurkha. It has a very small number of Christians but its members are largely Buddhist and Hindu. Also on our station is the Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre, which co-ordinates real-time

It is sad to note… that in less than five years…

Presbyterians from both Scotland and Ireland will have no women ministers in the army. repatriations for those who need to get home to see loved ones in an emergency, as well as dealing with fatalities. It also has the team of ‘MOD War Detectives’ who arrange reburials or the dedication of new headstones for soldiers who finally have a name, after being ‘Known only to God’.

Every week, we have a meeting of prayer and fellowship known as the Imjin Christian Fellowship. We are very small in number, and I am reliant on two very faithful civil servants and our part-time civilian chaplain to keep this witness going when I am away. This was set up to ensure that the Gurkha Christians would always know when and where to find Christian fellowship, but it has become a really positive focal point of prayer for our HQ, with a variety of people dropping by for just one meeting, perhaps, depending on their schedules.

This is a vital ministry, to ensure that all our people know they are being prayed for, whether away or in camp.

Reflection on army life After nearly 15 years in the army, I can say that much as I loved my unit and brigade jobs, including my time in Germany, this is the most exciting role I have had. I deal with fellow chaplains across NATO to improve our cooperation and collaboration; I have a small team of chaplains in the two brigades under

ARRC; I still go on exercises, although not for as long; and I still play badminton for the army – when I have time. I also chair the working group for female chaplains in the army. I never considered myself a trailblazer for female chaplains, but I find myself as the first CF2 (Lt Col equivalent) in our department.

I am now delighted to see so many women ministers from the Anglican, Methodist and Baptist traditions joining the army. It is sad to note, however, that in less than five years, unless something changes, the Presbyterians from both Scotland and Ireland will have no women ministers in the army.

The experience of being a female chaplain has been hugely positive for me, and without any discrimination. In an organisation in which the vast majority of personnel know absolutely nothing about doctrinal differences between Protestants and Catholics, let alone denominational nuance, it is entirely natural for soldiers to seek out the ‘Padre’ for friendship and support, whether female or male. In the ARRC, the Italian and Spanish soldiers embrace me as their Padre too, even though the term confuses them at first!

The job of the chaplain is to care for all the army’s people, and the army wants that care to come from suitably qualified, motivated and called ministers, so please read this as my clarion call for more to consider chaplaincy. It is a huge privilege, with many opportunities.

Prayer points • Please pray for our safety on our exercises and deployments. We will be the lead Corps HQ for NATO in 2024, and could face all kinds of unexpected situations, so please pray for courage, wisdom and safety.

• Please pray for our Command Team. We will have a new commander next year, so please pray that he/she will be as positively disposed to the Christian faith as the current commander.

• Please pray for our Christian witness and fellowship, that we would be encouraged as we pray for God’s Spirit to bless those who work in our station.

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Growing good leadership

Dermot Parsons outlines how good leadership must have servant-heartedness at its core.

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W

hen people think of health and social care, they think about ‘too much management red tape’ and the need to give control to professionals.

In our Social Witness department, despite management arrangements, significant reform was needed. When change is needed, it is not more management, but leadership that is required.

The idea of ‘leadership’ can conjure up a misleading image – a strong and charismatic leader, setting out an exciting and inspiring vision for the future, motivating others through his or her powerful oratory. I think we have all seen this kind of leader at work, and sometimes this approach works for a while. To sustain this approach is a great pressure on the leader themselves, and it does little to build sustainable leadership in a management team.

Management courses and literature offer many other models that promise transformation, including democratic, autocratic, laissez-faire and ethical leadership approaches. The more experienced leader may take elements of all these models and use them in a ‘blended’ style. In our work in the Church, though, the question must be asked: “Where is Christ in these models?” In the Council for Social Witness (CSW), our mission statement is “People Matter to God”. For this to be lived out, we would do well to follow Christ’s leadership. In John 10:11, this is described simply as, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” Much is implicit in this statement, including the wide range of potentially catastrophic situations in which the sheep can find themselves, but most clearly the wonderful statement of sacrificial love and care persistently shown by the shepherd.

This thinking has led us in CSW to work within the model of servant leadership – an approach that asks hard questions of us as senior managers.

Firstly, are we truly committed to nurturing and serving those we manage?

If not, there is the risk that we are more like “hired hands” ( John 10:12–13) and will not continue to support our service teams when times are challenging.

Secondly, are we prepared to set aside the trappings and behaviours often associated

We make sure that we listen to the needs of others… and that we have the courage to address difficult matters. with senior posts – and commit ourselves to a servant approach to those who work with us? These are continual challenges that we address when we meet as a team, in prayer or in practical work. In taking this approach, we are conscious of the teaching in 2 Corinthians 9–10: “Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

The servant leadership model seems to be somewhat in vogue at the moment in corporate management; not explicitly Christian-based, but like so many approaches in the world, it cannot help but contain an echo of the servant approach of Christ. In our work, we have identified a number of key distinctive elements to take forward in CSW: Humility. As a priority, we make sure that those who work in our services, whether in care or management roles, have what they need to deliver care safely and with compassion. Jonathan Edwards wrote: “Humility tends to prevent an ostentatious behaviour… [for a humble person] it is a small thing with him what men think of him.” This needs to be true of us.

Integrity. We make sure that we communicate openly and honestly, that we listen to the needs of others, that we follow through when we undertake tasks, and that we have the courage to address difficult matters.

Leading by example. In our behaviour with each other, with service users and staff, and with professionals involved with our services, we must reflect how we believe people should be treated.

Care for people. Matthew 25:34 onwards sets out numerous examples of the call for people to show care for others. For us, this includes how we treat each other, how we work with

our staff and the prime need to ensure that our services reflect our focus on the individual needs of each unique individual whom we support.

Stewardship. CSW employs over 400 staff and it includes what is effectively an £11m turnover business. We need to look after these resources. We need to make sure that buildings are regularly maintained and decorated, that staff are properly supported and trained and, critically, that we secure enough income to make sure that our services are sustainable into the future.

Correction and learning. No matter how careful we are, we will make errors.

We can expect that our staff team will also make errors, and so we need to both be open to listen to others so we can learn, but also prepared to share learning with others in a way that they can hear.

Listening. CSW services are operated to meet the needs of others in society, staffed by an experienced team. We have all brought very different experience to our management group, are challenged to serve, and are committed to regular prayer. We must listen carefully to avoid making arrogant decisions based on our professional knowledge alone.

Aware of self and others. These notions are closely linked, but we need to recognise each other’s uniqueness and our connection if we are to be effective.

The illustration of the parts of the human body in 1 Corinthians 12:18–20 applies: “But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.”

Build a team. We need to move from recognising our mutual contribution to strengthening the bonds between team members with different skills to achieve the common purpose.

Accountability. There is a risk that in a senior team, managers fail to see that they are accountable through formal structures (in our case, the Council and its committees) but also to those we lead – if we acknowledge the call to serve, we are also accountable to those we should serve. If we make the commitment to ‘shepherd’ our flock, we are accountable to them to live that out – it is not an option for us to do the equivalent of fleeing when the wolf comes.

Herald November 2023

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We must listen carefully to avoid making arrogant decisions based on our professional knowledge alone.

Share the vision: Proverbs 29:18 states: “Where there is no prophetic vision the people cast off restraint, but blessed is he who keeps the law.” We need to uphold the vision that we have, based on prayerfully seeking God’s will, and be confident to share it with all of our team.

How can we expect that our staff team will work in the way we hope if we do not boldly share our vision with them?

Courage. This is the final part of servant leadership in CSW. There are several key reasons why courage sits in servant leadership. Firstly, we see the values of the world around us. Our senior team members work in similar roles to regional managers of care groups, and they have seen and heard the discussions about the status trappings common with senior posts. Instead, they have courage to recognise the nature of their roles to simply serve in our services.

It takes courage to stand out from the crowd and display faith-based humility.

Secondly, we live in times where some external professionals can be challenging with our senior team. Again, it takes courage to respond in ways that reflect servant hearts and for colleagues to be humble rather than push back. Finally, an approach reflecting servant leadership will take time to deliver results. Rapid responses have become the norm, so relying on patience, investing time and effort in people, is quite challenging to others. Some will question why we avoid shortcuts, why we shun highly directive approaches, and it does take courage to be different. The answer, I believe, is in the love of Christ. He shows limitless love and patience in his care for us – surely, we must show even the faintest shadow of this towards those we work with.

In our social care work, there are a number of practical steps that we have taken to support our staff team strongly.

These have included: making sure that each service manager has a monthly

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Herald November 2023

supervision session that addresses their support and development needs, along with following up on work objectives; our senior team becoming more visible in services, which is certainly easier now pandemic restrictions have gone; encouraging service managers to share good practice examples at our monthly management meetings, and with each other outside meetings; and starting to work in a trauma-informed way that takes account of the adverse experiences that many people have had prior to working for CSW. Managers and staff have identified training gaps, some relating to skills needed to work with service users with complex needs. Some gaps also relate to teambuilding and management skills. It is perfectly reasonable for our staff to need additional skills in these areas and, working with external facilitators, we have started to provide additional training to help the team feel confident in key work areas. We have found team members responsive to the new opportunities they have – we are fortunate to have such an able and wellmotivated team in CSW. Just as the shepherd meets the practical needs of the sheep, we are simply providing the team with the essentials they need to do their jobs. Already, as we actively take on this approach, we can see that people are starting to feel valued, and truly cared for. There is a huge staff shortage in social care and we hope that our staff team will start to see, and talk about, the benefits of working for PCI. I have worked in a number of different management and leadership models over the years, many of which were apparently outcome focused and closely aligned to business needs. Often, I have found that the models that exist in organisational cultures are characterised by internal factions, staff turnover and wasteful activities resulting from personal ambition. In my early years in management, I was taken by the idea of management and leadership as a fairly scientific activity and had optimism that particular theories would bring benefit in the long term. Looking back, I believe that it is fully understandable that managers become more flexible and adopt a more eclectic approach to leadership. Personally, I wonder: is a mix

There is a risk that in a senior team, managers fail to see that they are accountable through formal structures… but also to those we lead… and match approach strong in itself, or is it an acknowledgement that perhaps no theory will truly fit what is needed to work with the complexities of broken people in fallen societies?

The servant leadership approach has value for us in CSW. So, is this an approach that is only suitable for working in the Church in the area of social witness? I would suggest not – the authenticity and depth of Christ’s care for others is surely something that should be a guide for those in leadership in any setting. Jesus himself set out a simple illustration of how the necessary care and guidance could be given to the flock, but it is a profound illustration with more insight into human need and behaviour than any management model.

Dermot Parsons is PCI’s Secretary to the Council for Social Witness.

NOVEMBER 2023

Mission Connect

Daily strength

An Tionólann Rev David Moore

Mission news from workers around Ireland and the world.

A time of transition Ilona and Csaba Veres To bring glory to God Derek and Jane French Our moving experience Rev Dr Philip Wilson Daily strength Rachel Cubitt

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.

Confronting the challenge of abuse within our Church Dr Jacqui Montgomery-Devlin

Including November prayer diary

An Tionólann

Rev David Moore

West Belfast Special Project

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laine and I look back on the first year of the West Belfast for Bible study – another answer to prayer – in premises kindly Special Project with much gratitude to God for answered granted to us on the Falls Road – yet another answer to prayer. prayer. We have met people right across the community and We call ourselves An Tionólann, which is Irish for ‘a gathering’ or the welcome we have received has been warm and positive. ‘assembly’, and we hope that members of the wider community As part of our desire to connect with the community, we were will feel at ease to join with us as we look at Mark’s gospel able to stage an exhibition in August on the history of one of together. More details of what we do can be found on our website the congregations that formerly worshipped in this area – Albert www.antionolann.com/ Street, amalgamated with Argyle Place on the Shankill Road to We are amazed at what God has done, and we trust him in what form West Kirk in 1971. he will do in the future. Key to this is that he would place this work Over the course of four days, on the hearts of people to we had an average of 100 We are amazed at what God has done, and we pray. If you would like to pray people visit the exhibition for the work, we would deeply trust him in what he will do in the future. every day, a mixture of people appreciate it. Please contact me from the area and those who at dmoore@presbyterianireland. came from other places, some being in west Belfast for the first org and I can add you to our regular prayer list, which is sent out time. It is our hope that we will be able to bring the exhibition to every fortnight or so with a few prayer points. You can also sign up other venues across west Belfast over the next year, and in that for our quarterly prayer letters via mission@presbyerianireland.org way to engage with even more of the community.

