Presbyterian Herald February 2022

FEBRUARY 2022

The need

for recovery

WALKING THE RECOVERY ROAD A story of mental health recovery

LET THE LITTLE CHILDREN COME TO ME Returning to children’s ministry

SALT OF THE EARTH The COP26 climate conference

Save a life with

The International Christian Food Bank Donate or get involved at: www.food.gives Call 01793 317778

Office 113, Russell Business Centre, 40-42 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 6AA Email hello@food.gives Barnabas Fund is a company registered in England Number 04029536 Registered Charity Number 1092935

CONTENTS | FEBRUARY 2022

FEATURES 11 Successor to Dr Bruce to be unveiled New Moderator nominations

12 Obituary

Tribute to Dr Sam Hutchinson

14 Around Ireland at home

A fun challenge at Bushvale Presbyterian

16 Salt of the earth

Report on the COP26 climate conference

20 Let the little children come to me Reflections on returning to children’s ministry

34 How to be a resilient disciple A new book by Rick Hill

Salt of the earth p16

36 Walking the recovery road A story of mental health recovery

38 Bible engagement for the whole family

Bible Society NI projects and resources

REGULARS 4 6 8 9 13 19 23 31 32 40 42 45

Letters News In this month My story Life lessons As I see it Mission Connect David Clarke Norman Hamilton Reviews Life in PCI Ruth Sanderson

Let the little children come to me p20

CONTRIBUTORS

Cover photo: Jamie Trimble February 2022 No. 835 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

Bible engagement for the whole family p38

Catherine Little is the General Secretary of the Bible Society in Northern Ireland.

Ruth Bromley is PCI’s Children’s Development Officer. She is married to Brendan, mum to Bess and is a member of First Holywood Presbyterian.

David Clarke is a former Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland and minister emeritus of Terrace Row congregation in Coleraine.

Sharon Hastings is the author of Wrestling With My Thoughts: A doctor with severe mental illness discovers strength. She lives in Newcastle, Co Down, with her husband and son.

Editor: Sarah Harding

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

Editorial comment and signed articles do not necessarily contain the Subscriptions and Advertising: Elaine Huddleston; Suzanne Hamilton official views of the Church, which can be laid down only by the General Assembly. Acceptance of advertisements does not imply endorsement Design and Layout: of the goods or services. The Editor reserves the right to decline any Edward Connolly advertisement or letter without assigning any reason. Letters may be Printing: edited for publication. No correspondence can be entered into regarding W & G Baird Ltd non-publication of advertisements or letters.

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

Herald February 2022

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EDITORIAL

LETTERS Climate change

Recovery

Happy New Year to our readers! It’s great to be back to the usual 10 editions of the Herald for 2022.

After all the disruption to our lives, it’s hard to believe that nearly two years on, we are still on this pandemic journey, with no clear sign of when it will be over.

However, there is perhaps a sense that we are now in a recovery mode of sorts; desperately trying to regain what we have lost, or at least reclaim some of the things that we had to put aside. And there will certainly be a need for recovery as the damage is assessed, whether that be mental, physical or spiritual. Individuals and churches will have to consider how they move forward, which is perhaps a good opportunity to reflect and make positive changes.

This month Ruth Bromley looks at how churches are returning to children’s ministry and features two congregations who have very different approaches. She reminds us of the importance of not neglecting children as we must remember: “God uses his Word to impact the lives of every member of the church family.”

With more limited ways of connecting with each other, the discipleship of its members will be a key consideration for congregations. Rick Hill’s new book offers some wise advice on how to build deep roots of resilient faith. He asserts that reassessing church activities at this time is worthwhile: “…the pandemic gave us an opportunity to reflect and review how much of our spiritual activity really is helping to push spiritual depth in people.”

Norman Hamilton also calls us to reassess, with a particular focus on our attitude to social justice. With the cost of living rising at an exponential rate, many in our society will be struggling financially. Norman asks us to consider how we look beyond ourselves and care for others. He says, “Practical compassion and practical action involve costly discipleship. Faith without works really is dead – very dead.”

Recovery is the theme of Dr Sharon Hasting’s article, where she bravely tells her story of living with mental health struggles. She reminds us that as Christians we are all in recovery: “at the very least [from] the sinfulness which created our need for salvation.”

Yet this doesn’t detract from our call to live out our faith with works. As Sharon challenges us: “Every choice matters and every day we can do positive things which help us build for a future of greater wholeness. I have learnt in recovery that I do not have to wait until life is perfect before I ‘continue to do good’ (1 Peter 4:19).”

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Herald February 2022

Dear Editor In response to Stephen McDonald’s concerns about how we respond to climate change, we should consider: God has provided fossil fuels and all other resources used in buildings, their contents, our transport and other stuff. We have much to thank him for.

Burning fossil fuels and using them to make plastics and other materials releases the carbon in them as carbon dioxide. We are therefore responsible for transferring carbon stored in the earth to the atmosphere as carbon dioxide, so contributing to global warming. Rather than expecting God to step in and sort out our mess, we need to accept that how we live is damaging the earth, which he loves, and hurting our neighbours in other parts of the world already suffering from climate change.

The earth’s resources, apart from incoming sunlight, are finite. Wisdom and experience tell us that limited resources should be budgeted. This applies to us personally as well as to our governments. Therefore, we should thoughtfully and carefully plan our use of the earth’s finite resources.

Psalm 104, which Stephen refers to, takes us on a magnificent panoramic sweep across mountains, pasture, forest and the oceans; stopping

off to observe animals, birds, and people too, going about their daily lives. Towards the end, the psalmist zooms in, portraying the intimate affectionate relationship between the Creator and his creatures. We have failed to adopt God’s attitude and his ways in relating to the natural world. Our ‘labour’ (v23) has disrupted God’s provision by destroying habitats (tropical rainforests) and dumping our waste (pollution and plastics).

As followers of Jesus, how might we live differently as consumers so that we “live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work....” as Paul prayed for the Colossians (1: 9–14)?

Ethel White Belfast Dear Editor The letters page of the Autumn edition of the Herald requires some clarification. The World Council of Churches now accepts anthropogenic climate change as fact (WCC Executive Committee statement November 2021). A call for action is endorsed by PCI Moderator, Dr David Bruce, in the same issue of the Herald, as he encourages congregations to be good stewards.

Now as we move to better technologies once again, we can leave the fossil fuels in the ground. God does not need our help to solve the climate crisis but Micah 6:8 calls us to

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

act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with him. Theologically the planet does not need saving but there is a need to promote climate justice urgently.

A more progressive tax system could be used to subsidise further the renewable energy industries and the electricity bills of those on low incomes.

Research proceeds apace into better battery technology for storage of energy (BBC Radio 4, 22/10/21). Green hydrogen may well have a role also.

The impact of years of peat extraction has had a much greater damaging effect than modern wind turbines on vital uplands ecosystems.

Work on developing wind turbines which mitigate the danger to bats and birds is also taking place now (BBC Radio 4, 25/10/21) and blades will soon enter the circular economy. The manufacture of all-new renewable energy infrastructure is best situated beside sources of cheap clean power e.g. steel works beside hydroelectric projects in Sweden. As we now live in a global village, sustainable jobs should be welcomed wherever they are created.

Rev Allen Sleith encourages us as disciples of Christ to cherish the planet and all its inhabitants. He recommends Riders on the Storm by Alastair McIntosh to avoid both optimistic denialism and pessimistic alarmism.

Mark Dick Ballymena

Northern Ireland centenary Dear Editor I am writing to ask the question why our Church did not have a special service to give thanks for our country, namely, Northern Ireland for its 100-year anniversary? I

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.

know there already has been an ecumenical service to mark partition, but it was hardly appropriate to mark 100 years of Northern Ireland. At that service, Northern Ireland, I am led to believe, was hardly mentioned by name.

The vast majority of our members are proud to belong to Northern Ireland and I feel it would be appropriate to mark our country’s centenary in its own right. There is much to thank God for in the past 100 years of our existence.

We can try to be politically correct but even then, it was snubbed by those who do not recognise Northern Ireland.

We have so much to thank our God for when it comes to Northern Ireland: not only the achievements of our country but also for those who paid the supreme sacrifice to give our children a future and stop a civil war. In addition to this, we have those who still bear the scars of terrorism, many of whom are Presbyterians. I am hoping the Presbyterian Church will consider an appropriate service to commemorate our country.

