Presbyterian Herald December 2018/January 2019 by Presbyterian Church in Ireland

DECEMBER 2018/ JANUARY 2019

CARING IN GOD’S WORLD

Amelie Gray wins the Moderator’s art competition

GO MAKE DISCIPLES…

FAILURES OR EXAMPLES?

Equipping young people for ministry Challenging our attitudes to poverty

NEW BOOKS BY LOCAL AUTHOR

Colin Tinsley NO ORDINARY JOURNEY you read of the power of one life, the importance of one decision and the value of one soul. Colin Tinsley is a man who experienced the love of Christ for him. This in turn allowed him to discover the love of Christ for children all around the world.

This is Colin’s story – of how God has used a simple country boy to reach thousands of children each year – all to the glory of God!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Youth Residential Starting from £36pp Day Trips Starting from £12pp Colin Tinsley has been teaching the Bible to children for almost 20 years. Together with his wife Joanna, they run a very busy children’s ministry called “Hope for Youth Ministries.”

In this book, as the reader makes their way through the 50 short biographies, they will quickly realise that the majority of these famous Christians faced many unfavourable circumstances in life. They were just normal people who had a passion in their hearts for winning souls and were willing to surrender their personal ambitions for the cause of Christ. The line-up includes sportsstars, sailors and shoemakers; doctors, farmers and mill-girls! Crucially, God hasn’t changed: Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. He still seeks Christians who love Him and want to shake the world on His behalf. This book will inspire children to put God first in their lives and will assure them that God can use them to build His kingdom. Colin testifies: “As a child, I dreamed of serving God but never thought I was qualified. However, after serving Him full-time for over 20 years, I can humbly proclaim that God delights in picking up and using the simple things of this world!”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Colin Tinsley has authored and published 35 books for children. He established ‘Hope for Youth Ministries’ which is based in Northern Ireland.

www.hopeforyouthministries.org

Colin Tinsley

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‘HERALDCAC’ About the author

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The ministry has taken teams on over 75 international mission trips, with 50 of these to Poland where his wife, Joanna comes from. Colin has conducted almost 1,000 Bible Clubs and Missions, which have taken him into over 500 public schools. Colin’s greatest passion in life is teaching the Bible to children and encouraging BIBLE ALIVE them to commit their lives to God at a young age. SERIES Price £4.99 Colin Tinsley colin tinsley book games COVER.indd 1

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Joanna & Colin Tinsley

Colin Tinsley has authored and published 35 books for children. He established ‘Hope for Youth Ministries’ which is based in Northern Ireland.

Colin Tinsley

www.carrowmena.co.uk

He can be contacted on 028 9753 3716 or 07880 542885 or email

About the author

Colin Tinsley has authored and published 35 books for children. He established ‘Hope for Youth Ministries’ which is based in Northern Ireland.

02877763431

09/05/2018 19:42

Children love to play games and have fun! In this book, Colin introduces children to Bible stories that contain elements of fun and excitement. Children will read about a short man who climbed a tree to see Jesus, a prophet who played Hide-and-Seek with an evil king and was the fastest runner in history! In his own unique style, Colin tells these stories in a fun and engaging way that challenges children on important truths in the Bible. Each lesson is beautifully illustrated and has questions to prompt discussion and application. At the end of each story, there is a prayer that will encourage children to talk to God about what they have learned and how it can change their life.

Angels are fascinating beings and nearly every book of the Bible refers to them. Many children are only familiar with angels because of their involvement in the Christmas story. In this book, Colin retells eleven other occasions where angels interrupted people’s daily lives to deliver important messages from God. Each lesson is beautifully illustrated and has questions to prompt discussion and application. At the end of each story, there is a prayer that will encourage children to talk to God about what they have learned and how it can change their life.

Colin Tinsley

Bible Games

Joanna & Colin Tinsley

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Colin Tinsley

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Colin Tinsley

Colin Tinsley has authored and published 35 books for children. He established ‘Hope for Youth Ministries’ which is based in Northern Ireland.

Colin Tinsley

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He can also show a short DVD of his work which is very inspiring.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Colin Tinsley has authored and published 35 books for children. He established ‘Hope for Youth Ministries’ which is based in Northern Ireland.

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17/04/2018 10:39

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Each lesson is beautifully illustrated and has questions to prompt discussion and application. At the end of each story, there is a prayer that will encourage children to talk to God about what they have learned and how it can change their life.

About the author

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Price £6.99

Families are a vital part of society, but sadly many of them have complicated problems that affect every member. It is therefore of utmost importance that children understand the blessings of the family unit, yet still be assured that God will care for them even if their own family situation is far from ideal. Using beautiful illustrations, Colin shows children the benefits of loving family relationships, but also how many Bible characters overcame the challenges of their dysfunctional homes to fulfil God’s calling for their lives.

Joanna & Colin Tinsley

In this book, Colin tells the story of twelve animals that are mentioned in the Bible. Children will be absorbed as they read about a talking donkey, a group of bears chasing children and ravens delivering food. All these stories are in the Bible and Colin draws important lessons from them that children can apply to their lives every day. Each lesson is beautifully illustrated and has questions to prompt discussion and application. At the end of each story, there is a prayer that will encourage children to talk to God about what they have learned and how it can change their life.

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Joanna & Colin Tinsley

In addition to presiding over 800 Missions and Bible clubs throughout Northern Ireland, they have taken over 50 teams on International mission trips. Colin has authored and published 30 books for children and young people.

When children hear of the exploits that famous Christians from years gone by accomplished for God they are fascinated! However, all too often, we instinctively assume that such men and women had privileged upbringings or were extremely gifted. As a consequence, the challenge to follow in their footsteps wanes.

Colin tells his story

Prepare to laugh, but be ready to cry as you share in moments of highest ecstasy before plunging to depths of despair. One thing is, however, undeniable: the very hand of God is traceable on every page.

Colin is available to tell his story, full of fun, romance and how God has used him and his artist wife Joanna to reach thousands of children with the gospel.

50 FAMOUS CHRISTIANS Colin Tinsley

In this gripping book, Colin tells how he met his wife Joanna in Poland and how he gave up a career in the retail industry with Marks & Spencer to enter full-time Christian work, traveling thousands of miles around Northern Ireland and overseas each year, sharing the Gospel message under the banner of “Hope for Youth Ministries.”

50 FAMOUS CHRISTIANS

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NO ORDINARY JOURNEY

In the pages of the book

09/05/2018 19:43

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24/09/2018 18:45

Your Legacy Of Hope And Care

- a gift in your Will to Northern Ireland Chest Heart & Stroke

A gift in your Will to NICHS could not only help your loved ones, but leave a legacy of hope for generations to come. In Northern Ireland almost half of all adult deaths are caused by chest, heart and stroke illnesses. NICHS are working to change this through funding research and caring for those who are affected by devastating health conditions every day. A gift to us in your Will could be invested in critical local

research that will change the future for families at risk from our biggest killers. The smallest investment can lead to the biggest breakthrough.

For a leaflet or further information on leaving a legacy to NICHS, please call us on: 028 9032 0184, or write to NICHS Gifts in Wills, 21 Dublin Road, Belfast, BT2 7HB

Please visit our website to see how our Medical Research Programme has already supported groundbreaking projects and is committed to many more over the coming years. www.nichs.org.uk

Charity Reg No. NIC103593 NICHS_legacy AD_Pres Herald.indd 1

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CONTENTS | DECEMBER 2018/JANUARY 2019

FEATURES 14 The gift of Christmas

Ballywalter Presbyterian reaches out into the community

16 Shaking up Christmas Moderator’s seasonal message

18 The welfare challenge

The consequences of welfare reform

20 Blue Christmas

A difficult time of the year for some

22 Seeking safety

2018 World Development Appeal

36 Learning to share

New PCI resource for congregations

38 Christmas myths

Common misconceptions about the nativity story

40 Faith that moves mountains

Seeking safety p22

Interview with Mphatso Nguluwe from Malawi

42 Easing the stress

The work of the Presbyterian Children’s Society

44 Quiet times that bear fruit The challenge of spending time alone with God

REGULARS

4 6 8 9 13 26 27 35 46 48 52 53 54

The gift of Christmas p14

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

Blue Christmas p20

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

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

Lindsay Conway is Secretary of PCI’s Council for Social Witness. He is also clerk of session at West Church, Bangor.

James McCormick is PCI’s Head of Creative Production. He is a member of Cregagh Presbyterian, is married to Cathy and has two daughters, Katie (10) and Emily (5).

Cover illustration: Jennifer Davison Dec. 2018/Jan. 2019 No 817 £2.00 (€2.40) Published by: The Presbyterian Church in Ireland, Assembly Buildings, Belfast BT1 6DW. T: +44 (0)28 9032 2284 E: herald@presbyterianireland.org W: www.presbyterianireland.org

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

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

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

Herald December 2018/January 2019

EDITORIAL

LETTERS Brazil elections

Christmas humility

ITV recently dramatised the William Makepeace Thackeray book, Vanity Fair. At the start of each episode, Michael Palin, playing the part of Thackeray, reminded us that we were entering “a world where everyone is striving for what is not worth having.” It is a sentiment that could well describe our society’s insatiable appetite for acquiring more, perhaps seen most keenly during the festive season. It is sometimes difficult to know when the true meaning of Christmas stops and the commercial side begins. This month, Alan Meban looks at the biblical nativity story and lifts the lid on some common misconceptions, although he argues, “demythologising the story of Jesus’ birth doesn’t have to demystify or destroy it.” We also hear how the congregation of Ballywalter Presbyterian has sought to “reclaim Christmas for the gospel” by hosting a ‘Bethlehem experience’ event for the wider community, drawing people into the church in a non-threatening way. Whilst this time of year will be joyous and exciting for many, others will undoubtedly struggle. In her article ‘Blue Christmas’, Ruth Sanderson looks at how it can be “a magnifying glass for those who are alone.” Whether due to bereavement, family circumstances, or marital status, Ruth discovers that many need extra pastoral care or counselling to cope. Another reason Christmas can be difficult is because of financial pressures. Lindsay Conway outlines recent changes to welfare reform which are putting individuals and families under strain. He challenges us to check our attitude to those who seek benefits, highlighting that in the majority of cases, claimants are not doing so by choice. Paul Gray, executive secretary of the Presbyterian Children’s Society, affirms this and discusses the added stress to families at this peak expenditure time of the year. Thackeray’s moral tale of Vanity Fair echoes the challenge to be kind: “O be humble my brother, in your prosperity! Be gentle with those who are less lucky, if not more deserving.” In Jesus, we have the perfect example of humility: “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” As our Moderator, Dr Charles McMullen, encourages us to pray for a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit on our lives, he highlights how we can embrace the true meaning of Christmas: “It is an opportunity to build our relationship with him, deepen our fellowship with one another and reach out in his name to others.” Merry Christmas from everyone in the Herald office.

Herald December 2018/January 2019

Dear Editor Earlier this year I had the privilege of travelling to Brazil on behalf of the World Development committee with Christian Aid to visit the Casa Noeli dos Santos safe house. It was a humbling trip, witnessing the bravery and courage of both the women who flee to the safe house from abusive relationships and the staff who work there. While in Brazil we were warmly welcomed and well looked after wherever we went. Unfortunately, the recent election victory of far-right candidate, Jair Bolsonaro, is now unsettling those we met. In a familiar pattern, Mr Bolsonaro successfully pitched himself as the antiestablishment candidate, appealing to voters fed up with political corruption and violent crime. Worryingly though, Bolsonaro himself has spoken openly in defence of dictatorship and torture, and the killing or banishment of his opponents. In a country with over 60,000 murders a year he plans to relax gun control. Some we met are extremely worried that the new president’s policies will have a direct impact on the women who find safety at the safe house. Planned cuts to social housing will mean that those who flee abusive homes will have fewer options to go to after their time at the safe house, and cuts to education

and health care bring obvious problems. This is not to mention the changes he threatens in land rights and environmental policies. On behalf of the friends we made from the safe house, could I encourage readers of the Herald to pray for Brazil and the challenging times ahead, and that a country that lived under military dictatorship until 1985 will not needlessly suffer even more. James McCormick Creative Production Department

Bible, church and same-sex attraction Dear Editor Professor Stephen Williams in his November article states: “We often think of ‘meaning’ as something which resides in words.” His esoteric use of ‘meaning’ and the vagueness of ‘something’ lack verifiable universality. Words are either oral, written or expressed as in sign language to convey meaning which has many categories and subsets. Context defines category. To ‘stand still’ on a parade ground when being addressed by a sergeant-major has a different contextual meaning than associative responses when being used by a photographer. Various human emotional feelings can be transmitted by non-verbal communication. The doctrinal statements on

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

human marriage of the PCI are unambiguous and arrived at after analysis, debate and resolution. Their meaning is clear. Same-sex attracted people know that if they seek marriage as defined by them, they are excluded. To achieve acceptance of their wishes by the Church they have to demand radical doctrinal change. Professor Williams’ definition of ‘meaning’ is extended to include amelioration of attitudes of church members. Those who are same-sex attracted within a congregation can expect smiles and sympathy to assuage private unhappiness. Professor Williams also explains how Pauline theology should be assessed in pastoral practices of church congregations in Acts. How is

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

New Testament theology to be explained in the context of contemporary genetic research? A report in The Times (22 Oct) informs us that an international team of researchers for the Human Behaviour and Evolution Society “found after analysing the genomes of 400,000 people and compared their DNA to surveys about their sex lives, they identified a whole suite of genetic variants associated with people having had a same-sex partner.” Is Pauline theology compatible with contemporary genetic research or does it supersede it? George McNally Londonderry

Herald price reminder The Presbyterian Herald will be increasing in price. From 2019 a subscription will be £15/€18 (delivered by a congregational agent). This is the first price increase in the magazine for 10 years. Editor Sarah Harding said, “It is unfortunate that we have to increase the price next year, but due to rising costs, we are unable to sustain the current value. We are grateful to our dedicated and committed readers who have stayed with us during a number of changes in recent years, and we hope you will continue to do so. Thanks are also due to our Herald agents who collect and distribute the magazines to local congregations. Without their faithful service costs would certainly be higher. “As a team, we remain committed to producing a magazine that is informative and interesting and one that represents good value for money.” Individual subscriptions will also be rising: £25 (for UK addresses), £40/€48 (for Republic of Ireland) and £55 (for the rest of the world). The Herald is also available for £1.20 per copy as a digital version at https:// issuu.com/presbyterianireland or as a PDF version at www.presbyterianireland.org/herald

Topical Tweets @alaninbelfast Remembering Eugene Peterson’s gifts of fresh language to shine light on old meanings, his understated presence at @pciassembly’s 20:20 vision conference, and phrasing such as “The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood.” @NHSuk It’s important to make sure older neighbours and relatives are ok during winter. Popping in can make the world of difference to how they’re feeling. More information here: http:// nhs.uk/staywell #WorldKindnessDay @EAUKnews The Supreme Court has ruled to protect freedom from compelled speech in the #Ashers case. “This is a win for everyone, no one should be forced to say something they disagree with.” @peterlynas @Tearfund_NI Tearfund is super excited to be partnering with the Irish Youth Ministry Gathering! Three days of teaching, equipping, worship & prayer to celebrate and inspire life-changing ministry with young people in Ireland. Assembly Buildings, Belfast, May 16th -18th 2019 – save the date! @SAT7UK It’s 6 weeks until Christmas, but don’t panic – you’ll find lots of meaningful gifts in our SAT-7 Alternative #Gifts range! Sat7uk.org/pages/ alternative-gifts/ @wycliffeuk The world tells us to fear weakness. But we embrace it, knowing our God’s strength comes through when we are weak. #DailyBible #TuesdayThoughts @ChristianAidIrl Today we acknowledge #TsunamiDay2018 and our thoughts remain with all those affected by the Earthquake & Tsunami in Indonesia. Today we distributed hygiene and shelter kits to the people who have been forced to move by soil liquefaction caused by the earthquake. #IndonesiaTsunami

Herald December 2018/January 2019

NEWS | IN THE ROUND Church leaders meet Tánaiste The leaders of the main Churches in Ireland met the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Simon Coveney, at Iveagh House in Dublin recently. The Church leaders had previously met representatives from Northern Ireland’s political parties and the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Karen Bradley. Speaking after the meeting, the Church leaders said, “As part of the ongoing dialogue in relation to restoring the devolved institutions to Northern Ireland, following the collapse of the Assembly in January 2017, we welcomed the opportunity today to meet with Mr Coveney as an important part of those discussions. “In our previous meetings with the political parties and the Secretary of State over the last few weeks, we have impressed upon them our concerns that the absence of devolved government in Northern Ireland was affecting many areas of community life, the delivery of public services and cross border cooperation. We conveyed these concerns to the Tánaiste, while emphasising the importance of continuing to build relationships and trust among all concerned, even in these difficult times. We also welcomed the opportunity to hear the Irish government’s assessment of the current situation. “While not underestimating the challenges involved in moving forward, we emphasised the importance of dialogue and finding the space that encourages engagement and participation. As we had done with the political parties and the Secretary of State previously, we reiterated our willingness and desire to assist in the process where we could.”

Pictured at Iveagh House in Dublin, during the meeting between the leaders of Ireland’s main Churches and Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Simon Coveney TD, are (left to right): Fergal Mythen (Director General, Ireland, UK and Americas Division, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade), Minister Coveney, Rev William Davison (President of the Methodist Church in Ireland), Rev Trevor Gribben (Clerk of the General Assembly), Dr Richard Clarke (Church of Ireland Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland), Dr Charles McMullen (PCI Moderator), Monsignor Joseph McGuinness (Diocesan Administrator for the Diocese of Clogher) and Dr Nicola Brady (General Secretary of the Irish Council of Churches).

Moderator pays tribute to Seymour Crawford PCI Moderator, Dr Charles McMullen, has paid tribute to Seymour Crawford, the former TD for Cavan-Monaghan and lifelong Presbyterian, who died recently at the age of 74. Dr McMullen said, “I was saddened to hear of Seymour Crawford’s death. Aside from his many years of public service as a councillor on Monaghan County Council and in the Dáil, he was a lifelong Presbyterian who served faithfully as one of our elders in Newbliss Presbyterian, his local church, for 34 years. He also served for years on our central Church panel dealing with social and political issues affecting the state. “Mr Crawford was, as I understand from those who knew him best, in both his politics and church life, a bridge builder. His manner and demeanour was gentle and soft-spoken, able to express his strong convictions with a gracious civility. These qualities had been nurtured by his years of service as an elected representative on the border during the years of the Troubles, qualities that were also put to good use serving as vice president of the Irish Farmers’ Association and for many years as a member of the British-Irish Inter-Parliamentary Body. “His commitment to justice and peace, his commitment to his constituents and the people of Ireland came not just from his political idealism, but out of his service to Christ and his church.”

Calling all knitters The Big Knit in aid of Age NI is back. Knitters are asked to knit little woolly hats for the top of Innocent smoothie bottles. For every hat knitted, Age NI receives 25p, and that money helps the charity support older people who have no one else to turn to. To register and find out more, call Dorothy on +44 (0)28 9024 5729, email bigknit@ageni.org or visit www.ageni.org/thebigknit Age NI is also currently recruiting volunteers to assist with its Sainsbury’s Sprucefield Charity Partnership. If you have a couple of hours to spare every month please get in touch. Call Rosalind on 07850 919165 or email rosalind.cole@ageni.org

World Development Appeal launched

Abortion bill tabled A bill to decriminalise abortion in the UK, including Northern Ireland, has passed its first reading by 208 votes to 123. The 10-minute rule bill tabled by Diana Johnson is unlikely to make it onto the statute book, though, due to time limitations. Commenting on the recent vote, Christian Action Research and Education (CARE) chief executive Nola Leach said, “Today’s vote is really only advisory, in fact less than half of MPs were even there to vote so the outcome can hardly be said to be representative of the views of the whole House… “CARE polling tells us that in England and Wales, the majority of women do not want a more radical and extreme abortion regime and Both Lives Matter polling reveals that 64% of people in Northern Ireland want abortion law to be decided by locally elected representatives.”

Herald December 2018/January 2019

Rev Fiona Forbes, Presbyterian Church in Ireland’s (PCI) World Development Committee convener (left), with Sarah Roure, Christian Aid Country Manager, Brazil at the launch of the 2018 PCI World Development Appeal. Ms Roure was in Ireland in November on a series of engagements for Christian Aid.

IN THE ROUND | NEWS PCI supports change in blasphemy law The Presbyterian Church in Ireland has said it supports proposed changes to the Republic’s blasphemy law. Speaking ahead of a recent referendum on the removal of the offence of blasphemy from the constitution, the Clerk of the General Assembly, Rev Trevor Gribben, said, “In all elections and referenda, we encourage Church members to consider matters before them prayerfully and with great care and then to vote in accordance with their conscience, as the Church does not direct members in how to vote. “Like other denominations who have stated their position publically, we also acknowledge that the current reference to blasphemy in the constitution is largely obsolete and may give rise to concern because of the way such measures have been used to justify violence and oppression against minorities in other parts of the world…” Mr Gribben continued, “Protection for freedom of religion, belief and expression are important rights to be enjoyed at home and overseas. While we live in a pluralist society here in Ireland that has a deep Christian heritage, the Presbyterian Church in Ireland recognises that this is not the same in every country. As a Church, we therefore continue to express our solidarity with Christians and all those throughout the world who are experiencing persecution, and human rights abuses, because of their faith or beliefs.”

Social media update PCI has reached over 2,000 likes on Facebook. To keep in touch with all that this happening in the wider Church, search for Presbyterian Church in Ireland and hit the like button. Alternatively, you can follow us on Twitter @pciassembly or keep up to date with the Moderator @PCIModerator

Christianity Explored in Albania

IN BRIEF

Following the launch of Christianity Explored (CE) in May, the evangelistic course is already having a major impact across that nation. So far 140 leaders have been trained in running CE courses; over 1,500 course notebooks have been distributed in 52 churches; six courses have finished and a further 26 are ongoing. Most importantly, and most excitingly, 36 participants have already accepted Christ. These numbers are set to increase dramatically over the next few months as more and more churches across Albania capture the vision for reaching friends, families and colleagues with the gospel via Christianity Explored. Albania is a tough mission field. The country has seen chronic social, economic and political collapse since the fall of communism in 1991, jobs are few and many people have emigrated from one the poorest countries in Europe. Many churches are poor and have very few resources, but the mission field is currently ripe for harvest. The country is 60-70% Islamic, but most Muslims are nominal believers and there is much local interest in Christianity. Ian Roberts, of Christianity Explored Ministries, said, “I was privileged to meet some wonderful Albanian Christians hungry for good resources to use when I visited in May. So, it’s a joy to see the fruit emerging – some coming to faith for the first time and others going deeper into the Bible.” For more information about Christianity Explored Ministries’ resources and materials, telephone +44 (0)207 636 6406. Or visit the website www.ceministries.org

Moderator congratulates Irish President

Moderator completes second presbytery tour Visits to schools, community groups, the police service, army, hospital services and local congregations were all included in the PCI Moderator’s recent East Belfast Presbytery tour. A major focus for the tour was meeting local ministers, pastoral staff and church members, seeing their work on the ground and some of the services the denomination provides centrally. This included a visit to Aaron House in Dundonald, the Church’s residential care home for people with a profound learning disability. Speaking ahead of the tour, Dr McMullen said, “As the Church’s principal public representative I am looking forward to interacting with the wider community, bringing greetings and offering support wherever possible.” PCI Moderator, Dr Charles McMullen, is pictured below with the Company of Pastors, an east Belfast initiative for ministers to meet regularly together, get to know each other and care for one another.