We are grateful for answers to other prayers. On 1 September 2023, exactly a year after we began this work, our team expanded with the addition of a community outreach worker. Toni Bassett, Please pray: who while being a teacher three days a week, will serve with us • Give thanks for the impact of the exhibition and pray for other for 16 hours a week, with a focus on newcomers (refugees/asylum venues to host it to increase the impact over the coming year in seekers) in the area. Toni has extensive experience of both this west Belfast. work and this area. We are delighted that she is now part of the • Give thanks for the core group and pray we will be an attractive team. living witness of Christ.

Further answered prayer is that the three of us are joined by • Give thanks for the Bible study. Pray for the Holy Spirit to be at Andrew Thompson, a member of West Kirk, to form the core work in all who attend. group of this little mustard seed adventure. We now meet weekly

Mission Connect | Herald Bovember 2023

A time of transition Ilona and Csaba Veres

Global mission workers, Romania

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imes of transition in our lives can be unsettling and Bodaszőlő church plant. We will be joining the small team and overwhelming, whether it’s moving home, a new job or part-time pastor who have been working there for almost a year changing church, but they can also be a chance to be now. reminded of the unchanging nature of God. In unsettling times, he Bodaszőlő is a village in north-east Hungary, close to the city of can be our source of security, safety and joy.

Debrecen. In 2004, 50 Roma families from Debrecen moved to the As our work in the Diakonia Bodaszőlő in one day, because is ending, we have been the Debrecen municipality It has been important for us, in this time of grateful that many of you have evicted them and demolished partnered with us in prayer as their houses. There are two waiting, to trust that God will lead the way, we seek God for his leading main communities in the and direction to a new place village – Hungarian and Roma of ministry. For some time now, we have looked at opportunities – and there has never been a church there. In these early days for service, visited locations and waited for correspondence. It has of joining the team in Bodaszőlő, it is important for us to build been important for us, in this time of waiting, to trust that God will relationships and network, to understand the vision of the team lead the way, to listen to the nudges of the Holy Spirit and depend in evangelism, in building a fellowship, in its diaconal work, and on him for renewed focus and direction. helping the small group of believers to live a missional lifestyle.

Now we are entering into a time of transition. As our paperwork is finalised and we prepare to pack and say goodbye to what is familiar and secure – friends, our Cluj home, church fellowship, colleagues in the Diakonia – we are reminded not to cling to the Please pray: past, but to look to the future with our security in the Lord to see • That in this last period of ministry in the Diakonia in Romania what new thing he is doing. This time of transition is a time of we would finish well. preparation to make a move, when the Lord is preparing us for • For all the practical details of our relocation to Hungary – for both exciting opportunities, but perhaps also for challenges ahead finding accommodation, packing and settling in. which we may not have faced before (Isaiah 43:18–19).

• For the team in Bodaszőlő, for good connection with the team We believe God is calling us to join an intercultural church plant members and leadership. ministry in Bodaszőlő, Hungary and we have been invited to • That the Bodaszőlő church plant team would preach and model minister in the Transtibiscan District of the Reformed Church. We the love of Jesus in the community and live out peace and unity. will work under the leadership of the Calvin Square Reformed • That many in the village would encounter Jesus.

Church in Hajdúböszörmény, which is the mother church of the

Mission Connect | Herald November 2023

To bring glory to God Derek and Jane French Global mission workers, France

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n Bilbao International Church (BIC), our overall aim is to Evangelism is another important ministry in the life of BIC. We bring glory to God in all we do. Our prayer is that the various pray firstly that our members will be a witness to their friends ministries in the church will point people to Christ. Two of our and family and that they would be courageous and bold to share main ministries in BIC are with others about their faith. evangelism and discipleship.

We also seek to have special Jesus, during his ministry, events to reach out to others.

We pray… that our members… would be focused on discipling 12 men.

In October, we had a student courageous and bold to share with others He walked alongside them, welcome service to reach the taught them, challenged them, student population in Bilbao, about their faith. ate with them, prayed with for both local and international them and for them. This is our students. In November, we desire as the leadership team, have our special Thanksgiving to disciple those God has brought into the BIC family. We do this meal in the church, which is always well attended and a great mainly through the different Bible study groups, breakfasts, and opportunity to show others the warmth of the BIC community one-to-one Bible studies. Pray that God would work in the lives and to present the gospel. In December, we have our ‘Carols by of those being discipled and that they would grow strong in their Candlelight’ service, usually on the Sunday before Christmas; this is faith and closer in their walk with God. At the end of his life on also a wonderful opportunity to invite family and friends to come earth, Jesus commanded his disciples to “Go and make disciples…” and hear of the real, true reason to celebrate Christmas. Pray for Our prayer is that those in BIC would be also equipped to be able these events and that ultimately more would come to know Christ to faithfully disciple others. personally.

This year, the women’s discipleship group is working its way through a course called ‘Gospel and Community’, which focuses on how we relate to others, whether they be ‘someone who has wronged us’, ‘those who don’t believe’ or ‘my neighbour’. It also Please pray: looks at how we relate to other things such as money, marriage • That the women of BIC will live together in community, and and work. Our prayer is that the women of BIC will live together in reach out to others around them. community, encouraging one another and seeking to reach out to • That the men of BIC will grow in their faith and walk with God. others while being a witness in our sphere of influence.

• Give thanks for the student welcome service that took place in This year, the men’s discipleship group will be studying the ‘Just October. for Starters’ course, which looks at what the Bible teaches on seven • For the Thanksgiving meal in the church in November and the fundamental topics: ‘Saved by God’, ‘Trusting in God’, ‘Living God’s ‘Carols by Candlelight’ service in December – that the gospel Way’, ‘Listening to God’, ‘Talking to God’, ‘Meeting with God’s family’ would be presented and more people would come to know and ‘Meeting the World’. Pray that the men of BIC would grow in Jesus. their faith and walk with God.

Mission Connect | Herald Bovember 2023

Our moving experience Rev Dr Philip Wilson RAF Chaplain

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e moved house at the end of August. It’s our fifth house the world. The second time I deployed was in February 2020, to in nine and a half years. Family and friends think we the Middle East, when Beth was nine. The sense of isolation on are a dab hand by now at packing and unpacking, operations overseas during an unexpected pandemic was bizarre but the truth is each time is different and presents its own set and very tough on service families back at home. There’s a reason of challenges. The removal why the symbol for deployed people do most of the packing families is a dandelion – they There’s a reason why the symbol for deployed for us, thankfully, but we have have to be resilient, plant the unalloyed joy of unpacking and blossom wherever families is a dandelion – they have to be resilient, roots literally hundreds of boxes and they land. This is why Beth getting ‘normal life’ established now happily goes to boarding plant roots and blossom wherever they land. as quickly as possible again. school, mostly funded by “What is it with padres and the military, which gives her all these books?” The removal continuity. man remonstrated, with a few expletives added. He’d seen On some stations I have run church services, ‘messy church’, chaplains come and go before.

Alpha and Bible study groups, but my new job is staff chaplain “We’re people of books, because we’re people of the Book”, I to the chaplain-in-chief, supporting other chaplains from HQ, respond. “The Bible.” answering their questions and giving advice. Administration is a That same book has a particular verse that keeps going round spiritual gift, but I’m still finding it very different not having a flock in my head: “For here we have no lasting city…” I’ve pondered or visiting people. The greatest privilege is assisting colleagues those words many times because, in contrast to ministers in in their mission, pointing service people to things eternal. “For congregations, there is a distinct lack of obvious ‘lastingness’ in here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come” what military chaplains do. Always moving on, new roots being (Hebrews 13:14). established, lives changed – most definitely yes; but very few people will necessarily know our name, even after hours and Please pray: hours of sharing. I am simply, in that most affectionate and time• For this Remembrance season – that the sacrifices of previous honoured of terms: ‘the padre’. generations might not be forgotten.

Then, just when you’re getting settled, it’s time to deploy • For service men and women and their families as they serve overseas. This time it’s big black bags, not cardboard boxes. And for good in the British and Irish armed forces, often with long no family. They stay at home for four months, or however long it periods of separation. happens to be. My wife Hannah has had this experience with me • For peacemakers and peacekeepers – especially remembering deploying twice. The first was to the Falklands, when our daughter the people of Ukraine at this time.

Beth was four. Communications are not the best with that part of

Mission Connect | Herald November 2023

Daily strength

Rachel Cubitt

Deaconess, Whiteabbey Presbyterian Church

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f you are anything like me, you may go about life with a bag This treasure of the Holy Spirit is my daily strength in all the bursting with all kinds of important things, such as a Bible, things I do around Whiteabbey, in pastoral visitation, leading phone, keys, cards, notebook, pens and sweets. It’s a miracle my at Girls’ Association (company section, secondary school age), everyday tote bag hasn’t burst yet!

Friendship Hour (our senior ladies), Kids & Co (our mother and Whenever I go to any hospital, I add something else to take to toddlers group), our home group, and our Village Youth Week in the people I visit there – a the summer. In taking part in little booklet called Daily prayer meetings, funerals and …it’s incredible to know that God is glad to put church services, prayer ministry, Strength (a friend from church very kindly gave me a set of to run courses like the treasure of the Holy Spirit in us, renewing us helping them). This booklet contains a ‘Encountering Grief’ (a fourmonth’s worth of Bible verses week course to help bereaved day by day to be like Jesus. with encouraging verses for members of the congregation), each day, several Psalms and teaching the PoD (our first the Lord’s Prayer at the back. to third year Bible study) and The idea is that it’s easier for someone who is feeling particularly organising seniors’ events. Thank you, Lord, for your constant unwell to pick up and look at, rather than reading a longer passage faithfulness in all of this! from the Bible. They can be reminded of important truths from God’s Word in the suffering they are going through.

This year’s PW theme is ‘Being Transformed’, and in preparing for my deputations I have been focusing on 2 Corinthians 4, where Paul talks about us having this “treasure in jars of clay” (v7) and Please pray: how as Christians we are being “renewed day by day” (v16). When • Give thanks for the work of the Holy Spirit in Whiteabbey, and we feel like a delicate clay jar, fragile and easily cracked due to the pray that those who are going through hard times would suffering we go through – such as difficulties at work, ill health remember the treasure they have in him. or bereavement – it’s incredible to know that God is glad to put • For our assistant minister, Matthew, who at the time of writing the treasure of the Holy Spirit in us, renewing us day by day to be is waiting for a call to his first charge. Pray for Matthew and his like Jesus. What a comforting truth, especially on the days I get family – that God would guide them and prepare them for this frustrated or overwhelmed and feel like I can’t do anything right. special new chapter in their lives.

The Holy Spirit continues to work in our weakness and later on • For wisdom as we apply for and wait to appoint a new youth in the same letter Paul reminds us again that the Lord’s power is worker – that God would clearly reveal the right person. “made perfect” in our weakness (12:9).

Mission Connect | Herald Bovember 2023

Confronting the challenge of abuse within our Church

Awareness Raising Sessions Dr Jacqui Montgomery-Devlin

Head of Safeguarding, Council for Social Witness

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s head of safeguarding in PCI, I, along with my team, will The protection of reputation should never be the paramount soon be embarking on a mission, within your presbytery, concern for the Church in relation to safeguarding, and especially to speak about the ‘Challenge of abuse within the not in responding to disclosures of abuse.

Church’. Everyone is welcome and invited to attend these sessions, PCI needs to ensure rigorous and effective oversight of addressing challenges, not just in respect of the past, but also the safeguarding within its congregations. present and future-proofing our Church to deal with identifying, Creating a healthy safeguarding culture for the Church is safeguarding and supporting essential if we are to facilitate victims/survivors of abuse. victims/survivors of abuse to To be a safe Church for all, safeguarding needs report. This will be influenced In May 2023, the government published its response to the by the nature and quality of to be in the heart and soul of the Church. final report of the Independent communication and behaviour Inquiry into Child Sexual within the Church at all Abuse, stating: levels. This culture should be one that is positive and affirming, “We cannot erase what happened to you, but we can compassionate and caring, transparent and open to challenge. acknowledge it and protect other children from suffering as you Given the negative impact of abuse, victims/survivors will be even have suffered. The Inquiry revealed fundamental systemic failings, more unlikely to disclose their abuse in an environment that is with adults and organisations repeatedly putting their reputations anything other than this. ahead of protecting vulnerable children – either ignoring or When victims do speak out about their experience, they should actively covering up abuse. At the heart of the Government receive the message that they will be heard, believed, accepted, response lies our resolve to ensure that the institutions of the supported in their healing and indeed that the appropriate action present and future are not like those of the past, and to support will be taken against the perpetrator. victims and survivors in finding, as one put it, ‘life after abuse’.”

Further details and dates will be advertised in the relevant Abuse isn’t just about sexual abuse; it can take many other forms presbyteries and we really hope you will see value in attending including physical, emotional, spiritual and financial, to name a and joining together in these valuable sessions. few.