John Mulholland Co Antrim

Covid vaccinations and passports Dear Editor In your Autumn Herald there was a summary of the debate on Covid vaccination and passports. I was disappointed with some of the comments expressed publicly by men who I have respected for many years. I am well into my 70s so I remember as a child stark issues around polio and other killer and disabling diseases.

Vaccination has been a central part of our childhoods and let’s not ignore Third World countries with no vaccinations where children die horrible deaths every minute.

Almost 3,000 families in this province have had to say goodbye to a sealed coffin over the last 22 months.

None of those families would come out with some of the comments made at Assembly.

A few months ago, in Derry, a young mother died giving birth and the child survived.

We witnessed the father sitting beside his wife in a coffin and child in a cot urging people to get vaccinated. That was not a statistic but a sad fact.

In the Western Trust, I have seen the devastating impact of Covid in our hospitals. We lost 350 people; real loss, real families. We had staff exhausted in ICUs working 13 hour shifts for 10 days in a row. We have consultants who had to decide who must go to palliative care and who could get the last bed in ICU. All that puts the Assembly comments into perspective. Vaccines provide 90% of people with hope against a killer disease, that is better than people with no vaccination having no hope.

There are those who knowingly put the lives of others at risk – if having a passport makes it easier to control such people then I will carry a passport in the same way I will happily carry a national passport.

Sam Pollock Antrim

Westminster Confession of Faith Dear Editor As a blow-in to Northern Ireland and Union Theological College in 1994, I annually took ministerial students through the Westminster Confession of Faith and regularly got the question: “When we subscribe to the Confession, are we committed to everything in it?”

I tried to answer the question

by referring to the documents and practices of PCI. I became aware of a dilemma. In PCI, we recognise Scripture as the supreme standard of the church, and the Confession as a subordinate standard. It takes a lot of study to understand the Confession properly and many additional years (in my case, at least one lifetime) to test it by Scripture.

To oversimplify: the Catholic Church has sometimes talked about ‘implicit faith’ – you believe something because the Church teaches it. Conversely, Protestants have said that we should believe something on the basis of biblical, not church, authority. Yet we have got ourselves in PCI into a ‘Catholic’ position, for no ministerial student or elder has the time needed to test the whole Confession by Scripture before they are licensed or ordained.

Hence, they are always subscribing to it as a whole on the authority of the Church, not of Scripture.

The October General Assembly has further complicated the subject of subscription. At the graveside, a PCI minister will sometimes say that the person is no longer with us, but has entered another life. That is what the Confession teaches: between death and resurrection, believers exist as disembodied souls. But the Assembly accepted a report on human identity which explicitly said (among other things) that a man or woman is a body. If this is true, the Confession is false. Presumably, no intention to deny the Confession was intended. But denial was achieved.

So what exactly are we doing when we subscribe to the Confession?

Stephen Williams Honorary Professor of Theology, Queen’s University Belfast Herald February 2022

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NEWS | IN THE ROUND Centenary initiative goes ‘Beyond These Steps’ PCI is continuing to mark the centenary of the partition of Ireland and the formation of Northern Ireland with a series of four seminars, the first of which has taken place in Ballykeel Presbyterian Church. The seminars explore the themes introduced at PCI’s principal centenary event, ‘On These Steps’, which was held in September at Union Theological College in Belfast.

Entitled ‘Beyond These Steps – Reflecting on challenges and opportunities for the next 100 years’, the seminars are primarily aimed at the Presbyterian community. Taken together, all four forums provide a framework for an internal conversation that seeks to recognise the shared history that there is on the island of Ireland, while promoting a thoughtful and open dialogue within the denomination itself.

The seminars focus on different audiences, from young adults and border communities to urban, working class, loyalist communities – the latter being the focus of the Ballykeel seminar. The final event will involve key decision makers within PCI. Learning from each of the previous three seminars will feed into this final session, with discussion centred on what challenges the Church’s reflections on the centenary might have for it and how they might be addressed in light of changing relationships on the island of Ireland, and with the rest of the UK.

Weathering the Storm Pictured at the official launch of PCI’s World Development Appeal ‘Weathering the Storm’ are Chris Thompson (Tearfund’s church partnership’s manager), PCI Moderator Dr David Bruce and David Thomas (Christian Aid Ireland’s church and community manager).

Retirement marked in Kinghan The Kinghan Church recently held a special service to recognise the retirement of Lindsay Conway as Council for Social Witness Secretary. Mr Conway was presented with a specially commissioned painting of the church to recognise his great help and support over the past 19 years.

Dr Tony Davidson, convener of PCI’s Peace and Reconciliation panel, leads a ‘Beyond These Steps’ seminar

Changing habits Gathered church is back but habits have changed, according to the Evangelical Alliance.

Its ‘Changing church’ report suggests that the pandemic is impacting people’s habits in relation to church attendance, with a reduction in weekly in-person attendance and an increase in fortnightly or monthly in-person and online attendance. This change in attendance habits seems to be having an impact on volunteering numbers and congregational giving.

Rich Powney, lead theology researcher at the Evangelical Alliance, says, “The church continues to face a changing, and at times challenging, landscape. Yet this is also an opportunity to reflect and reset, to ask strategic conversations and hold formative conversations as we learn some lessons from lockdown. As we do this, let’s pray that we all remain committed to making Jesus known through our words and actions.”

The report found that most churches are back to in-person services (95%) and a majority of churches are continuing to offer online services too (61%). The average in-person attendance at church services has dropped by 32%, but this is largely due to people attending less regularly and is potentially offset by a rise in people attending online.

Almost 60% of church leaders have perceived a decrease in volunteering and 24% of churches who offered youth ministry before the Covid-19 pandemic are not currently offering youth ministry. There also seems to be a downward trend in relation to congregational giving.

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Herald February 2022

4 Corners Festival The 4 Corners Festival 2022 is a 10th anniversary celebration that begins in St Anne’s Cathedral and ends in St Peter’s.

This year the weeklong series of thoughtprovoking events will be around the theme ‘Common ground, common good’ and includes participants as diverse as boxer Carl Frampton, the Archbishop of Canterbury, and Dr Austen Ivereigh, the Pope’s biographer.

Events take place between 30 January and 6 February, somewhere across Belfast’s four corners. For a full list of events go to: https://4cornersfestival.com/

Appointment Dr Nicola Brady has been appointed as general secretary of Churches Together in Britain and Ireland.

Since 2016, Dr Brady has served as General Secretary of the Irish Council of Churches and the Irish InterChurch Meeting.

Expressing his gratitude for her outstanding contribution, Dr Ivan Patterson, Dr Nicola Brady with Dr Ivan Patterson and Bishop Brendan Leahy. president of the Irish Council of Churches, said, “Nicola is someone motivated by her rich faith in Christ and his call to ‘love our neighbour’. While we will miss her insightful and skilled leadership, she leaves a significant legacy on which we can build for the future.”

IN THE ROUND | NEWS ‘Devastating impact’ of abortion law The Pro Life Campaign (PLC) has called for an end to the silence surrounding the ‘devastating impact’ of abortion law in the Republic of Ireland, and on the country’s spiralling abortion rate that has resulted in a 70% plus increase in abortions in just two years.

At an event held outside the Dáil, the PLC launched its new document ‘Ireland’s Abortion Law: End the silence’, which outlines what the organisation wants delivered as part of the Irish government’s three-year review of the abortion law.

Eilís Mulroy, spokesperson for the PLC, said, “After the law changed in 2019, 13,243 legal abortions were performed in the first two years. This represents a massive 70+% increase in abortion in that short space of time, a far cry from the promise made by senior members of government before the 2018 referendum

‘Deep disappointment’ as MLAs reject abortion bill PCI Moderator Dr David Bruce has expressed his disappointment at the defeat of the Severe Fetal Impairment Abortion (Amendment) Bill during its consideration stage at the Northern Ireland Assembly, saying the result “sends a profound message to society about the value that is placed on all human life”.

Dr Bruce said, “We are deeply disappointed that this legislation was rejected by a very narrow majority of MLAs. The Bill sought to provide protection for children where there is a diagnosis of non-fatal disability before birth, including conditions like Down syndrome.”