Moderator, Dr Charles McMullen, has written to Michael D. Higgins to congratulate him on his re-election as Irish President. The Moderator wrote, “The call to leadership, and to this special office in particular, is a great honour. As someone who was also elected this year, albeit to a different kind of office – and for one year not seven – I can appreciate the responsibility that humbles and the challenges that come with it. “As president and a poet you spoke of many things in your acceptance speech on Saturday – from the power of words to specific challenges, both current and future, that Ireland faces at home and around the world. Mindful of what you spoke of, and as you embark upon your second term, be assured of my continued prayers and those of many throughout our Church across Ireland, south and north.”

Charity’s work continues in typhoon-hit Asia

On the fifth anniversary of one of the world’s worst typhoons, a Christian charity says traumatised children need long-term strategies to rebuild their lives. Five years ago, Typhoon Haiyan hit Southeast Asia, killing more than 6,000 people. Christian maritime charity Sailors’ Society responded to the disaster by raising £225,000 through an emergency appeal. The charity has rebuilt 48 homes, four medical centres and three classrooms – that double as emergency shelters – since Typhoon Haiyan. It also founded a Seafarers’ Pupils’ Club to help children come to terms with their traumatic experiences and train them in disaster preparedness.

Herald December 2018/January 2019

IN THIS MONTH...

December 1979

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

Worship the sporting way James Clarke

I was driving home from a wedding reception one Saturday recently when I realised that it was after 4.30pm. I pushed the button on my car radio to hear how my favourite football team was faring. As I listened to the reports coming in from the various football grounds, I began to wonder what it would be like if we could do this on a Sunday morning and hear reports from a cross-section of Presbyterian congregations in our land… Good morning, welcome to Worship Sound. Many have already gathered and others are still gathering in Presbyterian churches all over the land. Let us go right away for our first report to John Potson in Eire. “…we have had an early start here as the minister has three services each Sunday. As usual there was not a big gate, but those who attended were well scattered throughout this large church… We have just heard a good, sane, non-boat rocking sermon because the minister here has no theological or political axe to grind…” Now we visit a congregation in the Bible belt of mid-Antrim. “…The children’s address was very humorous, enjoyed more by the parents than the children…The sermon is still in progress and already we have had a few references to the evils of WCC membership. The heresies highlighted in the visit of the Holy Father have also come under attack…” We move now to one of the more fashionable city churches to see how things are going there. “…The sermon, as usual, was about the social implications of the gospel; the need of our brothers in the Third World and the need for the Presbyterian Church to continue her membership of the WCC. There have been liberal quotations of the day but the preacher has been very conservative on quotations from the New Testament…” Our last call takes us to a church in County Londonderry. “…The whole proceedings here was a bit of a carnival, made up of incomprehensibility through the discussion of unreal problems in unintelligible language. “But the faithful folk are on their way home now and are no doubt feeling good under the vest. After all, they have endured one Sunday more and that means one less to go…”

Ali meets his match

Muhammed ‘I’m the greatest’ Ali met Billy Graham recently and humbly admitted: “I look up to him”. The retired, three-time world heavyweight boxing champion spent several hours with Billy in the evangelist’s mountaintop home in Montreal, North America. And afterwards, Ali declared: “He comes before me, I’m just a boxer – famous and all that – but he leads people to God. I look up to him.” The Moslem boxer was deeply impressed with Billy’s lifestyle. He had been expecting a chauffeur-driven Rolls-Royce or at least a Mercedes to meet him at the airport – but instead the evangelist drove him off in his own Oldsmobile…

Armagh Road’s new elders Ten new members of Session of Armagh Road Presbyterian Church, Portadown, together with the clergy who officiated at the ordination service. Left to right: Rev Jim Harrison, James McBain, Victor Gordon, Leonard Moles, George Jackson, Thelma Jackson, James Magee, Samuel Paul, Olive Smart, David Pepper, Robert Muldrew, Robert Cumming (clerk of session), Rev J.C.M. Anderson (moderator of the Armagh Presbytery) and Rev William Magee.

Also from December ’79 8

Jack Lynch resigns as Taoiseach

Herald December 2018/January 2019

Pink Floyd’s Another Brick in the Wall tops the UK music charts

St James

James Bond and other popular films may soon be appearing at a church in Gwent. The vicar has won a £1000 urban aid grant to turn the church hall into a cinema. Now he is learning to be a projectionist.

Soviet forces invade Afghanistan, beginning a disastrous 10-year war

MY STORY... On the 70th anniversary of the NHS, Roberta Moore from Finvoy Presbyterian Church tells her story of thankfulness for the care she has received.

Caring and healing

n September 2016, I was in a Northern Trust counsel. We should be very thankful NHS hospital recovering from an operation. that such a service is available within our That was my third operation inside a year. I NHS hospitals. There is no doubt that retired in August 2015 from working with illness makes us think with fresh reality the NHS as a physiotherapist. Laterally I was about the frailty of our bodies and our working in the mental health sector with a multidisciplinary mortality. These words from an old hymn kept coming into my team called Condition Management Programme, helping mind: “There is power, power, wonder working power in the people to physically and mentally manage their health precious blood of the Lamb”. It reminded me again and again conditions. I counted it a privilege to work in the NHS. I had that my soul is everlasting and it is safe in the arms of Jesus. always considered myself to be fit, healthy and active. Now I Rev Gaston, lovely friends in Finvoy congregation and the was experiencing the other side of the fence… I became an prayers of many supported me. It was a very special night on 27 NHS service user. February 2017 when I and two others were I can honestly say that during all recent prayed for and anointed with oil by the We can praise God that hospital experiences I was cared for in the elders of our congregation, as it is written most kind, professional and empathetic in James 5:14. we live in a country manner. I can commend all of the staff – It is a privilege to place ourselves in the where health care is my GP, treatment room staff in our local very capable hands of our NHS but it is an health centre, my lovely surgeons, nurses, readily available and of a even greater reassurance to place ourselves and all who worked on the hospital wards. in the almighty sovereign hands of God. I never felt like just a number on the roll, high standard. Our days are ultimately in but was treated in a personal way. I would his hands. God could easily add that I believe if we as patients treat the NHS staff with heal all our infirmities with one word but this respect it goes a long way to us being treated the same in return. will not always be his plan. The medical care The NHS is strapped for money at the minute; staff work very available to us is used by him for our good. Like hard, do all they can, and are often exhausted. the farmer who plants and tends his crop but We can praise God that we live in a country where health depends on God for the miracle of growth, care is readily available and of a high standard. Like many, I the NHS tends to our physical and mental have been in countries where there may be no hospital within needs using surgery, medication or whatever is easy reach, no sheets on hospital beds, or not enough beds, appropriate, but it is God who allows healing if and surgical instruments are kept in rusty, blood-spattered he chooses. containers. Pain relief is basic and palliative care is non-existent. The chaplaincy department of Antrim Area We have a lot for which to be thankful. Hospital has produced a leaflet which includes Bible verses, As part of the care following surgery in Antrim Area Hospital prayers, and poems, including some words from a hymn by my mental and spiritual health as well as Lucy A Bennett: my physical were taken into consideration. “Trust him when dark doubts assail you The specialist nurse asked me some / Trust him when your strength is small, questions regarding my thoughts and / Trust him when to simply trust him / feelings about my cancer diagnosis and Seems the hardest thing of all. / Trust him. forthcoming surgery. One of the questions He is ever faithful. / Trust him for his will was: “Do you think about death?” She is best: / Trust him, for the heart of Jesus / reminded me that there is a chaplaincy Is the only place to rest.” service within the NHS for spiritual Amen to that. Herald December 2018/January 2019

NEWS | PCI

News Home manager’s farewell party

Moderator, Dr Charles McMullen, and Caroline Crawford surrounded by Harold McCauley staff.

Staff, residents, residents’ families, local support committee members and CSW senior management bid a very fond farewell to Caroline Crawford, home manager for 26 years at Harold McCauley House nursing home in Omagh, at a special celebration in October. Caroline was there from the very beginning and everyone wanted to thank her for her dedicated service to the home over the years. A special thanksgiving service was held at which both Omagh County Primary and Omagh Academy choirs sang (the Moderator’s former schools). Moderator, Dr Charles McMullen, and his wife Barbara were special guests on the day and Dr McMullen gave the address.

World Development Appeal The 2018 World Development Appeal was launched on 23 October. The emphasis of this year’s appeal, entitled ‘Seeking Safety’, is on the long-term challenges and action needed for good and sustainable support in dangerous places, with a particular focus on the importance of gender justice. The partner communities being highlighted in the 2018 Appeal are in Ariquemes, Brazil. In the weeks leading up to Christmas, congregations are invited to encourage their members to give generously to this year’s World Development Appeal. Information on the appeal has been distributed to congregations and is also available online at www.presbyterianireland.org Further details on p22.

Digital course The supporting active engagement team from Advice NI recently joined with PCI key staff to give a presentation on the ‘Rights 4 Seniors’ digital course. This digital inclusion project offers a 10-week training programme to people aged 55 and above on using the internet. It teaches basic digital skills as well as email, social media and making complaints online, and allows participants to access their rights and entitlements. The project also provides free and confidential benefit checks and volunteering opportunities. For further information about the digital course contact Lumturi Podrimaj (project manager) at Lumturi@adviceni.net; and Alasdair Sim (digital support and information officer) at Alasdair@adviceni.net Following the presentation, Council for Social Witness senior management availed of the services of Advice NI to ensure that all relevant benefits for Willow Brook residents are being received.

Herald December 2018/January 2019

Moderator’s appeal for Indonesia Back in October the Presbyterian Moderator, Dr Charles McMullen, launched a special appeal for Indonesia, where tens of thousands of people are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance following the recent devastating earthquake and tsunami. The earthquake struck off the coast of Central Sulawesi on 28 September measuring 7.4 on the Richter scale, triggering a tsunami with waves 18 feet high. It has been reported that more than 1.5 million people have been affected by this double disaster, which has killed at least 2,000 people and left nearly 70,000 displaced. Tens of thousands of homes have been destroyed and entire communities have been decimated. Infrastructure has been damaged in the form of hospitals, roads and bridges, limiting access to clean water, food, shelter and medical help. In anticipation of a generous response from congregations, the Church has already released £60,000/€67,800 to be distributed to its relief and development partners, Christian Aid and Tearfund. Both organisations are already working through their partners on the ground to get food, shelter and medical help to those in need. A third will also go to PCI’s partner organisation, the Communion of Churches in Indonesia (CCI), which is also working on the ground. Thanks are due to those who have already given generously. To date, £50,000 has been raised and donations will continue to be collected across PCI churches over the Advent and Christmas period. Donations can also be made via the website: www.presbyterianireland.org/appeals In launching the appeal, Dr McMullen said, “I am calling on Presbyterian members and congregations to respond in a generous and timely way…I also encourage members to pray earnestly for those who are experiencing such unimaginable suffering.”

Visits to Malawian pastors Representatives of the Council for Global Mission’s leadership development committee recently travelled to Aberdeen to meet with three Malawian pastors who were attending a summer school linked to their PhD distance studies at the University of Aberdeen. They are supported by grants from PCI’s Lindsay Memorial Fund and are very appreciative of this support. They request prayer as they balance their studies with ongoing ministries and life with their families. Pictured are (l-r) Rev Brian Theu, Rev David Kawanga, Rev John Faris, Mrs Isobel McAuley and Rev Thomas Nyang’ama.

Find out more on www.presbyterianireland.org

Events

DIARY DATES

The organ in contemporary praise

December

For many congregations, the organ remains the primary and preferred accompaniment for praise in Sunday worship. If so, we can be locked into thinking that this restricts the choice of praise to traditional psalms, hymns and songs. But could it be that the organ is a more versatile instrument than we have imagined or explored? How can we creatively harness organ music in the service of more contemporary praise? What are the challenges and opportunities? ‘The organ in contemporary praise’ event in Killead Presbyterian Church on Saturday 26 January, from 10.30am-12.30pm, will explore all of these questions and will also offer some hands-on examples and practical ideas for extending your congregation’s repertoire of praise. The price is £5 per person and places can be booked at www.presbyterianireland.org/Events/ The-organ-in-contemporary-praise.aspx. The deadline is Wednesday 23 January.

Personnel news David and Pamela McCullagh completed their assignment with Scripture Union in Malawi at the end of September and the family returned to Ireland. David was installed into ministry in Annalong Presbyterian Church on 16 November. Diane Cusick has been on home assignment since September and is engaged in deputation. She is due to return to Zambia in early 2019. Earlier this year Chris and Rachel Humphries were accepted by the Council for Global Mission for service in Portugal. They hope to depart for Porto in late February to work with the church plant team in Senhora da Hora, Porto. They have two young children, Ezra and Abigail. Csaba and Ilona Veres plan to be in Ireland on home assignment in early 2019 and will be undertaking deputation (Csaba from mid-January to early February and Ilona from mid-February to early March). Derek French is due to be in Ireland in February for a couple of weeks to undertake deputation engagements.

Taking Care refresher training First Lurgan – Monday 3 Templepatrick – Wednesday 5

Family Holiday Booking for the annual PCI holiday is now open. It offers a great opportunity for families of all shapes and sizes to enjoy a mix of relaxation, fun activities and time together with God. The 2019 event is taking place at Castlewellan Castle between 23-26 April. Please book early to avoid disappointment Further information can be found at www.presbyterianireland. org/familyholiday

Recognition awards Assembly Buildings – Friday 14

January Emerge

Registration deadline – Friday 18

The organ in contemporary praise Killead Presbyterian – Saturday 26

Transform 2019 Andy Carroll is guest speaker at Transform, which will take place at Assembly Buildings, Belfast on 12-13 April.

February Youth Assembly

Assembly Buildings, Belfast – Saturday 9

Youth Assembly

EMERGE 2019

Leadership Development Programme

PCI’s Youth Assembly will take place on Saturday, 9 February 2019 from 2pm-9pm in Assembly Buildings, Belfast.

Emerge session one

Lowe Memorial, Belfast – Friday 22 Union Road, Magherafelt – Saturday 23

Resources

March Daily Advent prayer guide ‘Hope of all the Earth’ is an uplifting daily prayer resource from SAT7 to help you pray for the Middle East and north Africa this Advent. This is the region where hope itself was born when Jesus came to earth over 2000 years ago, and it is a region that desperately needs the hope that Jesus offers. The prayer guide journeys through Iran, Egypt and Turkey, and features inspiring daily reflections for each day of Advent. It also includes country profiles and personal stories of hope from the region. For more information and to order the prayer guide, go to www.sat7uk.org/pci

Emerge session two

Lowe Memorial, Belfast – Saturday 30 Union Road, Magherafelt – Saturday 30

April

Tides Sign up to Tides – a resource which provides a daily rhythm of Bible reading and prayer through a regular email arriving at the start of each weekday morning. Tides provides a section of God’s Word to read, a short reflection sharing what this could look like in our lives, and a simple way to respond. To sign up, visit www.presbyterianireland.org/tides

Transform

Assembly Buildings, Belfast – Friday 12 to Saturday 13

Family Holiday

Castlewellan Castle – Tuesday 23 to Friday 26

Herald December 2018/January 2019

NEWS | PCI IN FOCUS | Leadership training

Investing in leadership

s we travel around congregations, a fairly consistent theme can be noticed. The weekly bulletins often declare it, the announcement slots often mention it and the leaders in our congregations often feel it. Among the vast array of programmes, organisations and ministries in our churches almost all of us are asking for more volunteers to step up to the plate. While that need can be felt by all of us, what if we didn’t just think about recruiting more volunteers, but also thought about how we could develop more leaders? How could we better equip our leaders in what they are already doing and also empower potential leaders in our congregations?

Leadership in the church isn’t primarily about having lots of followers, but actually about equipping more leaders. In Luke’s gospel there is a turning point in chapters 9 and 10. Up until this point, Jesus has been preaching, teaching, healing, ministering, leading and reaching out. The jobs and the talks and the events have largely been done by him. However, there is a transitioning of scenes in these two chapters, as suddenly Jesus tells his followers that it’s their turn: “After this the Lord appointed 72 others and sent them two by two ahead

Herald December 2018/January 2019

EMERGE 2019

The next course will commence in February 2019 and run to June 2019. This year we are expanding the course by offering the first three sessions in a choice of venues, Magherafelt or Belfast, followed by an overnight, hotelbased residential bringing both groups together. Please consider this course as a brilliant opportunity to either invest in your own leadership, or develop some younger leaders in your congregation. of him to every town and place where he was about to go” (Luke 10:1). These young disciples were given instruction and then sent out into the mission field. Jesus didn’t hold on to leadership so tightly that he refused to let others around him play their part. His model was to invest in those around him and release them into ministry. Leadership in the church isn’t primarily about having lots of followers, but actually about equipping more leaders. We aren’t called to be leaders who have lots of followers – we are meant to be followers who develop lots of leaders. The purpose of Emerge – a leadership development programme within PCI – is to do just that. Emerge is a brilliant way of both equipping and enabling those already serving and leading across our Church. Through a process of three sessions and one overnight residential we hope to see a

new collection of young and emerging leaders from across this land grow in their knowledge and practice of leadership. This is an opportunity for emerging leaders in their 20s or 30s and in a current leadership role within their congregation, for example, as a relatively new elder, congregational committee member or a youth leader. Participants will be part of a learning community in which they will join others on a journey involving: • Practical teaching on leadership • Group discussion • Personal reflection • Bible teaching • Practical examples • Mentoring opportunities. Course leaders: Tom Finnegan (PCI’s Training Development Officer) and Rick Hill (PCI’s Discipleship Officer).

EMERGE 2019

Leadership Development Programme

Training details Cost: £100 (or euro equivalent) including residential. Deadline: 18 January 2019 (Places offered on a first come, first served basis). More Info: www.presbyterianireland.org/emerge or email ppatton@presbyterianireland.org for a registration form.

PERSONAL VIEW

Life lessons Jennifer Davison Illustrator

I feel compelled to create and illustrate picture books. I truly believe that this was what I was created to do. I’ve been telling stories through pictures for as long as I can remember. It’s the thing that God planted in me as a child. I have worked in animation on projects for CBBC, Channel 4, RTÉ and the BBC, although my real passion is in children’s picture books. I love the playfulness of producing work for children. This obsession with illustrated books started as a child and it still drives my work today. Inspiration can come from anywhere. There is so much that inspires me, and so many projects I want to do. Last year I made some big changes in my life. I let go of being in control. They say that no idea is completely original, but it had to start somewhere – God created everything from nothing. He is the creator and he wants to partner with us. That means we can have the ‘mind of Christ’. So, I asked God to show me what is on his mind and prayed that he will do things beyond what I could hope for or imagine! I find illustrating biblical stories very different to other stories. It’s more of a challenge. There is an accuracy that needs to be portrayed but at the same time I try not to restrict my imagination to what I’ve seen in illustrated biblical stories growing up. I find it an honour to be illustrating stories when ultimately God is the author. It’s exciting and it’s so much bigger than me! We have all heard the saying ‘a picture is worth a thousand words’. That is so true. It’s why Jesus told so many stories, to help people understand. Pictures help bring a story to life. For me, it’s not just about entertaining or creating pretty pictures. I want to tell a story that conveys a message, something that moves someone or means something to someone. Even if it’s just one person. I keep a journal and looking back over it I can see patterns emerge. I see God’s thread woven through my everyday life. I see the Creator in everything, everywhere. It blows my mind!

My husband, Jonathan, is a worship leader. When he sings, he brings a piece of heaven to earth. If I had to pick a favourite worship song, it would have to be Build My Life by Housefires. There’s a line in the song, “Open up my eyes in wonder.” Wonder is such a childlike quality but somewhere along the line I lost that. I never again want to lose my sense of wonder for God and his creation. I read somewhere ‘If you don’t build your own dream someone else will hire you to help build theirs.’ All my life I’ve had dreams of illustrating children’s books but in the last year I kept hearing these words ringing in my ear: “dream with me and I will dream with you.” That’s when I realised that illustrating isn’t just an enjoyable pastime for me. I believe it’s what God planned for me from the start. I’ve been on this picture book journey for a year now and it’s been the toughest time in my life, but certainly the most fulfilling. There was a time in my life when I was totally obsessed with Pocahontas. I wanted to be her. I loved her wild and free spirit, her fearlessness and of course her flowing dark locks (I’ve now grown to love my untameable ginger curls!). She was a strong female lead and I loved that. One Christmas my mum made me a Pocahontas costume. It was amazing, made with corduroy, real tribal patterns and little tassels. It felt and looked really authentic, unlike the costumes you might buy in a shop. Even at that young age I knew how much work had gone into making this for me though I don’t think I ever said it – thanks Mum. I suspect this Christmas will be the noisiest yet! We will soon be welcoming my little niece or nephew into the family, the first baby on my side of the family. Our Christmases are about to take on a new dynamic and I can’t wait for it! Jennifer Davison is an illustrator from Broughshane. She works at home, in her little studio packed full of children’s books and toys. She illustrated A Very Noisy Christmas, published by The Good Book Company. For more information in Jennifer’s work go to jensketches.com or follow her on Instagram: @jen_sketch or Facebook: @jensketch

Herald December 2018/January 2019

CONGREGATIONAL STORY

The gift of Christmas Rev Gareth Simpson describes how his congregation of Ballywalter has been reaching out to the local community at Christmas.

n Friday 8 and Saturday 9 December 2017 a very rare thing happened in the life of the village of Ballywalter; it snowed all weekend. Thick snow lay on the ground, making everything white and rendering driving conditions less than pleasant. We aren’t used to that sort of weather here on the sandy shores of the Ards Peninsula. On that very same dark, frosty but undeniably ‘Christmassy’ weekend, Ballywalter Presbyterian Church opened its doors wide to share the bright hope and soul-warming joy found in the truth of Jesus’ birth. For many years, our congregation has stated its aim as being ‘an active presence for Jesus’ in Ballywalter and the surrounding area and indeed to the ends of the earth. We wanted to raise the profile of our church within the village. We knew, from talking to our friends and family members, that many of them held some vague intention of one day coming to church and in some cases coming back to church, but it never made it to the top of the priority list. Some of them said they would like to come to church but felt uncertain and even intimidated about the prospect of crossing our threshold into an environment now so unknown and unfamiliar to them. A new family to our church had even told us that the first week they plucked up the courage to come, having been invited by a friend, they sat in the car park watching as we all filtered in, then they left and went home, too daunted to come in.

Herald December 2018/January 2019

And so the idea for ‘The Gift: A Bethlehem Experience’ was born in 2016. We know that sharing our faith is best done, not through big events but through our day-to-day relationships with our friends, our work colleagues and our family, but we wanted to do something fun, welcoming and non-threatening to invite our friends and family to. We wanted to reclaim Christmas for the gospel and use it to draw others closer to God. Our preparations were intense but satisfying, exciting and in many ways edifying. Rather than being weakened and fatigued through our efforts, as a church family we grew in strength, in relationship and in faith through working alongside one another. The ladies met together with their sewing machines to make costumes from the unwanted fabric and curtains donated by members of the church. The set team bonded over hours of sweat, long days, late nights and love poured into the construction of our scenes. The grotto team gathered decorations and planned a magical trail to see Santa, spurring us all on with their enthusiasm and attention to detail. Games and crafts were planned and an animal shed was built to house our stable

We wanted to reclaim Christmas for the gospel and use it to draw others closer to God.

of animals. Our vision was big but we knew that our God is bigger. It was all hands on deck. Our congregation is a varied mix: people from a farming or fishing background, people who have grown up in the village, ‘blow-ins’ new to the village, people who have retired to the seaside and people who commute to Belfast for work. ‘The Gift’ gave everyone the opportunity to get involved. People who came to church on a Sunday but remained on the periphery of church life got involved. As the shepherds and the wise men were drawn to Bethlehem by our Saviour over 2000 years ago, we found that he continued to draw us. We were drawn further in to relationship with each other, into church life and ultimately to Jesus. People said they had been lifelong members of the congregation but had now for the first time formed relationships with people they had often seen but never before spoken to. And so, because of the relationships formed through the preparations for ‘The Gift’ it wasn’t just that initial invitation to church that became easier to accept. Even within the body of our church invitations have often become easier to accept; the encouragement to join the prayer meeting or to come along to the discipleship course, the opportunity to get involved in an organisation or even just the offer to come round for a chat over a cuppa – all have become less intimidating, more attractive prospects.