In the meantime, should you wish to speak to someone from the PCI should aim to have a culture whereby safeguarding of Safeguarding team you can contact us on +44 (0)28 9041 7290. children and adults is in the DNA of the Church and the people Please pray: who comprise the Church. To be a safe Church for all, safeguarding needs to be in the heart and soul of the Church. Rather than being • For victims/survivors of abuse – that in churches they will find viewed with a spirit of fear or reluctant compliance, safeguarding care and compassion. should be seen as an expression and working out of an internal • For the training sessions – that creating a healthy safeguarding understanding of safeguarding being intrinsic to Christian beliefs culture will be paramount. and values.

Mission Connect | Herald November 2023

NOVEMBER 2023

Please pray... n DEACONESS – For Sylvia Santos Bryce serving in West Church, Ballymena. Pray for Sylvia as she serves the congregation pastorally, that the love of Jesus would be apparent in each encounter.

n CHAPLAINS – For PCI’s prison chaplains as they share the gospel with those currently in prison – pray that the gospel would transform and bring hope into their lives. n JAMES AND HEATHER COCHRANE – That they would be strengthened as they continue on their period of deputation, sharing with congregations about their church planting work in Portugal. Pray for the Christian Presbyterian Church of Portugal’s Pedras Vivas congregation as they seek a new pastor of God’s choice.

n DIANE CUSICK – Give thanks that Diane has arrived safely and is settling in once again in Zambia. Pray that she will keep in good health and be able to pace herself as she returns to her duties in Early Childhood Development. n CHAPLAINS – For PCI’s university chaplains in this new year, as they provide pastoral care and support to students. n STEPHEN AND ANGELINA COWAN – That Kenya would be blessed with good rains which are urgently needed. Pray for the continued development of the iTeach literacy App, especially that all the hard work would come to fruition.

n COMMUNITY OUTREACH – For Phoebe Nugent (Carlisle Road and Ebrington) as she serves the community and youth; that her relationships with those in the surrounding community would deepen and the hope of Jesus may be shared with those who don’t yet know it. n FRANCE – For the work of the Faculté Jean Calvin in Aix-en-Provence, especially that the theological training delivered will effectively prepare students for ministry and mission in the French-speaking world.

Stephen and Angelina Cowan

n PERSONNEL – For the Personnel Department as they support managers in the Council for Social Witness in staffing. Ask that the right candidates will come forward and that the selection panels will have the wisdom and discernment to know God’s will in making their decisions.

n CHAPLAINS – For PCI’s forces chaplains in this Remembrance season – that the sacrifices of previous generations might not be forgotten. Pray for service men and women and their families as they serve, often with long periods of separation.

n HOME MISSION – For Howth and Malahide congregations as they gather to worship, that they would grow deeper together in fellowship and faith in Christ. n CHAPLAINS – For Kenny Hanna, PCI’s rural chaplain and the wider rural chaplaincy team as they engage with people; that those they talk to will be impacted with the good news of Jesus. n STEVE AND ROSIE KENNEDY – For Steve, Rosie, Julia and Lucy as a family, that they would know God’s sustaining grace, encouragement and guidance during these autumn months. Give thanks for the work with Cluj Christian Fellowship and pray for the outworking of strategy meetings within Tóköz Reformed Church, as the congregation seeks God’s direction for the future. n COMMUNITY OUTREACH – For Ben Cavan (Ballycrochan) as he seeks to serve the congregation and surrounding community – that the good news of Jesus would be evident through his witness. n CSW CONVENERS – For Rev David Brice, convener of the Council for Social Witness.

Give thanks for David’s drive and faithfulness to the Council and the commitment that he gives to the social witness work of our Church.

n OLDER PEOPLE SERVICES – For our older people and the vulnerability and fears of old age. Pray for those who feel isolated and lonely – that church family may provide friendship and solace to those who need it most. n INTERNATIONAL MEETING POINT – For the staff and volunteers of the International Meeting Point in both north and south Belfast. As they meet the needs of those who come to them, pray that the Lord’s mercy and love would be evident in all that they do. n SPECIALIST Robert Dalzell SERVICE AGENCIES – For the Bible Society Northern Ireland, especially Catherine Hillcox, General Secretary, and the staff team as they work with churches to provide Bible resources and expertise that will help people come to know and understand the Word of God, and to raise funds for the translation, production and distribution of God’s Word in other countries.

n AFGHANISTAN – Now more than two years after the Taliban regime’s takeover, so many Afghan women and girls feel hopeless, with doors closed to them and their dreams shattered. Pray that their voice would be heard and that they would gain equal rights and a proper place in society. n URBAN MISSION – That the congregation of Westbourne would know the Lord’s blessing as they gather to worship each Sunday. n ILLNESS AND BEREAVEMENT – For those in our families and friendship circles who have suffered sudden illness recently.

Give thanks for the NHS and healthcare professionals, including paramedics and rapid response teams who are often heroes in emergency situations. Pray also for those known to us who are bereaved and coping with grief. n CHAPLAINS – For PCI’s healthcare chaplains – that they would be equipped for each pastoral situation and that the Lord would be at work through their ministries to patients and staff. n LATVIA – That God would continue to guide and resource the work of the Baltic Reformed Theological Seminary as it seeks to provide effective training for leaders of reformed churches in Latvia and neighbouring countries. n WILLOW BROOK – This accommodation provides supported housing for nine tenants with a learning disability. Pray for Holly Wilson, acting manager and Karen McKay, clerical officer. Pray that tenants will feel encouraged to live as independently as possible in a Christian environment. n COMMUNITY OUTREACH – For Ben Day (Kilbride). Pray for strengthening of relationships between the church and local schools. Give thanks for all the various ministries at Kilbride and pray that God would be glorified in them all. n SOUTH BELFAST FRIENDSHIP HOUSE – For Robert Dalzell as he takes up the post as project leader this month and brings fresh leadership to the activities of this mission project. n TOPLEY COURT – This is dedicated to the care of individuals with a physical disability. Give thanks for the tenants and pray that we may be totally aware of the additional needs of those with physical disabilities and facilitate them in membership and leadership. Give thanks for the increasing level of awareness of disability within our denomination.

www.presbyterianireland.org/prayer

REFLECTIONS

Louis and Becks Ruth Sanderson

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magine being so admired that squabbles break out about just the sports section). who gets to hold your shirt before you put it on. Imagine I knew a family growing up who were Manchester United having a fleet of people who just want to be near you, to obsessed. They referred to ‘Becks’ like he was a much beloved garner favour and to hang on your every word. Imagine if son! you spoke and your words became law. Being waited on hand In one section of the Netflix documentary, David Beckham and foot, living in opulence, wanting for nothing and being talks about his move to Real Madrid (which trebled its revenues revered as a demigod. by simply signing him – before he’d even made it out of the Maybe you could imagine being born with unprecedented dressing room). There is footage of the team’s tour of Asia skill, with a unique gift that no one else has, which makes you and the scenes are bananas – hundreds of thousands of people special and sets you apart as different – a skill that can make lining streets, mobbing hotels and airports, chanting over and you unimaginable amounts of money and propel you to become over again “BECKHAM! BECKHAM! BECKHAM!” What one of the most talked about people in the I found amazing was that his teammates world.

Men (and women) can be were Ronaldo, Figa, Roberto Carlos – If, like me, you’re a pretty run of the none of whom were any less incredible seen as near godlike mill person, then these things are almost with a football. unimaginable.

Yet, there was something special figures for fleeting This week, I came across two about this man. Beckham-mania was programmes that really intrigued me. One moments… Don’t forget, so widespread that The Sun newspaper was In our Time on Radio 4. This particular they are just people. It’s (tongue in cheek) sent reporters out across episode was all about the reign of Louis the world to find someone, anyone, who only our God who is VIX, aka ‘the Sun King’. I listened with hadn’t heard the name ‘David Beckham’. In fascination as his life was described and the end, they found a nomadic shepherd in eternal… analysed. The programme explained how northern Chad... who made the front page. he became one of the most revered men David Beckham and Louis XIV – in the world at the time and the sheer reverence in which he centuries apart, both revered for very different reasons and was held – believing, of course, that he was answerable only treated like deities, but when it comes down to it, both simply to God. A king made divine by his own imagination and the humans. supplication of the entire French court. He ruled from his I couldn’t but help thinking of Psalm 146: “Do not put your golden hub at Versailles and through military campaigns and trust in princes, in human beings, who cannot save. When their vast amounts of diplomacy made France the most important spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day their superpower in the known world. plans come to nothing. Blessed are those whose help is the God The other programme was a Netflix series about the life of of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord their God.” David Beckham. It’s a fascinating watch. I’m not a football fan Louis XIV eventually died, after 72 years on the French in the slightest and bear zero allegiance to any team (unless, of throne. The French monarchy, of course, would soon come to an course, the ‘Green and White Army’ make it to any significant end, less than a century later, by way of the French Revolution. championships!). However, even I can see the poetry in the Beckham, less dramatically, lives mainly in comfortable young Beckham’s game. retirement and talks about his glory days.

Yet there were many other talented people in the sporting Men (and women) can be seen as near godlike figures for world who failed to capture such a mood, a zeitgeist, the way fleeting moments. Who do you put on a pedestal? Don’t forget, Beckham did in the 90s and 00s. The hairstyles, the face, they are just people. It’s only our God who is eternal, whose Posh Spice – all bound together to create a brand that was as youth and wealth doesn’t fade, whose talents don’t wane, who ubiquitous off the pitch as on it. It was the time of WAGS, doesn’t sit aloof on a gilded throne or on an oversized billboard, Cool Britannia, Spice-mania and Britpop. A time when but never dies – who lives and dwells in our hearts. The King of footballers were splashed over every page of a newspaper (not Kings and the Prince of Peace.

Herald November 2023

31

50TH ANNIVERSARY

Women

in ministry 2023 marks the 50th anniversary since the decision was taken in PCI to ordain women as ministers.

The Herald takes a look back at some of the headlines and articles that were published in both the run up to this decision and after it.

On the same terms The story of the ordination of women within the Presbyterian Church goes back to the early 20th century.

Then, as now, society was changing rapidly. The suffragette movement and the significant involvement of women in the First World War led to them being granted the vote in parliamentary elections from 1918.

Within the Presbyterian Church, women had been extensively involved in missionary activity, both at home and particularly overseas, and in 1909 an order of deaconesses was founded.

In 1926 the General Assembly agreed that women were eligible for ordination as elders.

Over the next 50 years the role of women continued to grow both in church and society. What were previously seen as exclusively male occupations were now taken up successfully by women. Both the Church of Scotland and the Presbyterian Church in England agreed to ordain women as ministers and many other denominations had the matter under consideration.

Stephen Lynas (editor) Presbyterian Herald, February 2008

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Women become eligible for the ruling eldership During the Wednesday morning sederunt several items of business of great interest engaged the attention of the Assembly, two of them affecting the work of women in the Church. The most important of these is probably the passing of the overture making women eligible for election and appointment to office and committees in the Church on the same conditions as men. This is a movement that will doubtless have eventually large results in the life and work of the Church though it may be long before the positions thus opened for them will be extensively occupied to any great extent by women. It is many years since women were made eligible for election to congregational committees but few have yet been elected to this position.

The Witness, 11 June 1926

An overture anent Eligibility of Women for Office in the Church was put to a show of hands, when the voting was 52 for and 50 against. It having been suggested that owing to the drastic nature of this legislation and the difficulty in accurately counting the votes, a division of the house should be taken. Meanwhile a good many members had come in for the vote on the junior clerkship, and, incidentally, were in time to vote on the eligibility question. The division resulted as follows: 149 for and 144 against.

Northern Whig, 12 June 1926 The majority obtained for the overture on Wednesday was small, but it was sufficiently decisive, and the opposition to the change, judging from what has occurred elsewhere, will probably diminish as the harmonious co-operation of the new elements is recognised. The churches have need of turning the gifts of all those members who are willing to render service to the best possible advantage, and the general raising of the standards of education and business efficiency amongst women in our day has rendered possible developments which former generations might have believed impossible.

Belfast Telegraph, 10 June 1926

Mrs Martin was an anomaly in that she was, to all intents and purposes, a student for the ministry in a Church that did not ordain women as ministers…

The story of Mrs Edith Martin Sometimes in church history, it is not the effect of an event that leads to or can highlight the need for change, but the effect of an individual. One such individual, who came to prominence in 1929, was Mrs Edith Sinclair Martin, MSc. The daughter of an elder, the widow of a Belfast solicitor, and the mother of an only son who had been killed in France in 1915, she obtained her science degree after her husband died in 1919 and worked at Queen’s University. However, her interests turned to ministry, and in 1929 the Newry Presbytery reported that it had Edith Sinclair Martin MSc, on its books, whom it received “subject to any decision at which the Assembly may see fit to arrive when her reception is reported by the presbytery to the Assembly.”…

Mrs Martin had entered the Presbyterian College Belfast (PCB) as a student in 1927 and attended there to 1930 when she was awarded the degree of Bachelor of Divinity. Mrs Martin was an anomaly in that she was, to all intents and purposes, a student for the ministry in a Church that did not ordain women as ministers…

Mrs Martin, after graduating from PCB in 1930, joined and was ordained in the Continuing United Free Church of Scotland, who had ordained its first female minister in 1929. She served as a minister in that denomination until she retired, when she returned to PCB to act as an assistant librarian and secretary.