He added, “The decision by MLAs sends a profound message to society about the value that is placed on all human life. Within PCI we affirm that all human life has value and dignity, because of our belief that we are all made in the image of God. We believe that our worth and identity derives from this principle, rather than a subjective judgment about quality of life, and the ability to make a contribution to wider society.”

e-quip+ To stay up to date with the latest resources, events and training for your congregation’s life and witness, sign up to E-quip e-zine at www.presbyterianireland.org/ equip

that abortion would be ‘rare’ in the event of the referendum being passed. Right now, women are being kept in the dark about abortion alternatives...

This appalling situation cannot continue.”

Rural chaplain Rev Kenny Hanna has been inducted as PCI’s new rural chaplain under a three-year pilot scheme. He has now commenced this exciting new mission venture in the areas covered by the Down, Iveagh, Newry and Armagh presbyteries, with the aim of supporting farming and rural families as they live with issues of isolation, challenges to mental health, economic pressures and changes in the regulatory and trading context – and in so doing exercising a pastoral and missional ministry.

To receive regular updates on Kenny’s work, contact the Mission Department on +44 (0)28 9032 2284 or mission@presbyterianireland.org

Pictured at the commissioning and induction service of Rev Kenny Hanna as the Presbyterian Church in Ireland’s first rural chaplain at Mourne Presbyterian Church, Kilkeel, are (left to right) PCI’s Chaplaincy Secretary, Rev Robert Bell; Acting Secretary to the Council for Mission in Ireland, Rev Jim Stothers; PCI Moderator Dr David Bruce; Mr Hanna; moderator of the Presbytery of Newry, Rev Robert McClure; and Rev Gareth McFadden, convener of PCI’s Rural Chaplaincy task group.

Social care support package welcomed PCI has welcomed the announcement of a oneoff support package for domiciliary care staff in Northern Ireland, but has said real root and branch change is needed.

Lindsay Conway, in his capacity as then Council for Social Witness Secretary, said, “Over the last 19 months the social care system has been tested above and beyond its limits. Along with other social care providers, and the sector in general, the biggest issue facing us is staffing. We operate almost permanently with considerable staffing vacancies, as attracting and retaining staff has become increasingly more difficult.

“I can’t stress enough that we must grasp the big issues of underfunding, terms and conditions, pay, creating a career structure within the sector, and address both the use and cost of agency staff.

We need to give the care of older people and those with additional needs the highest priority. This is why we welcome the review of the social care sector and call upon all parties to take the hard decisions, the necessary root and branch decisions, required to implement long-overdue and necessary change in this area.”

A picture of hope Bill Corr’s image of two travellers walking together across a snowy Cave Hill above Belfast earned him top place in the Moderator’s photography competition.

People of all ages in PCI were invited to send in a photograph they had taken of what ‘Hope at Christmas’ looks like for them. Nearly 200 entries were received by the six-person judging panel, which included PCI Moderator Dr David Bruce.

Mr Corr, who lives off the Shore Road and has attended Alexandra Presbyterian Church in north Belfast for the past 45 years, was delighted when Dr Bruce called him to say he had won.

“I was surprised to get the call from the Moderator, but very pleased. My photograph is of two people on a journey along a snowy cold path to journey’s end and the hope of reaching that final destination. It reminded me of the hope that Jesus brings, especially at Christmas, and the journey we are on with him,” Mr Corr said.

Herald February 2022

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IN THIS MONTH...

February 1989

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

They like noise but they face a wall of silence Graham Connor

How is our Church getting on with young people? In the countryside our congregations compare favourably with other groups. We are able to hold onto many young people…

In the greater Belfast area things appear to be different… the traditional forms of youth work no longer attract young people except those brought up in homes committed to the life and work of the congregation…So what can be done to present the unchanging gospel in a way that rings true to young folk today?

I for one believe that we can learn from the past…The founders of most of the uniformed organisations we have in and about our congregations saw the need to reach out to young people outside the life and work of the churches of their day…

How different we find it today. Most of our youth organisations no longer cater for the sort of young person these original founders had in mind. Rather, at worst, they become somewhere for the ‘church’ young person to go…

We need new visionaries who don’t just look back to days when the church halls were filled with young people, but who are looking back to recapture the spiritual motivation of what was done in the past…

Recently I was in a drop-in centre in Limavady.

The hall is packed on most nights of the week, full of fairly rough young people, mostly with no church background…Here Christians from various denominations are reaching out to these young people…

But what happens if some of these young folk are interested in the gospel, and even come to faith? What awaits them in our worship and fellowship times?…

They like noise but they face a wall of silence; they have time on their hands, most are out of work but they see people rush away as soon as the service is over… We need to be welcoming and attractive in our areas of fellowship and worship…

Go out and discover the sort of young people who live in your area… and in prayerful approach to God, see how he would guide you forward…

Running out of room in Kilkenny

Kilkenny’s growing Presbyterian congregation has run out of space. One solution being considered is the excavation of a basement to create a hall, kitchen and toilets beneath the existing buildings.

Five years ago, the little church, established by the Home Mission on the Clonmel Road near Kilkenny town centre in the late 1840s, had a congregation of 35. Now the church is regularly filled to its 120-seat capacity and provision of a balcony is being considered…

Also from February ’89 8

Herald February 2022

Belfast solicitor Pat Finucane was shot by the UDA

Sky Television begins broadcasting in Britain

Religious ads on TV ‘a possibility’

Religious advertising on radio and television, which is banned by the Broadcasting Act, could become a reality within the next couple of years.

The Independent Broadcasting Authority has already relaxed its rules for charity advertising and now has issued a consultative document suggesting that the rules could be further relaxed.

Currently, religious charities cannot advertise their religious aims…

Golden jubilee

Sydney Bankhead unveils an engraved glass panel to mark the golden jubilee of Eglinton congregation at Carr’s Glen, Belfast. Also in the picture are four members of Session, Rex Ruddell, John Murray, Hugh Hayes and Robert Reeves.

From 1852–1938 the congregation worshipped in Eglinton Street. When porting to the suburbs in 1938, the congregation carried the old name with it.

Fatwa ordered on The Satanic Verses author Salman Rushdie

MY STORY...

John Ryan tells the story of his father, Rev Dr Victor Ryan, a retired Presbyterian minister who recently celebrated his 97th birthday.

I

From Donegal to Donaghadee and beyond

Above: Victor with the late Elaine Ryan and daughter-in-law, Jessie Ryan.

Left: Victor with Rev Derek Weir (his first assistant minister in Cliftonville) at a recent service in Whitehead Congregational Church.

n the summer past, Rev Dr Victor Ryan celebrated his 97th At Cliftonville Victor got involved with the Boys’ Brigade birthday, another milestone in an incredible journey. and became their chief cook and bottle washer on their annual Born in the village of Dungiven in Co Londonderry, camps to the Isle of Man and Morecambe. He also taught the son of a policeman, he grew up in the nearby town of Religious Education at Belfast Royal Academy two days a Limavady with sister Betty. During that time, he worked as week. Unfortunately, that part of the city got embroiled in the delivery person for a family business, Smyth Grocers, delivering Troubles, but he had the wisdom and foresight to move the groceries on a bicycle. Subsequently after finishing school, he church to what is now Ballyhenry Presbyterian in 1972. went to Magee College in Londonderry where he was an avid Subsequently the good people of Donaghadee called him to hockey player and became an Inter-Pro player. There he met the First Donaghadee in 1975 and the family had some of the best love of his life, Elaine, from Castlederg. She was the daughter of days of their lives in the seaside town. the famous Master Sloan, principal of the local school; Elaine The city, however, was always a strong connection and in 1984 was also involved in hockey. They spent many times in the small Victor was called back to it, this time to First Ballymacarrett, village of Maguiresbridge where Great Uncle White was the which is sadly a church no more. But there are many happy Church of Ireland minister and Great memories of it as all four of his children – Auntie Jean kept a watchful eye! Victor John, Gillian, Alison and Heather – were A traditional minister, then went on to Union College to study married there by himself. It was in that Victor was always for the ministry. church that he completed his Presbyterian It has been a long road from there, ministry and retired to the quiet village of knocking on doors and beginning in Donegal town in 1949, then Ballynure in Co Antrim in 1994. on to Milford and Kerrykeel in 1951. He encouraging young However, not content in retirement, bought his first car there – a Standard – he was asked by the late John Thomson people. but he did not have a driving licence and if he would do a couple of services in drove it all the way home in first gear!