Most of all…people talked to us about the warmth of our welcome. It would be an understatement to say we were taken by surprise by the interest in this event in 2016. We promoted it for a few weeks in the church and through social media and then on an advertised date we launched our free tickets through Facebook. We anticipated weeks of promoting and plugging this everywhere we went. But in fact, our 400 places were snapped up within three hours of becoming available. So instead of promoting and plugging, we spent weeks manoeuvring to add availability. As we sat back to reflect in the aftermath of 2016 we realised how God had used ‘The Gift’ in the body of our congregation and we knew that our profile had certainly been raised in the community, but we wondered if our target audience had somehow been missed. Many of the people who came along were our brothers and sisters in Christ, coming from other churches spread far and wide to support and encourage us. We were delighted to have them but we were worried that the people we really wanted to cross our threshold had been missed. So, in 2017 we decided to give it another go. We would open our doors once again for this Bethlehem experience. This time with some differences. We advertised more widely throughout our village and we put notices in the primary school bulletin. Before the free tickets went on general release through the internet, we launched them at out GB enrolment service when lots of families

were at church. We also promoted them through our BB and our mums and tots group. We gave our members an extended time to access tickets for their families and friends and some of our school mums held an afternoon at the school gates to distribute tickets to their fellow mums. We wanted the people in our everyday lives to accept our invitation to come into our church to hear our news about the greatest ever gift.

And so, during the coldest weekend Ballywalter had seen in a generation, over 700 people, undeterred by the weather, accepted our invitation to celebrate Christmas Bethlehem-style. They were invited to crafts, games and tasty treats in our halls. They met animals, including a donkey in our outdoor stable, and they visited Santa in his beautiful grotto to remind us of the gracious giver of all gifts. But best of all and before all of that… our guests were greeted at the doors of our church by a clatter of Roman soldiers warming themselves by peat fires. They were welcomed in and offered

a warm Christmas drink. They were herded together and compelled to sign the Bethlehem census before a Roman town crier guided them in groups of 30 through scenes of that miraculous night so long ago. They saw the beauty of the angels, they spoke with stinky shepherds, witnessed the wise men cower before a frightening Herod and then got all the news and gossip from the innkeepers before at long last they made it to the stable where Mary and Joseph introduced Jesus – the greatest ever gift, the baby who would grow into the perfect man, who lived and died for us; the baby who brought hope, peace and perfect love into our world. He will one day come again and will undo everything evil and sad – that truly is a reason for joy and a gift worth accepting. Afterwards people spoke to us about how beautiful and meaningful the tour of Bethlehem was. Most of all though, people talked to us about the warmth of our welcome. They spoke of the friendliness of our people and the joyful servant hearts they saw in action that weekend. The research and the statistics tell us that big events like our Bethlehem event aren’t effective in drawing new people to church and to faith in Christ, however this is what will: God’s people displaying Jesus, the aroma of Christ out in the world with a simple invitation to ‘come and see’. Merry Christmas. Herald December 2018/January 2019

Shaking up Christmas Moderator, Dr Charles McMullen, reflects on gaining a fresh perspective of the Christmas story.

ativity plays and carol services will soon be under way in schools and churches. Nervous and slightly reluctant Josephs will stand stiffly and dutifully alongside beaming Marys awkwardly clutching baby dolls. Stage-struck angels dressed in white with tinsel halos will spread their arms and announce the good news in well-rehearsed, staccato voices. Shepherds in assorted tea towel headdresses will arrive roughly on cue and wise men will be guided not by the star but by teachers encouraging them to hand over their beautifully wrapped presents. There will be moments of joy as lines are fluffed or actions missed. As I look on and smile, I am often reminded of how amazing it is that God should entrust the good news of Christmas to frail, ordinary people like you and me, who also bungle and stall. And yet in those nurseries or church halls, the meaning of the story will somehow come across as it normally

Herald December 2018/January 2019

does. Just as that first angel proclaimed to the shepherds: “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” I’ve also always enjoyed the more ordered and traditional service of lessons and carols. As a minister, it’s very relaxing to sit in the pulpit and look out across the faces of dear friends in the congregation, as we follow together time-honoured passages bringing us slowly through the pages of the Old Testament to the Incarnation. I tend to select readers who

What if instead we were to ask the Lord for a fresh outpouring of his Spirit on our lives?

have recently joined the church or for whom the previous 12 months have been momentous in all kinds of ways. All of the preparation has been done beforehand and the service now proceeds unannounced. It’s a bit like the season itself, when after frayed nerves and constant shopping, we can settle down to enjoy Christmas Day. Quite often during the peacefulness of that service, the message of Christmas takes hold of me, rekindling memories and speaking to me with renewed freshness. Immanuel – God with us! There comes the moment when I stand to read the final passage from John 1:1-14. I will think back to Derek McKelvey’s New Testament Greek class in Union Theological College and how he explained some of its rich concepts. I will go back further to hearing the commanding tones and resonant voice of the provost of Trinity College, Dublin, reading those same words at the first

carol service I attended as a student. That had a profound impact on me! Over the years, as I have read John’s prologue, I have found myself gripped by its mystery, transported in delight, comforted to believe, challenged and stretched once more in my faith. God unveils his salvation plan, separating light from darkness and giving those who believe in his Son whom he sends into the world the right to become his children. “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” Wow! It has occurred to me that most of the Christmas narrative will revolve around the openings of three gospels – Matthew, Luke and John. That’s why I find myself having a look at Mark 1: “The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” Like John, there is mention of beginnings and the meaning of Christ’s coming. Here we have a sequence about John the Baptist in the desert region, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. Mark views John the Baptist as the footlights illuminating the central character: “After me will come one more powerful than I, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I baptise you with water, but he will baptise you with the Holy Spirit.” Mark propels us forward from the old to the new covenant and the start of the public ministry of Jesus Christ. There are many words that stand out in his opening verses, but I want to concentrate on two: gospel and beginning. The good news is of Jesus Christ who lived the life of perfect love, and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God (Ephesians 5:1-2). This Jesus, who not only identifies with us in our humanity, but much more powerfully than that took the burden of our sin on his weary shoulders on the cross, offers us complete forgiveness. As we die to self and are raised to new life in Christ, he enables us to live out that same good news. In his daily devotional notes, Every Day with Jesus, Selwyn Hughes mentions the bloom and beauty of those characteristics which Paul calls the fruit of the Spirit. We become the good news of Jesus Christ as hate is turned to love, sorrow

to joy, heartache to peace, impatience to long-suffering, cruelty to kindness, miserliness to generosity, infidelity to faithfulness, arrogance to meekness and self-indulgence to self-control. In our world, there are many bad news stories, including natural disasters in Indonesia which became the subject of my recent Moderator’s Appeal. We have ongoing political stalemate in Northern Ireland and all the uncertainties of a hard or soft Brexit for those living in border areas of our island home. As Barbara and I have been travelling over these past few weeks and concentrating in particular in East Belfast and

This year may something fresh come bursting through for you – as fresh as the gospel itself and its wonderful new beginnings. Templepatrick presbyteries, we have been deeply encouraged by numerous good news stories in congregations and in the wider community – our people making a difference as they live out the gospel as good news in their homes, places of work and in the wider community throughout Ireland and much further beyond. I have also been taken by the idea of new beginnings, so central to the gospel message. Very soon we will be moving from the old to the new year. It can, of course, be a time of resolutions but if you’re like me you can so easily flounder or fail. What if instead we were to ask the Lord for a fresh outpouring of his Spirit on our lives? What if we were to ask him to remove from us all that is tired and stale and old from our past, including bad attitudes, fears and resentments? “Search me, O God, and know my heart, test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalm 139:23-24). It is an opportunity to build our relationship with him, deepen our fellowship with one another and reach out in his name to others.

I can remember a number of years ago, just after I came to West, something impromptu happening during our Christmas morning service. It was a bit like an unrehearsed but special moment in a children’s nativity service. I had tossed and turned the night before, feeling that the message I had prepared did not sit comfortably with me. I had struggled and struggled, but nothing had come and almost out of desperation I had committed something to paper on Christmas Eve. I had begun my talk, which seemed just to be going through the paces, when my younger son – a toddler – somehow broke free from his mother and suddenly was creating a rumpus as he was climbing the steps towards me. I lifted him and handed him over the pulpit to a friend sitting in the choir area. David broke free a second time and was now on his way back round again to his dad, drawing attention to himself, totally distracting me and, for that matter, the entire congregation. I lifted him up in my arms and then as I prepared to hand him over, the inspiration that had been painfully elusive suddenly came. I held him closely and then at arm’s length as I said: “This is the meaning of Christmas – as the heavenly Father gave away his most precious gift for us!” This year may something fresh come bursting through for you – as fresh as the gospel itself and its wonderful new beginnings. And may the Child of Bethlehem, God’s gift to you, be at the very centre!

Christ’s love compels us Herald December 2018/January 2019

The welfare challenge Lindsay Conway outlines the changes in welfare reform in Northern Ireland over recent years and the negative impact this could have on people’s lives.

hether you work in Belfast city centre or come into the city to shop or visit, you will have noticed the increase in rough sleepers around the streets. Those working in Assembly Buildings will know the person who regularly inhabits the canopy outside the Opera House, or those who sleep and sit out in the Great Victoria Street area, many who have been befriended by passers-by and all with their stories to tell. Some will be a victim of welfare reform, perhaps a product of the ‘bedroom tax’. The vast majority of claimants are not claiming benefits by choice. A lifechanging event has had a catastrophic impact on their lives – divorce, redundancy, long-term sickness, accident, discharge from hospital, addictions or just released from prison. Many claimants are well qualified, having previously held down long-term employment, owned their own house and perhaps have dependants. Welfare reform first hit our headlines in 2012 on the launch of the Welfare Reform Act (2012), resulting in Iain Duncan Smith MP and Lord David Freud becoming household names, as they managed the passage of the legislation through the House of Commons and the House of Lords. A new vocabulary was introduced as

Herald December 2018/January 2019

a result of the Act – Universal Credit, Personal Independence Payment (PIP) which replaced the Disability Living Allowance, reform in Housing Benefit, the Working Poor, changes in the Social Fund, in Employment and Support Allowances and Child Support. The reforms provoked a strong reaction by lobby groups, the voluntary, community and faith sectors. The churches at that time acknowledged that a reform of our benefits system had been long overdue and needed to be fit for purpose. We warned that the reforms could impact on all members of society but would hit those on lower incomes hardest. We also accepted that the Act created incentives to get people into work, ensuring that work always pays. Church leaders engaged very early with the reforms, lobbied Lord Freud in London and hosted an information night at Assembly Buildings, bringing together the Secretary of State and the Stormont Minister of Social Development. Churches and

The vast majority of claimants are not claiming benefits by choice.

other Christian organisations gave their response and stated their concerns for the future. The well-held opinion was that a third of people would be better off, a third worse off and the remaining third remain the same. At a recent meeting of the Community Faiths Forum, the Law Centre reported that, “After years of deliberations and delays, Welfare reform is now well under way in Northern Ireland.”

Universal Credit This has replaced the six flagship benefits. It arrived in September 2017 and will be totally rolled out by December 2018. It is an online process, needs photographic ID and is paid a month in arrears. These factors alone create barriers and pressures for claimants. This, added to the fiveweek waiting time, the added sanctions and loss of disability payments, confirmed that fears of short- or long-term hardship were well founded. This has resulted in many taking out high interest loans, turning to family and friends for help and the routine use of foodbanks.

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) This replaces the Disability Living Allowance (DLA). The claim consists of two components, resulting in new

face-to-face claims for the majority of claimants and fixed-term awards. There is a short period of 28 days for claims. It is a complicated and complex process, with a threat of non-payment of benefit. There is evidence that some of the assessment processes result in poor decisions being made. Basic questions relating to personal and domestic tasks are assessed as proof that individuals are fit to work.

…the opening of foodbanks and heavy demands of pastoral care are clear illustrations that the system is under pressure, if not at breaking point.

Housing Benefit

we have no political oversight of these major changes, although we are grateful to individual politicians who lobby and champion the cause. Darren McGarvey in his book Poverty Safari states, “Poverty is a quicksand that consumes us despite our best efforts to escape its pull.” Poverty is at an all-time high, with any hope of reducing child poverty by 2020 basically evaporated. The Chancellor Philip Hammond has pumped in another billion pounds as part of the recent Budget into Universal Credit, a clear illustration that there are issues. The church has always connected well with the overall welfare of its members and the wider community, both as service-providers and advice-givers. Already we are dealing with increased levels of hardship; the opening of foodbanks and heavy demands of pastoral care are clear illustrations that the system is under pressure, if not at breaking point. The account in Acts 6 gives us a valuable insight into how the first

This is now a component of Universal Credit, the biggest changes being the introduction of the bedroom tax. Some will receive less help with their rent if they have too much accommodation. This will also be particularly relevant to those who moved from DLA to PIP or if they have a large family. I recently participated in a service of celebration for North Down Storehouse. A user of Storehouse stated how vital their support was during those hard times, when there simply was no money. While writing this article I became aware of the hardship experienced by one family in east Belfast, when benefit was totally stopped during their reassessment period, resulting in no money for food or electricity. Staff in our Council for Social Witness units report that delays in payments are very common and that the process is too complex and complicated. With no Northern Ireland Assembly sittings or Ministers in place,

Christians dealt with hardship in their community. There were complaints that “widows were being discriminated against” and the solution was to form a group of seven to coordinate the work, one of whom was Stephen. Clearly the discrimination and the injustice was recognised as the church responded appropriately. I recall commenting on David Cameron’s ‘Big Society’ speech that, “The churches have been doing this for generations – some of the great Christian social reformers of the mid-19th century awakened the social conscious of the day and made great things happen in the church, showing that the love of Christ has been the oxygen of Christian witness.” As you are donating to foodbanks, the toy appeals or dropping your coins into the collection boxes this Christmas, think of those who will benefit from your generosity. Let’s re-read with fresh eyes and understanding the nativity story, with its vivid symbolism of Jesus being born in a stable and invoke those familiar words of Matthew 25:40: “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” Lindsay Conway is PCI’s Director of Social Services and Secretary for the Council of Social Witness.

Herald December 2018/January 2019

Blue

Christmas Ruth Sanderson highlights how Christmas can be a very difficult time of the year for a significant number of people.

he singer Nick Cave recently wrote: “It seems to me, that if we love, we grieve. That’s the deal, that’s the pact. Grief and love are forever intertwined. Grief is the terrible reminder of the depths of our love and, like love, grief is non-negotiable.” Cave and his wife suffered the loss of their teenaged son Arthur suddenly back in 2015, and as Christmas descends he, and numerous others, will feel their loss manifested large. Christmas acts as a magnifying glass for those who find themselves alone or with loss. A time built for love often becomes a time of painful memory. The empty chair, the space at the dining table, the silence which lingers, unfilled. Christmas, we are told, is a time for families to be together, for children and parents to smile wide cheery grins and cosy up together in front of the fire, swaddled in warmth and love. The season of ultimate togetherness. In the church too, the festive season is geared towards families, whether it’s the yearly nativity, family carol services, Sunday school Christmas parties. We are engulfed with it. Yet what about that (larger than we realise) proportion

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of people for whom Christmas has become painful? Lynda Gould, of Knock Presbyterian Church, went through just that process in the festive season several years ago. “I lost my mother right before Christmas. It made that time of year really hard, because not only was she absent, but it meant each year coming up to Christmas we were also coming up to the anniversary of her death.” Lynda felt that there were others like her who the church simply wasn’t catering for, who found Christmas especially hard. In response, she spearheaded three specific services to deal with aspects of loss. “We had them on Sunday afternoons so it allowed people the quiet privacy to attend if they wanted. Each week around 50 people came out. We used a liturgy. Sometimes we are so focused on individualism, but in this instance, it was

Christmas acts as a magnifying glass for those who find themselves alone or with loss.

really useful to use some group worship, the emphasis that we were not alone.” The content of the services too was important. “There had to be a message of hope. The Christmas story is a message of hope, but it’s a messy story too. You have a young couple, an illegitimate child, a fractious political climate, then you have the murder of the innocents which forces Mary and Joseph to flee with the baby Jesus. It’s actually a very gritty story that we can sometimes gloss over. Yet the Christmas story does not end with Christ’s birth; it’s in the wider context of God’s plan for the world. We tried to say in these services that suffering is always in a context, so whilst we may have been feeling sad or isolated, the wider context is the great hope which the Christian story ultimately gives. An encounter with loss changes us – but so does an encounter with Christ the Messiah.” Part of this message of hope took the shape of lighting many candles out of one central candle in the darkness of the December afternoon church. Lynda says, “There has to be a recognition of the darkness, but the metaphor is of a light in the darkness. Christ is that light.” The space to reflect on those we may

have lost, and the isolation which that brings is hard to find in the busyness of the festive period, and so those Sunday afternoon services were an important time to carve out for those involved. A recent Samaritans survey suggested that 1 in 15 (of all ages) have spent Christmas alone and 1 in 25 have said they’re with friends and family, when in reality they’re on their own. And for people who’ve lost a loved one, an empty place at the dining table can be an all too painful reminder of happier days gone by. It’s not simply bereavement which makes Christmas a dreaded time for many. All the complexities of life which can leave one feeling isolated and alone play a part. The emphasis to be in a perfect smiling unit, joyfully entering in to the Christmas spirit is such that the pressure creates all sort of emotional strife. Stephanie Windrum from Fresh Light, PCI’s counselling service, says, “We definitely see an uplift in referrals after the Christmas period. All relationships come into sharp focus in the festive season. Whether it’s a loss, a divorce, separation, or blended families – there can be a great sense of isolation for people, especially since everything is set up to focus on families.” For Lynda Gould, the church’s emphasis on family is particularly acute at Christmas. “There often isn’t a recognition that not everyone is in a 2.4 children family unit. Church is very set up for that and you can often feel as though you are somehow outside the norm if you aren’t married and don’t have children.”

Recently, I noticed that Bisto is encouraging its customers to open their doors and dinner tables to neighbours and strangers who might feel lonely; to

…the Christmas message is one of hope. Jesus is our light in even the darkest of times. knock on their neighbour’s door and invite them round. A cynic might see it as an excuse to sell more gravy, but shouldn’t we, as Christ-centred people, be doing something very similar? Instead of being prompted by a gravy company, be prompted by being members of a worldwide family? If Christmas is indeed about family, then we must place ourselves in the church family, not just our individual units. Which members of our wider family are hurting? Which members of our family are facing Christmas alone? Which members of our family need an extra portion of care to get them through a difficult time? How can we be that familial support? Stephanie Windrum says it’s crucial that people know they can access help if they need it. “It’s important that people are aware that they are not the only ones going through hard times. Big occasions like Christmas force people to look at their own circumstances.” Stephanie has seen a rise in people accessing the Fresh Light service; part of that, she believes, is that people are more willing to ask for help. For many, they

find that having a Christian-based service for counselling makes them feel safer. Lynda believes that it’s important that people who feel isolated and alone at Christmas should be able to talk to their elders and leadership about receiving some sort of pastoral care which is more than just a one-to-one basis. “We don’t need to be told ‘there, there’ – we need to be able to be encompassed fully in the church family.” Often, we can be stifled by our own awkwardness when approaching those who we know might be facing Christmas alone. We may feel it’s easier to say nothing, or to avoid an uncomfortable situation. Like any family, we must be there for the good times and the bad. Sometimes it’s better to ask than not. Cruse Bereavement Care gives very practical pointers for those facing Christmas with loss. Lots of these include making new traditions, or letting friends and family know that it’s ok to talk about the loved one who has died – getting out photographs and talking about positive memories. Fresh Light is also available to help in a range of circumstances and can be accessed by concerned friends and relatives, as well as individuals. So, as the season comes upon us – look around, not just at the happy families and joyful faces, but at others who may find difficulty through the glint of glitter and tinsel. As Lynda Gould reminded us, the Christmas message is one of hope. Jesus is our light in even the darkest of times.

Fresh Light Fresh Light is a ministry of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland to adults, available to all faiths and none. Operating from a Christian understanding of life and the world, volunteers are committed to standards of best practice and ethics in their counselling. The ministry offered seeks to bring comfort, strength, peace, hope and transformation in difficult seasons of life. Fresh Light is an expression of God’s love for the world, shown through the life of his people in the church. Its ministry is offered primarily as a supplement to the pastoral care of the local church, but may also be provided independently of any church link. The wishes of those seeking help will be fully respected. Enquiries can be made by individuals, ministers of congregations, friends or relatives. Further details about how to make a first appointment to explore the type of help on offer and the process leading to ongoing support can be made by telephoning +44 (0)28 9261 0586 on weekdays between 9am and 1pm. Messages can be left on the answering machine outside of these hours. More information can be found at: presbyterianireland.org/freshlight

Herald December 2018/January 2019

Seeking safety

James McCormick reports from Brazil on PCI’s latest World Development Appeal, which seeks to support women affected by domestic violence.

“I

stayed with him until my daughter was eight but that’s when he tried to kill me.” These are the words of a former resident of the Casa Noeli dos Santos safe house, in Ariquemes, Brazil.

Ariquemes Brazil is a big beautiful country, but its reputation of sun, sea and samba hide a more sinister trait. Not only is Brazil the fifth largest country in the world, it also has the fifth highest rate of female murders in the world. In 2017 alone, 4,539 women were murdered. In 2010 the local government of Ariquemes in the north-west of Brazil, part of the Amazon basin, recognised that it had a problem. “Ariquemes is a very violent city with high levels of violence of many different aspects but also specifically occasions of violence against women. That meant a lot of assaults, threats, aggression and also a high level of rape here,” explains local police officer Paolo George. Violence against women had reached such epidemic levels that a meeting was called

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by the mayor. Local civic leaders, law enforcement agencies, churches and others came together to seek a way to stop the evolving tragedy. It was the local church that took the lead, and with the help of the surrounding community, 15 days later the Casa Noeli safe house opened its doors.

Safe house Eight years on and the Casa Noeli dos Santos safe house has now taken in over 1500 abused women who sought safety. The house, hidden on a quiet street behind steel gates and under the watchful eye of several security cameras, can take up to 10 residents at a time. Set against the statistic that in a single year a third of the female population of Brazil said they had been abused, you can appreciate the scale of the problem. This single-storey property is the only one of its kind in this region of Brazil, providing this vital service for several towns and cities.

In 2017 alone, 4,539 women were murdered.

Few women who arrive at Casa Noeli have the resources or family support to help themselves or their children and many are poorly educated. Often they have fled a violent situation so have no documents or paperwork, frequently without even spare clothes. Staff and volunteers provide a welcoming sanctuary for those arriving, firstly with the basics of somewhere to sleep and food to eat. Then importantly the safe house acts as a gateway to other services, working closely with the local legal system and education authorities to help those staying there. The house also provides a counselling service and opportunities for training. It gives the women a safe space, and, crucially, time to begin to process the traumatic events that they have lived through. “Sometimes their stay can be very short, for some just one night. In some more complex cases they can stay for up to three months,” explains house coordinator Elineide.