When she died, the Presbyterian Herald carried two tributes to her…

Avril Heenan, ‘The history of the ordination of women in the Presbyterian Church in Ireland from 1900– 2018’, The Bulletin of the Presbyterian Historical Society of Ireland, vol47, 2023.

The late Rev Edith S. Martin MSc, BD

By Rev Principal J.E. Davey, MA, DD Mrs Martin was a very remarkable person. The daughter of a Presbyterian elder, she became the wife of Mr R.T. Martin, the well-known solicitor, a very active trustee of this College. After the tragic early death of her husband she took up science, took her Master’s degree in it, and acted as demonstrator in the University. Later her interests turned to the ministry and she entered our College, took the full course for the ministry, and added to it the BC of the University, and, there being no facilities here for women ministers, she joined and was ordained in the Continuing United Free Church of Scotland. After her term of service in that position she retired, and, coming to reside in Belfast, she offered her services without any remuneration to our College. She was appointed as honorary assistant librarian, and has acted in that capacity for some ten years. She also acted as principal’s secretary both for Principal Paul and myself…

Mrs Martin was an indefatigable worker and had gifts of poise, tenacity and patience, which did not easily give way; she was a strong-minded woman, alert and active, keenly interested in our Church and College, and we remember this day her varied work for us with gratitude…

By Rev Andrew McCurdy, BA St Paul held in high regard women whose interests were in the service of the Kingdom of Christ. Edith Sinclair Martin was a woman of that type.

God has now called her to his rest and reward.

One must pay tribute to her moral courage. The spirit which urged her to take her own way in life, and triumph

over the obstacles which beset her path, was not merely the product of an inflexible will. Rather, it seems to me, she had her vision of God’s will and purpose for her, as the occasion required, and the moral courage, to carry that purpose out. Mrs Martin, until well advanced in years, lived the normal life of womanhood. She was married, had husband and family. With an assured position in life and outward circumstances, she gave no sign of the way she might go, or of the brilliance of the life to be hers eventually.

Until the year 1915. In that year, her only son was killed in the battlefields of France, in the service of his country; and four years later her husband was killed in an accident in Belfast. Much of Mrs Martin died in the death of those two, and life had to be reconstructed after another fashion. Mrs Martin knew that tragedy is never God’s final word in one’s destiny, but may only be an opportunity offered for the opening of a fresh chapter of experience, which leads to life’s fullness… A great student and a faithful worker has gone hence.

Presbyterian Herald, December 1948

33

50TH ANNIVERSARY

Miss Hamilton Reid

Miss Fanny Robertson

The 1973 decision

…the majority of those voting in favour of the guidelines were not voting against women, but in favour of liberty of conscience.

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The decision was the final act of a process of discussion that has gone on during the past 12 months in presbyteries that voted 18 for and 3 against the proposal that “women shall be eligible for nomination as students for the ministry and for ordination thereto”. One presbytery voted both ways!

An increasing number of churches, though not a majority as yet, are ordaining ministers, said the Rev Dr John F. Park in moving the resolution.

These included the Church of Scotland and a number of churches in Europe and the United States. Women have played an important role in the life of the Church. No one could say without fear of contradiction that the ordination of women was or was not a way forward but it would be a tragedy, he said, if the Church were to be found at war with the Spirit of God. If the ordination was not

according to the Spirit then the flow of women would cease.

“The Church must be careful not to allow its emotional inhibitions to be a guide in this matter.”

The Clerk of the Assembly, Dr A.J. Weir, said that the ordination of women was not a matter of women’s rights or of men’s rights. The ministry was a calling.

While he had sympathy for those who found arguments in Scripture against ordaining women, the Scriptures did not in fact answer the questions that were being asked by the Church today.

There was considerable criticism both inside and outside the Assembly of some of the arguments presented against the proposal to ordain women, such as the statement that even a very good woman could not replace a half decent man!

The Rev Donald Gillies argued that sin had entered the world because of the deception of women. Instead of submitting to God she rebelled and wanted to be like God. Eve, he maintained, was the founder of women’s liberation and was responsible for the entry of sin into the world.

Miss Hamilton Reid and Miss Fanny Robertson (the only two women speakers in the debate) spoke in favour of the proposal.

Presbyterian Herald, July 1973

…it is vital to the credible witness of our faith that we unite in using the God-given gifts of everyone within our Church…

The ‘conscience clause’ The debate, held in private session on Thursday afternoon, on the Report of the Assembly Judicial Commission focused most sharply on a series of guidelines relating to terms of ordination of women to the ministry.

It can be said that it was an intense debate, emotional, with moving personal contributions by women ministers working in congregations in Ireland; and in one instance, in the Church of Jamaica and Grand Cayman.

The speeches were listened to with close attention, and the spirit of the debate was cheerful, concerned and compassionate.

The Judicial Commission had been asked last year to “examine and report in 1990” on a Memorial on liberty of conscience which had been signed by 113 members of Assembly. The Very Rev Dr T.J. Simpson, convener of the Judicial Commission, reported that the Commission having considered at length the Prayer of the Memorial, and the issues raised thereby, agreed to submit ‘Guidelines’, which, if accepted by the Assembly, would in their opinion provide a reasonable solution to the difficulties raised. Accordingly, he submitted the Guidelines to the Assembly. Last year’s debate dealt with the case of a candidate for the ministry whose application was postponed because of his reservations about the ordination of women.

Under the new guidelines a candidate will not be disallowed from ordination over such reservations. The guidelines were agreed on a vote of 350 in

favour with 300 against. The guidelines recognise that there is a significant number of people in the Church who have personal conscientious reservations or objections to the ordination or installation of women to office as ruling elders and ministers, on the basis of their reading of the Scriptures. The guidelines state that the practice of ministry in the Presbyterian Church in Ireland recognises the lawful exercise of office by both men and women in good standing, and add in a final paragraph, “Those with personal conscientious objections to participating in a particular service have the freedom to decline for themselves, but not to dictate, or veto, who may be invited by the appropriate Church court or authority”.

The guidelines call on those whose convictions prevent them participating in the ordination of women “to strive to avoid injury to the conscientious ministries of brothers and sisters called to serve under the laws and rules of our Church, who are rightly to be honoured for their work’s sake”.

The Presbyterian Church voted in 1972 to allow women to be ordained as ministers, and in 1926 as elders, and there are now about 12 women ministers and a further six in training out of a total of 432 ministers in 564 congregations.

After the Assembly had accepted the guidelines, the Moderator, Principal Finlay Holmes, said he hoped it would be the end of the issue, that “it would give liberty of conscience to men but

that the ordination of women could go on”. He said, “I hope that this will satisfy the concerns of men who have conscientious objections to the ordination of women, but I am very sensitive to the fact that all the women who spoke in the debate are very hurt by this”.

He said the majority of those voting in favour of the guidelines were not voting against women, but in favour of liberty of conscience.

Presbyterian Herald, July 1990 Maybe it’s a fudge [the conscience clause], perhaps it’s a cop-out. Maybe it is the way that Presbyterians with genuine differences of biblical interpretation can resolve what has proved to be a very divisive issue.

Whatever, it is vital to the credible witness of our faith that we unite in using the God-given gifts of everyone within our Church, male and female, young and old, to proclaim Jesus Christ who should be at the heart of our lives…

Stephen Lynas (editor) Presbyterian Herald, February 2008

Herald November 2023

35

Forced

scamming

Rachel Hemphill and Ben McMechan from International Justice Mission (IJM) highlight the littleknown crime of ‘forced scamming’, one of the fastest growing forms of modern slavery in the world.

I

’m sure you’re no stranger to scam messages – we’ve all received the texts, calls and emails trying to deceive us.

Often pretending to be a company or person you know and trust, convincing you to send your personal information or engage in conversation. It can be really challenging to identify fraud and keep yourself safe. It’s no surprise that these scams generate billions of US dollars each year. Like me, you may have noticed these are only becoming more frequent.

But have you ever considered that the person scamming you could be trapped in slavery, unable to escape? In the past year, forced scamming has emerged as one of the fastest growing forms of modern slavery in the world. Criminal networks are tricking and trafficking people, trapping them in heavily-guarded compounds and forcing them to scam people like you and me across the world – including people in the UK and

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Herald November 2023

Ireland. Victims are made to perfect fit. She was excited commit this crime against to move from her home in their will, under the threat Indonesia for the role in of extreme violence, even Cambodia. electrocution.

Imagine Miracle’s horror Trafficking, slavery and when she arrived and forced labour aren’t new discovered that the job crimes. But being held had never existed. Imagine against your will and forced the panic she felt when to scam people for their she realised that she was money is. trapped. Instead of the job This nightmare is a reality Illustration of Miracle, by Anna she’d accepted, Miracle Bonsignorio for thousands of people like was forced to commit the Miracle*. Just like many crime of scamming people. of us, Miracle was working to save for She had to create her retirement. In search of a new job, false profiles on Miracle accepted a role that looked like a social media sites and convince people around the Criminal networks are world to invest tricking and trafficking their money in people, trapping them in cryptocurrency scams. Miracle heavily-guarded would work for up to 20 hours a day, six days a week. Disobeying orders was compounds and forcing high risk. She says, “The supervisor them to scam people… electrocuted one of my colleagues after

making a mistake. I wanted to save him, but I could not do anything.”

Other survivors like Yaza* share stories of being tortured and beaten by the traffickers. Yaza started to lose all hope, believing he would never see his family again: “I did not think I would ever be able to leave, so I tried to jump off the building, but friends stopped me. Two others jumped and died,” he says.

Miracle was determined to escape.

Using a phone she’d hidden under her bed, she managed to make a secret phone call to her brother, who contacted a UN agency. This referral was passed to International Justice Mission (IJM), which partnered with local authorities to bring Miracle to safety.

“When I managed to get out with other trafficked victims from the compound, I understood the real meaning of freedom,” she remembers.

With IJM’s support, Miracle returned home safely to Indonesia and found the strength to testify in court. Thanks to the survivors’ testimonies and legal support, the traffickers were sentenced to several years in prison. One trafficker was also ordered to pay compensation to the survivors.

“It was a miracle for me. I am forever grateful. I could not imagine what would have happened if the police came too late,” Miracle reflects.

A recent UN report suggests that Miracle is one of hundreds of thousands of people from around the world who have been trafficked to South East Asia for forced scamming. Human trafficking has long been a problem in South East Asia and around the world, but in the case of forced scamming, traffickers are often looking for

a different kind of victim. Given the skills required to scam online, traffickers are targeting welleducated and computer literate people, who speak multiple languages.

Fake but convincing job adverts will often advertise jobs in marketing or sales, to attract recently graduated young adults.

So far, victims have been trafficked from over 35 countries, including the UK. This crime is growing, with satellite technology showing that new scamming centres continue to be built every week.

In June 2023, Interpol issued a rare ‘orange’ warning, describing forced scamming as a ‘global human trafficking crisis’ and a ‘global threat to public safety’.

It’s a crime that impacts us all – with people in places like the UK and Ireland losing thousands to successful scams.

IJM has brought over 100 people like Miracle to safety from scamming compounds, and hundreds more have received repatriation, legal and psychosocial support.

This is a serious issue, and it’s showing no signs of slowing down.

However, Miracle’s story is testament to the fact that hope exists. This crime is brutal and devastating, but it can be stopped. For every individual who has been tricked and trapped, freedom is still within reach – if we act.

IJM is one of the first organisations in the world working to stop this crime. IJM staff in Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar, Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia are

working with governments and foreign embassies to help bring victims like Miracle to safety. To protect people from being exploited in the first place, IJM is working alongside legal bodies to hold traffickers to account for their crimes.

Together with partners, so far IJM has brought over 100 people like Miracle to safety from scamming compounds, and hundreds more have received repatriation, legal and psychosocial support.

IJM is determined to see forced scamming stopped in its tracks, but we can’t do it alone. This work is only made possible through the support and prayers of people like you. For Miracle, Yaza and thousands of other people trapped in these compounds, it feels like all hope is lost. Yet, in the face of this brutal crime, there is still hope for change – if we choose to fight for it.

Will you join the movement and donate now, giving to see an end to forced scamming?

All gifts from new donors will be matched by an extra 50%, at no additional cost to you. Scan the QR code or give now at IJMUK.org/stop/forcedscamming Rachel Hemphill is IJM’s NI church and community mobilisation assistant and Ben McMechan is IJM’s Northern Ireland lead. * Names have been changed. To protect IJM survivors, images have been used that obscure their identities.