Whitehead Congregational Church and There he met Danny Ward who is still a great family friend, the journey continued; his ministry there was his longest (16 now living in Melbourne, Australia. Danny managed to crash a years) with his final farewell service being in January 2011. car one night killing a donkey. He went to the manse for help Victor is well-travelled – family holidays were always in a and the Garda turned up asking who was the next of kin (of the Sprite caravan. He has had the privilege of being able to go to donkey).

Canada, USA, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, Israel, the A man by the name of David Donnan, another long-time Holy Land, France, and Spain; all good memories. friend, came to Kerrykeel and as a result Victor was offered A traditional minister, Victor was always knocking on doors the opportunity to move to the big smoke of Belfast and and encouraging young people. Despite the loss of his wife Cliftonville Presbyterian Church in 1960. There he became of 65 years, Elaine, in 2016 he continues in good health and friends with a Samuel Kerr, who was the church officer and told has made it through the current pandemic crisis. It has been a him, “If I have to wears robes, you do as well!” Sammy once long road but a good one, now in his 98th year. As one of his was clearing the snow from outside the church and brought the assistant ministers, Rev Brian McDowell (retired), still says he Bible in before the service with his robes and wellington boots! personally learnt from the best, “A home going minister makes Another long-time friend, Sammy’s was the first wedding that a church going people.” Hopefully, God willing, he will get a Victor conducted in Cliftonville. letter from the Palace on his 100th birthday.

Herald February 2022

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NEWS | PCI

Resources New free youth resource

Leading small groups

‘Bite-size’ is a flexible, downloadable discipleship tool which can be used in any congregation to help young people, aged 11–18, learn God’s Word in a way that connects to their lives.

The first Bite-size sessions are on the theme of identity and will help young people understand key biblical truth about who they are in light of who God is and what he intends for their lives.

The resource is free and can be downloaded from www.presbyterianireland.org/bitesize

Small groups provide amazing opportunities to go deeper in Bible study, grow closer fellowship and push into prayer with others in our church. However, small groups can also be challenging to lead as we try to facilitate discussion and help everyone contribute in ways that are valuable to their growth.

The ‘Leading small groups’ resource provides practical guidance for small-group leaders, exploring how to shape small groups to be fit for purpose as well offering practical pointers on how to facilitate and develop better conversation. There are free video resources for leaders to watch along with a brief leaflet that can be purchased, offering some top tips for small-group facilitation.

To download the free video clips or to order copies of the leaflet, go to: www.presbyterianireland.org/leadingsmallgroups

Women’s ministry ‘Inspirations’ is a resource for women’s ministry designed to provide PW groups and women’s ministry leaders with programme ideas, devotionals and creative guides based on biblical themes.

The new edition focuses on the theme ‘Deeper together’, based on Romans 12:10: “Be devoted to one another in love. Honour one another above yourselves.” Available from 12 February at: www.presbyterianireland.org/inspirations or through the office – call +44 (0)28 9041 7257; or email pw@presbyterianireland.org

News

‘Another look?’ is a resource for congregations to use in the task of reconnecting with core and fringe members and those beyond the reach of church activities. The cost is 10p per copy, with a minimum order of 10. For full details and to order go to: www.presbyterianireland.org/anotherlook

Events

PCI chaplains

Latest Rekindle session

PCI has over 50 chaplains serving in healthcare, prisons, forces, universities and rural communities, some full-time and others part-time.

They continue to exercise extremely important pastoral and missional ministries in the challenging circumstances of Covid-19.

All our chaplains greatly appreciate the prayers of many throughout our Church, especially as the pandemic continues.

February’s ‘Rekindle’ session offers an opportunity to get leaders in your congregation together in your own church premises for a digitally facilitated conversation, to consider how best you can build momentum in a variety of areas of church life as restrictions gradually ease and opportunities for ministry begin to increase.

‘Rekindle: Taking stock and edging forward in youth ministry’ takes place on Tuesday 22 February between 7.45pm and 9pm. To book, go to: www.presbyterianireland.org/events

New prison chaplains PCI has a vital and valuable ministry and mission within the work of the Northern Ireland Prison Service – at HMPs Maghaberry, Magilligan and Hydebank Wood College and Women’s Prison, as well as at the Woodlands Juvenile Justice Centre, Bangor. Within the past few months, PCI is delighted that new part-time chaplains have been appointed for both Magilligan and Hydebank Wood.

Called to Hungary Rev Nigel and Mrs Antónia Craig have been called to serve as global mission workers in Hungary. They have been invited by the Bishop of the Transtibiscan Church District of the Reformed Church in Hungary to serve in a church planting and pastoring role amongst the 7,000 or so international students in the University of Debrecen, some of whom come from countries not easily reached with the gospel. Antónia will encourage and support the church plant through translation and hospitality. Nigel and Antónia hope to depart for Hungary in May.

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Resource for reconnecting

Herald February 2022

Presbyterian Women leaders’ webinar ‘Intentional leadership’ is the title of a PW leaders’ webinar taking place on Saturday 12 February, between 10.30am and 12pm.

This live online event is for anyone who is involved in leading a women’s ministry/PW group, PW LINKs or serving on the committee.

It offers an opportunity for leaders to gather to watch, learn and discuss together. It has been designed for groups meeting together in congregations or LINKs in a venue of their choice, but individual group leaders, committee members or anyone who is involved in women’s ministry may also benefit from joining on their own.

To book, go to: www.presbyterianireland.org/ presbyterianwomenintentionalleadership

Young adults’ event Assembly Buildings, Belfast is the venue for a young adults’ event taking place on Friday 4 March from 7.30pm.

‘Now?’ is a night for 18–25-year-olds from across the Presbyterian Church in Ireland to gather for food, worship, teaching and discussion.

It will give an opportunity to explore and discover more about God’s purposes in this stage and season of life through a dynamic programme with various contributors speaking into the themes of discipleship, wellbeing, friendship and church.

Watch out for future details for how to sign up on PCI social media.

Successor to Dr Bruce to be unveiled Mark Smith outlines the process for electing PCI’s next Moderator and the names that have been put forward.

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n February of last year, Dr Bruce became the first Moderator since 1894 to serve a second consecutive term, his having been the only name forwarded by presbyteries for formal consideration. This year, however, presbyteries will meet separately across Ireland on Tuesday 1 February, with a choice of four potential nominees for the post of Moderator of the General Assembly for the year 2022–2023.

Reflecting on the last time presbyteries met for this purpose, Rev Trevor Gribben, Clerk of the General Assembly and General Secretary of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, said, “In February 2020, when presbyteries ‘met normally’ and nominated David Bruce for what was to be his first term as Moderator, no one knew what was just around the corner, and how the pandemic would impact so much of our lives, including the process of electing our Moderator the following year.

Rev John Kirkpatrick, Dip Th (PTFI), BSc (NUU) John Kirkpatrick has been minister of Portrush Presbyterian Church since 1993.

Born in 1956, John was ordained assistant minister of Megain/ Mersey Street Presbyterian churches, Belfast in 1985, before being installed as minister of Garryduff Presbyterian in 1987.

“I genuinely give thanks to God, that the rhythm of our church life is gradually returning, and once more ministers and elders from our 500-plus congregations the length and breadth of this island can come together to prayerfully select a colleague to be nominated as our next Moderator,” Mr Gribben said.

The names which will be considered for nomination are: Rev John Kirkpatrick; Rev Dr Colin McClure; Rev Dr Trevor McCormick; and Rev Alastair McNeely.

Mr Gribben explained that any of the four names may be proposed, seconded and voted on in a presbytery. If more than one is proposed and seconded the presbytery will continue to vote by secret ballot until one name has received the majority support of those voting. That minister then becomes the person for whom that presbytery has registered their vote. The minister who receives the support of most presbyteries becomes Moderator-Designate, and will be

Rev Dr Colin McClure, BSc (QUB), BD (QUB), MSSc (QUB), D Min (PTFI) Colin McClure has been minister of First Larne Presbyterian Church since 2003. Born in 1962, he was ordained assistant minister of Fisherwick Presbyterian Church, Belfast in 1990 and installed as minister of Loughbrickland and Scarva Presbyterian churches in 1993.

Colin was convener of PCI’s Personnel/Planning committee (2000–2004) and State Education committee (2010–2014). He has been clerk of the Presbytery of Carrickfergus since 2014.

nominated to the General Assembly for election as Moderator.

