SEPTEMBER 2022
Bigger. Better. Quizzier. The Big Quiz Night is back. Get your family, friends and church together for Tearfund’s Big Quiz Night – an evening of great big poverty-beating fun. Saturday 19 November at a church near you. Visit tearfund.org/niquiz to find out more. Hundreds of churches. Thousands of people. One Big Quiz.
tearfund.org/niquiz
Tearfund, 241 Newtownards Road, Belfast, BT4 1AF, Northern Ireland +44 (0)28 9073 0060 ni@tearfund.org /TearfundNI Registered office: Tearfund, 100 Church Road, Teddington, TW11 8QE. Registered in England: 994339. A company limited by guarantee. Registered Charity No. 265464 (England & Wales) Registered Charity No. SC037624 (Scotland) 00591-(0422)
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11/04/2022 13:35
A gift in your Will could not only help your loved ones but can leave a legacy of hope for generations to come.
We’ve been helping local people for almost 75 years, and with your help we can continue to be there for people who need us now, as well as those who will need us in the future.
In Northern Ireland four in ten adult deaths are Please visit nichs.org.uk/giftsinwills for further caused by chest, heart and stroke illnesses. We’re working hard to change this by funding life-changing information on leaving a gift in your Will to NICHS or call us on 028 9032 0184. research and caring for those who are affected by devastating health conditions every day.
Preventing, Supporting, Caring and Rebuilding across Northern Ireland.
Registered with the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland NIC 103593
Your legacy of hope and care - a gift in your Will.
CONTENTS | SEPTEMBER 2022
FEATURES 12 A work in progress
The story of Rosie, a resident of Gray’s Court
17 General Assembly
The reports from June 2022
30 Obituary
A tribute to Very Rev Dr Andrew Rodgers
40 My first General Assembly One delegate’s first impression
42 Facilitating mission
New facilities for Kilmount Presbyterian Church
44 Blind spots and bias on the Bible Addressing unconscious bias
48 Helping young people move onward
A work in progress p12
A new PCI event to engage young people
50 Strength in solidarity
THEM US
Interview with Rev Balázs Ódor from Hungary
52 Expressions of faith New PCI resource
54 10 years of farm family health checks A medical clinic on the move
Blind spots and bias on the Bible p44
REGULARS 4 6 9 10 11 31 39 47 56 58 63
CONTRIBUTORS
Letters News My story In this month Life lessons Mission Connect Norman Hamilton David Clarke Reviews Life in PCI Ruth Sanderson
Cover photo by Jamie Trimble (artwork by Rosie Bradley) September 2022 No. 841 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
10 years of farm family health checks p54
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.
Pip Florit is a Mission Support Officer for PCI. She is a member of Bloomfield Presbyterian and lives with her husband, Ismael, and son Jonah in Belfast.
Graeme Thompson is PCI’s Youth Development Officer, an elder in First Holywood Presbyterian and the current Moderator’s chaplain.
Donna Jennings works for Evangelical Alliance. She and her family are members of Orangefield Presbyterian.
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 Renée Finnegan 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 September 2022
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