Herald November 2023

37

The history of Presbyterians

in Pittsburgh

D

istinct Ulster influences were at play in the 18th century early years of First Pittsburgh Presbyterian Church in Pennsylvania. The Pittsburgh church was established as a congregation under the authority of the Donegal Presbytery (US) in April 1773, with two New England ministers – Rev David McClure and Rev Levi Frisbie – tasked with the initial pastorate.

Both men had ridden 700 miles on horseback to assume their new charge, which included a mission to the Native American tribes on the Muskingum River in Ohio. Presbyterian Church influences in Pittsburgh began in 1761, when the location was known as Fort Pitt.

Quaker merchant James Kenny set up a church school in an area constantly besieged by hostile Native American tribes and, for a time, Londonderry-born army chaplain Rev Charles Beatty was a regular preacher to the settlers with another Ulsterman of Huguenot stock, Rev George Duffield. The Beatty/Duffield mission was instrumental in the calls for a permanent church in this far-flung outpost.

Beatty left the north of Ireland in 1729 as a 14-year-old with his widowed mother and he earned a living as a peddler, tramping from log cabin to log cabin with

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Herald November 2023

Billy Kennedy is the author of 11 books on 18th-century migration to the United States. As part of his extensive research, he has, over a span of 25 years, visited more than a dozen Presbyterian churches in the US, all with a rich Ulster-Scots religious heritage. Through the 17th/18th and early 19th centuries, an estimated 200,000 people migrated from the north of Ireland to America, most of them Presbyterian. Here, he traces the Ulster connections in First Pittsburgh Presbyterian Church, Pennsylvania. his wares on his back. It was through the influence of Armagh-born Scots-Irish preacher Rev William Tennent that he turned to religion and, after his ordination as a Presbyterian minister, he enlisted as a British army chaplain during its successful assault on Fort Duquesne (Pittsburgh) in the rout of French forces.

During the 1760s, this part of western Pennsylvania became a bloodied land, as a result of a Native American uprising led by a Chief Pontiac. There were massacres, burnings, lootings and kidnappings. While the region was being torn apart by the ravages of the Pontiac uprising, Charles Beatty acted as agent for the relief of the poor and distressed and went on a fundraising tour of Scotland, England and Wales, returning with the then princely sum of £4,000.

The McClure–Frisbie missionary partnership in Pittsburgh lasted for several years, through the period of the Revolutionary War, and First Pittsburgh Church and the adjoining Long Run congregation were served by young ministerial licentiates from Donegal Presbytery. The war meant a large section of the adult population was away from home on the battlefront and it was the women of the Scots-Irish settlements who kept worship going, through prayer meetings for their revolutionary soldier

menfolk and, most significantly, for victory over the British. By 1782, the Redstone Presbytery was formed to embrace the Pittsburgh area and the first clerical members were Revs John McMillan, James Power and Thaddens Dodd.

The Scots-Irish Presbyterians of Pittsburgh were among the most gallant on the revolutionary side during the war. The militias, led by Aenas Mackey and John Gibson, played an important role in the struggle and a young local boy Ebenezer Denny was one of the first chosen to plant the American flag of independence on the height of the Yorktown battlements.

Forty-eight officers in the colonial and revolutionary armies were linked to First Pittsburgh Presbyterian Church, with nearly all of them buried in the church cemetery. They included Irish-born and French-educated General James O’Hara, who had served in the Coldstream Guards and later became a close associate of President George Washington, first as a trader with Native Americans and supplier to the army and, eventually, as the first quarter-master of the United States.

O’Hara, who married Presbyterian Mary (Polly) Carson, became a trustee and was a very generous contributor to First Pittsburgh Church. He also donated land for the first Roman Catholic church

Presbyterian church influences in Pittsburgh began in 1761… in the region. The Roman Catholic church did not receive its first resident priest in Pittsburgh until 1808 and, until the beginning of the 19th century, First Pittsburgh Church had a monopoly of religion in the city. German Lutherans and the Episcopal (Anglican) church did not have an organised presence until the turn of the century.

First Pittsburgh’s first minister after the Revolutionary War was Rev Samuel Barr, described as “a tough little redhaired Ulster-Scot from Londonderry”.

Educated in Glasgow, Barr was a Calvinist of the old school, who pandered neither to the dictates of political masters or to the religious revivalism that was increasingly prevalent at that time. Barr, backed by army chaplain Hugh Brackinridge, founded Pittsburgh Academy, which later became Western University of Pittsburgh and, eventually, University of Pittsburgh.

Another Ulsterman, Rev Robert Steele, from Ballykelly in Co Londonderry, arrived in 1800 with his wife Isabelle Hazlett to occupy First Pittsburgh pulpit.

Steele, also educated at the University of Glasgow, and ordained at Scriggan near Dungiven by the Derry Presbytery in 1790, was sympathetic to the aborted 1798 United Irishmen rebellion in Ulster with several other Presbyterian ministers.

The Presbytery of Redstone in Pennsylvania was unaware of Steele’s radical past, having only received a testimonial of his good standing as a gospel preacher from his previous congregation in Londonderry and some letters of recommendation about his character. Described as a very complex man, Robert Steele developed a moralistic way of preaching, laying emphasis on correct behaviour and piety.

By this time, a second Presbyterian congregation existed in Pittsburgh, with First in Robert Steele’s ten-year ministry generally recognised as a society church and Second, the evangelical body, drawn mainly from the small Scots-Irish farmers and the lower-order tradesmen. In the pews of First Pittsburgh were the military hierarchy and the merchant class, and the congregation moved from its log cabin building to an impressive brick structure.

Another Ulsterman to minister at First Pittsburgh was Rev Dr Francis Herron, the Pennsylvania-born son of a covenanting family from Rathfriland, Co Down. During his 39-year ministry in First Pittsburgh, Dr Herron made a huge impact, enhancing the spiritual vitality of the congregation and in the general social environs of the western Pennsylvania city.

He led several significant religious revivals in the region and the results of these were manifest in the growth of Sunday schools; by 1833, First Pittsburgh had 12 affiliated Sunday schools, with 1,212 scholars and 121 teachers. During Dr Herron’s ministry, the Sunday schools were attended by black children and, throughout the lifetime of First Pittsburgh congregation, there was never any difficulty in accepting people of other races – Africans, Native Americans and Asians were made welcome.

Rev Dr William Millar Paxton, minister of First Pittsburgh from 1851 to 1865, was also of Ulster-Scots lineage and a close associate of President Woodrow Wilson, whose grandfather James Wilson came from Strabane in Co Tyrone. Wilson, a Shenandoah Valley, Virginia man, was president of Princeton College in New Jersey, where the theologically brilliant Paxton was a professor.

Another Pittsburgh minister was Rev Dr George Tybour Purves, acknowledged as one the greatest pulpit orators. He was of Scottish ancestry on his father’s side, while his mother was a Kennedy from north Antrim. His pastorate at First Pittsburgh covered the period 1886–1892 and he left to become professor of New Testament at Princeton College and finished his ministry at First Avenue Presbyterian Church, New York.

Two other ministers with direct Ulster connections occupied First Pittsburgh pulpit. One was Rev Robert J. Lamont, whose father James was Ulster-born and a member of the Orange Order back in Ulster, before emigrating to Pennsylvania to develop his trade as a carpenter. Dr Lamont’s mother, Marie Rambo, was Italian born and she belonged to the Waldensian Reformed Church, one of the earliest Protestant denominations.

Lamont, an associate of American evangelist the late Rev Dr Billy Graham, was in the highest traditions of preaching at First Pittsburgh, serving in the period 1953–73, with attributes that included

…by 1833, First Pittsburgh had 12 affiliated Sunday schools, with 1,212 scholars and 121 teachers. rugged determination, forthrightness and a pragmatic approach to life. His ScotsIrish instinct made him one of the great fundraisers in the mainstream American Presbyterian Church of the day and his preaching certainly enhanced the spiritual witness in First Pittsburgh.

Co Antrim-born Rev Dr Leslie Holmes was ordained in First Pittsburgh in 1993, after ministering to congregations in Mississippi, Georgia, Florida, California and with the Presbyterian US mission to Kenya in East Africa. He spent more than a decade in Pittsburgh and moved to become provost at Erskine Theological Seminary in South Carolina until his retirement in 2021.

Pittsburgh, established as an 18th century frontier stockade, is now a vibrant US city with a population just above 300,000. Its Ulster and Scottish roots are still prevalent today with the links to Presbyterianism.

More information can be found in The Scots-Irish in Pennsylvania and Kentucky and They Sailed from Londonderry by Billy Kennedy (Scots-Irish Chronicles series, 11 volumes 1993–2016).

Billy Kennedy is a senior News Letter journalist and a member of Tandragee Presbyterian Church.

Herald November 2023

39

REVIEWS

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

Ascend Red Rocks Worship Available via streaming services

««««« Ascend is the newest album from Red Rocks Worship, which is the music ministry of Red Rocks Church in Golden, Colorado. The group has taken a two-year break since its last album and its members have spent this time seeking the Lord, laying down pride and coming back to the real focus of worship.

The name of the album comes from Psalm 24:3–4: “Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place? The one who has clean hands and a pure heart.”

When asked about the focus of this album during an interview, the band stated: “We pray that through refining and purification, they [the listeners] would find themselves with clean hands and pure hearts, offering the highest praise to Jesus – the hope of the world!”

One of the songs I like best is All I Ever Wanted (Give me Jesus), and the lyrics that stand out to me are: “Countless is your compassion. It’s met me in the darkest days of my life and your grace, I can’t outrun it, I’ve never for a second left your sight.”

There are also two versions of two of the songs: No Name and Only You Are Holy – make sure to check out both versions!

RD

Herald November 2023

The Unfinished Story David J Montgomery

£19.99 (hardback), 15.99 (eBook)

£12.99

SPCK

SONY MUSIC

40

Majesty Richard Harries

MUDDY PEARL

««««« The death of Queen Elizabeth II was a momentous landmark, which led to long and impressive mourning. The first anniversary of her death this year was comparatively low key, but the most poignant memories belong to those who knew her longest, and those who met her in Northern Ireland or during investitures in Buckingham Palace.

They will remember those occasions for the rest of their lives.

There are other ways of fondly remembering the Queen, and a new book titled Majesty, edited by the former Bishop of Oxford, Richard Harries, does that very well. The author has outlined the main elements in the book – the gospel extracts about the life and teaching of Jesus, with paintings from the Royal Collection and elsewhere. Then there are the impressive paintings and other reflections on how artists down the ages have depicted these biblical scenes, and also the many quotations from the Queen confirming the deep Christian faith that was at the centre of her long life of duty and service.

So many of these remind us of the sheer depth of that faith, including the remark: “I know just how much I rely on my faith to guide me through the good times and the bad. Every day is a new beginning…”

This beautifully produced book would be a treasured gift at any time, but particularly as a present for Christmas, a period the late Queen found so important to her faith, and when she was never afraid to proclaim worldwide the gospel in her annual Christmas message.

AM

«««««

Written to celebrate the 75th anniversary of IFES (International Fellowship of Evangelical Students), The Unfinished Story provides a devotional journey through the life and works of Jesus and the early church by taking a closer look at the New Testament books of Luke and Acts.

Devotional reflections on the passages are built upon with a ‘wider story’ that provides an additional engagement with Scripture, twinned with prompts for further reflection by the reader.

A thoughtful aspect of each devotion is the provision of a prayer, connected with the themes/issues raised by the reading, which is helpful for those who may find it difficult to articulate a prayerful response.

Regular contributions from IFES students provide an insight into their work and the challenges they face.

Although presented as a ‘daily’ approach, recognition is given to the fact that everyone’s devotional journey may not fit the same model. Thus, it is helpfully suggested at the outset that each devotion could, in fact, form a ‘weekly reflection’, enabling time to study and reflect on all the elements presented. This flexible approach, along with an encouragement to connect with the Old Testament Psalms, results in a truly refreshing engagement with an informative and easily read devotional journey that can be navigated by young and old alike.

A highly recommended publication whether used privately at home, in church house groups or as a youth fellowship resource.

KA

REVIEWERS

KD – Katherine Dickson is the youth and children’s worker in Islandmagee Presbyterian Church AM – Alf McCreary is religion correspondent for the Belfast Telegraph

RD – Ruth Dalzell is a schools worker for Scripture Union NI CT – Chris Thompson is a member of Waringstown Presbyterian Church KA – Kathryn Anderson is a member of Anahilt Presbyterian Church SH – Sarah Harding is the editor of the Herald

Common Good (season 1) Common Good Collective PODCAST

Inside Holy Heads and Hearts Colin Neill AVAILABLE FOR FREE AT WWW.IHHANDH.NET

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Colin Neill, a member of Waringstown Presbyterian, has undertaken a mammoth task in delving deeper into the characters of 75 men and women in the Bible (49 men and 26 women).