Elineide A native of Ariquemes, Rev Elineide Ferreira is the current driving force behind

the safe house. When a woman goes to the police to seek help, Elineide (32) is usually the first to get called – anytime, night or day, she can be contacted to go and pick up a victim, more often than not, with children. Elineide, who is married with a teenage daughter, has also recently qualified as a social worker, in her words “to offer better services” to the residents of the safe house. In so many ways Elineide is a blessing to these women. Her peaceful manner helps relax those who arrive at the safe house and her assured confidence quickly earns the trust of the women. She combines her natural pastoral instincts with a razor-like knowledge of the legal system. As she humbly shares stories of the work she does – the night visits to the police station or hospital, taking residents’ children to school, advocating to local authories on behalf of the safe house – she’s not looking for praise or affirmation, she’s simply explaining how she is living out her faith. “I believe that engaging is putting to practice what the gospel says, putting into action what we hear every Sunday, or

Every 7 minutes a women is a victim of domestic violence in Brazil any day that we are involved in the Word of God.” Elineide once went four years without a holiday; it’s now been two years since her last break. Like so many in Brazil, Elineide’s family has their own story of violence to tell. Her sister Eliane was stabbed by her exhusband nearly 20 years ago. “One of the things that has motivated me to work in the house was the fact that my own sister suffered really brutal violence herself. It was before the Maria da Penha Law was approved that she suffered this violence.” When her sister tried to leave, “He didn’t accept it, he attacked her with a knife.

When her sister tried to leave, “He didn’t accept it, he attacked her with a knife. He stabbed her seven times.”

He stabbed her seven times.” Thankfully, Eliane survived and now works alongside Elineide in the safe house. The safe house is part of a network of local agencies that has been established in Ariquemes to combat gender violence. Eliende explains, “It’s a network with members of different institutions, from social services, from health, from the police, from here. So, each institution plays a role in this network.” One recent development in Ariquemes is that it is now part of a man’s rehabilitation after sentencing to attend self-help groups to deal with the aggression and violence. Although just one part of the solution to the problem of gender violence, the safe house has changed lives, lives like Fabiola’s…

Fabiola’s story Former resident Fabiola smiles, “God won’t let us down, he never does, as long as we are with him. Faith is everything, so we need to keep on trusting and having faith, and never give up.” From a dark and desperate place that few will ever imagine, Fabiola’s faith endures.

Did you know…? Brazil is the fifth largest country in the world. It covers 3.2m sq miles, is spread over three time zones and has a population of over 208m. Despite being the number one coffee producer in the world and having the largest economy in South America, Brazil also has challenges.

Fragile democracy is part of Brazilian life. From 1964 to 1985, Brazil was under a military dictatorship. Since then, only two elected presidents have completed their terms of office. Recently progress has been made to provide stability and to raise many out of poverty, but unfortunately the gap between rich and poor remains very wide.

Brazil contains almost 70% of the Amazon rainforest, along with a huge amount of natural resources. Unfortunately ‘predatory development’ is the cause of many problems. The mass exploitation of the rainforest, as well as extensive mining and uncontrolled land grabbing, has led to unsustainable development in many areas.

The building of new cities, like Ariquemes (pop 100k), was to accommodate workers and their families. Unfortunately, these new, quickly populated cities created societies without normal community and family structures. This has led to higher than average levels of violence and crime, particularly against women.

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1 in 12 women aged 18-74 experience physical and/or sexual violence each year in the Republic of Ireland Fabiola, 33, grew up in a violent home in Ariquemes. She witnessed first-hand her mother suffering physical abuse from her alcoholic father and she did not want her future to be the same. She wanted something different, something better for her and her children – unfortunately that was not to be. Instead, Fabiola suffered years of abuse from her ex-husband, “I thought that maybe if I married and got out then things would get better, but the truth is that things just got worse.” Sadly, though her mother too had suffered violence, she did not offer any help or means of escape to Fabiola. “She was the type of woman who thought that if I had gotten married then I should stay married because I had children... even though he assaulted me.” The turning point came when her former husband

burnt her possessions, including clothes and furniture. Fabiola took her two small children and left, fleeing to the local police station for help. But even while Fabiola was with the police making her statement, her mother offered no support. Instead she arrived at the station, cursing and yelling because she did not want Fabiola to prosecute her son-in-law. Then, to compound the lack of support and understanding from the family, Fabiola’s mother even allowed the abusive ex-husband to move in with her. Somehow, even in the midst of this trauma, Fabiola found hope. “I am a very peaceful person and believe that this is because of my faith. So when I left the house and my former husband burnt all

The turning point came when her former husband burnt her possessions, including clothes and furniture.

Maria da Penha Law In 1983, Maria da Penha Fernandes was fast asleep when her husband shot her, leaving her a paraplegic for life. Less than a month after her return from hospital, he tried to electrocute her. The case stalled in court for two decades, while Maria’s husband remained free. Only after the Court of Human Rights criticised the Brazilian government for not taking effective measures to prosecute and convict perpetrators of domestic violence did they respond. In 2006 a law under the symbolic name ‘Maria da Penha Law on Domestic and Family Violence’ was enacted. The Maria da Penha Act established special courts and stricter sentences for offenders; it also directed that specialised police stations and shelters for women be

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From 1 July 2017 to 30 June 2018 there were 30,595 domestic abuse incidents in NI, the highest 12 month period recorded since the start of the data series in 2004/05 of my stuff, I didn’t mind. I just wanted to be safe. So I took my children, and I feel really blessed for having them; they are very peaceful themselves and after all we have been through they are still very good children to me. This is also something that has given me a lot of strength – the fact that I have my children and the fact that I have my faith.” The welcome she received at the safe house was in complete contrast to her home life. “I felt very good here at the house, very welcome, very safe,” Fabiola says. “I found the support that I didn’t find in my own family’s house. Here I made friends, I felt safe and I knew that my children would be safe too, so overall it was a very important experience.”

created. Before the law, people “weren’t even aware of this expression: domestic violence. You just had a bad husband,” da Penha said. Since the creation of the law, the number of complaints has gone up by 600%, and the number of female homicides has gone down by 10%. Jose Maria, a female police commissioner from Ariquemes, says, “It is interesting to see that with these policies we register a higher number of incidents. This is because women are feeling more encouraged to come out and to officially register their claims because they feel that this is not going to die there, but is going to have some consequences.”

Due to the lack of family support and the continued violence, Fabiola found herself having to return to the safe house three times in total over the past five years. But over time, with the help provided by the staff at Casa Noeli, Fabiola has been able to complete her education and find a flat for her and her children. Elineide says, “Fabiola is a very determined woman, an example of that is the first time she came to the house she hadn’t even finished high school, and now she is graduating as a teacher.” Although Fabiola has come through horrific experiences and is hopeful about her future, she has regrets, “My only sorrow is that I still can’t build relationships with my mother. As it is now I really don’t even feel like seeing her because she is such a negative person... and that is very sad but I hope that with time it will get better.”

CONIC Christian Aid partner, The Christian Council of Churches in Brazil (CONIC), has been supporting the safe house since 2011. Stressing the need for outside

In Brazil 1 in every 4 women reports being a victim of psychological or physical violence support, a CONIC representative says, “The safe house is very important, and the support of people like you is fundamental for the work to continue. I’ve seen the joy of the women there and also of Elineide herself. This work can be very lonely and working with violence can be very hard. Your support is fundamental, please do support the safe house.” The Brazil of beach and carnival, warm welcomes and soft smiles is also unfortunately a Brazil of inequality and

It gives the women a safe space…time to begin to process the traumatic events that they have lived through.

violence. The effects of an inherently patriarchal society, uncontrolled development and the extremes of wealth, or lack thereof, has led to gender injustice and widespread poverty. A product of inequality and an abuse of power and privilege, the injustice of gender-based violence, though not unique to Brazil, is unfortunately prevalent in many countries around the world. The World Development Appeal 2018 aims to help some of these women as they seek safety and to escape the cycle of violence. In the safe house, an open Bible sits prominently in the main living area. The passage on display is Isaiah 56 and the opening verses read: “This is what the Lord says: ‘Maintain justice and do what is right, for my salvation is close at hand and my righteousness will soon be revealed.’” PCI, through its World Development partners, continues to support projects around the world in the fight against injustices and to do right by those who seek safety.

World Development Appeal The 2018 World Development Appeal, Seeking Safety, highlights partner communities in Ariquemes, Brazil. The emphasis is on the long-term challenges and practical action needed for good and sustainable support in dangerous places, with a particular focus on the importance of gender justice. Your giving will enable organisations like CONIC and others to support some of the world’s most vulnerable people, building a safe future for them in some of the hardest places in the world to be a woman, and to be poor. Funding supports projects, including their monitoring and ongoing evaluation. Materials for the Appeal are distributed to all congregations and are also available online. For more information or to make an online donation, please visit: www.presbyterianireland.org/world-development If you or someone you know is affected by domestic or sexual violence (male or female) and would like to speak to someone, the following options are available: • The 24 Hour Domestic and Sexual Violence Helpline (Northern Ireland) 0808 802 1414 • National Helpline (ROI) 1800 341 900 • Presbyterian Church in Ireland, Taking Care Office +44 (0)28 9041 7290 Email: takingcare@presbyterianireland.org Herald December 2018/January 2019

AS I SEE IT...

Ashers explained Graeme Hamilton

he facts of the case are well known and scarcely require businesses in the marketplace? To some extent the judgement repetition: Mr Lee placed an order for a bespoke provides clarity. So, a Christian baker will not be required by law decorated cake bearing the slogan ‘Queer Space – to supply a product promoting a cause with which that baker Support Gay Marriage’. The order was accepted but disagrees. Equally, it may be the case that a Christian printer subsequently cancelled, and the customer was refunded. He could not be compelled to produce a poster endorsing a particular then reported the matter to the Equalities Commission which political or religious message. In her judgement, Lady Hale made supported and funded his claim against Ashers. specific reference to the case being “more akin to a Christian Mr Lee contended that he was discriminated against contrary printing business being required to print leaflets promoting an to the provisions of the Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) atheist message”. Regulations (NI) 2006 (the SORs) and the Fair Employment In her postscript Lady Hale referred to a recent American and Treatment Order 1988 (FETO). This legislation makes it case which dealt with a Christian baker refusing to provide a unlawful for persons providing goods or services to the public non-bespoke wedding cake for a same-sex couple. Drawing to discriminate against other persons on the grounds of their comparison with Ashers she commented: “There is a clear sexuality or religious beliefs or political opinion by refusing to distinction between refusing to produce a cake conveying a provide them with those goods or services. particular message, for any customer In the County Court, the judge found Where…does this leave who wants such a cake, and refusing to that Ashers had unlawfully discriminated produce a cake for the particular customer those operating Christian who wants it because of that customer’s against Mr Lee in contravention of this legislation. The appeal brought by Ashers characteristics. One can debate which side businesses... in the Court of Appeal was rejected by that of the line particular factual scenarios fall. Court prompting a further appeal to the UK Supreme Court. But in our case [Ashers] there can be no doubt. The bakery would Ashers contended that they had provided goods to Mr Lee have refused to supply this particular cake to anyone, whatever before and would do so again. However, they were simply not in their personal characteristics. So there was no discrimination on a position to provide the graphic requested which offended their grounds of sexual orientation. If and to the extent that there was deeply held religious beliefs. discrimination on grounds of political opinion, no justification In addition they argued that certain provisions of the European has been shown for the compelled speech which would be Convention of Human Rights (ECHR) were relevant. In entailed for opposing civil liability for refusing to fulfil the order.” particular, Article 9 which provides that “everyone has a right It is therefore (tentatively) submitted that a Christian baker to freedom of thought, conscience and religion” and Article refusing to produce a wedding cake for a homosexual couple 10 which provides that “everyone has the right to freedom of or a Christian printer refusing to print wedding invites for a expression. This right shall include freedom to hold opinions”. homosexual couple (where analogous services are provided to In the Supreme Court, Lady Hale, who gave the unanimous heterosexual couples) may be operating in breach of the SROs. judgement, found that “the objection was to the message and Whilst some clarity has been provided in the judgement and not to any particular person or persons” in respect of the alleged same has been rightly heralded as a victory for common sense, breach of the SORs. In relation to the alleged breach of FETO, and the upholding of the important principle that individuals again, Lady Hale found that “the objection was not to Mr Lee and businesses should not be compelled by the state to promote because he, or anyone with whom he associated, held a political a particular political idea with which they oppose, there remains opinion supporting gay marriage. The objection was to being some uncertainty as to where the line will be drawn between required to promote the message on the cake. The less favourable upholding freedom of religion, and conscience, and seeking treatment was afforded to the message not to the man.” to prevent discrimination being afforded on individuals. As In relation to the arguments put forward by Ashers in relation ever, therefore, Christian businesses are urged to continue to to the ECHR, Lady Hale considered that Articles 9 and 10 were tread carefully in these complex areas and, where in doubt, seek engaged and found that: “FETO should not be read or given appropriate legal advice. effect in such a way as to compel providers of goods, facilities and services to express a message with which they disagree, unless Graeme Hamilton is a director of Hewitt & Gilpin Solicitors who justification is shown for doing so.” acted for Ashers in the UK Supreme Court. He is also clerk of session of Where, then, does this leave those operating Christian Strand Presbyterian Church, Belfast.

Herald December 2018/January 2019

DEC 2018/ JAN 2019

Mission Connect

Life at Queen’s University

Life at Queen’s chaplaincy Rev Dave Gray

Mission news from workers around Ireland and the world.

A beautiful home Jayne Bellingham Worship and witness in Kenya Gary and Mary Reid West Kirk women Rebecca Finlay God’s faithfulness in Drogheda Rev Damien Burke

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.

Water is life! Lyn and Johnny Dowds

Including Dec/Jan prayer diary

Life at Queen’s chaplaincy Rev Dave Gray

Chaplain serving in Queen’s University, Stranmillis and Union College

premier league training ground, parliamentary debating week, between lectures and coffee, there are deep conversations, chamber, or maternity ward may come close, but I think friendship and community building; questing for victory in the the university environment trumps them as the most student football league; shared meals; a lot of hanging out; a exciting place to work and live. The vibrant heart of south Belfast is significant amount of ‘Snapchatting’ and ‘Instagraming’; late night Queen’s University and its associated colleges. This is a community flits to McDonald’s and beyond; and weekly gourmet highlights of over 24,000 students and 4,000 staff. The neighbourhood is at flat meals. There is also an occasional full night of sleep! As a amazingly diverse and alive. Young people from Belfast and the 32 way of shaping service and generous living, Derryvolgie and other counties of our island are supplemented by 3,000 internationals; chaplaincy students invest in weekly ministries; hosting worship the world has arrived to learn and develop new cutting-edge services for seniors at Adelaide House, assisting with homework skills. Bright and motivated clubs at Friendship House individuals enter into this and Conway Mill, investing in The mission of university chaplaincy is to forge of understanding and teenagers in Taughmonagh bring the hope and life of Christ into view for estate, and hosting a weekly research in order to prepare for careers and for life, and in meal for 40 plus international students, staff and the wider community. the process, contribute to new students at Queen’s Elms innovations in technology, accommodation. medicine, humanities and every other field of learning. Being visible and available on campus is a vital component of The mission of university chaplaincy is to bring the hope and life what we as a chaplaincy team seek to be. We host a doughnutof Christ into view for students, staff and the wider community. fuelled coffee break at Union College every Tuesday and seek to It is amazingly strategic that our Church invests in university positively support university events. We need to be doing this chaplaincy across many of our tertiary level places of learning. better, please pray for this. Chaplaincy creates opportunity to train and equip young adults to Our team consists of Lynn Guiney (assistant chaplain), Vicky own and explore the transformational truths of the gospel, to gain Purse (administrator), Ian Moxen and Lyndsey Watterson (interns) confidence in holding and promoting a Christian worldview, and and Dave Gray (chaplain). to tell the story of new life in Jesus. At Queen’s, this investment is enhanced by the existence of an incredible Presbyterian halls of Please pray: residence on Derryvolgie Avenue. Here, 88 students and interns • For our protection, encouragement and holy boldness. create a dynamic community of faith and fun on the edge of the • For the spiritual formation of the Presbyterian and other campus. students we work with. We’ve had a busy first semester at Queen’s chaplaincy. Our week • For the international students whom we are befriending, that starts at 9.30pm on Sunday night with a gathering of students at they would witness and want life in all its fullness in Jesus. Derryvolgie for worship, biblical challenge and prayer. During the Mission Connect | Herald December 2018/January 2019

A beautiful home

Jayne Bellingham

Home manager, Trinity House, Garvagh

hat is a beautiful home? It’s a question I have been And that’s not just care staff. From the front door, where Hilary briefly exploring in recent contact with Presbyterian our administrator will quickly find out where your allegiances Women groups (PWs) seeking to support our work. And lie in the premier league, you are more than a number to us. it’s a question that God has placed in my heart since childhood. I Kitchen staff don’t just make your meals, but they’ll hold your had the privilege of growing hand and listen over a cup of up in a foster family, and tea. Domestic staff will clean …we have set out in Trinity House to first having that background, our home, but they’ll also I have always known that remember exactly where your and foremost create a home…50 residents a place does not need to ornaments sit and your photos can be accommodated here. But not one of them belong. Donna is our activities consist of biologically related people to be called a home. coordinator, but she is also a is a number to us. Homemaking is the greatest prayer warrior, praying with joy, and I’ll quote C.S. Lewis and for you from the moment who says, “The homemaker’s she even hears your name. job is the one for which all others exist.” What is a beautiful home? It’s a Christ-glorifying, prayer-saturated In that spirit, we have set out in Trinity House to first and place. It’s one the devil would delight in destroying – he hates foremost create a home. Indeed, we have been given a beautiful beautiful homes. So please pray for us. Your prayerful support will container for our home. It’s fresh and really very lovely. But that’s be a blessing upon our home and help us to remain beautiful. not what makes us a home. So, we’ve worked hard this year to really get to know each other, and to set up an environment in which we share and have fellowship. We’ve had some really great laughs and some equally heart-wrenching lows. We’re making a new community in which residents and their relatives are settling into, and which I hope staff are beginning to Please pray: realise is not like other homes. Folks often focus on the number • For all our residents and their families. 50 – 50 residents can be accommodated here. But not one of them • For our staff, in all of their daily work. is a number to us. All of the staff are encouraged to really get to • That we would be a beautiful home, where God’s light and love know the residents, to dig deep and find out all of the special would shine. things about our residents, our new family. Mission Connect | Herald December 2018/January 2019

Worship and witness in Kenya Gary and Mary Reid

Global mission workers, Kenya

ecently, our Lord has opened our eyes to the deep reality us to a neighbouring primary school to distribute knitted teddies, that we are his guides, enabling others to come to him, so crocheted and knitted blankets and a booklet called, Why Jesus? As that when they see him they will rejoice with exceedingly Gary spoke to over 650 children and staff, he sought to point them great joy and fall down and worship him, knowing intimately that to God and explained how he was reaching out in love to them he is beautiful and incredibly wonderful. through the tender labour and affectionate kindness of others As guides, it is often essential to kindle fires on the journey. though miles away. Through the teaching and expounding of God’s Word in the new We have visited different nursery and primary schools over outreach in Siana, in the worship leaders’ courses and during the recent weeks giving Christian literature, knitted teddies and Bible Book synopsis, Gary has sought to kindle the fire of love, so blankets. At one school the children were more than pleased with that all will burn with love for our Lord and only be truly satisfied in their first books and beautiful blankets, but they became ecstatic knowing, loving and spending when they saw the ‘dollies’, time with him. as they call them, and their At one school the children…became ecstatic As we have journeyed, our squeals of pure delight really Lord has brought across our thrilled our hearts. It was our when they saw the ‘dollies’…their squeals of pathway those with whom he pleasure to guide these little desires to bless and show in a ones to the Lord who provided pure delight really thrilled our hearts. tangible way his love for them. all these gifts for them to enjoy With the need of water being a and it is our prayer that they real source of concern for many of our local schools, God granted will come to truly know him, and will fall down, rejoicing with that rainwater catchment tanks be purchased to enable a good exceedingly great joy, and worship him. harvest of 30,000 litres of rainwater for drinking in one primary school, alongside the digging of a dam to provide water for washing. As well as that, a 6,000-litre tank was supplied to the local secondary school, along with 1km of piping, from a borehole to Please pray: the storage tank and then on to other buildings. Of course, when God provides these resources, he also enables us to spend time • That God’s Holy Spirit will work through Gary and Mary Reid with those whom he is blessing. as they teach and serve as Christ’s ambassadors amongst the It was a joy to watch young men and teachers learn how to Maasai. • That many more people will come to know Christ and fall down assemble the different components for the inlet and outlet of the and worship him. tank, alongside connecting the pipes; and there were many laughs together. Some of these young men and teachers also went with Mission Connect | Herald December 2018/January 2019

West Kirk women Rebecca Finlay

Community outreach worker, West Kirk, Belfast

t the time of writing this I have been serving with the yet Christian but are connected to West Kirk through WKCP and West Kirk family as their women’s worker for a grand total various youth/children organisations. I’ll admit that I had the easy of five months. In this short period of time I have been job of drinking coffee and chatting while others sweated it out left speechless by the amazing ways in which God is building his upstairs with the kids, but it was an incredible vessel for open and kingdom on the Shankill Road (and I don’t really do ‘speechless’). vulnerable conversations with mums who appreciated the chance There’s lots happening and this week we are praising God for the to breathe during the hectic holidays. Some of these conversations door he has opened for us to became gospel opportunities start a small group with the and my relationships with Every woman knows that life is messy young adults at church. them have gone beyond the Currently my work involves weekly programmes. and sometimes you just need a sister. getting to grips with the role It’s hard to tell you about and rhythms of West Kirk what God is doing without life. I’ve been building relationships with women, both in the telling you about each person, but as I support and share daily life congregation and West Kirk Community Project (WKCP), as well with these women, many of whom are struggling with grief, family as others from the surrounding area where God has provided issues and mental health problems, pray that they would come to the opportunity. When I’m not at mums and tots or our Thursday know Jesus. Every woman knows that life is messy and sometimes morning outreach, I’ve been spending most of my mornings at the you just need a sister. At West Kirk, it’s my role to be a full-time daily drop-in at ‘The Centre’, which is the base of WKCP. sister and God has been so faithful. We have a great group of women coming who have been supported by our project worker Walter over the years, and my friendship with them is growing. It is encouraging to note that Please pray: apparently the number of women coming into the centre has • That we would be women who walk with one another in both increased since my role began. I have been reading the Bible with the best and hardest times, that we point one another to Jesus, one of these women one-to-one and she has started coming share biblical truth when we can’t trust our feelings, hold one to church with her fiancé. It’s exciting to see how much she has another up in prayer, and encourage one another to apply the changed in the last few weeks as she has encountered God for gospel to every aspect of our lives through his Word. herself. Sometimes she just glows. • That as we reach out into our local community, they will look at Over the summer, we ran a weekly drop-in for parents, which us and say, “Wow, what a God they serve!” allowed me to get to know many of the local women who are not Mission Connect | Herald December 2018/January 2019

God’s faithfulness in Drogheda

Rev Damien Burke

Minister, Drogheda Presbyterian Church

ver the autumn term, as a church family, we have been they interact with their families and friends, that they will be God’s looking at the book of Exodus on Sunday mornings. It has holy people serving and witnessing for him so that others would been wonderful to see God at work in how he has rescued see the character of God through his people. Drogheda is the a people from slavery and set them apart as his holy people to largest town in Ireland, according to the 2016 census, and there worship and serve him. are many more people that are God is still doing this today. yet to be reached and drawn Why does God continue to into God’s kingdom. God is showing his continued faithfulness do this? It is because “the and love…Please continue to pray for many LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping more gospel opportunities. his covenant of love to a thousand generations…” (Deuteronomy 7). Please pray: God is showing his continued faithfulness and love in our toddler group on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. The team • That God’s faithfulness and love would reach to the individuals and families who live in the large housing development across who look after the group are building significant and meaningful the road from the church building, where there are hundreds of relationships with parents, grandparents and childminders, most houses. We have families from the church who live in that area, of whom have no church connection. There have been unique but pray that we, as a church, would know how best to engage opportunities at Christmas, Easter and even in the aftermath of and love these individuals and families on our doorstep. the referendums to speak about Christ. We’ve also seen God’s • In January, we are planning to run a Christianity Explored faithfulness as he has continued to sustain and grow the work course after some of our Christmas events and services. Pray amongst children and young people. We have made contact with that God will use his Word in Mark’s gospel to show people their new families through these ministries. Please continue to pray for need for Jesus and the good news concerning Christ. many more gospel opportunities. • Pray that our church family would grow in holiness, have a God’s faithfulness and love has meant that in our church family greater confidence in the Word of God and be salt and light we have many nationalities from all over the world. Our desire and where he has placed them for the praise and glory of God alone. prayer is that as our church family work and live in this town and as Mission Connect | Herald December 2018/January 2019