The Clerk concluded by saying, “Having been elected for a second term by the October 2021 General Assembly, Dr Bruce told us that he sincerely hoped that the extension of Moderatorial terms of service would not become ‘habit forming’. In sharing that hope, I look forward to working with whoever succeeds David this coming June, as they continue to serve the Lord Jesus Christ by taking on this important role in the life and ministry of PCI. As always, they will certainly be deserving of our prayers.”

The name of the Moderator-Designate will announced via PCI’s social media channels on the evening of 1 February.

Mark Smith is PCI’s press officer.

Rev Dr Trevor McCormick, BA (CNAA), BD (QUB), D Min (Covn) Trevor McCormick was installed as minister of First Kilrea Presbyterian Church in 1986 and with Boveedy Presbyterian (stated supply) in 2009. Born in 1958, he was ordained assistant minister of First Carrickfergus Presbyterian Church in 1984.

Trevor was convener of the Presbyterian Residential Trust committee (1996–2003) and PCI’s Council for Social Witness (2015–2020). He has been clerk of the Presbytery of Coleraine and Limavady since 2016.

Rev Alastair McNeely, BA (UU), BD (QUB) Alastair McNeely was ordained assistant minister of Ebrington Presbyterian Church in 1991.

He was called to Richhill Presbyterian Church in 1993, where he has served as minister for nearly 30 years. Alastair was born in 1962.

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OBITUARY

“A

Tribute to Very Rev Dr Sam Hutchinson

quiet and effective servant of Christ, and of his Church and of God’s purposes.” That is how former PCI Moderator Dr Sam Hutchinson has been described.

The comments were made by Dr John Dunlop, himself a former Moderator, during a service of thanksgiving for Dr Hutchinson held in Railway Street Presbyterian Church, Lisburn.

“He loved the church and thrived in the responsibilities and the work involved,” said Dr Dunlop.

Born in 1937, Dr Hutchinson spent his earliest years in the Springfield Road area of Belfast. Tragedy struck the family, though, when he was just five years old – his mother died a few days after the birth of his only sibling, May. The two young children were looked after by their grandmother, with regular visits to their father. Dr Hutchinson worshipped with his family at Berry Street, and attended Forthriver Primary School and Belfast Inst before graduating from Queen’s University Belfast with an honours degree in Classics.

He then went to Assembly’s College and was a diligent student, graduating with a Bachelor of Divinity and later Master of Theology degrees. His ordained assistantship was with Rev James Dunlop in Oldpark, in those days one of the largest congregations in PCI. He was then called to Gilford which was united with Clare, where he remained for 14 years. While at Gilford he met his future wife Margaret Kerr, a member of First Lurgan.

Dr Hutchinson became Deputy Clerk to Dr Tom Simpson in 1985; succeeding him as Clerk in 1990 – a post he held for

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13 years until his retirement in 2003.

Describing the position of Clerk of the General Assembly as one of the most important and demanding positions in the Presbyterian Church, Dr Dunlop said, “No one knows what a day will bring forth, when the advice of the Clerk might be sought... Jesus advised us in the matter of generosity, that we should not let the right hand know what the

He was an exact man, thorough in his knowledge…but he was also compassionate and understanding. left hand was doing; so it was with Sam Hutchinson. Sam was discretion itself.”

He was called to the Moderator’s chair in 1997 and Dr Dunlop explained that during his year in office, “Sam and Margaret were guests at the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church USA, an inter-church relationship of enormous historical and contemporary significance, not least in the Troubles.”

Furthermore, he was Moderator in the year of the Good Friday Belfast Agreement, “which was a year of complexity and hope when politicians needed encouragement to reach a political accommodation across fractures of bitterness, misunderstanding and hurt,” added Dr Dunlop.

Dr Hutchinson filled many important roles within PCI. He served as clerk of Iveagh Presbytery and convened a number of Assembly bodies, including the Jewish Mission, the

Racism committee, and the Peace and Peacemaking committee. He represented the Church in many of its local and international ecumenical bodies, and following his retirement, became a pastoral assistant in Windsor Presbyterian Church.

“He was an exact man, thorough in his knowledge of the ethos of the Church and of the Code, but he was also compassionate and understanding,” added Mr Dunlop.

Tributes were also paid by Rev Michael Davidson, minister of Railway Street, where Dr Hutchinson had attended for the past 31 years. He spoke of his reputation as a diligent and highly competent Clerk, but added that he also had a keen sense of humour “which brought a much-needed degree of levity to what at times were difficult meetings.”

He added, “Dr Hutchinson was always regular in attendance at [Dromore] presbytery and when it came to difficult questions regarding procedures and the laws of the Church, it was not unusual for the clerk of presbytery or the moderator to call upon Dr Hutchinson to share his understanding and wisdom and, of course, he did that with the spirit of gracious humility for which Dr Hutchinson was known.”

Extending his sympathies to the family, PCI Moderator Dr David Bruce described Dr Hutchinson as a faithful servant of the Church who carried his significant responsibilities with “precision, determination, insight and grace”.

He added, “The Presbyterian family across this island will miss him, as will I personally.”

PERSONAL VIEW

Life lessons Kim Smith

Deputy manager of Sunnyside House, a PCI-run residential home for older people.

When I left school, which seems a long time ago, I began my career in the personnel department of the civil service. I left to have my children and was a stay-at-home mum until my eldest was three and my youngest was eight months. I then started to look for something that would enable me to work and still be available for the children. Night work seemed a good option and so I became a night care assistant in Sunnyside in 1986. I have been there ever since, which speaks volumes about how much it means to me. I have been told that I am the longest serving member of staff in PCI (but I am not the oldest!). As my children grew older, I was able to develop my career and now I am the deputy manager of the home.

My role involves supporting the manager in the day-to-day running of the home. We provide care and support for 45 residents, ensuring that all standards and guidelines are met. No two days are the same in my job! Along with looking after residents, we have a large staff team that needs to be managed. Rotas need to be planned and we ensure that all staff are trained in necessary procedures to improve their skills and knowledge. Residents’ records need to be maintained, and ordering and dispensing medication is a major task within the home.

My life is based on my Christian beliefs and I have been able to share my faith with staff and residents. God has opened doors for me to be able to support those needing prayer.

We are also privileged as staff in Sunnyside to be able to lead morning worship daily with residents. I believe it is important to not only look after their physical needs but also to tend to their spiritual needs. Most of these residents are no longer able to attend church so we bring church to them.

and staff were continually having to observe for any signs of emotional stress with residents. Our already busy workloads were increased as we had to put measures in place to socially distance everyone in the home and organise PCR testing for staff and residents. No longer were we able to show a smile as our faces were hidden behind compulsory face masks. Our ‘normal’ disappeared.

We continue to struggle with ever-changing government guidance. Staff shortages puts a strain on us all, increasing frustrations. But I work with a team of hardworking staff who are dedicated in supporting our residents during these times.

Together we have prevented Covid from coming into the home.

Psalm 30 is one of my favourite psalms. “Sing praises to the Lord”. That is my favourite part of church, or even when I am at home – taking time to turn my attention to God and forgetting about anything that’s bothering me and focusing on him.

There have been three times in my life when I have been really ill. I have been diagnosed with breast cancer twice and experienced a severe form of chemo treatment. Then at the start of the pandemic in 2020, I became very ill with Covid-19. It was during these times that I experienced the closeness of God. He saw me through those times and when days seemed dark, he used people and circumstances to continually show me that he was in control of my life. My faith was strengthened and I learned to trust him more.

When I had Covid, I became very weak and I was not physically able to focus to pray or read the Bible. But God’s people are faithful, and friends and church family prayed for me. I am thankful for how they prayed me through that time to recovery.

When I was diagnosed with cancer for the second time, I began to read a book called Hinds’ Feet on High Places

by Hannah Hurnard and it has remained a favourite of mine. It is an allegory and the main character is called Much Afraid; she goes on a journey to the ‘High Places’ with two companions, Sorrow and Suffering.

During the journey she faces many obstacles and learns many lessons which I could identify with. I would recommend this classic as the story reveals that the High Places can be To explore job opportunities working within the care sector with PCI, please go to reached when you stay close to the Shepherd. www.presbyterianireland.org/jobs

Over the years in my different job roles, I have found working in a care home to be extremely rewarding. The shift will never be boring and sometimes it will be a rollercoaster of emotions.