Clearly a labour of love, he is kindly offering it for free to help readers in their walk with God. Each monologue could be used as a devotional tool, but could equally be acted out in a performance setting.

Colin has stayed true to the text but with imagination has expanded on how these characters might think and feel.

He is fully aware that this is subjective and acknowledges that not everyone will agree with the result. However, the important thing is that people are encouraged to engage more deeply with the Bible, firing up their own imagination to consider how these people – often complex and broken – can relate to us.

Colin has included expected characters such as Noah, Moses, Peter, Martha etc.

But some of the most interesting are those you may know little about, like Michal, Mephibosheth and Matthias.

I particularly enjoyed the reflection on Deborah as it delved into how alien it was for a woman to be in a position of leadership in those times and her subsequent reliance on God in the face of such challenges. Mephibosheth also provided an interesting insight into the mind of a person with a disability, not often seen in the Old Testament.

This book reminds us that in all the weaknesses and flaws of these people, God’s grace and love abounds, which is a huge encouragement for us all.

SH

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A local church leader recommended this podcast to me. We’d been discussing the role of the church in the work of poverty alleviation both locally and globally. We’d got excited about what a broader imagining of the kingdom might do for our communities, about how the gospel is often more rich, more transformative and much bigger than many of us think, and about what it really means to partner with God’s Spirit in the restoration and renewal of all things.

This first season is a series of conversations between Old Testament scholar Walter Brueggemann and two experts in community development and civic engagement: Peter Block and John McKnight. As they sit around a kitchen table you get a sense of being invited into a conversation between friends. What does it mean to be a neighbour? What contribution does Sabbath make to wider society?

How important is a theology of place in a world of isolation and loneliness? The conversation is rich, with the various faith backgrounds and experiences of the individuals adding texture to the discussion.

Walter Brueggemann is the star of the show for me. What stands out as I listen is just how often the practices of the people of God in the Old Testament are so badly needed in our world today, and how the church, therefore, is well placed to demonstrate and offer an invitation to a better way of living – finding its fullness and climax in Christ. Season 1 has certainly got me dreaming about the common good for my neighbours.

CT

Parenting for Faith Bible Reading Fellowship PODCAST

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The Parenting for Faith podcast has been designed for parents and carers. At its heart, it is a desire to encourage and equip parents to raise God-connected children and teenagers, in the midst of all the pressures of everyday life.

Now in its seventh series, this season’s podcast is directly focused on key moments in the parenting journey such as: how to chat to your kids about sex, getting a first phone, racism, eating disorders, navigating divorce, talking to our kids about porn, and support when we feel let down by church.

In addition to this season’s helpful and real topics, listeners can easily flick back to the vast archive of honest episodes from over the years to pick and choose conversations that are most applicable and helpful to the stage they are at. These include bereavement, family illness, bedtime routines, additional needs, loneliness and big life transitions. If that isn’t enough, there are plenty of golden episodes exploring how parents can spark and fuel their young people’s big questions on faith and theology, as well as signposting resources to equip families to delve into God’s Word together, even on the busiest of days.

Each episode is an accessible and an easy listen, lasting approximately 20–30 minutes, and presented like a radio show with expert guests providing a wealth of information and helpful parent tool kits. You can subscribe to the podcast via www.parentingforfaith.brf.org.uk – be encouraged to know that you are not alone in your parenting hurdles, and that hope and help is available.

KD

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LIFE IN PCI Celebration in Dunfanaghy It was celebration time for Dunfanaghy Presbyterian Church on 12 August when a summer barbecue was held in a marquee tent in the grounds of the church manse. The special occasion was organised by the kirk session to recognise the contribution of three key individuals to the life and work of the congregation.

Rev Jim Lamont, senior minister of Dunfanaghy and Carrigart congregations, was presented with a framed photograph of Muckish to mark the 50th anniversary of his ordination as a Presbyterian minister.

Ethel Montgomery received a Tiffany-style table lamp and a bouquet of flowers in recognition of her “dedicated work and faithful witness” over a period of 45 years in her roles as congregational treasurer, clerk of session and church organist.

Jack Neilly, a student Presbyterian minister from Co Down who served as summer assistant over a ten-week period, was given a cheque as a gesture of thanks from the congregation for his leadership, encouragement and pastoral care.

Mr Lamont and Mr Neilly both received additional gifts from the local clergy, presented by Canon David Skuce from Holy Trinity Church of Ireland on behalf of himself, Fr Martin Doohan PP from Holy Cross and Fr John Joe Duffy from Creeslough.

Around 50 people from Dunfanaghy and Carrigart attended the function at which a delicious barbecue with all the trimmings was provided by members of Dunfanaghy congregation. Music was provided by Mike Armstrong on his saxophone. Marina Sterritt, Dunfanaghy congregational secretary, acted as MC and paid tribute to all three recipients and said they had made valued contributions in their own various ways to the congregation. Photos by Gordon Montgomery.

Pictured below after the presentations are (L–R): Canon David Skuce, Jack Neilly, Rev Jim Lamont, Ethel Montgomery, Marina Sterritt and clerk of session John Sterritt.

Twenty years of faithful ministry in Drumbo In September 2003, Drumbo congregation welcomed Adrian and Judith McLernon and their five daughters, to lead and pastor the rural church family in County Down.

A surprise dinner was planned and held to celebrate this momentous occasion. Almost 160 people enjoyed a delicious four-course meal, prepared and served by Top Nosh. Guests included the McLernons’ five daughters, three sons-in-law and eight grandchildren, most of whom are active members of the church family in Drumbo. Adrian and Judith were presented with a travel voucher as a token of the love and respect in which they are held by the congregation.

One of the practical achievements of Adrian’s ministry has been his encouragement for the building of the church’s suite of halls, which was opened in 2016 and is now debt free. The halls are also available for the community to use, thus enabling the church to reach out to local area, increasing opportunities to share the gospel.

Elder Helena Trimble said: “Adrian and Judith’s ministry in Drumbo has been characterised by their passion for serving God. This has been evident through pulpit ministry, prayer and pastoring locally, nationally and globally.

Many will give thanks for Adrian’s faithfulness, love and support in very difficult personal circumstances, especially during the pandemic.

May the Lord grant us many more years to be challenged and inspired to serve in the kingdom, through his ministry.”

(Photography by Jamie Trimble)

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Herald November 2023

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

Retirement presentation at Ballywillan Rev Dr Stephen Williamson retired from Ballywillan Presbyterian Church in Portrush at the end of August, after 19 years’ service. Mrs Stella Robinson presented Dr Williamson with a painting of Ballywillan Church.

Refurbishment complete at Greystone Road manse Rev Chris Wilson with his wife Caroline and boys Joshua, Caleb and Teddy were recently presented with the manse keys from Alex Wylie of building firm Wilson and Mawhinney, which completed a major refurbishment of Greystone Road Presbyterian Church manse in Antrim.

Book launch in Kirkpatrick Memorial Redrock Presbyterian Church Children’s Day Recently pictured at Redrock Presbyterian Church Children’s Day being acknowledged for full attendance throughout Sunday school and Bible class is Sophie Rountree with her mum Hazel and Rev Sam Finlay.

Moderator, Dr Sam Mawhinney, attended a book launch in Kirkpatrick Memorial Presbyterian Church in east Belfast in September to mark the launch of David (Monty) Montgomery’s new devotional book on Luke and Acts. This marked the 75th anniversary of IFES (International Fellowship of Evangelical Students), where Monty is European Director. Pictured (L–R): David Montgomery, Gwen Montgomery, Karen Mawhinney and Sam Mawhinney.

Ordination of elders at First Coleraine In August, five new elders were ordained and installed in First Coleraine by the Presbytery of Coleraine and Limavady. Front row, the new elders: Thomas Black, Mandy Murdock, Margaret McCollum, Iain Jack and David Harding.

Back row, members of the Presbytery Commission: Tom Gilliland, Rev David Brownlow, Mervyn McCollum, Rev Jonny McKane, Rev James Hyndman, moderator of presbytery and minister of the congregation, Rev Trevor McCormick, clerk of presbytery, Rev Mark Goudy and Mervyn McCurry.

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LIFE IN PCI

Presentation at Moy Moy Presbyterian Church in Co Tyrone recently acknowledged the work over many years of three outgoing members of committee with a presentation of gifts. The photo includes (L–R): Rev Graham Mullan, outgoing committee members Malcolm Shaw, Grant Gilmore and Kenneth Blackstock; also pictured is Ivan Thompson (committee secretary).

Mourne commemorates 100th anniversary of War Memorial Mourne Presbyterian Church, Kilkeel, commemorated the 100th anniversary of the unveiling of its War Memorial with an act of Remembrance after morning worship in August. The memorial is of a solid granite pedestal surmounted by the figure of a soldier, in full fighting kit, head bowed and arms reversed, which is sculptured in Italian white marble. A poppy wreath was laid by Cissie Annett, a member of the congregation, who was born in 1923, accompanied by her son Harley and William Grills, session clerk of the congregation.

New elders at Ballycarry Ballycarry Presbyterian church in Carrickfergus Presbytery held a service of ordination and installation of ruling elders in September. Back row (LR): (members of the commission) Mr Jack Smith, Mr Norman Carmichael, Rev Andrew Watson (moderator of presbytery), Rev Dr Colin McClure (clerk of presbytery), Rev Peter Bovill and Mr Willie Hunter. Front row (L-R): (new elders) Mrs Rosemary Junkin, Mrs Joan Dobbin, Mr Roy Bamford, Mr Ivan Jefferson, Mrs Kristina Loughridge and Mrs Libby Russell.

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Baptism at Woodburn

New minister at First Saintfield

Pictured is Rev David Kelly, minister of Woodburn Presbyterian Church and Loughmourne Presbyterian Church in Carrickfergus, with his wife Lauren and their son Isaiah, celebrating the baptism of Olivia. The congregation and guests were invited into the church hall for lunch following the church service, which was taken by Rev Albin Rankin, minister of Stormont Presbyterian Church.

A commission of Down Presbytery recently ordained and installed Rev Sam Bostock as 18th minister of the Co Down congregation. Back row (L–R): Billy McClements, Elizabeth Patterson, Paul Jackson (clerk of session), Fiona Davidson and Rev Dario Leal. Front row (L–R): Rev Mark Spratt (clerk of presbytery), Rev Alan Burke (moderator of presbytery), Rev Sam Bostock and Rev Brian Small (convener).

Herald November 2023

Tag good news stories from your congregation on Twitter with #lifeinpci and @pciassembly

New elder ordained at Naas Mr Gideon van den Berg was recently ordained as elder at Naas Presbyterian Church in Co Kildare. Back row (L–R): (existing elders) Mr Ron Fraser, Mrs Linda Greene, Mr Míċeál Bolger, Rev Mark Proctor. Front row (L–R): Rev Richard Houston (moderator of presbytery), Mr Gideon van den Berg, Rev Jonathan Currie (commission convener), Mrs Margaret McKenna (acting clerk of presbytery).

Toberkeigh and Ramoan install new minister In April, Rev Philip McKelvey was installed as minister of the newly formed linkage of Toberkeigh and Ramoan in Co Antrim. Pictured (L–R) front row are: Robert Getty (clerk of session, Ramoan), Rev Philip McKelvey, Rev Richard Murray (acting moderator of Route Presbytery), Jim Kane (clerk of session, Toberkeigh). Back row (L–R): Rev Noel McClean (clerk of Route Presbytery), Alexander Gilmore, Rev Gary Glasgow, Ivan Kerr and Rev Roy Gaston (vacancy convener).

Long service recognition in Ballygomartin The North Belfast congregation of Ballygomartin held a presentation in June to Wesley McCreedy, recognising his 50 years as an elder in the church and 54 years in its Sunday school. Wesley is pictured with fellow elders (L–R): Raymond Cummins (clerk of session), Georgina Chestnutt, Wesley McCreedy and David Weir.

PCI military chaplains lead in NATO The NATO and Partner Chaplains Operations Course was held recently at the NATO School Oberammergau, in Germany. Thirty-five students from 12 nations discussed how to perform cooperative ministry and religious advisory duties in a combined joint theatre of operations. For the first time, the UK military leadership team was represented exclusively by PCI ministers. Pictured are Rev Heather Rendell (Army) and Rev Dr Philip Wilson (RAF), who gave lectures and facilitated seminars, as well as leading worship during the course.

‘Seasoned with Hope’ at St James’s Ballymoney Despite the challenges that the Covid pandemic brought to church life, St James’s PW group in Ballymoney actively sought positivity during the difficulties of lockdown, using the time remotely to compile and publish a devotional cookbook, aptly named Seasoned with Hope. £6,000 was raised for the invaluable work of NI Air Ambulance.