Water is life! Lyn and Johnny Dowds Global mission workers, Malawi

n Malawi, many of the local community are drinking water from contamination is possible. Currently we have been working with the river, from open wells or from shallow wells which are at the water engineers to improve the supply and the quality of the risk of contamination. The hospital receives many admissions of water provided for the patients and staff. As we make our plans patients with diarrhoea and vomiting caused by drinking unsafe for improvement, they have donated a filtration system for the water. The elderly or very young are very vulnerable. drinking water, which is proving a real success for those using it. It is coming towards the end of the dry season when the water The clinics also struggle with some using untreated water from a table is at its lowest. This is the perfect time to install shallow wells river or the lake, which is truly unacceptable. As part of the Nyanja and boreholes to provide project we have been ensuring water throughout the year. safe water supplies come to …many of the local community are Johnny has been training some the clinics. Zunga has running drinking water…at risk of contamination. workers in the installation and water in the clinic for the first maintenance of shallow wells. time in many years! The objective this year is to get 30 wells built in some of the more remote areas of Phoka and Chakaka. Currently just over 20 have been completed and the work continues to ensure meeting the target. Please pray: Local schools also have many challenges with water, including • Praise God for the developments at the clinics and hospital and supply. Some have to walk a distance to get water and even then it that funding will be available for the continued work. is not clean. This can mean that the women working in the kitchen • Pray for Johnny and his workers as they continue to work in the to prepare the breakfast/mid-morning food also need to find a community. Pray for safety and that they can complete the task good source of clean water for cooking. Many carry water in very before the wet season. large buckets on their heads for miles from the well to the home or • Pray that more wells can be built in the incoming year when school. In the schools it is obvious that a sustainable and reliable further funds are available. water supply is needed that is safe for the children to drink from. • Pray for the work of the David Gordon Memorial Hospital and They need a solar borehole which will supply their drinking and Living Trees of Livingstonia as we share God’s love with an irrigation need, but funding is short. impoverished community through health improvements and The hospital gets its supply from the gravity-fed supply from development. the hills above the plateau. It has open channels which can • Pray for guidance and the resources in taking the work forward. be contaminated and with an old, leaking system, further Mission Connect | Herald December 2018/January 2019

DEC 2018/ JAN 2019

Please pray for... n WORLD DEVELOPMENT – For this year’s PCI World Development Appeal to be well-supported. This year’s appeal entitled ‘Seeking Safety’ aims to give resilient communities in places like Ariquemes in Brazil a safe and sustainable future.

n NEPAL – Peter Fleming in travel, meeting local congregations, and engaging with theological colleges in Kathmandu. Pray for Jayne Fleming as she teaches and seeks to be a living witness of Christ’s love. n HOME MISSION – The life and witness of Drogheda congregation, and for the minister, Rev Damien Burke. Pray for the building up of the community of faith and also for the congregation as they continue to reach those in Drogheda town who have yet to come know Jesus Christ.

n HOME MISSION – Bray congregation as it enters a new relationship with Blackrock, as a linked charge. Pray for God’s wisdom and leading as they discern the most effective way to share the gospel in Bray. n DEACONESS – Evelyn Whyte as she continues to serve in First Lisburn Presbyterian Church. Pray for wisdom and the guidance from God’s Holy Spirit as to how the congregation can effectively reach out to their local community.

n PEACEHAVEN – Peacehaven Trust, Greystones, Co Wicklow consists of 16 residents in three residential homes: Lydia House, Blake House and Applewood Heights. Pray for Michael Williams, director at Peacehaven, that he would be able to deal with all aspects of the Trust to satisfy the demands of the regulatory bodies and to promote the wellbeing of the residents.

Evelyn Whyte

n BRAZIL – Naomi Keefe as she continues her work in church-based, Bible-based community development and evangelism in the Olinda area in north-east Brazil. n HOME MISSION – The outreach from Craigmore Home Mission Station and its connection with Grange in the Ballymena Presbytery. n COMMUNITY OUTREACH – Jonathan David as he settles into his role as community outreach worker in First Rathfriland Presbyterian Church. n SUICIDE – In recent years there has been a steep increase in suicide rates in Ireland and the highest risk group for suicide is men aged from 25 to 54 who live in socially deprived areas. Pray that God will move powerfully in the lives of those who are in such physical and mental pain that they feel driven to attempt suicide. n LEADERS IN TRAINING – Leaders from partner churches which PCI support while they undertake further study aimed at helping their personal development for future ministry and leadership within their church and context. n HOME MISSION – Rev Mark Proctor and the congregation of Naas as they continue to reach out to their local community. Pray that the congregation will continue to grow in fruitfulness. n CHAPLAINS – Forces chaplains posted overseas – especially those on deployment with service personnel. n HOME MISSION – Ballymagrane congregation (linked with Aughnacloy) which is vacant at present as they pray and plan for the future.

n DEACONESS – Roberta Irvine as she continues to serve in Greystone Road congregation in Antrim. Pray that Roberta and others in the congregation will see the victory of making disciples to the glory of the name of Jesus. n CHAPLAINS – Rev John Gilkinson serving as chaplain at Antrim Area and Causeway hospitals as he continues to minister to patients, their families and staff.

n COMMUNITY OUTREACH – Gareth Parker, community outreach worker serving in Ballyloughan, where he is involved in visitation work, youth ministries, Bible study, a discipleship programme and monthly community lunch. n BRAZIL – The work and witness of the Presbyterian Church in Brazil. n NIGHTLIGHT – Brian Simons and the ongoing work of Nightlight and the Dock Cafe in Belfast. Pray that the Holy Spirit would speak through the conversations the Nightlight workers and volunteers have with people on the streets of Belfast on Friday and Saturday nights. n HUMAN TRAFFICKING – Human trafficking is a process in which persons, by force or deception, lose their freedom and become slaves. Pray for all those caught up in human trafficking, for courage and perseverance and for hope in their individual situations. n GLOBAL MISSION WORKERS – PCI global mission workers, most of whom will be spending Christmas overseas, separated from their wider family. Pray that each will be blessed and encouraged as they celebrate the birth of the one they are seeking to serve. n MIDDLE EAST – This is the region that witnessed the birth of Christ. Pray for the people of this region, especially the traumatised, the refugee, the widow and the orphan, that they may know the hope and comfort of ‘Immanuel – God with us’. n PORTUGAL – Chris and Rachel Humphries from Tartaraghan Presbyterian Church as they prepare to go to serve with the church planting team in Senhora da Hora, Porto at the end of February.

n INDONESIA – People who are still suffering as a result of the earthquake Chris and Rachel Humphries and tsunami in the Sulawesi area of Indonesia which occurred at the end of n HOME MISSION – God’s blessing on the September. Pray that those in need will congregations of Donegal and Stranorlar receive the assistance they need to rebuild congregation. Pray especially for Stephen their homes and livelihoods. Richmond and those in leadership within the n INTERNATIONAL MEETING POINT – Keith Preston (Irish mission worker) and the work of the International Meeting Point in Belfast, seeking to reach out with the good news of salvation to asylum seekers and others from overseas who have recently arrived in Northern Ireland.

congregations.

n HOME MISSION – Rev Keith McCrory and Maynooth congregation as they plan towards the construction of a new church complex in the town. Pray too for the congregation’s youth and student groups.

n AARON HOUSE – Aaron House, for those with a profound disability, is managed by Isabel Harper and her dedicated staff team. Pray for God’s blessing for them and give thanks for their tireless work and energy.

n CHAPLAINS – Joan Fulton, as she covers the chaplaincy work at the Marie Curie Cancer Centre in Belfast on a temporary basis. Pray for patients and their families and that they will each know the Lord’s comfort and strength during very difficult times.

www.presbyterianireland.org/prayer

TALKING POINTS

Goodwill

Norman Hamilton contemplates how goodwill should not just be for a season.

hristmas got under way in my local supermarket away from being so absorbed by what is said on the daily talk in September. Cards, toys and the inevitable boxes show, or what we read is the latest celebrity scandal. of biscuits were on prominent display. This meant I have been reflecting on how I might face the coming days… presumably that the season of goodwill had arrived, here is where I am at right now: I will seek, with the Lord’s and so we could express that through gifts, food, drink and help, not to be sucked into fearing the future, irrespective of parties. Without in any way minimising the delight that so what I may be told by those in power. Equally, I will not buy many people share at Christmas, I do wish that the season of into promises of a better future by transient political leaders goodwill could be permanent, lasting for all 12 months without often (though not always) motivated by having that power. God interruption. alone is my hope and refuge for he is from eternity to eternity. I For at the heart of everyday Christian living is Jesus’ call to will not seek an ever better standard of living, for I see terrible have a generous spirit and to consciously be on the lookout for deprivation and distress both at home and abroad. I have no those in need. We are to love our enemies, bless those who put desire to follow the crowd, for as Jesus said: “broad is the road us under pressure and consider others in a better light than we that leads to destruction”. look at ourselves. There is the daily privilege of investing time in I want the Holy Spirit to deliver me from all selfrelationships so that they are kept in good righteousness and self-satisfaction, not repair; of wanting God’s best for other least because that immunises me against If God’s people are not people knowing that we ourselves are often the needs of others. Equally however, far from perfect; of actively seeking to be of permanent, 12 months a I don’t want to be quiet when wrong help and support to those in particular or is evident, for that would extinguish year ambassadors of ongoing need; of being generous in sharing ‘this little light of mine’. I do not want goodwill, then who is? what we have with others for whom life to become ‘religious’, but I do want to can be an uphill struggle; of being grateful become more godly in my thinking, my for what we do have rather than focusing on what we do not. attitudes, my actions and my words. I do not want to waste my Yet it is hard to avoid the feeling that the coming months – time in arguments or fruitless debates, but I do want to listen even years – will take many of us individually, and our land as carefully and contribute wisely. a whole, into troubled and uncharted waters as the prospect There is a terrible irony that the ‘season of goodwill’ comes and impact of Brexit takes its toll. The weeks before and after directly from Luke’s account of what took place at the time Brexit will not see Ireland, north or south, become heaven on Jesus was born. He certainly did not envisage that goodwill earth. We will all need a long season of great goodwill and great would be packaged in a shop or drunk from a bottle. But wisdom if we are to become contented people facing a very the birth of Jesus, and his life, death and resurrection bring uncertain future together. profound change to attitude and lifestyle, as well as to the More immediately, the consequences of the devastating fire soul. If God’s people are not permanent, 12 months a year in the former Primark building in the centre of Belfast means ambassadors of goodwill, then who is? that many traders in the area are likely to have what has been projected to be a ‘miserable’ Christmas. Bills will still need to be paid, but there will be fewer customers through the door to help pay them. A long season of goodwill will be needed towards them in 2019 if they are to survive. Add into the mix the depressing political landscape in Northern Ireland and the toxic relationships that seem to underpin and shape so much public discussion. It is an understatement to describe the outlook for goodwill as bleak. Yet, God’s people must not succumb to the temptation to see 2019 only or even mainly through the lenses of politics, Rev Dr Norman Hamilton economics and rapid social change. As Jesus made clear, our allegiance is not just to the state, but is first and foremost Norman Hamilton is the convener of the to him. We are not only citizens at home on this island, but Council for Public Affairs and minister citizens of heaven. That changes our perspective, and steers us emeritus of Ballysillan Presbyterian Church. Herald December 2018/January 2019

RESOURCE

Learning to share Neil Harrison highlights an upcoming PCI resource that will help equip churches to share the good news of Jesus to their surrounding communities.

“W

e’re engaged!”, “It’s a boy!”, “I got a new job!”, “I got the all clear!”. We all love to share good news with others, and why not. We have been blessed with something good, and it’s completely natural that we would want to tell those we know and love. So we post the news along with a perfect picture on social media, send a text, or even commandeer the landline, to get the word out. Good news is a joy to share. We desperately want to be the one who shares our news, and enjoy the moment of surprise and celebration with our friends and family. Sharing good news is joyful, exciting and urgent, and yet when it comes to sharing the good news of becoming a follower of Jesus, most Christians are gripped by such fear that they avoid opportunities, or struggle to find the right words to explain the gospel. We feel a lot more comfortable sharing our faith with others through our actions, rather than our words. After all, we don’t want to come across as pushy. What if there is a way for us to share

Herald December 2018/January 2019

our faith through our life and our words that is more organic than forced; more shared than private? We get a clear picture of what this might look like from Paul’s words to the church in Thessalonica when he writes: “Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you, not only the gospel of God but our lives as well” (1 Thessalonians 2:8). Sharing ‘our lives’ and sharing ‘the gospel’ are two wings of a bird that are essential in communicating the good news of Jesus to our friends and family. People need to see what it looks like to follow Jesus, and they need to hear that it can also be good news for them.

…when it comes to sharing the good news… most Christians are gripped by such fear that they avoid opportunities…

This is why a few verses later Paul is able to write about the fruit of this approach: “when you received the Word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word, but as it actually is, the Word of God, which is indeed at work in you who believe” (1 Thessalonians 2:13). ‘Share’ is a new PCI resource currently in production that helps support congregations to develop their community witness, and grow confidence in telling others about Jesus. The resource will be conversational in nature, and best delivered in the kind of setting where people are sitting around tables for discussion. It is structured around three important sections: • Building relationship • Creating community • Inviting encounter.

Building relationship It is clear from Paul’s letter that he has a relationship with the Thessalonians that is intentional and genuine. The love shown by Paul and others could not fail to get the attention of those who received it. The ‘Building relationship’ section will equip congregations to reflect upon the starting point for people in our culture today, one that is often further away from church than we appreciate. It will help church members to think about how they can join with people on their journey to faith in Jesus, and develop key relational skills. A relationship with a Christian is often a hugely significant part of someone’s journey to faith, and this section of the resource will help equip congregations to do this well. Paul, Silas and Timothy founded the church in Thessalonica and they are in Corinth together when Paul pens his first letter to the Thessalonians. Throughout the passage he uses words like ‘we’, ‘us’ and ‘our’. Paul is speaking on behalf of his friends and the letter is not penned to one person but a community of people. The verse quoted earlier captures this brilliantly when he writes: “we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel but our lives as well”. While the believers in Thessalonica will all have experienced relationships with Paul and his friends that were loving and caring, they are also now part of a community of people living out those values together among each other.

Creating community The ‘Creating community’ section will help congregations reflect upon the unreached people who live locally around the church and think creatively about how to bring them into the community of the church. Traditionally we see people as either ‘inside’ or ‘outside’ of the church, but in reality the gap between those two extremes can be too big for people outside of church to navigate easily. How do

we create spaces in church life where people are around the church community in a way that is comfortable? Spaces that allow people time to grow into the community of the church, as church members sharing their lives. Often people want a form of evangelism they can stick in their schedules, switch off and go home from, but Jesus calls us to a lifestyle of love. As Tim Chester writes: “people are often attracted to the Christian community before they are attracted to the Christian message.”

How do we create spaces in church life where people are around the church community in a way that is comfortable?

(quoted earlier) that the endeavours of Paul and his friends did not fall on deaf ears.

Inviting encounter The ‘Inviting encounter’ section will equip church members for sharing their story of faith and the gospel story with unreached friends in a simple and natural way. Alongside this, there will be tools to help churches build a culture that is both welcoming and invitational in its posture. For example, have we ever asked if there are ways that we can shape church services that make it easier for unreached people to encounter the good news of Jesus Christ, without compromising the message?

Resource launch The Share resource aims to equip Christians to create community with their friends, colleagues and neighbours who are unreached. A true experience of Christian community stimulates intrigue and curiosity around what we believe, and nurtures a more credible platform for the good news message of Jesus. The building blocks of loving relationship and authentic community in the life and witness of a congregation, are hugely significant in opening people’s eyes and ears to believing and accepting the sacrificial love and grace of Christ, because they have experienced some of that love and grace already. Yes we will make mistakes with our thoughts, words and actions, because we are not perfect like Jesus. Fall outs, harsh words and misunderstandings are all inevitable. However, one of the beautiful things about the church family is that it provides an opportunity to model something of the love, grace and forgiveness that Jesus has shown to us. That can be unnatural and surprising to the world, causing people to wonder why we behave the way we do. Of course, at some point people need to hear the good news message about Jesus. In Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians we can see it is no different. Several times we hear they are sharing the gospel or teaching the Word of God to the Thessalonians, and we see in verse 13

Each section of the resource will include a short clip featuring a member of PCI sharing their story of a life transformed by Jesus, through a relationship with a Christian, the community of the church and an encounter with the truth of the gospel. It is hoped that these stories, along with the resources in each section of Share, will inspire and equip congregations to set aside their fears and with confidence, discover the joy to be found in sharing the good news of Jesus, with those God has placed in their life. Share will be launched in March 2019 alongside a number of regional events led by Andy Frost from Share Jesus International. These events will help church leaders to reflect upon how they can envision a congregation to be intentional in building relationship, creating community and inviting encounter with the unreached people around us. Further details of these events and how to book a place will be released in January 2019. Neil Harrison is PCI’s Mission Development Officer.

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Christmas myths

Alan Meban shines a light on some of our long-held Christmas assumptions.

can live without a lot of the trappings of Christmas. Every year I come down with a bad case of tinsellitis. The commercial fuss is overbearing. The enforced fun quickly becomes unappealing. The reason for the season seems distant until a moment every December when something about the Christmas story catches me unawares. One year it was the genuinely candlelit nine lessons and carols at Westbourne Presbyterian where a power cut had taken out the lighting circuit leaving the congregation to light up the service with their voices and readings. Another time it was a Friday lunchtime in the foyer of a local broadcaster and hearing the gathered staff gustily sing the words of carols first drummed into me at primary school. There’s something about the words of carols, the act of communal singing, listening to the Bible readings or watching them being acted out that draws me back from my Grinch-like

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attitude to the wonder of the Christmas story. But how well do the lyrics of the much-loved seasonal songs represent the biblical narratives of the birth of Christ? How accurate are the sentimentalised versions of the first Christmas we dress up as nativity stories every year? How much of what we say and sing at Christmas is rooted in the documentary testimony, the handful of chapters in Matthew and Luke’s gospels that depict events around Jesus’ birth? The Christian church celebrates Christ’s birth on 25 December and marks the visit of the Magi 12 days

How accurate are the sentimentalised versions of the first Christmas we dress up as nativity stories every year?

later on Epiphany. At that time of year, the overnight low temperature around Bethlehem dips below 7°C. Shepherding is a hardy profession, but it’s unlikely that shepherds would sleep outside guarding their sheep. This behaviour belongs to a warmer season. That, along with calculations about Zechariah’s temple service, his son John the Baptist’s birth month and Jesus’s gestation, point towards Jesus’ birthday being in September rather than coinciding with the Roman Winter Solstice. The lyrics of another well-sung carol say, “We three kings of Orient are / bearing gifts we traverse afar”. Despite being neither named nor numbered, Matthew 2’s “wise men from the east” or Magi are traditionally named Melchior, Caspar and Balthazar. While the gospel writer refers to three symbolic gifts of gold (kingship), frankincense (priesthood) and myrrh (death), there’s no record of how many people brought the gifts, nor that they were kings.

In John Calvin’s commentary on Matthew, he was particularly vehement about the “childish error” of “papists” in “supposing that they were three in number”. He went on to describe the notion “that those men were kings” as “the most ridiculous contrivance” based on a geographicallyignorant understanding of the prophecy about the kings of Tarshish, Sheba and Seba found in Psalm 72. Calvin adds: “they have changed the south and west into the east!” Matthew’s use of the word Magi suggests that the Gentile visitors were Persian priest-astrologers who could interpret the stars, rather than monarchs. The First Nowell, a beautiful Cornish carol, is just one seasonal example of how the visits of shepherds and wise men are conflated. While Richard Curtis worked a lobster into a memorable nativity scene in the film Love Actually, it’s less shocking to us to see both shepherds and wise men standing over the newborn Jesus in school and church nativity plays. Yet that fuses together the distinct infancy narratives from two of the four gospels, stories with relatively little crossover. Matthew 2 says that the Magi came to Jerusalem “after Jesus was born in Bethlehem” triggered by seeing “his star when it rose”. When they didn’t return from Bethlehem to report the Messiah’s location to Herod, “he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi”. So Matthew’s wise men are portrayed as visiting a toddler, at least a year old,

Demythologising the story of Jesus’ birth doesn’t have to demystify or destroy it. rather than a baby lying in a manger in Bethlehem. Luke’s shepherds would have been long gone. And where did they visit? Did Joseph lead a last minute donkey dash around the hostelries of Bethlehem to find a room for Mary in the throes of labour? Luke 2 describes Mary travelling to Bethlehem while “expecting a child”. The phrasing of verse 6 is gentle rather than frantic: “while they were there, the time came for the baby to be born”. This doesn’t sound like labour was imminent at the time of travel. And what about the stable? Anyone who has swept away straw that’s fallen out of a bale of hay brought into church for a nativity play knows that the Messiah was born surrounded by cows, sheep and a donkey. The second verse of Once in Royal David’s City reinforces the idea that “his shelter was a stable”. Luke tells us that Mary “brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn”. That’s the King James Version. Other English translations use ‘guest room’ instead of ‘inn’, using the same Greek work as the ‘upper room’ in Luke 22 rather than the ‘hotel’ from the parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10. So the humorous and popular role of innkeeper may be sadly superfluous to strictly accurate nativity plays! One of the first Christmas carols many of us learn is Away in a Manger. (The words are often attributed to Martin Luther; however, one or more 19th century American lyricists are probably responsible.) “The cattle are lowing, the baby awakes, but little Lord Jesus, no crying he makes.” Do we really believe that baby Jesus wouldn’t have cried when woken up by a bellowing cow? We might also question the imagery in the words “the stars in the bright sky looked down where he lay”. The idea of an open stable seems to follow from the mention of “a manger”.

Archaeological excavations in the region have found first century homes with an upper room or floor used for guests, while the main family lived downstairs. Since Joseph and Mary had to go to his birthplace because of the census, it’s inconceivable in this Middle Eastern culture that Joseph would not stay with family. Yet it’s quite believable that they weren’t the first relatives to arrive, and that the census put great pressure on the family’s hospitality, so instead of being upstairs with the more honoured guests they were taken into the heart of the family and household animals downstairs. Animals were often brought indoors. They were significant items of property for a poor family, and were safer kept close to family, as well as being a useful source of central heating – so homes had feeding troughs inside. Plenty of Irish babies have been put to bed in a drawer when no cot was available. A feeding trough would have been similarly convenient. I don’t mean to be a killjoy! Matthew and Luke tell the nativity stories differently, relating to different audiences, and Mark and John don’t dwell on the birth narratives at all. There can be truth and meaning in our mythology and even in our misunderstandings and fresh understandings, which makes it all the harder for us to discard the shiny wrapping paper that we have allowed to envelop the narratives of Matthew and Luke. Demythologising the story of Jesus’ birth doesn’t have to demystify or destroy it. If anything it makes the gift of God becoming flesh more than 2,000 years ago all the more wondrous in the retelling, reliving, rediscovering and uncovering as Word becomes flesh still today. From his fresh perspective, Anglican theologian Ian Paul comments on the more likely place of Jesus’ birth: “In the Christmas story, Jesus is not sad and lonely, some distance away in the stable, needing our sympathy. He is in the midst of the family, and all the visiting relations, right in the thick of it and demanding our attention.” Jesus is welcomed as ‘one of us’ rather than kept as a mere guest or foreigner. A fresh challenge to us this Christmas is to make sure we’ll make space for him at the heart of our lives and homes. Herald December 2018/January 2019

moves mountains Sarah Harding catches up with Mphatso Nguluwe from Malawi, who visited Northern Ireland last month.

first met Mphatso Nguluwe back in 2006, when she was deputy principal of Ekwendeni Nursing College in Malawi. She had been funded by PCI to come to Northern Ireland for one year, to study for a master’s degree at Queen’s University. We met again in 2010 when she came over for six weeks to tour Presbyterian churches with news of things back in Malawi. This autumn she was back to do the same, and it was such a joy to reconnect with her. Mphatso’s bubbly personality and beautiful spirit makes any encounter with her memorable and heartwarming. In 2010 Mphatso had changed jobs and was working as the director of the Livingstonia Synod AIDS Programme (LISAP). Now in 2018 she has been moved again and is the director of the Livingstonia Synod Health Department.