For some residents, we are all they have. We look after and get to know people in our care, helping us to provide a good quality of life. We are involved in providing hobbies and activities too.

The challenges of Covid-19 in Sunnyside have been many and are continuing. With lockdowns, relatives were not able to visit family members,

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CONGREGATIONAL STORY

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Bushvale Presbyterian member Julie Adams tells of her church’s virtual tour.

o you ever wish that you could time travel? Jump into a Tardis like Dr Who and go back in time (or forwards)? Let’s go back to Sunday 15 March 2020. My husband and I sat with the teenagers (no social distancing then) in our Bible class and told them that we didn’t know what would be happening with Bible class or the church service the following week.

By the next Sunday, schools were closed, and our Sunday school, Bible class and the Sunday morning service had gone online. Over the next few months our congregation, Bushvale Presbyterian in County Antrim, did various online activities as well as the Sunday morning services – quiz evenings, a craft afternoon for children, recording worship songs, midweek meetings and games nights on Zoom, and a sunflower growing competition.

Now let’s fast forward to April 2021.

We were just coming out of another lockdown. Schools had been closed again, church buildings too. Everyone was weary and fed up. The novelty (if it ever had been a novelty!) of staying at home and doing church online in our pyjamas

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It made me realise again that, while I have my…

Bushvale church family, we are all also part of the wider Presbyterian Church in Ireland family.

had long since worn off. We were allowed to meet together for our Sunday morning services again, even if we did have to wear masks and stay apart.

But our question was – how could we keep a connection with other people?

Our answer – let’s walk/run/cycle (virtually) around Ireland. Crazy idea?

Maybe. But the congregation of Bushvale jumped on board and joined in.

Now, did you know that the perimeter of Ireland is approximately 3171 kilometres (1970 miles)? And did you know that it is possible to walk, run, or cycle this distance in just four weeks? Me neither! But that’s just what Bushvale Presbyterian, just outside Stranocum, did last year.

It was an open challenge to anyone in Bushvale (and anyone else who joined us online) to walk, run, or cycle whatever distance they wanted to each week.

Distances were noted and sent in and a map was produced to show how far we had been. A photo challenge was also set each week – photos of walking shoes, trainers, scenery, cups of tea or coffee, and our four-legged furry friends. Anyone could join – adults, teenagers, families – as long as we followed the current Covid guidelines and kept our distance, or walked in our families or support bubbles.

On Monday 10 April, Easter Monday, the ‘Around Ireland at home’ challenge began. We started at the north coast of Ireland at Ballycastle Presbyterian Church where Rev John Stanbridge is the minister. Initially I thought that we would maybe walk as far as Larne

…each Presbyterian congregation could ‘adopt’ a global mission worker and walk/run/cycle to them virtually to support them in their work… (my home town) but that idea was soon blown out of the water… we reached Dublin. Ballycastle to Dublin (virtually) in just one week – 419 miles. So, our first ‘pit stop’ was Greystones Presbyterian Church where my minister, Rev Kenneth Crowe, and his wife Honor had been part of a CSSM team in the past. Members of Bushvale congregation donned their walking boots or trainers, got on their bikes, and clocked up a lot of miles.

In week two we left Greystones Presbyterian Church and travelled all the way along the south coast as far as Limerick – an incredible 557 miles to a Presbyterian church there called Christ Church. We discovered that, unlike churches in Northern Ireland, churches in the Republic of Ireland were still unable to have actual services on a Sunday morning. We also learnt that, at that time, this church had no minister and a minister may have to look after

four congregations. For the following week, week three, we left Limerick and travelled another 535 miles to Donegal.

We realised that Donegal Presbyterian is a church quite like Bushvale, with different organisations for different age groups. And an interesting fact for us – the minister is Rev Stephen Richmond, a County Antrim man. Our final week saw us ‘coast’ home around the north coast – a total of 419 miles back to Ballycastle and even some extra miles to get us back to Bushvale again.

So, what was the aim behind this? To connect us together as a church family both in Bushvale and throughout the island of Ireland, to have a common goal, and to have fun while still remaining apart and staying safe. It really was amazing each week to see how far we had travelled, which congregation was nearby, and also to find out a bit about the different congregations and pray

for them. It made me realise again that, while I have my own family and my Bushvale church family, we are all also part of the wider Presbyterian Church in Ireland family.

So now what’s next? Well, I’ve been thinking about that. So many people in Bushvale have told me that they really enjoyed this challenge so how about this idea? We walk/run/cycle (virtually) to Zambia where we have a link with a Presbyterian global mission worker, Diane Cusick. Crazy idea? Maybe. But I’m sure she’d make us a virtual cup of tea when we arrive. And if any other congregation wants to join us…feel free.

Or wouldn’t it be even better if each Presbyterian congregation could ‘adopt’ a global mission worker and walk/run/cycle to them virtually to support them in their work and let them know that they are still part of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland? How cool would that be?

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Salt of the earth

Michael Jemphrey reports on the COP26 conference last November.

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n November 2021, the two-week COP26 climate conference which was hosted in Glasgow, drew attendance from a diverse and international crowd, attracting intense media focus.

Those who attended included: world leaders (with a couple of notable exceptions) who came for the first two days; country negotiators from 190+ countries who took over for the detailed negotiations; UN bodies, including the World Health Organisation; major companies, including Microsoft and those who invest in fossil fuels; professionals who offered their scientific, economic and political expertise; facilitators who aimed to make the scientific research on climate change understandable to the public on the street; protestors, who came with their floats and banners; and indigenous people groups who live in areas most affected by climate change.

Many young people, including Greta Thunberg, were disaffected by the COP process (saying it is just ‘blah blah blah’).

However, the Young Christian Climate Network, motivated by righteous anger

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and courage, were able to organise a relay from Cornwall to Glasgow, respectfully speaking truth to politicians along the way. Other young people with Youth With A Mission (YWAM) and Tearfund held daily meetings for prayer in local churches and outreaches on the streets.

To me they were bringing a distinctive, Christ-like, salty taste to the debate.

Most importantly, our Sovereign Lord God was present. From his Word we know that he is passionate about caring for the humble and the poor in their plight. We also know that he calls his people to be the light of the world and salt of the earth (Matthew 5).

What was COP26 like?

It was a weird and wonderful mix. The queue to get in was like that at a rugby

…burning fossil fuels is wrapping an extra blanket around the earth, causing us to overheat.

international game at Lansdowne Road among a friendly crowd of 30,000. Across the city it was like festival time, as events were offering many interesting sights, including: Quakers on the pavements fasting; political activists; church groups; indigenous people in colourful traditional costumes; and marches with floats, cyclists, bagpipers and more.

Inside the official zone was like an academic conference with hundreds of presentations about reducing reliance on fossil fuels, saving the forests, restoring the soils, and making healthier food.

In the Christian centre where we lodged (dubbed ‘Base Camp’) the atmosphere was like a church youth camp, for most of the network of Christians were in their 20s, along with a handful of wannabe young people like myself. This network organised getting us official observer status with the UN.

Why go?

I work for Wycliffe Bible Translators and its sister organisation SIL International, which partners with indigenous communities around the world to work on translating Scriptures. I went to COP26 to learn how we can best help.

The translation principles we use in translating the Bible can be transferred.

For example, tackling the challenges of translating key terms such as ‘forgiveness’ and ‘covenant’ are similar to the challenge of translating ‘virus’ and ‘transmission’ (in health materials) or ‘fossil fuels’ and ‘carbon emissions’ (in the domain of climate change).

In addition, there is the crucial wisdom of indigenous communities with whom we work. There is no point exporting pre-packaged solutions from ‘developed countries’ which take no account of local conditions, knowledge and culture. We have witnessed the disastrous results of such an approach too many times. Rather we all need to marry local knowledge and global knowledge to properly care for the earth which nourishes us. For that we need another skill used in translation: intense, careful listening to everything that words evoke in another culture.

Here is one example of where this is happening: In Nigeria, SIL’s team have listened as farmers talk of their farming as a dirty, second-rate occupation. In response they have developed ‘Faith and Farming’ workshops using the translated Scriptures to aid farmers overcome this harmful self-evaluation. Understanding that God gave Adam the task of tending the garden already helps. Building on this, farmers learn to value local practices like composting and waste reduction,

…the following summary about climate change… it’s real; it’s us; experts agree; it’s bad; there’s hope. which create healthier crops, animals and land, compared to reliance on imported modern chemical fertilisers, which degrade the soil and which involve fossil fuels to produce and to transport.