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LIFE IN PCI Burt Presbyterian celebrates 350 years Moderator Dr Sam Mawhinney was in County Donegal in September, joining fellow Presbyterians, and their invited guests, for a special service of thanksgiving to celebrate the 350th anniversary of the founding of Burt Presbyterian Church.

Just off the busy N13, the main Derry to Letterkenny road in the townland of Carrownamaddy, the congregation was founded in 1673, when William Hampton from Scotland, was ordained as Burt’s first minister. The first of 20 ministers to serve the surrounding local community down the years, and by pure coincidence Burt’s current minister is also a Scot, Rev Craig Wilson.

Originally from Glasgow, Mr Wilson was installed as minister of Burt and Inch Presbyterian Churches in September of last year, while continuing to serve the congregations of St Johnston and Ballylennon as their minister, which he has done for past 15 years.

Mr Wilson said: “We are a small congregation that overlooks Inch Island and sits beneath Greenan Mountain and its hill fort that was built around a thousand years before our church. The location is both historic and beautiful, as is the witness that the congregation has bourn to Christ over the past three and a half centuries.”

Burt’s clerk of session, James Buchannan, has written a very comprehensive history of the church, with all proceeds going to Donegal Hospice.

Speaking after the service, Dr Mawhinney said, “Anniversaries are important and it is fitting that we celebrate and give thanks to God for Burt’s 350 years of Christian witness in this part of the island. As a denomination we have 30 congregations in Donegal, and remarkably 10 of them, including Burt, can trace their roots back to the 17th century, when Scottish settlers brought our reformed witness to Ireland.”

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Herald November 2023

ACROSS 1 Acts of genius (13) 8 One accused (7) 9 Highland small holding (5) 10 To praise (5) 11 People from Warsaw (5) 13 Ambition (3) 14 French school (5) 15 Do this on a guitar (5) 18 Strangely (5) 19 Thing (2) 21 To relieve from pain (4) 22 Lower limb (3) 23 Tell off O.T. style (7) 24 Scornful look (5) 26 Irritable (5) 27 A major river (5) 28 Symbol (4) 30 Indicated (9) 31 Exclamation (2)

DOWN 1 Of the Saviour (9) 2 Orderly ways of doing things (7) 3 List of voters (10) 4 Places where people live (10) 5 Beach play places (9) 6 Information (9) 7 To please (7) 12 Ancient (5) 16 Difficult (7) 17 Purposes (4) 20 A scholarly work (6) 25 Stretch out (5) 27 Compete (3) 29 American WW2 soldier (initials) (2)

REFLECTIONS

Sober thinking and cheerful serving David Clarke Studies in Romans 12:3–8

“T

he past couple of years, I’ve done a lot of work visited him (2 Timothy 1:16,17). on myself, and I’ve realised that I’ll be fine as In other places (1 Corinthians 12 and Ephesians 4), Paul long as I get constant attention!” So quipped gives a more comprehensive list of the ‘gifts’ (charismata) that the American stand-up comedian John Christ bestows on his church. Some ‘gifts’ refer to specific roles, Mulaney. I wonder who he had in mind in that thrust against while others are more general, but all, being the result of God’s the self-obsessed – Donald Trump, Boris Johnston or you and grace, are to be used for the benefit of all and not for personal me? gratification.

Some people have a highly-developed view of their own John Stott helpfully divides the seven gifts listed in verses 7 worth. They are, as one comedian joked about Russian dolls, and 8 as ‘speaking gifts’ (prophesying, teaching, encouraging) “full of themselves”. They are not content unless they are in and ‘service gifts’ (serving, contributing, leading and showing the limelight, unwilling to be the wind beneath someone else’s mercy). The three adverbs used in v8 (generously, diligently, wings. The apostle John confronted such a one in Diotrephes cheerfully) suggest a whole-hearted use of the gift bestowed who “loved to be first” (3 John:9). Paul and the role filled. sensed there were some of that ilk at The key, it has been said, Generosity is the mark of our God, Rome, hence his warning: “Do not think of “who gives generously to all” ( James yourself more highly than you ought” (v3). is not to think less of 1:5), and a generous nature is one sign of The human ego is so hard to curb, and ourselves, but rather to the regenerate life (Psalm 37:21). To be reveals itself even in our best moments. A grasping and covetous makes a person member of the Carmelite order is alleged think of ourselves less. less like God and more like Scrooge. C.S. to have said: “We are not as active in Lewis was surely correct in observing “if helping the poor as the Franciscans, nor as intellectual as the our charities do not pinch or hamper us, I should say they are Benedictines, but when it comes to humility, we are superior to too small”. them all.”

Diligence is another essential characteristic of Christian The Covenanter Samuel Rutherford, that ruthless analyst of leadership. On the evening of my ordination, Rev Pat Lowry, the subtleties of the human heart, once lamented: “Oh that I the minster of Newtownbreda (St John’s) gave the charge to were free then of myself. What need we all have to be ransomed the new ordinand. In the course of his remarks, he quoted an and redeemed from that master-tyrant, that cruel and lawless Archbishop of Canterbury who claimed that the ten busiest lord, oneself. Even when I am most out of myself and best men he knew in England were all clergymen, and that the serving Christ, I have a squint eye on myself.” ten laziest men he knew were also all clergymen. It was an We must not, however, fall into the opposite trap, of observation that both haunted and incentivised me, and should deeming ourselves totally worthless. Paul tells us to think of challenge all who serve in any form of church leadership. ourselves with “sober judgement” (v2), which surely implies Cheerfulness is a requirement also. A former Scottish the foundational truth that we are all made in the image of Moderator, Leonard Small, stated that “Joy is the standard on God (Genesis 1:27). Having been redeemed by Christ, we are the battlements of the heart when the king is in residence”. The precious in his sight. Our worth, therefore, is not dependent on Greek word, used only here in the New Testament, is the one the applause of our peers. The great American anthropologist from which we derive our English word ‘hilarious’. The grumpy, Margaret Mead stated it splendidly when she said: “You are gloomy person bears no good witness to Christ, even if involved unique – just like everyone else!” The key, it has been said, is not in acts of mercy. One translator has a striking rendering of the to think less of ourselves, but rather to think of ourselves less. closing clause of v8: “If you come with sympathy to sorrow, This recognition of individual worth leads on to the truth bring God’s sunlight in your face.” That’s the proper way to that in the body of Christ, everybody counts: “…in Christ serve. we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others” (v5). Paul’s career itself testifies to this Very Rev Dr David Clarke is a former PCI Moderator and minister interconnectedness: from Ananias who welcomed him (Acts emeritus of Terrace Row Presbyterian Church, Coleraine.

22:13) to Barnabas who invited him (Acts 11:25,26) to Silas who accompanied him (Acts 15:40) and Onesiphorus who

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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

Application forms are available on request from the Clerk’s Office or may be downloaded from the PCI website.

BALLYALBANY and GLENNAN: REV D.T.R. EDWARDS: (Ballyalbany) Mr Sam Condell, Billary, Smithborough, Co Monaghan. (Glennan) Dr Michael Wallace, 8 Fellows Grange, Fellows Hall Road, Killylea, Co Armagh, BT60 4LR.

2. LEAVE TO CALL DEFERRED

BALLYLINNEY: REV MARK RUSSELL: Dr Michael McBrien, 24 Lylehill Green, Templepatrick, BT39 0BF.

CLADYMORE and TASSAGH: REV R.I. ABRAHAM: (Cladymore) Mr David Wilson, 73 Kilmachugh Road, Mowhan, Armagh, BT60 2EN. (Tassagh) Mr Philip Crozier, 68 Bachelors Walk, Keady, Armagh, BT60 2NA.

BALLYNURE: REV D.J. KELLY: Mr George Clarke, Kinnen House, 70 Ballyvallagh Road, Gleno, BT40 3NA.

DROMORE and DRUMQUIN: REV E.T. FRAZER: (Dromore) Mr Lynden Keys, 25 New Park Road, Dromore, Omagh, BT78 3JU. (Drumquin) Dr Paul Booth, 231 Tummery Road, Irvinestown, BT78 3UF.

BALLYRONEY and DRUMLEE: (Reviewable Tenure – 7 years) REV GEORGE McCLELLAND: (Ballyroney) Mr David Peters, 30 Seafin Road, Ballyroney, Banbridge, BT32 5ER. (Drumlee) Mr Graham Truesdale, 128 Lackan Road, Ballyward, Castlewellan, BT31 9RX.

GORTNESSY: REV COLIN McKIBBIN: Mr Ross Hyndman, 32 Temple Road, Strathfoyle, Londonderry, BT47 6UB.

CARNLOUGH-CUSHENDALL and NEWTOWNCROMMELIN: (Reviewable Tenure – 5 years 70% Part Time Ministry) REV J.A. BEATTIE: (Carnlough-Cushendall) Mr Norman McMullan, 91 Ballymena Road, Carnlough, BT44 0LA. (Newtowncrommelin) Mr James Gillan, 67 Gracefield, Ballymena, BT42 2RP. CASTLEROCK: 60% Part Time REV D.H. BROWN: Miss Heather McSparran, 26 Freehall Road, Castlerock, BT51 4TR. CLONTIBRET and MIDDLETOWN: (Reviewable Tenure – 7 years) REV J.H. HANSON: (Clontibret) Mr S.R. Gray, Legnacrieve, Castleshane, Co Monaghan, H18 DN20. (Middletown) Mr David McElnea, 45 Madden Road, Armagh, BT60 3LJ. DROMORE, FIRST: REV ANDREW FAULKNER: Mr John Wilkinson, 10 Island Hill, Dromara Road, BT25 1HA. DUNFANAGHY and CARRIGART: (Home Mission) 50% Congregational Ministry, 50% CMI Mission Project REV T.J. BRUCE: (Dunfanaghy) Mrs Ethel Montgomery, ‘Millrace’, Marble Hill Road, Dunfanaghy, Co Donegal, F92 N2WO. (Carrigart) Mrs Joy Buchanan, Figart, Carrigart, Co Donegal, F92 N2WO. ENNISKILLEN: REV G.M. ANDRICH: Miss Kate Doherty, Tiernisk, Drumgay, Enniskillen, BT74 4GH. FAHAN (Home Mission) 50% Congregational Ministry, 50% CMI Mission Duties: (Reviewable Tenure – 7 years) REV P. POOTS: Mr James Lamberton, 1 Deanfield, Limavady Road, Londonderry, BT47 6HY. GARDENMORE: REV B.S. PRESTON: Dr Philip Shepherd, 1 Huntersbuoy Lane, Larne, BT40 2HH. GARVAGH, MAIN ST and KILLAIG: REV KNOX JONES: (Garvagh, Main St) Mr Alan Farlow, 39 Ballynameen Road, Garvagh, BT51 5PN. (Killaig) Mr Ivan McKane, 27 Cashel Road, Macosquin, Coleraine, BT51 4PW. HILLTOWN and CLONDUFF: (Reviewable Tenure – 7 years) REV KENNETH NELSON: (Hilltown) Mr John Ervine, 51 Rostrevor Road, Hilltown, Newry, BT34 5TZ. (Clonduff ) Mr Cecil Brown, 39 Bannfield Road, Rathfriland, Newry, BT34 5HG. LOUGHGALL and TARTARAGHAN: REV ALASTAIR McNEELY: (Loughgall) Mr James MacQueen, 114 Moy Road, Portadown, BT62 1SA. (Tartaraghan) Mr Norman Cornett, 11 Cloncarrish Road, Portadown, Craigavon, BT62 1RN. NEWTOWNBREDA, ST. JOHN’S: REV ANDY GALBRAITH: Sir Bruce Robinson, 3 Deramore Drive, Belfast, BT9 5JQ. RALOO and MAGHERAMORNE: (Reviewable Tenure – 7 years) REV DR CECIL GRANT: (Raloo) Mr Geoff McBride, 72 Raloo Road, Larne, BT40 3DU. (Magheramorne) Mr Morris Gardner, 89 Ballypollard Road, Magheramorne, Larne, BT40 3JG.

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STRABANE and SION MILLS: (Reviewable Tenure – 7 years) REV P.B. HOUSTON: (Strabane) Mr William Watson, 44 Orchard Road, Strabane, BT82 9QS. (Sion Mills) Mr Colin Campbell, 26 Albert Place, Sion Mills, Strabane, BT82 9HN.

Herald November 2023

RICHVIEW: REV N.S. HARRISON: Mr Victor Garland, 25 Abingdon Drive, Belfast, BT12 5PX.

SETTLED STATED SUPPLY APPOINTED BALLINDERRY: VERY REV DR W.J. HENRY, Minister of Maze.