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This means she is in charge of all of the Synod’s health care – three hospitals and 12 health centres. Despite Mphatso’s infectiously cheery disposition, this is a role that weighs heavily on her shoulders. “Health care is something you are supposed to enjoy because you are giving life to people,” she says. “But at the moment, I am not enjoying it. The hard part is we don’t have the resources to meet the needs of the people.” Whether it is money for the wages of extra doctors and nurses, or for

It is only by having faith in the great God that I am able to overcome the problems that I face day by day.

equipment, medication, transport or utilities, the stark fact is that often the money is simply not there. Mphatso is forced to carry out a constant juggling act with any funds that do come in, making difficult decisions when it comes to prioritising where they go. Mphatso recounts one particularly stressful situation. “Not long after I started, a woman was taken for an emergency caesarean. She was in theatre, already laid down on the theatre table and when the nurses looked around there were no sutures – good enough the doctor hadn’t opened her up. They had to dress that woman again, take her out of theatre and start thinking: which vehicle is running (because all the vehicles are in bad shape); and do we have the fuel to take this woman to the nearest hospital? She was ok in the end and we really thank God, but I think it was the worst

Mphatso with some children from her adopted ‘teen club’, along with their grandmothers

Faith that

situation I have encountered since I started in my job.” Mphatso finds it frustrating when people come to the hospitals or health centres for help and the staff aren’t able to do anything. “The health care situation is so different in Malawi. In Ireland, if one needs health care, they get it. There is no one here who has to walk for 1012km when they are sick to go and seek health care. Just a few steps when you are sick are bad enough, so walking for a kilometre or more is even worse, but in Malawi nobody is coming to get you. When people come to the place where they are supposed to get help and you tell them there is no medication available, they have to go back, walking that very same distance. We don’t have enough money to buy all the medications, so most of the time we run out. “Not being able to provide that care is painful. You begin to imagine if it was you, or your mother or any of your relatives and you don’t want someone to experience that. I haven’t come to terms with that yet. It’s still very hard for me, but I have to move on each time.” The other challenge to Mphatso’s job is the scale of the area she oversees. The three hospitals are roughly 2,600km apart and each satellite health centre can be up to 150km away from its nearest hospital. For two of the health centres in the Livingstonia, it’s difficult to calculate how far they are from the hospital because they are situated on a lake and have to be accessed by boats because there is no road network. The difficulties in Mphatso’s job only make her rely on God all the more. “I feel his power,” she says. Mphatso is resilient in her faith and trusts that God will sustain her, taking inspiration from Matthew 17:20-21 when Jesus says,

We don’t have enough money to buy all the medications, so most of the time we run out. “Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move.” She says, “It is only by having faith in the great God that I am able to overcome the problems that I face day by day. It is so easy to give up if I must rely on my own strength because what I face every day is overwhelming and I feel incapable and weak, but when I realise that I have got someone who watches over me and walks with me in every situation, and that is my Lord Jesus, then I know that the God who never sleeps nor slumbers is in control of this situation. One day, I shall overcome and sing a song of Miriam – a song of victory!” Mphatso’s personal life is just as remarkable and inspiring as her working life. She may joke that she is a promiscuous woman who has had 10 children to nine different fathers, but the truth is that as a single woman, she has selflessly adopted 10 children who needed her care. Whether due to the AIDS epidemic leaving them orphaned or financial circumstances making it impossible for relatives to take care of them, Mphatso has been their mother and provider. As most of them have now flown the nest and are having families of their own, Mphatso is also the proud grandmother to three children. “I don’t get to see my children that much because they are all over the country, but they are doing well and I am happy for them.”

Even though her house is a lot quieter, Mphatso is still supporting children in need. She has adopted a ‘teen club’ which is made up of children living with HIV. Most of them are living with their grandparents, but they come together in a club to support one another. There are 72 children in the teen club Mphatso has adopted. “I go to see them once a quarter – I do a medical assessment and provide them with food, making sure their nutritional status is good. In the group children were dying – we lost one just two months ago. In this era you’re not supposed to see children dying like that. I have a team of three people who are working with me to take care of these children.” With the busyness of work and her personal life Mphatso says she is often reminded of the verse in Galatians 6:9 “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” She says, “We serve a faithful God – things are always tough. There are times when I want to give up. But God is telling me, ‘Don’t get tired’. His timing is not like my timing. Sometimes I get so tired of trying to fight and provide for the needs of the people and I reach a point of exhaustion, but then that voice clicks in to say to me, ‘Don’t get tired. Keep moving.’” With always being surrounded by need, Mphatso is perhaps most impacted by the passage in Matthew 25 when Jesus tells his disciples, “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” Laughing, she quips, “I’m scared when I read that. At least the disciples had a question – when did we see you sick? For me, the sick are there every day, so I have nothing to come back to him about!”

Easing

the stress Paul Gray outlines how the Presbyterian Children’s Society is helping to ease the stress and strain placed on Presbyterian families when unforeseen circumstances arise.

n a short story by H.G. Wells entitled The Country of the Blind, a man finds himself in a place where people are not only blind but have no knowledge of sight. The man expects to control these people, being fully sighted and remembering the adage about “in the land of the blind”; but instead he is mocked because he does not share their enhanced powers of hearing and touch. He is on the edge of desperation because of this turn of events when he finds himself transported back to his original country and his mental balance returns. It is only a story, but it reminds us that whilst we may feel we should be able to deal with the rough and tumble of daily life, unforeseen circumstances can sometimes throw us off balance and

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damage our mental health. All of us will encounter strains and stresses at some stage in our lives and some of us will cope with these better than others, depending on our mental and material resources at the time. In difficult or traumatic times, being part of a Presbyterian community which sees a connectedness between our material, mental and spiritual lives,

The Presbyterian Children’s Society works hard to alleviate some of the stresses and strains of Christmas by helping families financially…

means we should expect a caring and compassionate response. The Presbyterian Children’s Society is one such response. The Society has been helping for over 150 years, not only to sustain children and families materially, but also help in circumstances where mental health difficulties are a potential or actual occurrence in a family. Over the years, the Society has received many applications where issues relating to the mental health of a parent or a child have been present. In other applications, where mental health is not the major feature, other factors which precipitated the application may have an impact on the mental health of the family. The Presbyterian Children’s Society certainly cannot solve all the material, let alone the mental health

needs of families. Nevertheless, it has a remarkable capacity to provide a valuable financial safety valve, or stop gap, easing stressful financial circumstances, and in doing so, relieve strain on a family generally and individual family members in particular. The Society’s success in providing help to Presbyterian children and their families over the years is due, I believe, to seven clear and compelling factors. It has a clear ‘sense of mission’ to help Presbyterian children within their families and community. Also, its ‘sustainability’ means it carefully stewards resources and targets them on need. Its ‘simplicity’ lies in its uncomplicated manner of working that can provide help easily and its ‘speed of delivery’ turns around applications usually on the same day as their receipt. All requests for help are handled with ‘sensitivity’, tailoring help to, in many instances, difficult and complex family circumstances. In doing this the Society has believed in ‘sticking to its strengths’ which lie in an unwavering Christian commitment to providing grants for children. Finally, this grant giving is much more than just money; it has a ‘symbolic significance’, which shows these grants, given with love and care are in effect a symbol of grace. These factors are critical in enabling the Society to help Presbyterian children and their families. But you may ask, how can the Society make a practical difference in the sphere of mental health? Might I suggest the following as practical ways the Society can help relieve stress and strain on families? • The Society can help a family financially with regular grants, over the longer term. Potentially we can help a child from birth to 23 years of age. • The Society has exceptional grants to help on a temporary basis. These can be up to £600 and have been used in the past to help in many different family circumstances, which encompass everything from food costs, one-off items requiring replacement or repair, transport costs, medical services, and bereavement costs. • The Society could provide a family with a place on the PCI Family Holiday, a time for fun, relaxation and fellowship, which takes place at Easter each year.

• The Society could provide grants towards the cost of counselling or specialist services to help children/ young people/or family members in a family with children. If your family needs help, check out the ‘Families’ section on our website or phone the Society’s office. All applications will come through a minister and it is important to emphasise the Society’s commitment to confidentiality in any matter pertaining to the administration of grants. These are some practical ways of helping, perhaps in a small but significant way, to enhance the mental health of children and families within our Presbyterian community.

…at Christmas, when there is a heightened sense of families and togetherness, isolation and loneliness are also accentuated. But perhaps we need to go a little further and probe our attitudes to mental health and those with particular needs in this area to see if these attitudes need to change in any way. In 1 Kings 19, we learn that Elijah, who one chapter earlier had won a great victory over the prophets of Baal, was now praying that God would take his life. He was physically, psychologically and spiritually exhausted. God helped him, not by spiritually reprimanding him, but by telling him to sleep and eat; in other words, building him up physically in the first instance. He then proceeded to build him up psychologically and only then did he address his spiritual needs. If a towering biblical figure such as Elijah could face a mental crisis then it can happen to any one of us. Perhaps this shows that we sometimes over-spiritualise a situation that demands a more sensitive and practical approach, which addresses the whole needs of the person. In an episode of Colin Dexter’s Morse, entitled ‘Cherubim and Seraphim’, Morse, commenting on a situation in the drama, turns to Sergeant Lewis and says, “No one can imagine someone else’s pain, Robbie, it’s the human tragedy.”

No doubt, and perhaps we need greater sensitivity to the mental health of not only others but also ourselves. Perhaps especially at Christmas, when there is a heightened sense of families and togetherness, isolation and loneliness are also accentuated. It can feel a strange and stressful time. Robbie Williams, in his confessional style lyrics in a song called Feel says, “My head speaks a language I don’t understand.” Some people may think this is an unusual thing to say. Perhaps, but for many people, events in many instances beyond their control can make the world seem a strange place where bereavement, separation, divorce, illness, accident or other circumstances may alter physical and mental health, sometimes within a very short time frame. Christmas is a joyous time for many but others may see it in a different light. The Presbyterian Children’s Society works hard to alleviate some of the stresses and strains of Christmas by helping families financially, especially through our Christmas grants for children. It is a time of financial hardship for many and we are sensitive to the financial needs of children and their families at this peak expenditure time of the year. For us all, it is a time to be generous and accepting of others, remembering the strangeness and mystery of a God who entered into our human history as a child, so vividly portrayed in Christopher Pilling’s poem The Meeting Place (after Rubens’ The Adoration of the Magi, 1634) when an incredulous Roman soldier says: “And what were we to make of /was it angels falling through the air, /entwined and falling as if from the rafters /to where the gaze of kings met the child’s /– assuming the child could see? /What would the mother do with the gifts? / What would become of the child? /And we’ll never admit there are angels /or that somewhere between /one man’s eyes and another’s /is a holy place…” Let us all embrace the mystery and meaning of the season. Let us also take time to be kind to ourselves and focus on others, perhaps by giving to the Presbyterian Children’s Society to help someone in need this Christmas. Paul Gray is executive secretary of the Presbyterian Children’s Society. Herald December 2018/January 2019

Quiet times that bear fruit

Sarah Harding explores the importance of spending time alone with God.

hen I was finishing university, around 20 years ago, the local minister gave a talk to the Christian Union that I have never forgotten. To those of us in final year, before we headed off into the big wide world, he asked us to remember three things that he said were fundamental to our faith and spiritual growth. They were: quiet time, quiet time, quiet time. Just because I have never forgotten his words though, doesn’t mean I have always adhered to them! I am sure there are some reading this who are disciplined and fulfilled by frequent time alone with God, but there will undoubtedly be others, more like myself, who will confess to struggling. Spending time to read God’s Word and pray is something that isn’t talked about much in Christian circles. It’s almost like we just assume that we all get on with quiet times and yet there is also probably a tendency to believe that everyone else is so much better at them than we are.

Quiet In today’s society, being quiet or still is certainly something that requires intentionality. It is all too easy to fill every moment of our days. We are constantly busy with work and leisure activities and even when we have moments of inactivity, there will usually be background distractions, like the television, music and of course the lure of screen time in all its

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forms, making it difficult to achieve that perfect peace. It also seems that the less we experience quietness, the less comfortable we are in it; therefore, our desire to seek it out diminishes. In church, we too seem to struggle with embracing stillness. As Presbyterians, we traditionally like to fill the space in our collective worship; enjoying the structure of a full order of service. Even our prayer meetings can sometimes be in danger of being overly-organised, with mini talks introduced to prevent any uncomfortable silences. Conversely, in the Bible we find examples of people drawing apart to spend time alone with God, the chief example being Jesus. “But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed” (Luke 5:16). Throughout his ministry, Jesus needed time alone with his Father to talk with him and be refreshed. He always made this time a priority in his life which sets a good example for us to follow. Before he began his ministry, he famously spent 40 days in the desert alone, preparing for what was to come. Perhaps less well-known is the fact that the Apostle Paul, when he was first called to preach the gospel to the Gentiles, took three years in the desert

In today’s society, being quiet or still is certainly something that requires intentionality.

before beginning – it is thought he likely spent the time studying Old Testament Scriptures. In Galatians 1:16 he says, “… my immediate response was not to consult any human being.” He tells the Galatian church that “the gospel I preached is not of human origin…I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.” Clearly Paul recognised the value of focused time with his Lord and his amazing life of ministry is testament to that.

Purpose A friend once described the purpose of a quiet time to me as this: I need it and God desires it. The irony of course is that the busier and more stressful our lives become, the more we need to be strengthened by time alone with God, but the less able we are to find that time. In the passage in John 15 when Jesus describes himself as “the true vine” and his Father as “the gardener”, the phrase “remain in me” (or slight variations of it) is repeated by Jesus eight times. His emphasis highlights our need to stay close to him, which surely implies intentionally spending time in his presence. The alternative, he tells us, is a wholly dissatisfying, fruitless existence: “No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine” (v4). Not only will we bear fruit in our lives from spending time alone with Jesus, but we will also be more personally fulfilled: “… so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete” (v11). As

well as that, time alone will remind us that God is the gardener – he is the one in control of our lives and we need to refresh our trust in his wisdom. The first question in the Shorter Catechism that addresses the meaning of life states our purpose as: “to glorify God and to enjoy him forever.” As in all relationships, full enjoyment of the other person cannot be achieved without quality time together. Whilst we are told in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 to “pray continually” and therefore we should ideally be going through our daily lives keeping in step with the Holy Spirit and conversing with him, this should probably not replace a dedicated quiet time of Bible reading and prayer, which allows us a chance to dig deeper.

In practice It is no wonder that satisfying quiet times can be rather elusive – the devil must surely wish to see us filling every possible moment of our days, providing constant distractions to prevent us spending time at the feet of Jesus. In his evil plans he will also delight in making us feel guilty for the time we have chosen not to spend in Jesus’ presence, increasing our shame and making us therefore more unlikely to carve out that time. In his book The Divine Gardener, Selwyn Hughes rather helpfully reminds us, “…we must be careful not to think that if we miss out on reading a portion of the Scriptures each day, God might push us under a bus.”

We can only ever hope to deepen our relationship with God…by committing time to him. Whilst there is perhaps a balance to be considered between obedience and just going through the motions, it’s probably fair to say that most of us could do with a little more discipline in this area, as well as recognition of the devil’s schemes to thwart us. Billy Graham once said, “Every day has exactly 1,440 minutes: can’t you find even 10 of them to be with your heavenly Father? Doesn’t God deserve the best minutes of your day?” In the gospels, after Jesus told parables, he gathered his disciples together to explain their meaning. “He did not say anything to them without using a parable. But when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything” (Mark 4:34). In many ways, it could be considered that this was the disciples enjoying a quiet time with Jesus – unlike us they were able to have him there in person to converse with and gain understanding from. Although we can’t do exactly the same, we can still have a direct relationship with him through the gift of the Holy Spirit. Hebrews 4:12 tells us that “the Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword…” It must surely be the case that God longs to speak directly into

our lives through the Bible, but he can only do that when we open it. Perhaps the most difficult part of a quiet time is in regard to prayer. We probably have no difficulty in rhyming off a list of requests we would like God to answer, but when it comes to quietly waiting to hear him speak and soak in his presence, the challenge is greater. Our wandering minds can be a frustrating distraction, however, maybe we shouldn’t always disregard these thoughts. A friend once suggested to me that sometimes God speaks through these seemingly random wanderings; possibly we need to pay attention in case God is highlighting an area of our lives that we need to bring before him, or a person who we need to pray for. Like all things, it seems that persistence is key. We can only ever hope to deepen our relationship with God, thereby fulfilling our purpose of glorifying and enjoying him, by committing time to him. The Bible highlights how this perseverance is worth it. Matthew 6:6 says: “But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” I suspect the reward spoken of is not an accolade we will wait to receive in the heavenly realms, but rather will be something to treasure in this life – the joy of knowing him more dearly and therefore following him more nearly. And who of us does not want that? Herald December 2018/January 2019

REVIEWS

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

A Festival of Christmas Prom Praise Celebrates Christmas with All Souls Orchestra INTEGRITY MUSIC

£12.93

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This instrumental arrangement of well-known Christmas carols, conducted by Dr Noel Tredinnick, performed by the orchestra of All Souls, London, is the ideal backdrop for Christmas festivities. Recorded in the church building itself and including many classic Christmas songs, there’s nothing particularly new or surprising about it, but it’s a comforting familiarity that anyone can enjoy. Dr Tredinnick has said that many of the arrangements have been recorded with singing along in mind and, in fact, you can download the free sheet music for some of the arrangements from the All Souls website. There are the usual classics, Once in Royal David’s City, Silent Night, and It Came Upon the Midnight Clear, as well as the modern carol From the Squalor of a Borrowed Stable. There are also several medleys including many other familiar Christmas pieces, such as In the Bleak Midwinter, God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, I Saw Three Ships and The Holly and the Ivy. This beautifully arranged festive album is sure to put you in the mood for Christmas and is very easy background listening or indeed could be used to sing along to a few of the pieces. LI

The Prodigal Prophet Timothy Keller HODDER & STOUGHTON

£9.35

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Some may wonder – what’s the need for another book about Jonah when there are already some (excellent!) books on the market? Any new volume by the author of the bestselling Reason for God is however going to attract considerable attention and rightly so. With a helpful analysis of the text as a carefully crafted work of literature containing parallel patterns between ‘Scene 1’ (Jonah, the pagans and the sea) and ‘Scene 2’ (Jonah, the pagans and the city), Keller highlights how in the first half Jonah plays the ‘prodigal son’ who ran from his father while in the second half Jonah is like the ‘older brother’ who obeys his father but berates him for his graciousness to repentant sinners. This is a challenging read. Jonah’s selfworth rests more on his national identity than as a servant of the God of all nations, but God is both too holy and too loving to either destroy Jonah or to allow him to remain as he is, and God is also too holy and too loving to allow us to remain as we are. Keller doesn’t hesitate to address contemporary cultural sins such as racism, oppression and injustice as well as tackling theological issues. Above all, Keller constantly points his readers to the one who Matthew 12:41 describes as ‘greater than Jonah’. While Jonah went outside the city hoping to witness its condemnation, Jesus Christ went outside the city to die on a cross to accomplish its salvation. FS

Editor’s note...

Herald December 2018/January 2019

Dr Frank Sellar has written on the book of Jonah in Anywhere but Nineveh – A Month’s Journey with Jonah published by Christian Focus Publications.

DYING WELL John Wyatt

THE GOOD BOOK COMPANY

£6.89

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None of us can know in advance when we might suddenly lose a loved one, or how our own lives might end. We don’t even want to think about such things. Yet death is the one inescapable happening that all of us will experience. John Wyatt, who was professor of Neonatal Paediatrics at University College London and chair of the Christian Medical Fellowship, has written this book, which is both profound and easily read. He looks at the current trend where death has become a purely medical event defined and managed by medical professionals and discusses the impact this can have on ‘dying well’. He shows how death need not be all doom and gloom. While there are trials and challenges at the end of life, there are also strange and wonderful opportunities for internal growth, the healing of relationships, gratitude, finding fulfilment, fulfilling dreams. He then looks at the fears and temptations that dying can give rise to and what we can do to prepare for these. Wyatt considers the hope we can have as Christians, through reflecting on the example of Jesus and the biblical hope of the resurrection and the new heaven and new earth. He concludes with a very helpful section for carers, relatives and friends dealing with practical, medical and pastoral issues, and looks at the current legal framework for end of life decisions. As a Presbyterian minister I have never come across a book which considers so clearly, from a Christian perspective, all the issues, practical and spiritual, surrounding death and dying. This is a book that all of us, whatever our age, will benefit from reading. JC

REVIEWERS

FS – Frank Sellar is minister of Bloomfield and former Moderator LS – Lisa Skinner is an administrative officer for the Herald

Christmas Jackpot Adrian Reynolds 10PUBLISHING £2.99

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Christmas, with all its festivities and fun, can be an expensive time of year. Our consumer culture constantly drives us towards the biggest turkey, the best presents – getting the biggest and best things. The tagline of this book – ‘How to get really rich this Christmas’ – therefore holds a certain intrigue… Christmas Jackpot is, at its core, a gospel booklet. It tells the incredible riches-torags story of ‘the richest man in the world’, Jesus, who entered our humanity and for our sake became poor, and how through his sacrifice we find our own rags-toriches destiny. Over the course of seven short chapters, Reynolds outlines where true riches are to be found, our pitifully sinful state before an almighty God, and the amazing offer open to us where we give nothing, yet get everything in return. Now, it should be noted that this book does not answer every gospel question, or flawlessly explain every facet of faith in Christ – nor does it aim to, at only 37 pages long. This is a book aimed primarily at seekers and those with little or no Christian connection. It sets out to communicate the basic gospel message in the context of a consumer culture, with the expectation that it is through believers that this book will find its way into the hands of seekers. Consider sharing it yourself, but be available to the person afterwards to share your own story. As the book concludes, “The person who gave you this…would love to tell you more about the wonderful riches of believing in and following Jesus.” PA

LI – Louise Irwin is part of the worship team at Kirkpatrick Memorial PA – Philip Alcorn is an administrative officer for PCI’s Creative Production Department JC – Rev Dr Jim Campbell is minister emeritus of Cooke Centenary Presbyterian Church

The Table: A Christmas Worship Gathering Darlene Zschech and Hope UC INTEGRITY MUSIC

£9.93

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Darlene Zschech is best known as the singer/songwriter who brought us Shout to the Lord (My Jesus, My Saviour), under the auspices of Hillsong Australia. She and her husband now pastor a church called Hope Unlimited Church and this Christmas album is a collaboration with them. A Christmas album is something of a rite of passage for the Christian worship artist these days, it seems! And it’s not something I’m totally averse to; often they will produce beautiful new versions of classic carols and refresh

The Nativity Bethan Lycett (illustrated by Hannah Stout) 10OFTHOSE.COM

£3.50 (Board book £3.99)

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This is a comprehensive guide to the nativity story. Not only do we encounter Mary and Joseph and Jesus but also Elizabeth, Zechariah, Anna and Simeon.

pieces we have forgotten about, as well as including some original songs. That is the general direction Darlene Zschech is going in with The Table, in a gentle, meandering way. The idea behind it is that Jesus calls us to include the outsider, and to fellowship with one another closely, as we would around a table. That is, of course, something particularly associated with Christmas. The album starts promisingly, with the instrumental piece Gather and moves into an arrangement of O Come All Ye Faithful. This doesn’t claim to be groundbreaking and it isn’t but, in allowing people to access the familiar welcome of Christmas, it does what Zschech sets out to do. There are versions of O Holy Night, Away in a Manger, Little Drummer Boy and Do you Hear What I Hear?, which bring a new angle to a well-known classic. There are a few new pieces, written by various members of the Hope Unlimited Church, including The Table by Darlene Zschech, Emmanuel by Jemima Gleason and The Mystery which adds some extra interest to the collection. I am not sure if this album contains any modern Christmas classics, but it would be just about right for having on in the background while you’re sitting round your Christmas table. LI Unlike most nativity books, this one has what is probably a more honest portrayal of the timeline of events and the characters involved, with the wise men appearing later on and mention being made of the fact that nobody knows how many wise men visited the baby, only that three gifts were brought. I enjoyed reading this book to my fouryear-old and my seven-year-old, both of whom delight in the lilt of a rhyming story. The book is also beautifully illustrated with lots of bright colours, which lends itself to bringing the story to life. There is a shorter, simplified version of the book available as a board book for younger children, as well as an accompanying colouring book. This is a great little read for Christmas time! LS

Herald December 2018/January 2019

LIFE IN PCI All change at May Street Big changes are under way at May Street in the heart of Belfast – but far from closing, the building is about to have new life breathed into it. May Street congregation will formally cease worship at the end of December but the congregation is passing the baton on to Carnmoney Presbyterian, which will use the building as the location of its new city centre church plant which is, appropriately, called Central. New wine is being poured into an old bottle but in this case the old bottle will not break. We give thanks to God that our building now has a secure and bright future. In recent times, the potential offered by May Street’s location was recognised by Re:Hope Belfast, a start-up independent evangelical church which has been meeting in our lecture hall for two years. We have been inspired by its growth over that period from 10 to around 120 members today. As we weighed up the options, and prayed for guidance, Plan A was to offer the building to Re:Hope. The congregation agreed this unanimously but in the fullness of time PCI decided that, for understandable reasons, it wished to retain this valuable foothold in the revitalised city centre. Re:Hope has by now outgrown our lecture hall and is bound for new premises elsewhere in the city; we wish them God’s blessing. Having agreed to amalgamate with Fisherwick, the congregation ceases worship on December 30. The building passes to South Belfast Presbytery, which has committed to keep Sunday worship services going in the interim. Then Carnmoney takes over and we hope that early in 2019, Central will be in situ. God has helped May Street over many hurdles over the years and we are confident that this latest change comes with his approval and in his timing. We believe we have stood in the gap in the wall and now we give thanks that a promising new era is dawning in the 190-year-old story of May Street Presbyterian Church.