What is so dangerous about burning fossil fuels?

In Glasgow we met Christian climate scientist and author Katharine Hayhoe.

She explained that without any carbon, the earth would be frozen. Until the 19th century the amount of carbon (280 parts per million) produced the ideal temperature for human life to flourish.

But burning fossil fuels is wrapping an extra blanket around the earth, causing us to overheat.

It also produces air pollution and hazy skies which burn our lungs. This can be seen in places like Delhi, Beijing, California and London. It is like forcing our children to chain smoke cigarettes.

According to a coroner in a recent case in London, nine-year-old Ella Kissi-Debrah died of air pollution. Children, older people and anyone living with respiratory disease are all at risk from the resulting toxic air. Added to this, burning fossil fuels also causes our oceans to be more acidic, disturbing the conditions ideal for life in the seas.

We considered the following summary about climate change in 10 words: it’s

real; it’s us; experts agree; it’s bad; there’s hope.

So where is the hope?

“Climate Justice!” was the outcry heard daily in every forum, march and protest against the powerful who are destroying, exploiting and polluting the earth for selfish gain (perhaps in ignorance decades ago, but with full knowledge today). So there was much sadness and anger in and around COP. Where are the glimmers of hope in all this? And how can we Christians add salt to reinforce these glimmers?

A glimmer: People are realising that the situation is critical. Over 190 nations made an agreement which is somewhat amazing in itself, even though no one is claiming it is good enough.

People are asking, “What sort of home do we want to leave our children and our grandchildren?” Some people and companies are taking matters into their own hands.

Adding salt: For Christians, ‘hope’ is a discipline – not wishful thinking. We know God has not abandoned us and he works through his people. Augustine of Hippo said, “Hope has two beautiful daughters; their names are Anger and Courage. Anger at the way things are, and Courage to see that they do not remain as they are.” In our history William Wilberforce is an example of someone who persisted in hope in his fight against slavery. At that time people couldn’t imagine economic life without slaves. Today people can’t imagine life without oil and coal. But there are lots of options God has provided.

A second glimmer: There is a move Herald February 2022

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away from agriculture which extracts goodness from the soil, to practices like composting, mixing trees and crops.

Adding salt: The Faith and Farming workshops I mentioned above are creating a lot of excitement among our colleagues and partners and moves are afoot to expand the training across different countries and continents.

A third glimmer: ‘We need to do this together’ was an official strapline at COP26. Here was a smidgen of humility that there is no one silver bullet to fix this.

Adding salt: Although I am aware that we (the church, including myself ) have been by no means blameless in this, it was encouraging to network with many Christians on the front line involved in scientific research, and those developing farming methods which nurture the soil.

Others are writing on the theology of sabbath (giving rest to the earth) and self-discipline (being content without grasping). Still others are involved in advocacy, education, and intercessory prayer around climate change. As translators, we talked and shared our hopes and dreams, and others welcomed the contribution we could make as together we seek to fulfil our role as the salt of the earth.

Practical steps In Matthew 5:13 Jesus said, “You [plural, ‘you all’] are the salt of the earth,” so thankfully we don’t have to work this out

on our own. Here are some suggestions; as you read through them, ask God for wisdom on how they apply in your situation.

Follow the example of the General Assembly and examine what your investments are supporting. PCI is divesting from coal and oil. Make sure your investments are in ethical funds and being used positively towards sustainable development goals such as: clean water and sanitation; affordable and clean energy; sustainable cities and communities; responsible consumption and production.

Follow the example of one of our team in Glasgow and express our lamentations about the loss we are experiencing.

“Lament began to do what it is intended to do. It gave me language and an outlet

…we need to marry local knowledge and global knowledge to properly care for the earth which nourishes us.

for the loss we are experiencing while beginning to open space for an imagination capable of hope.”

Initiate discussions by asking questions in your own networks about some aspect of climate change or creation care which concerns you.

As it becomes part of our common culture it will become unacceptable to continue to pollute our earth, like it has become unacceptable (on a smaller scale) to pollute the atmosphere of a room by smoking in the presence of others.

Support holistic mission with a vision of flourishing communities, as our own Presbyterian Church and its different mission partners seek to act together across the continents.

Talk with your church fellowship about setting up a creation care task force or become an eco church. You could buy Katharine Hayhoe’s book, Saving Us, or watch her series of videos online in a small group (available at tearfund.org), so you can act with increasing knowledge and love (Philippians 1:9). Pray that the Lord would show you as a fellowship what you can do to act together as the salt of the earth.

As you finish reading this article, pray that the Lord would show you the next step that he would want you to take in response.

Michael Jemphrey is a member of Knock Presbyterian Church, Belfast and a translation consultant with Wycliffe Bible Translators.

PCI minister attends COP26 Presbyterian minister, Rev Cheryl Meban, was part of a five-strong delegation from Christian Aid which took part in a Glasgow demonstration at the UN climate summit, COP26.

The thousands who filled the streets of the Scottish city demanded that political leaders tackle the planetary emergency and its impacts on the world’s most vulnerable people. Included in the local delegation’s luggage were thousands of origami paper boats, which joined a Christian Aid ‘flotilla’ of ‘little boats’ displayed in a Glasgow cathedral to coincide with the summit.

The boats were made by Christian Aid supporters, including First Ballymena Presbyterian Church member, Dr Mark Dick. The Co Antrim GP and his scout troop made boats to symbolise that although we are all in the same storm, we aren’t in the same boat when it comes to dealing with the impact of climate change.

Thanking all those involved in the campaign, Christian Aid Ireland chief executive Rosamond Bennett said, “The voices of concerned citizens, climate activists and faith communities are growing louder as we demand real, immediate and lasting action to avert a climate catastrophe. The seas might be rising but so are we.”

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AS I SEE IT...

Disability is not a tragedy Rev Stephen Lowry

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ecently, our MLAs voted on legislation that would have We prefer the absence of suffering rather than discovering amended new abortion laws introduced to Northern its meaning, the absence of pain rather than experiencing its Ireland by the Secretary of State, Brandon Lewis MP. purpose, the removal of grief rather than receiving its growth. I These new laws include no time limit for abortions can see now the futility of my words when trying to articulate of babies with non-fatal disabilities such as Down’s syndrome, the experiences of my heart, and the paradoxes of a sorrowful club foot, or oral clefts. The amendment was being proposed to joy and a welcome tragedy. remove discrimination against babies with a disability, and to My heart was heavy when the result of the vote became affirm the equality of humanity regardless of ability. The vote public. It was further burdened when I saw self-righteous was 45 to 42 to reject the amendment. Just over half of our local posting on social media from MLAs proclaiming to be MLAs voted not to protect the life of an unborn child with a ‘delighted’ and ‘relieved’ to have voted against the amendment. non-fatal disability. (I wonder did your MLA represent you in I fear that our politicians are so blinded by their own dislike of this vote?) one another that such issues can become I had the privilege of being involved in …it was hard for me as a opportunities for political gain, rather the deliberation stage of this Bill and was than ethical issues with real and grave parent not to be offered the opportunity to consult with consequences. I was, and am, despondent some of our MLAs. I was not speaking as our direction of travel as a society and offended, that precious at a theologian, nor as a pastor. I was asked the apathy with which this decision was children like our Rose can greeted. And it was hard for me as a parent to share my experience of someone thrust into the world of disability, when we to be offended, that precious children now be destroyed right not became parents to Rose, who was born with like our Rose can now be destroyed right profound mental and physical disabilities. up to birth… up to birth; discarded as unwanted for My words were that of a father of the very being imperfect. In the quest for a life type of child that this amendment was attempting to protect. free from inconvenience, it is those whom we deem to be I was eager to express to the Stormont Health Committee, inconvenient who will now pay with their lives. I’m angry at that the scenario being described as a tragedy is not. A baby such injustice and oppression of the vulnerable. “Forgive them with a disability can be considered a tragedy because he or she Father, for they know not what they do.” will cut across the grain of our hopes for perfection. Disability is However, in spite of such dismay, I can glean some gladness. seen as an intruder into how we expect life should be, or want it I’m glad that Rose is incapable of understanding such to be. But our own honest experience is as far from a tragedy as things, and that she doesn’t have the capacity to process such can be. To quote my wife, “Our story is not a tragedy, it’s a love callousness. I’m glad that as her parent I will not have to explain story.” to her that her own society considers her death in the womb Rose has ushered us into a world of emotions previously a legitimate alternative to her inconvenience outside of it. I unknown. Undoubtedly we’ve experienced sorrows, and consider myself blessed beyond what I deserve to have the heartache, and worries that are unique to special needs, and it privilege of showing her every day that she is precious, valued, would be disingenuous to deny that. But there is also a deep and loved, and that she will never feel, or even suspect that she and profound joy in our world of special needs that is as equally is a tragedy. hard to deny. This joy is in the same cup as the sorrow, and we I also know comfort when I remind myself that the value of have to drink them both. her life is not, and can never be, determined by the actions of It’s a joy, I think, that is rooted in the act of caring. It’s a joy politicians, who in their darkness call evil good, and good evil. that comes from the act of kindness and an exercised offering The rejection of this amendment does exactly nothing to change of kindness over a lifetime. It comes from a focused life of the fact that all human life is given dignity and worth by the affirming the dignity of the vulnerable and weak. I have found a One who ordained it, formed it, and impressed upon it the tremendous sense of meaning and life purpose in these things.