BOVEEDY: REV DR T.J. McCORMICK, Minister of 1st Kilrea.

CAHIR: (Home Mission) REV WILLIAM MONTGOMERY, Minister of Fermoy.

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

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

3. DECLARED VACANT ARMAGH, FIRST: REV G.R. MULLAN: Mr Ian Kyle, 8 Drummanmore Road, Armagh, BT61 8RN. ARMAGH ROAD, PORTADOWN: REV N. McCULLOUGH: Dr David Lowry, 5 Ridgeway Park South, Portadown, BT62 3DG. BALLEE: REV T. P. McCULLOUGH: Mr John Quigley, 81 Queen’s Avenue, Magherafelt, BT45 6DB. BALLINA, KILLALA and BALLYMOTE: (Home Mission) REV D.J. CLARKE: Mr Geoffrey Shannon, Robin Hill, Carraun, Corballa, Ballina, Co Mayo, F26 A070.

BALLYCASTLE and CROAGHMORE: REV DR ANDRE ALVES-AREIAS: (Ballycastle) Pat Shirley, 22 Dunamallaght Rd, Ballycastle BT54 6PB. (Croaghmore) Andy McGugan, 158 Whitepark Road, Bushmills, BT57 8SS. BALLYNAHATTY, CREEVAN and FINTONA: REV JONATHAN COWAN: (Ballynahatty & Creevan) Mr John Nevin, 116A Clanabogan Road, Omagh, BT78 1SN. (Fintona) Mr Keith Boland, 119 Blackhill road, Fintona, Omagh, BT78 2LN. BALLYWILLAN: REV STUART MORROW: Mr Robert Wilson, 13 Millbrook Avenue, Portstewart, BT55 7DZ. BANAGHER: REV DAVID BROWNLOW: Mr Ivan J Montgomery, 66 Teenaght Road, Claudy, BT47 4DD.

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 BELLAGHY and KNOCKLOUGHRIM: REV J.B. MULLAN: (Bellaghy) Mr Harry Ferson, 12 Railway Terrace, Castledawson, Magherafelt, BT45 8AY. (Knockloughrim) Mr Wilbur Bownes, 10 Meadowell Fold, Westland Gardens, Magherafelt, BT45 5DP.

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

KILMAKEE: REV ROBERT LOVE: Miss Aileen Irvine, 5 Aberdelghy Park, Lambeg, Lisburn, BT27 4QF.

BELVOIR: REV B.J. WALKER: Mr Brian Dunwoody, 19 Drumart Drive, Belfast, BT8 7ET.

KILREA, SECOND: REV DR CLIVE GLASS: Mr John McIlrath, 9 Moyagoney Road, Kilrea, Coleraine, BT51 5SX.

BOARDMILLS, TRINITY: REV JOHN TORRENS: Mr Adrian Patterson, 41 Cabra Road, Legacurry, BT26 6NB.

LEGACURRY: REV A. THOMPSON: Mr J Ferguson, 142 Comber Road, Lisburn, BT27 6XQ.

BUSHMILLS: VERY REV DR D.I.J. McNIE: Rev Martin Gracey, 6 Bush Crescent, Bushmills, BT57 8AJ.

LOUGHBRICKAND and SCARVA: REV DR. MARK GRAY: (Loughbrickland) Mr Fred Cairns, 20 Scarva Street, Loughbrickland, Co. Down. (Scarva) Mr Robert Jordan, 3 Station Rd, Scarva, Co. Armagh, BT63 6JY.

CASTLEDERG FIRST and KILLETER: REV R.A. ORR: (First Castlederg) Mr Robert Rutledge, 36 Ednagee Road, Castlederg, BT81 7RD. (Killeter) Mr Robert McKelvey, 17 Carrickadartans Road, Castlederg, BT81 7NQ. CASTLEDERG, SECOND AND URNEY: REV DAVID REID: (Second Castlederg) Mr Bert Huey, Tossa, 8 Listymore Road, Castlederg, BT81 7JG. (Urney) Mr Norman McMullan, 80 Orchard Road, Strabane, BT82 9QT. CRUMLIN: REV BEN JOHNSTON: Mr James Livingstone, “Edin”, 56 Largy Road, Crumlin, BT29 4RW. CUMBER and UPPER CUMBER: REV S.W. HIBBERT: (Cumber) Mr Cecil Pollock, 248 Tamnaherin Road, Londonderry, BT47 3LY. (Upper Cumber) Mr Jack McFarland, 12 Cregg Road, Claudy, Londonderry, BT47 4HX.

LURGAN, FIRST: REV L.W. WEBSTER: Mr Norman McCleery, 12 McCormack Gardens, Lurgan, BT66 8LE. MONEYDIG: REV DR S.D.H. WILLIAMSON: Mr Steven Torrens, 115a Agivey Road, Kilrea, Coleraine, BT51 5UZ. NEWINGTON: REV DR I.D. NEISH: Mr John Lynass, 8 Bushfoot Park, Portballintrae, BT57 8YX. NEWTOWNARDS, SECOND: REV C.W. JACKSON: Mr Ivan Patterson, 11 Heron Crescent, Newtownards, BT23 8WH. PORTAVOGIE: REV G.J. SIMPSON: Mr Trevor Kennedy, 1 Cairndore Road, Newtownards, BT23 8RD.

DONEGAL TOWN and STRANORLAR: REV ROBERT ORR: (Donegal Town) Mr Oswald Perry, Drumenagh, Donegal Town, F94 N7P8. (Stranorlar) Mrs Audrey Chambers, Magheracorran, Convoy, Co Donegal.

PORTRUSH: REV DR JOHN COULTER: Prof. John Gillespie, 12 Randal Park, Portrush, BT56 8JJ.

DROMARA, SECOND: REV DR A. SLEITH: Mr Herbert Chambers, 29 Stewarts Road, Dromara, BT25 2AN.

RASHARKIN: REV W. MOODY: Mr Norbury Royle, 96 Drumsaragh Road, Kilrea, BT51 5XR.

DRUMGOOLAND and KILKINAMURRY: REV ANDY DOWNEY: (Drumgooland) Dr Alastair Chestnutt, 22 Fruitvalley Road, Ballyward, Castlewellan, Co Down, BT31 9RE. (Kilkinamurry) Mr Mervyn Copes, 43 Carnpark Road, Dromara, Dromore, Co Down, BT25 2HD.

RATHCOOLE: REV A. CARSON: Mr Norman Creaney, 7 Coolshannagh Park, Newtownabbey, BT37 9LA.

DUNDROD: REV R.C. KERR: Mr William McClure, 20 Thorndale Road, Dundrod, BT29 4UD. EGLINTON: REV STEPHEN LOWRY: Mr Dougie Crowe, 25 Meadow Park, Crawfordsburn, BT19 1JN. ENNISCORTHY and WEXFORD: (Home Mission) REV M.R.J. ANDERSON: (Enniscorthy) Mr Ian Gibson “Tanglewood”, Monart, Enniscorthy, Co Wexford. (Wexford) c/o Mr Ian Gibson.

GARRYDUFF and DUNLOY: REV C.B. MULVENNY: (Garryduff ) Mr Stanley Lee, 12 Cambourne Park, Ballymoney, BT53 7PG. (Dunloy) Mr Jonathan Gault, c/o 26-28 Church Street, Ballymoney, BT53 6DL. GLASCAR and DONAGHMORE: REV M. McMAW: (Glascar) Mr Alan Little, 38 Loughbrickland Road, Rathfriland, Newry, BT34 5HF. (Donaghmore) Mr David Shilliday, 21 Cargabane Road, Donaghmore, Newry, BT34 1SB. GLASTRY and KIRKCUBBIN: REV A. GILICZE: Mr James McClements.

GREAT VICTORIA STREET: REV ALISTAIR BILL: Mr Colin Houston, 23 Beechgrove Avenue, BT6 0ND. HYDEPARK and LYLEHILL: REV C.K. McDOWELL: (Hydepark) Mrs Lynas Alexander, 22 Broadacres, Templepatrick, BT39 0AY. KELLS: (Home Mission) REV ALAN McQUADE: Miss Ruth McCartney, Shancarnan, Moynalty, Kells, Co Meath, A82 PF60.

RANDALSTOWN, O.C.: REV G. MOORE: Mr Alun Coulter, 48 Portglenone Road, Randalstown, BT41 3DB.

RATHGAR – CHRIST CHURCH: REV DR S. MAWHINNEY: Mr Paul Fry, 44 Monolea Wood, Firhouse, Dublin 24, D24 A2V3.

RAVENHILL: REV J. WARBURTON: Mr Denis Marriott, 216 Orby Drive, Belfast, BT5 6BE. SCRABO: REV A. LITTLE: Mr John Doherty, 37 Ballymaleedy Road, Comber, Newtownards, BT23 5RD. TULLYCARNET: REV R.S.J. McILHATTON: VINECASH: REV P.W.A. McCLELLAND: Mr Thomas Graham, 38 Richmount, Portadown, BT62 4JQ. WARRENPOINT and ROSTREVOR: REV J.S. MAGUIRE: (Warrenpoint) Mr Denis Brady, 28 Seaview, Warrenpoint, Newry, BT34 3NJ. (Rostrevor) Mr Terry O’Flynn, 15 Aurora Na Mara, Shore Road, Rostrevor, BT34 3UP. WATERSIDE: REV RICHARD TREGASKIS: Mr William McIlwaine, 19 Glenaden Hill, Altnagelvin Park, Londonderry, BT47 2LJ. WOODLANDS: REV J. MOXEN: Mr Ian Drysdale, 27 Windslow Heights, Carrickfergus, BT38 9AT.

continued on page 50

Herald November 2023

49

CHURCH RECORD

CLASSIFIEDS

continued from page 49

TEMPORARY STATED SUPPLY ARRANGEMENT BALLYCAIRN: REV MORRIS GAULT: Mr Brian Milligan, 19 Glenariff Drive, Dunmurry, BT17 9AZ. BELLVILLE: REV D.S. HENRY: Mr Mervyn King, 29 Ardmore Road, Derryadd, Lurgan, BT66 6QP. GRANGE with CRAIGMORE: REV R.S. AGNEW: Mr Jamie Harris, 32 Portglenone Road, Randalstown, BT41 3BE. NEWTOWNSTEWART and GORTIN: REV JONATHAN COWAN: (Newtownstewart) Mr James Baxter, 22 Strabane Road, Newtownstewart, Omagh, BT78 4BD. (Gortin) Mr Adrian Adams, 32 Lisnaharney Road, Lislap, Omagh, BT79 7UE. SPA and MAGHERAHAMLET: REV DAVID BINGHAM: Mr Stephen McBride, 28 Ballynahinch Road, Castlewellan, BT31 9PA. (Magherahamlet) Mr David Whan, 74 Castlewellan Road, Dromara, BT25 2JN. WHITEHEAD: REV D. CROMIE: Ms Helen Graham, 4 Kilcarn, Islandmagee, BT40 3PJ.

THE ELDERSHIP Ordained & Installed: BALLYCARRY: Roy Bamford, Joan Dobbin, Ivan Jefferson, Rosemary Junkin, Kristina Loughridge, Libby Russell CUNINGHAM MEMORIAL: Robin Brown, Robert Arthur Edwards, Thomas McCullough, Gareth Reaney, Richard Torrie RATHFRILAND, SECOND and THIRD: Andrew Bell, John Henning, Desmond Trimble BANBRIDGE, SCARVA STREET: Tony Hillen, Roy Wilson Installed: BANBRIDGE, SCARVA STREET: Nigel Bell

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Herald November 2023

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.

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AACROSS 1 Masterstrokes 8 Suspect 9 Croft 10 Extol 11 Poles 13 Aim 14 Ecole 15 Strum 18 Oddly 19 It 21 Ease 22 Leg 23 Chasten 24 Sneer 26 Testy 27 Volga 28 Sign 30 Signalled 31 Oh

DOWN 1 Messianic 2 Systems 3 Electorate 4 Settlements 5 Rockpools 6 Knowledge 7 Satisfy 12 Olden 16 Testing 17 Uses 20 Thesis 25 Reach 27 Vie 29 GI

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Classified ads are charged at 40p per word All prices are exclusive of VAT Registered charities and PCI congregations will receive a 12% discount Artwork for display advertising should be supplied electronically where possible.

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This is a book that challenges atheistic materialism. It is against our natural instincts as human beings, and against reason which logically demands of us as rational beings that an effect, or the ordered sum different complex effects, of logical necessity demand a necessary and sufficient cause.

Living things demand of us an explanation in terms of a living life producing cause, one that can explain the ordered and living sum of all things. Until this is done nothing is ultimately explained in terms of sufficient cause.

We cannot be wiser than our creator as to think that everything we as human beings produce demands an intelligent and sufficient cause, while we as extremely complex beings who can produce such things have no cause at all.

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