Pictured from left are Nathan Todd (Second Comber), Colin Johnston (May Street), Kathleen Rea (May Street) and John Ritchie (Second Comber). May Street congregation decided to present its rosebud china collection and cutlery to the Second Comber catering team. May Street has been given a facelift, courtesy of a group of interns from Portland, Oregon, in the US. The interns were hosted by Re:Hope Belfast, the independent evangelical church which has been operating out of May Street lecture hall for the past two years.

Seventy years marked in Cairnalbana

Above: Cairnalbana PW celebrated 70 years with a service and lunch. PW members are pictured with Rev William Dickey (convener of the Co Antrim church), Mrs Dickey, Dr Ivan McKay, Mrs McKay and guest speaker Maud Kells. Below: Amy Wilson and John Robinson, who have been choir members for 70 years, were presented with gifts by choir leader Lorraine Robinson, on behalf of the congregation. Dr Ivan McKay and Robert McMullan (choir conductor) were also present.

Herald December 2018/January 2019

The Co Antrim church of Cairnalbana recently marked two anniversaries in different sections within its congregational life – both for 70 years. In a remarkable achievement, Amy Wilson and John Robinson have served on the church choir for 70 years. This milestone was marked when they were presented with gifts by choir leader Lorraine Robinson, on behalf of the congregation. The PW also celebrated 70 years this year with an anniversary service and lunch. Formed in the spring of 1948, the PW was initially known as the Ladies’ Guild, although the minister at the time, Rev George Jackson, called them the LG/WMA and encouraged them to attend at presbytery and General Assembly level, which they did. Amy Wilson, who is the longest serving PW member, recalls that times were hard following the Second World War so the Ladies’ Guild raised funds by cake sales, work sales and, at one time, a quotation calendar. “The first year the total amount raised was £183 and, apart from our donations to Women’s Missionary Funds, we paid for repairs to our lovely leaded windows at a cost of £34,” she adds. The first office bearers were J. Wilson (president), H. Robinson (vice president), Mrs Russell (secretary) and M.A. Hanna (treasurer). “In June 1976, the name Ladies’ Guild was dropped and we became entirely PWA, now PW. Two ladies who represented us at presbytery level were Mrs Betty Thompson and Mrs Jean Rea. That position is now ably filled by Mrs Christina Robinson who keeps us informed of all that is happening in the mission field.” The speaker at the 70th anniversary service was Maud Kells, a former missionary in the Congo. After the service, Christina Robinson and Amy Wilson cut the birthday cake. One of the founding members, Annie Morrow, was alive at the time of the anniversary event, but sadly died soon after. The current office bearers of Cairnalbana PW are Sharon Thompson (president), Emily Davison (vice president), Janette Mundell (secretary) and Joan Mills (treasurer).

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

Retirement in Carlisle Road Helen Devine has retired as church organist in Carlisle Road Presbyterian after 32 years. Ivor Ferguson (clerk of session in the Londonderry church) and Dr Robert Buick (minister) presented a Derry Crystal engraved vase to Mrs Devine.

Birthday milestone in Fintona

Killead presentation

New elder in Redrock

Rev John Murdock presents gifts to Brian Swann and Clements Suffern to mark their time as ruling elders in Killead Presbyterian in Co Antrim.

A commission of Armagh Presbytery recently ordained and installed Arnold Black to the eldership of Redrock Presbyterian Church.

Former Moderator Dr Noble McNeely and his wife Florence were among those present at the 100th birthday celebrations for Gertie Foster. John Sawyers (clerk of session in Fintona Presbyterian), Rev Jonathan Cowan (who served as convener in charge of the Co Tyrone congregation for a time) and past clerk of session George Donald were also at the celebration. Photograph courtesy of the Tyrone Constitution.

Presentation in Cairncastle The congregation of Cairncastle Presbyterian recently said farewell to their minister, and in appreciation of her four years of ministry in the Co Antrim village, clerk of session Cowper Lynas presented Rev Fiona Forbes with a painting of the local area. Mrs Forbes has been called to Harmony Hill Presbyterian Church, Lambeg.

Herald December 2018/January 2019

LIFE IN PCI

Elders ordained in Ballywatt Kilkinamurry member reaches 100 years Florence Mawhinney celebrated her 100th birthday recently with family and friends. Florence (nee Coulter) initially was a member of First Dromara Presbyterian Church where she was a Sunday school teacher and choir member. She served with the Imperial Civil Service in London until she was evacuated to Llandudno, north Wales during the Second World War. She returned home to marry her husband, the late John Mawhinney, on 11 November 1942 and became a member of Kilkinamurry Presbyterian Church, where she was also a founder member and secretary of the Kilkinamurry Presbyterian Women (Association). She played an active part in the life of the church, including fundraising in the 1950s for a new church building. She raised three children, followed by nine grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren, who all joined her at her birthday celebration in Mountvale Private Nursing Home. Also present were members of the PW, church elders, and former Moderator Dr Noble McNeely with his wife Florence. Pictured with Florence are her youngest daughter Beryl, members of Kilkinamurry Presbyterian Church – Mervyn Copes, Maurice Cowan, Samuel Porter and Rev Philip Cleland – and also (seated) Dr Noble McNeely.

A special night of celebration took place in Ballywatt Presbyterian recently when four ruling elders were ordained and installed by a commission of Coleraine and Limavady Presbytery. Back row: J. Campbell, R. McKinney, D. Hood, Rev T. Laverty, C. Edgar, R. Walker, Rev J. Kirkpatrick, Rev J. Coulter and R. Lyons. Front: Rev A. Graham, G. Hartin, S. McElnay, Rev R. Collins, D. Radcliffe, T. Beattie and Dr T.J. McCormick.

New elders ordained in Churchtown Three new elders have been ordained and installed in Churchtown congregation by a commission of Ballymena Presbytery. Front row: Rev Joseph Andrews (clerk), Junior Whyte, George Graham and Keith Dundas (the newly ordained elders), and Rev Martin McNeely (moderator). Back row: Christopher Rowe (clerk of session), Rev David McGaughey, James Lamont, Rev Michael Currie (minister of Churchtown), Eric McCallum, Ernest Douglas, William Lamont, Francis McKendry and Rev Philip McCullough.

Minister remembered in Millisle and Ballycopeland Recently the congregation of Millisle and Ballycopeland in Ards Presbytery remembered their former minister of 25 years, Rev Helen S. Boyd, who sadly passed away in 2017, by dedicating a new stained-glass window in her memory. The window was dedicated by PCI Moderator Dr Charles McMullen. Also pictured are Rev John Flaherty and Rev Stuart McCrea.

Herald December 2018/January 2019

New minister in Ravenhill Rev Marty Gray has been installed as minister in Ravenhill Presbyterian in Belfast. Pictured are: S. Miskelly, Rev W. McCully, Emma Gray, Mr Gray, Rev J. Lambe, Rev A. Rankin, Rev Dr C. Burcombe and A. White.

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

New elders in Second Ballyeaston Ruth Stevenson, Margaret Boyd, Susan Drummon, Simon Harkness and Eric Cooper have been ordained and installed as elders in Second Ballyeaston, while Rev David Beattie has been installed as an elder. They are pictured in the front row with Rev Jonathan Boyd (moderator of Templepatrick Presbytery). Back row: Robert Cromie, Rev Christopher Glover (minister of the Co Antrim church), Rev Karen Campbell, Rev Desi Paul (clerk of presbytery) and Trevor Morrow.Â

Milestone in Randalstown Eileen Patton (right) has completed 50 years as a member of First Randalstown PW. She is pictured with PW leader Nadine King.

Birthday celebrations for Lisburn member Vivienne Weir, an elder emeritus of Railway Street Presbyterian Church, Lisburn, celebrated her 100th birthday on 15 October. Now resident in a private nursing home, Mrs Weir received many good wishes from friends and family and was especially pleased to have a visit from PCI Moderator Dr Charles McMullen and Rev Michael Davidson.Â

Retirement in Drumreagh Norma Reilly has retired as musical director in Drumreagh Presbyterian after more than 30 years. She is pictured with Rev Richard Murray (minister of the Co Antrim church) and John Walker (clerk of session).

Elders ordained in Templepatrick Danny Bill, Karen Boyce and Wilma Mackarel have been ordained as elders in Templepatrick Presbyterian. They are pictured in the front row with Rev Richard Kerr and Rev Jonathan Boyd (moderator of presbytery). Back row: Denis Jones, Mary Kempston, Audrey Heslip, Rev Trevor McNeill, Rev Desi Paul (clerk of presbytery) and Rev Trevor Wilson (minister emeritus of the Co Antrim congregation).

Herald December 2018/January 2019

LIFE IN PCI

High Kirk extension The official opening of the new foyer and extension at High Kirk Presbyterian, Ballymena took place recently. Pictured are: Dr Martin McNeely (moderator of Ballymena Presbytery), Rev Norman Cameron (minister of High Kirk), PCI Moderator Dr Charles McMullen, Dr Russell Birney (retired minister of High Kirk in whose honour a room was named), David Hamilton (Martin and Hamilton Construction) and Uel Marcus (architect of the project).

Presentation at Banbridge Road Banbridge Road Presbyterian in Dromore marked 20 years of ministry by Rev Gary Trueman with a presentation at the recent harvest service. Pictured are Mr Trueman, Marianne Trueman and Alan Robinson (clerk of session).

CROSSWORD Puzzle no 247 1

solution on page 58 3

9 10 14

28 29 30

31 33

compiled by Harry Douglas

Herald December 2018/January 2019

ACROSS 1 Horizontal Christmas tree? (4,3) 7 A native of Israel (7) 9 Impulses (5) 10 Birthplace of our Lord (9) 14 An Indian Ocean resort city (3) 16 Bryan the actress (4) 17 Getting smaller and smaller (9) 20 An old Hebrew boy’s name (3) 21 The manger received many visitors at this time of day (7) 24 Fine cotton thread (5) 26 A text messaging service (3) 28 One of the heavenly choir (5) 30 This deliverer is busy at Christmas (7) 32 He prophesised about the birth and place (5) 33 Enid Blyton’s favourite boy (5)

DOWN 1 Christmas is a time for them (10) 2 These keep the lower limbs cosy (3,7) 3 Portugal’s capital (6) 4 Gold was one (4) 5 By mouth (4) 6 A way of doing things (6) 8 This name means ‘God with us’ (8) 11 Hopefully a good layer! (3) 12 Edward for short (2) 13 A period of history (3) 15 Exclamation (2) 18 Family (3) 19 Peter denied being one (8) 22 Perhaps the most famous prophet (6) 23 A collection of geese (6) 25 This guided 27 down (4) 27 These three men came from the east (4) 29 Baby Jesus lay on this (3) 30 Mother for short (2) 31 Bond’s doctor (2)

REFLECTIONS

I am (not) afraid Betsy Cameron

ell, I may be the first to greet you with a heartfelt who established many schools in the Northern Region, ‘Happy Christmas’ at this hap-happiest time education there had developed strong roots and produced many of the year. But if I roll back the millennia of the country’s teachers, so a surplus of teachers dutifully and return to the Palestine of that very first returned north while staff numbers at schools in the more Christmas, I might find myself greeting you instead with populous Central and Southern Regions were depleted. It was the words, “Don’t be afraid!”. This reminder to resist fear is a fearful time in Malawi for many reasons, but as things turned present in many elements of the story of the birth of Jesus: out, these were the waning days of Life President Banda’s Zechariah is told not to be afraid when a messenger from the oppressive rule, and by 1993 a referendum to introduce multiLord interrupts him at prayer; Joseph is told not to be afraid party politics was held. to take Mary as his wife; the shepherds, minding their own What do we have to be afraid of in our time and place? Well, business out in their fields, are told not to be afraid of the angel for starters, Brexit is looming and we still have no clear picture of the Lord who announces the good news of great joy for all of what this will mean. We worry about job security, economic people. That journey from fear to joy – doesn’t that describe in a gloom, political stalemate and corruption, our health, broken nutshell what our faith means? relationships in our families, communities I don’t know about you, but I am We need to be reminded, and in our churches. There is so much afraid and anxious about so many things. to be afraid of ! Perhaps this is why we at all times, that to walk are told so many times in the Bible not The long and varied list includes (but is not limited to!): non-stick cookware, in faith we must let go of to be afraid. It is our default position, microwave ovens, mobile phones, plastic our constant companion. We need to fear. food containers, bleach, lifts, public be reminded, at all times, that to walk speaking, public dancing, dancing, in faith we must let go of fear. ‘Don’t be picturing myself dancing, team sports, finding unexpected afraid’ is a call to resistance, a conscious decision to walk boldy offal in casseroles, reversing the car, job interviews, artificial on despite our deepest instinct to fear, which freezes us in our sweeteners, tall buildings, and the sound of clicking heels tracks, causes us to despair or makes us see threats when there coming up behind me. are none. What did people in Palestine two thousand years ago have I am (not) afraid. I hope you know what I mean by that. I’m to be afraid of ? Well, for starters, foreign occupiers ruled the trying to say that I am actually nearly always afraid. Like most land and the Jewish people – God’s chosen people! – lived as of us, I am a timid herd creature, and I worry so much. But. conquered subjects in the Roman empire. Now, in order to rule Here’s the thing. Fear is not a gospel value. Jesus invites us to over people without their consent, you need to keep them in a live a life of such radical newness and love and freedom and state of fear. Fear ensures compliance, for a while anyhow, so hope, that fear has no place. This is bold love that embraces Mary and Joseph, like many others, dutifully did as they were neighbour and enemy, not just those who are like us; love that told and returned to Joseph’s hometown to be counted so that says, “I will never leave you”. they could be taxed with greater efficiency. It is amazing to As a Presbyterian, I am grateful that there are many things I think that God, who stands outside history, chose that time and am not afraid to do. I am not afraid to think, to listen to others, that place, with all the fear, corruption and the power dynamics even – and especially! – when I disagree with them. I am not of empire, to come and live among us. afraid to have an opinion, to ask questions, to change my mind This part of the Christmas story reminds me of Malawi in the or to accept light from any quarter. I am not afraid to find late 80s when I first arrived to teach. A government decree had common ground, to appreciate differences, to believe that God just been issued requiring all teachers to return to their region can hold us all. of origin to work. This decision was a ‘divide and conquer’ I am not afraid. strategy to keep northerners, regarded as troublesome, out of the urban centres, and it caused great upheaval in the education system. Thanks to the missionary work of Scottish Presbyterians

Herald December 2018/January 2019

REFLECTIONS

At my departing Arthur Clarke Study in 2 Timothy 4:6

he life of Saint Paul has been likened to a precious 16:1-5; 1 Corinthians 16:19 and Acts 18:26). Shepherds used manuscript which has been torn at the beginning and such tents, camping in them for the night and then moving on. the end. When, exactly, he was born in Tarsus is not King Hezekiah employed this image for his awareness of the known and when he died, by sword stroke (the last transitory nature of human life (Isaiah 38:12). privilege of a Roman citizen), is an equally For Paul, death meant moving from a unknown date. Much scholarly ink has fragile tent to an eternal house in heaven. For Paul, death meant been spilt endeavouring to map the life of The indwelling Holy Spirit was the moving from a fragile this apostle after the end of Acts, where deposit guaranteeing what was to come (2 we leave him in a hired house in Rome, tent to an eternal house Corinthians 5:1-10). instructing all who came to see him. Two ‘Departure’ was also used for a ship fixed points are accepted as pivotal for this in heaven. leaving the harbour: death is presented period of his life, one is ecclesiastical and as going home. This concept of life as the other is political. a voyage and its awaiting fulfillment is well expressed in the On the night of 18/19 July 64 AD, a fire broke out in Rome following poem: in which three of the city’s 14 divisions were destroyed. When “How beautiful to be with God, public opinion turned against Nero, who had possibly instigated When earth is fading like a dream, the conflagration, he blamed the Christians and set in motion And from this mist encircled shore, a regime of horrendous cruelty. It is confidently contended that We launch upon the unknown stream. in that sweeping pogrom, Saint Paul died for his faith. So, we Then let it fade this dream of earth estimate that the second epistle to Timothy is authentically When we have done our life’s work here: Pauline. From his dungeon in Rome, awaiting death, the man Or long or short, as seemeth best – from Tarsus wrote to the young pastor Timothy, in Ephesus: What matters so, God’s will appears. “The time has come for my departure”. The word ‘departure’ has We will not fear to launch our bark, several layers of meaning. Upon the darkly rolling flood ‘Departure’ was used for the unburdening of any working Tis but to pierce the mist and then animal. Life is seen in this insight, as a day’s work done. Many How beautiful to be with God!” of my generation sang Anna Coghill’s lines: “Work, for the “God you can now release your servant; with my own eyes I night is coming” with its challenging lines, “Give to each flying have seen your salvation; it’s now out in the open for everyone” moment, something to keep in store.” This layer of meaning (Luke 2, The Message). would have piqued Paul’s interest. He acknowledged to the Philippians his desire to be gone from the wearying pilgrimage. He reminded the Corinthians of the wear and tear of ministry. Physical discomforts are nothing compared “to the daily pressure of my concern for all the churches.” ‘Departure’ was used for the removal of a tent: death is taught as transition from the fragile to the eternal. As one trained as a rabbi, Paul would have been taught a trade so that he could teach without demanding his keep. As a tentmaker, he met Priscilla and Aquila, workers with the same skills. This couple seemed to have disposable income and moved from city to city and ministered to the saints they encountered (Romans

Herald December 2018/January 2019

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• Open All Year • Total bed space 120 • • Rooms of various sizes (family rooms – dorm rooms) • • Meals available on request • • Conference Centre with seating available for 100 • • Ideal for Church groups • • Outdoor Activities available • For further information please contact Seamus, Josey or Aileen Tel: (028) 2076 9391 Fax: (028) 2076 9994 Email: sheepisland@hotmail.com Website: www.sheepisland.com

11/04/2017 19:44

GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) Implementation Support Assistance Assembly Buildings The General Council of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland is seeking someone to support the ongoing implementation of GDPR within the various Councils of the General Assembly, to support line managers through the development and delivery of appropriate training and to assist with further policy development. Responding to queries from presbyteries and congregations will also be required. The Council will welcome expressions of interest from individuals who would be willing to provide such services on an agreed fee basis. These can be provided on a flexible arrangement although it is envisaged that service delivery will require two days per week for an initial period of six months which may be extended if required. Familiarity with the GDPR regulations, experience of preparing and delivering a training programme and assisting with regulatory compliance will be necessary. An understanding of PCI structures would be helpful. If you are interested in providing such services please contact the Financial Secretary at: Presbyterian Church in Ireland, 2-10 Fisherwick Place, Belfast, BT1 6DW or by email at: cknox@presbyterianireland.org and provide a brief overview of your experience in the aforementioned requirements. Expressions of interest should be returned before 2 January 2019.

Herald December 2018/January 2019

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 ABBOT’S CROSS: REV. E.J. HYNDMAN: Mr. Gary O’Rourke, 14 Abbeyhill Road, Newtownabbey, BT37 0YE. AUGHNACLOY & BALLYMAGRANE: (Reviewable Tenure - 7 years) REV. N.L. SMYTH: (Aughnacloy) Dr. Cecil Givan, 230 Main Street, Lisnaskea, BT92 0JG. (Ballymagrane) Mr. Murray Robinson, 184 Caledon Road, Aughnacloy, BT69 6JD. BAILIEBOROUGH, FIRST; BAILIEBOROUGH, TRINITY, CORRANEARY & ERVEY: (Reviewable Tenure - 7 years) REV. D.T.R. EDWARDS: (Bailieborough, First) Mr. Fred Gilmore, Lisgar, Bailieborough. (Bailieborough, Trinity) Mr. Bert Coote, Kells Road, Bailieborough. (Corraneary) Mr. Eddie Martin, Ardmone, Canningstown, Cootehill. (Ervey) Miss Jean Archibald, Largy, Drumcondrath, Co. Meath. BALLYMENA, WEST CHURCH (ASSOCIATE): (Part-Time (70%); Reviewable Tenure – 5 Years) REV. D.J. KANE: Mr. Harry Lamont, 17 Brookleigh Heights, Ballymena, BT43 5LG. BALTEAGH & BOVEVAGH: REV. J.G. JONES: (Balteagh) Mr. William Robinson, 46 Drumaduff Road, Maine South, Limavady, BT49 OPT. (Bovevagh) Mr. Boyd Douglas, 279 Drumrane Road, Dungiven, Co Londonderry, BT47 4NL. BANGOR, HAMILTON ROAD (ASSOCIATE): (Reviewable Tenure - 5 years) REV. T.W.D. JOHNSTON: Mr. Tom Clarke, 85 Churchill Park, Bangor, BT20 5RW. BLACKROCK & BRAY: (Reviewable Tenure - 7 years) REV. R.H. HOUSTON: (Blackrock) Mrs. Merle White, “Carnalea”, 71 Foxrock Manor, Dublin 8, D18 H2XA. (Bray) Mr. Karsten Lux, 73 Castlegate Apt., Castle Street, Dublin 2, D02 RC83.

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

3 DECLARED VACANT ARKLOW: REV. GARY McDOWELL: Mrs. Emily Kearon, Malindi, Sea Road, Arklow. AGHADOWEY & CROSSGAR: REV. DR. MARK GOUDY: (Aghadowey) Mr. William Knox, 46A Mullaghinch Road, Aghadowey, Coleraine, BT51 4AT. (Crossgar) Mr. William Reid, 87 Broomhill Park, Coleraine, BT51 3AN. ARMOY & RAMOAN: REV. NOEL McCLEAN: (Armoy) Mrs. Ann Campbell, 77B Bregagh Road, Armoy, Ballymoney, BT53 8TP. (Ramoan) Mr. Robert Getty, 23 Carrowcroey Road, Armoy, Ballymoney, BT53 8UH. BALLYCAIRN: REV. ROBERT LOVE: Mr. J.B. Milligan, 19 Glenariff Drive, Dunmurry, BT17 9AZ. BALLYGAWLEY & BALLYREAGH: REV. D.W. REID: (Ballygawley) Mr. Paul Coote, 2 Alexander Drive, Aughnacloy,BT69 6DP. (Ballyreagh). Mr. Trevor McDaniel, 120 Mullaghmore Road, Dungannon, BT70 1RD. BALLYGILBERT: REV. J.M. BROWNE: Mr. Alastair Vance, 1a Seahill Road, Holywood, BT18 0DA.

BOARDMILLS, TRINITY: REV. S.A. WOODBURN: Mr. Adrian Patterson, 41 Cabra Road, Legacurry, Hillsborough, BT26 6NB.

BALLYHOBRIDGE, CLONES, NEWBLISS & STONEBRIDGE: REV. C.G. ANDERSON: (Ballyhobridge) Mr. David Jordan, Drumboghamagh, Newtownbutler, BT92 8LL. (Clones) Mr. Tom Elliott, Bellmount, Newtownbutler, BT92 6LT. (Newbliss) Mr. Thomas McConkey, Killyfuddy, Newbliss, Co. Monaghan. (Stonebridge) Mr. Gerald Mackarel, Roughfort, Clones, Co. Monaghan.

COOKSTOWN, FIRST: REV. D.S. BROWNLOW: Mr. Gordon Black, 21 The Dales, Cookstown, BT80 8TF.

BALLYMONEY, FIRST: REV. K.D.W. CROWE: Mr. Neil Robinson, 15 Kirk Road, Ballymoney, BT53 6PP.

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

BELFAST, ST. ANDREW’S: REV. M.R. BURNSIDE: Mrs. Edith McCallum, 115 Comber Road, Dundonald, BT16 2BT.

RICHVIEW: (Part-Time (60%); Reviewable Tenure – 5 Years) REV. N.S. HARRISON: Mr. Victor Garland, 25 Abingdon Drive, Belfast, BT12 5PX.

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

SAINTFIELD ROAD: REV. A.E. TOLLAND: Mr. Alistair McCracken, 19 Beaufort Crescent, Belfast, BT8 7UA.

BURT: REV. JAMES LAMONT: Mr. James Buchanan, Heathfield, Burt, Lifford, Co. Donegal.

2 LEAVE TO CALL DEFERRED

CAIRNALBANA & GLENARM: REV. W.F. DICKEY: (Cairnalbana) Mr. B. Alexander, 84 Drumcrow Road, Glenarm, BT44 0DL. (Glenarm) Mr. D. Preston, 42 Rossburn Manor, Connor, BT42 3RB.

BALLYBLACK: REV. R.J. STEVENSON: Mr. Alex Warden, 92 Bowtown Road, Newtownards, BT23 8SL. BELVILLE: REV D.S. HENRY: Mr. Jack Parks, 95 Dromore Road, Hillsborough, BT26 6HU. GORTNESSY: REV. P.E. LINKENS: Mr. Ross Hyndman, 32 Temple Road, Strathfoyle, Londonderry, BT47 6UB.

SETTLED STATED SUPPLY APPOINTED BALLINDERRY: REV. W.J. HENRY, Minister of Maze BOVEEDY: REV. DR. T.J. McCORMICK, Minister of 1st Kilrea CAHIR: REV. WILLIAM MONTGOMERY, Minister of Fermoy KATESBRIDGE: REV. N.J. KANE, Minister of Magherally

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

Herald December 2018/January 2019

CAIRNCASTLE: REV. R.I. CARTON: Mr. Cowper Lynas, 2 Croft Heights, Ballygally, Larne, BT40 2QS. CARLISLE ROAD & CROSSROADS: REV. M.F. RUSSELL: (Carlisle Road) Mr. Ivor Ferguson, 24 Riverside Park, Altnagelvin, Londonderry, BT47 3RU. (Crossroads) Mr. Richard Russell, 31 Creevagh Road, Londonderry, BT48 9XB. CARNDONAGH, GREENBANK, MALIN & MOVILLE: REV. A.J.A. ROSBOROUGH: (Carndonagh) Mr. David McKeague, Claggan, Culdaff, Co. Donegal. (Greenbank) Mr. Campbell Armstrong, Whitecastle, Quigley’s Point, Co. Donegal. (Malin) Mrs. Barbara Smyth, Dunross, Culdaff, Co. Donegal. (Moville) Mr. Joseph McNeely, Rock House, Lecamey, Carndonagh, Co. Donegal. CASTLEWELLAN & LEITRIM: REV. N.J. KANE: (Castlewellan) Mr. Desmond Wilson, 44 Ballylough Road, Castlewellan, BT31 9NN. (Leitrim) Mr. Drew Harte, 100 Carrigagh Road, Dromara, BT25 2HR. CAVANALECK & AUGHENTAINE: REV. W.D. CUPPLES: (Cavanaleck) Dr. Charles McKibbin, Cooneen Old Rectory, 9 Tattenabuddagh Lane, Fivemiletown, BT75 0NW. (Aughentaine) Mr. John McCrory, Screeby Road, Fivemiletown, BT75 0TP.

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 COAGH, BALLYGONEY & SALTERSLAND: REV. T.W.A. GREER: (Coagh) Mrs. Amy Allingham, 17 Coagh Road, Cookstown, BT80 8RL. (Ballygoney) Ms. Essie Hessin, 10A Ballyloughan Road, Moneymore, Magherafelt, BT45 7YB. (Saltersland) Mr. Matt Hyndman, 4 Brennan Court, Magherafelt, BT45 6AT. CRUMLIN ROAD: VERY REV. DR. T.N. HAMILTON: Mr. James Coleman, 2 Abbeydale Parade, Belfast, BT14 7HJ. DERVOCK REV. R.M. MOODY: Mr. John Surgenor, 82 Toberdoney Road, Dervock, Ballymoney, BT53 8DH. DROMORE, FIRST: REV. R.A. LIDDLE: Mr. Cecil Gamble, 12 Diamond Road, Dromore, BT25 1PQ. DRUMBANAGHER, FIRST AND JERRETTSPASS & KINGSMILLS: REV. B.D. COLVIN: (Drumbanager, First and Jerrettspass) Mr. George Moffett, 16 Glen Road, Jerrettspass, Newry, BT34 1SP. (Kingsmills) Mr. Raymond McCormick, 119 Kingsmills Road, Bessbrook, Newry, BT35 7BP. GLENDERMOTT: REV. K.A. JONES: Mr. George Walker, 3 Beverley Gardens, Londonderry, BT47 5PJ. INCH: REV. JAMES LAMONT: Mr. James Buchanan, Heathfield, Speenoge, Burt, Co. Donegal, F93 W3K6. KILBRIDE: REV. D.T. McNEILL: Mr. Alistair Lamont, Church Office, Kilbride Presbyterian Church, 12 Moyra Road, Doagh, Ballyclare, BT39 0SD.

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

THE ELDERSHIP Ordained & Installed: BALLYKEEL: Desi Montgomery, Tommy Simpson Died: CARLISLE ROAD: William (Billy) Boggs CHURCHTOWN: William Cameron Agnew LISBURN, FIRST: James Hasley PETTIGO: Margaret Louise Thompson NEWTOWNBREDA: Diane Dawson

THE MINISTRY Ordained & Inducted: Matthew David Boyd, as Associate Minister in First Ballymena, on 26 October 2018 Installed: Fiona Mary Ashe Forbes, as Minister of Harmony Hill, on 26 October 2018 Resigned: Fiona Mary Ashe Forbes, as Minister of Cairncastle on 25 October 2018 Stewart William Kells Glendinning – released from his charge as Minister of Carndonagh, Greenbank, Malin & Moville on grounds of medical incapacity on 19 November 2018 Andrew Davison Mullan, as Associate Minister in Mourne, on 28 October 2018 Retired: Kenneth Nelson, as Minister of Castlewellan & Leitrim, on 2 November 2018

MARKETHILL, FIRST & SECOND: REV. N.J.E. REID: Mr. Ken Toal, 9 Magherydogherty Road, Markethill, BT60 1TX. MOSSIDE & TOBERDONEY: REV. A.J. BUICK: (Mosside) Mrs. Mabel Morrison, 284 Moyarget Road, Mosside, Ballymoney, BT53 8EH. (Toberdoney) Mr. Hugh Hill, 5 Castle Park, Deffrick, Ballymoney, BT53 8EW. RAMELTON & KILMACRENNAN: REV. C.M. WILSON: (Ramelton) Mr. David Armour, Loughnagin, Letterkenny, Co Donegal. (Kilmacrennan) Mr. Nathaniel Rogers, Gortnavern, Coolboy, Letterkenny, Co Donegal. RYANS & BROOKVALE: REV. F.J. GIBSON: (Ryans) Miss Nora Hamilton, c/o Bronte Fold, Rathfriland, BT34 6LU. (Brookvale) Mr. Norman McCrum, 49 Ballynamagna Road, Rathfriland, Newry, BT34 5PA. WARRENPOINT & ROSTREVOR: REV. S.A. FINLAY: (Warrenpoint) Mr. Denis Brady, 28 Seaview, Warrenpoint, Newry, BT34 3NJ. (Rostrevor) Mr. Terry O’Flynn, 15 Aurora Na Mara, Rostrevor, Newry, BT34 3UP.

TEMPORARY STATED SUPPLY ARRANGEMENT DONEGORE, SECOND: REV. JONATHAN BOYD: Mr. Samuel Gawn, 120 Parkgate Road, Kells, Ballymena, BT42 3PQ. DUNDALK: (Home Mission) REV. T.D. HAGAN: KELLS: (Home Mission) REV. DAVID NESBITT: Ms. Ruth McCartney, Shancarnan, Moynalty, Kells, Co Meath. A82 PF60. MAY STREET: REV. GRAEME FOWLES: Mr. Arthur Acheson, 56 Quarry Road, Belfast, BT4 2NQ. TOBERMORE & DRAPERSTOWN: REV. DR. J.A. CURRY: (Draperstown) Mr. Gordon Dickson Jnr, 7 Strawmore Road, Draperstown, BT45 7JE. VINECASH: REV. DR. MICHAEL McCLENAHAN: Mr. Thomas Graham, 38 Richmount, Portadown, BT62 4JQ.

Herald December 2018/January 2019

CLASSIFIEDS Accommodation Northern Ireland FERMANAGH: Fermanagh Lakeland. ‘Muckross Lodge’ Bed & Breakfast, Muckross Quay, Kesh. Situated overlooking Lough Erne. All rooms en-suite, TV, tea/coffee making facilities. Open all year. B&B £25pps £5 single supplement. Tel: Caroline Anderson 07739 910676. PORTSTEWART: Five-bedroom house for rental high and low season. Enclosed garden, private parking. Tel 07598 719348 after 6pm. FOR HOLIDAY RENTAL: A beautiful luxury 2-bedroom apartment on the coast road between Portrush and Portstewart, just past Tides restaurant. Unobstructed sea views over the Ballyreagh Pitch and Putt course. Living area on the ground floor, lounge on the first floor, completely redecorated and all new furniture etc. Please note no pets nor smokers. £465 per week. Tel: 07745 158454. ANNALONG: Two-bedroom bungalow sleeps 4 with extra travel cot on request, level access to the rear of the property extending to large enclosed garden overlooking the sea. OFCH, towels and bed linen provided. Local sites to visit include Silent Valley, Spelga Dam, Cranfield Beach, Carlingford Ferry, Mourne Mountains and many more, local amenities – within 5 mins’ walk to shops, restaurant and Annalong Harbour. Pet and smoke free home located in Annalong. Contact 028 92689750 / 07747 716978.

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.

Ross Morrow A.L.C.M., L.T.C.L.

Piano Tuning

PA systems • Loop systems

Tel: +44 (0)28 9268 9468

Projectors & screens • Installation & repairs

Mobile: 07788 746992

alan@audiopromotions.co.uk www.audiopromotions.co.uk

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

To Let Spain HOLIDAY RENTAL: Beautiful 3-terraced, 2-bedroom villa in Torrox Costa, southern Spain. Sleeps 4-6. Fantastic sea views, pool open March-November. Very reasonable rates. Good availability from November 2018 to Summer 2019. All proceeds to help local missionaries and youth work. For brochure email juliechitty@hotmail.co.uk or phone 0034 651653838.

Catering MOIRA PRESBYTERIAN WILL cater for groups coming to visit Hillsborough Castle, the forest park , Dobbies, Sprucefield, Lisburn etc. Morning coffee; lunch; afternoon tea; high tea. Contact: Mrs Dorothy Cantley 028 92692454.

Miscellaneous

CROSSWORD Solution to no 247

ACROSS 1 Yule log 7 Israeli 9 Urges 10 Bethlehem 14 Goa 16 Dora 17 Shrinking 20 Dan 21 Evening 24 Lisle 26 SMS 28 Angel 30 Mailman 32 Micah 33 Noddy

DOWN 1 Youngsters 2 Leg warmers 3 Lisbon 4 Gift 5 Oral 6 Method 8 Immanuel 11 Hen 12 Ed 13 Era 15 Oh 18 Kin 19 Galilean 22 Isaiah 23 Gaggle 25 Star 27 Magi 29 Hay 30 Ma 31 No

Church AV Specialists

Services available throughout Ireland

FRIENDS AND ACQUAINTANCES of Henry Cooke, one of PCI`s greatest sons. Pr ice £5.50. Ter r i Jackson: physics.services@gmail.com; http://bibletheologyqa.blogspot.co.uk GENTLEMAN’S WHITE GOLD diamond set ring. Fourteen diamonds. Excellent condition. Unwanted inheritance. Valued for insurance replacement Euro 7,500. Accept Euro 3,500. Email: brenojoseff@ gmail.com for photos and full description.

Herald December 2018/January 2019

07855 450887

Appointment of Convener of the Council for Public Affairs Applications are invited for the Convenership of the Council for Public Affairs within the structures of the General Assembly, to take up post immediately following the June 2019 General Assembly. The position is open to ministers, elders and communicant members of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. Details of this position, including an outline of role, process of application etc., are available on the PCI Website

www.presbyterianireland.org/convenerships

Closing date for application is 14th January 2019. In the interim anyone wishing to express an interest should contact the Deputy Clerk: Rev Jim Stothers, Assembly Buildings, Belfast BT1 6DW Tel: +44(0)28 9041 7204 Email: deputyclerk@presbyterianireland.org

Hamilton Road Presbyterian Church is seeking to appoint a

Children’s Worker Applications are invited for this permanent full-time post (37.5 hours per week which may include evenings and weekends), to engage in all activities associated with the provision and development of children’s ministry. Salary will be in line with PCI salary scales band B points 1(£22,849). The essential nature of this post requires that the successful candidate be a Christian as provided for under excepted occupations in the Fair Employment Treatment (NI) Order 1998. For further information and/or job application, job description and personnel specification, contact: Mrs Tracey McMaster, Hamilton Road Presbyterian Church, Hamilton Road, Bangor BT20 4LN Tel: (028) 9147 3213 Email: office@hrpc.org.uk Applications must be returned by 12 noon on Friday 4 January 2019.

McCracken Memorial Presbyterian Church seeks to appoint a

Church Organist Information along with Application Forms can be downloaded from the church website

www.mccrackenchurch.com and returned to:

Mrs Rosemary Simpson, The Anvil, 26 Glen Road, Drumbo, Lisburn. BT27 5JR. Email: rosemaryecs@btinternet.com Closing date for applications is Monday 14 January 2019.

of Greyabbey Restaurant ofNursery Greyabbey of Greyabbey Nursery

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Call 028 427 8 8088 Call 028 427 88088 or 0774 or 5 109 4 56 0774 5 1094 56

5 minutes Call to Mount Stewart, 15 minutes to 028 427 88088 5 minutes to Mount S tewart, 15 minutes Newtownards, 20 minutes to Portaferry, 25 Call 0285 427 88088 or 0774 1094 56 to Newtownards, 20 minutes to Portaferry, minutes to Bangor, 40 minutes to Belfast.

0774405minutes 1094to56 25 minutes or to Bangor, Belfast. 5 minutes to Mount S tewart, 15 minutes • Choice of menu and final numbers are required 5 minutes to Mount S tewart, 15 minutesfive days prior to to Newtownards, your function 20 minutes to Portaferry, to Newtownards, 25 minutes to Bangor, 20 40minutes minutes to to Portaferry, Belfast. • Free meal 1 coach driver for or more 25for minutes to Bangor, 40parties minutesofto30Belfast. • Free Car parking for up to 12 coaches • Disabled friendly - all one level/disabled toilet facilities

GROUPS & PRIVATE PARTIES MENU GROUPS & PRIVATE PARTIES MENU STARTER GROUPS & PRIVATE PARTIES MENU MENU OPTIONS Homemade Vegetable Soup with Harrisons Wheaten Bread

Available Monday (and outside Chicken–STARTER &Saturday Bacon Ceasar Salad normal opening hours for parties of 30 or more). STARTER Battered Mushrooms withHarrisons Garlic Mayo SaladBread Homemade Vegetable Soup with Wheaten Homemade Vegetable Soup with Harrisons Wheaten Melon &Chicken Strawberries Cocktail with Rhubarb and Bread Ceasar Salad & Bacon STARTERS Chicken & Bacon CeasarMayo SaladSalad Battered Mushrooms withCoulis Garlic >> Vegetable soupStrawberry with Harrison’ s famous homemade Battered Mushrooms with Garlic Mayo Salad Melon & Strawberries Cocktail with Rhubarb and wheaten bread Melon & Strawberries Cocktail with Rhubarb and MAIN Strawberry Coulis >> Trio of Melon cocktail, mango passion fruit sorbet Strawberry Coulis Slow Roasted Silverside of Roast Beef & >> Breaded butterfly prawns, baby leaf salad, sweet chilli dip Yorkshire pudding, Roast Potato & Gravy MAIN MAIN MAIN 8 ozSlow Sirloin Steak with chips of or Roast mash Beef and gravy Roasted Silverside & & Slow Roasted Silverside of Roast Beef & Yorkshire pudding, Roast Potato & Gravy vegetables (£5 supp) >> Silverside Eye of Beef, Yorkshire Pudding, Traditional Pan pudding, Roast Potato Gravy 8Gravy oz Sirloin Steakfree with chips or mash and& gravy Stuffed Chicken andoption) Bacon & Mushroom Sauce& *Yorkshire (Gluten 8 oz Glazed Sirloin vegetables Steak with chips or mash andSauce gravy & Honey Salmon Parsley (£5Lemon supp) >> Pan fried chicken fillet with served on a creamy wholegrain vegetables supp) Pasta andChicken Butternut Squash, Cheese & Spiced Stuffed BaconGoats &(£5Mushroom Sauce mustard and leekand sauce* Stuffed Chicken and Bacon & Mushroom Sauce Tomato Sauce and Froccia bread (V) Honey Glazed Salmon with Lemon Parsley Sauce >> Pan fried sea bass and salsa verdi* Honey Glazed Salmon with Lemon Parsley Sauce All served with seasonal vegetables and mash Pasta andNut Butternut Squash, Goats Cheese &coleslaw Spiced >> Lentil Loaf served with potato salad, and PastaTomato and Butternut Squash, Goats Cheese & Spiced Sauce and Froccia bread (V) beetrootTomato salad Sauce and Froccia bread (V) DESSERT All served with seasonal vegetables and mash *All served withFresh a selection of Vegetables All served with seasonal vegetables andand mashpotatoes Fruit Pavlova Coconut Cheesecake DESSERTLemon andDESSERT DESSERT made Apple Pie with fresh cream Fresh Fruit Pavlova >> FreshHome Fruit Pavlova Fresh Fruit Pavlova Chocolate Brownie and Chocolate Lemon and Coconut CheesecakeSauce >> Lemon and Coconut Cheesecake Lemon and Coconut Cheesecake Homefamous made Apple Pie with freshapple cream >> Harrisons homemade warm pie with fresh Jug Juice £3with Home made Apple Pie fresh cream Chocolate Brownie and Chocolate Sauce cream (ice cream £1 extra) Chocolate Brownie and Chocolate Sauce >> Selection of Ice cream and £3 Mixed Fruit Jug Juice Jug Juice £3 2 course meal £15, 3 course meal £20 OPTIONS (tea or filtered coffee £1 extra) Please only choose one of the 4 options below for your 2GROUP course meal 3 course £20 MENU – £15, for groups of 20meal or more function 2 must course £15, 3 course £20 Pre Order be phoned inmeal at least 5 days in advance to avail thismeal discount price. (tea or filtered coffee £1ofextra) (complimentary for 1 coachwith drivercoffee for parties of 30£1 or & more) 1. £20 = Three courses tea/coffee orange Squash (tea ormeal filtered extra) MENU –forfor ofonly 20 orfrom more FreeGROUP parking ample parking up togroups 12 coaches, Tarmac drive main road 2.car £16 =–Starter and Main course with Pre OrderGROUP must be phoned in at least days in advance to avail this discount price. MENU for groups ofoffacilities 20 ortea/coffee more Disabled Friendly – all5– one level / disabled toilet Juice 50p pp (complimentary mealextra) coach driverinfor partiesto ofavail 30 orofmore) Pre Order must be phoned infor at1least 5 days advance this discount price. (complimentary meal 1 coach driverTarmac for parties of 30 or main more) Free 3. car parking – Main ample parking for for up and to 12 coaches, drive from road £16 = Course Dessert only with tea/coffee Disabled Friendly – all one facilities Free car parking – ample parking for level up to/12disabled coaches,toilet Tarmac drive from main road Juice 50p pp extra) Disabled Friendly – all one level / disabled toilet facilities 4. £17.00 = Main Course with some customers taking starter and some taking desserts Includes Tea/Coffee

Mad Hatters Afternoon Tea With A View

Monday – Saturday 12pm - 4pm (Must be booked and paid at least 24 hours in advance) Enjoy an assortment of freshly prepared delicate finger sandwiches, cup of soup, macaroons and a unique selection of mini desserts, SD Bells Loose Teas (including Harrison’s own Ballybryan tea) £16.99 per person (minimum 2 people)

Integrators of:

Professional Audio Projection / Displays Salvation Army - Bangor

Cameras Induction Loops With nearly 50 years experience in providing Audio & Visual equipment, we work hard to enable you to get the very best solution for your needs and budget. Every Church is unique and we provide the right solution for you. We visit with you and discuss your exact requirements and then provide a clear and itemised solution. Please feel free to contact us for a chat.

Duneane Presbyterian Church

Salvation Army - Portadown

St Andrews Presbyterian Church

Dervock Presbyterian Church

Abbots Cross Presbyterian Church

Magherlin Parish Church

57 Drum Road Cookstown BT80 8QS Tel: 028 8676 4059 www.reasound.com Contact : Roger McMullan

High Kirk Presbyterian Church