Imago Dei. Ultimately, it matters very little what politicians say, I understand why disability is mistaken as a tragedy. I or how they think about babies with disabilities in the womb. understand why given the choice most people would keep There is a higher, purer, and more just authority than Stormont disability as far away from them, and their children, as possible.

– to which we will all bow – and for that, I’m grateful.

Herald February 2022

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Let the little children

come to me

Ruth Bromley reflects on how churches are carrying out children’s ministry in this season.

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t’s interesting to note that children don’t feature very prominently in the Bible story. Particular children pop up here and there in what is largely an adult driven narrative. However, that doesn’t mean children are unimportant to God or in the life and work of his church.

In Matthew 19:14, Jesus spoke those well-known words to his disciples, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” They are a reminder from the lips of the Master himself that welcoming children, and making the life and worship of the community of God’s people accessible to them, is important.

One of the challenges of the period following the lockdowns in which it

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became possible to deliver a stripped back version of church life was how to do so in ways that still accommodated children and their families. So, what have we learned about ways of including children in our church life, from the challenges of welcoming and then facilitating the return of children to church as pandemic restrictions eased?

Every congregation’s experience and approach will be slightly different.

Having the children with us throughout the whole service is a blessing to them…

Jamie Maguire, minister of the congregations of Drumbanagher and Jerrettspass and Kingsmills, and Nicky Bradley, children’s director of Knock Presbyterian, offer their reflections.

Jamie writes: I was surprised to learn that many congregations were experiencing difficulty encouraging young families to return to worship following the easing of Covid-19 restrictions. In the congregations of Kingsmills and Jerrettspass, the trend seems to be different. I don’t believe we are doing anything special, other than the very special act of worshipping the one true and living God.

Throughout lockdown, along with a letter and order of service, I sent out a short and simple worksheet for children to complete during their time of worship.

It had questions related to the sermon, as well as the psalms, hymns and children’s talk. There were many enjoyable Sunday afternoons during lockdown when the children’s parents would WhatsApp me pictures of their worksheets. This was a huge encouragement to me at the time and I suppose, on reflection, it was a fairly straightforward way of making the children and their parents feel valued.

As minister, it is my responsibility and privilege to build relationships, so far as is possible, with all members of the congregation. Since our return from lockdown, I have tried my best to make all the children feel ‘at home’ in public worship by welcoming them, addressing them specifically at various points during the service and speaking to them as they leave.

At present, because of restrictions, our capacity is limited but not yet exceeded, so we no longer livestream or record the services. (We do have a podcast of the audio for the few people who cannot leave their homes.) This encourages everyone to be gathered in-person with the covenant people of God and not to neglect meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing.

It is a delight to have children in worship along with all of God’s people because while they may be the church of tomorrow, they are no less the church of today. In Kingsmills and Jerrettspass, we believe that public worship is a time for all, from the youngest to the oldest, to be gathered together. As one, we give glory to God and receive from him the blessings and benefits of Christ. As pastor of the congregations, I want to commend the parents in Jerrettspass and Kingsmills for continuing to come to worship along with their whole family throughout the last number of months.

I know that having young children with you during the service is not easy, and that many snacks are required, but I do believe the blessings outweigh the difficulties.

Having the children with us throughout the whole service is a blessing to them as they sit under the ordinary means of God’s grace. It is also a blessing to the adults because we are encouraged

to hear the praise that God has called forth from children and infants. Our limited capacity means children must stay with their parents throughout the service of worship, so we have continued the worksheets to keep them engaged. The pandemic has allowed us to lean into the conviction that children should remain through the entire service.

I do hope restrictions will continue to ease but I have no simple answers for children, young families or anyone else.

I know however, Christ does and will continue to communicate the benefits of redemption to his people no matter what age they are, through his ordinary means of grace.

Nicky writes: Lockdowns, and the absence of in-person church services, provided churches and parents the opportunity to refocus on the home as the key place for discipleship and those best placed to nurture faith in their children. However, it has also been a reminder that parents were never meant to do this alone. Being part of the church means belonging to a community of faith, with a responsibility to pass on faith to each generation. Being connected to the body of Christ also means building friendships with peers who can encourage each other to keep going on their journey of knowing Jesus. For children, developing connections with both adults and other children within the

…as we have continued to meet…we focus on what we can do, rather than what we can’t.

church community, can be a formative faith experience. Meeting together is important!

As restrictions eased, we began to think of how to best shape Sunday mornings, in light of both practical considerations, but also a desire to connect children with each other, and with others, in the church community. We restarted our Sunday morning kids’ programme, called Lighthouse, last September, taking first steps towards regathering the children.

We have been in and out of a few more lockdowns since then, but when it has been possible to meet, it has been a real blessing to reconnect children with each other and with the Lighthouse team.

Whilst there have had to be changes to how we run our Sunday morning ministry, the goal behind it is still a ‘head, heart and hands’ approach to encouraging each child in their faith journey. This has been especially important as children continue to process what they have experienced during the pandemic, and learn to connect their faith with the reality of their everyday life. Praying with and for the children and encouraging a confidence in who God is, and his love for them, has been key.

We began simply and had to adjust our usual programme, which normally would have involved a large degree of Herald February 2022

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active learning. However, as we have continued to meet, our confidence levels have grown as we focus on what we can do, rather than what we can’t. When it was possible, we went outside to do part of each session with games, small groups and re-enacting Bible stories. We’ve used videos, quizzes, learned memory verses, used actions to songs and craft activities – all based around our key Bible story for that week or month.

This term, with our primary-aged children, we have focused on rebuilding time together in small groups, to give the children that time to connect with the Bible story, connect with each other and their leaders, and ultimately to connect with God. Our pre-school age children and P1s meet together in a separate group and have enjoyed using play dough, making crafts and hearing stories about Jesus. It is still not quite ‘normal’, there can be frustrations for both the children and the team, and there are challenges to make it happen, but for those who have been able to come, it has been worth it.

Our crèche has recently restarted and this has been a blessing to families with young children, many of whom have not known anything other than life in a pandemic! The team has focused on creating a welcoming environment in which the love of Jesus can be shown in this very practical, but important, ministry to families.

Through all of this, we are learning a lot as we put our trust in God, relying on the Spirit to work in the hearts of children and families who walk through our doors each week.

The preaching of the Word from the pulpit is no more powerful…than the reading of a Bible story to a toddler.

In reflection We need families in our churches: to hear children’s voices; to see them participate within the life of a congregation; to learn from and teach them about what it means to follow Jesus. And in many places, families have returned as we have been able to meet again. There are

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also those who have not, and may never, return; maybe church was simply a tradition rather than a desire to be an active part of the church family.

Others may need some confidence to rejoin the church family again regularly.

Having children within corporate worship is important. We want them to see what it means to be in church, to worship together, to watch participation in Communion, to celebrate baptism. Having opportunities for intergenerational worship is vital to any church community. And, as in families, different ages in a church family learn from and share with each other in many different situations, both joyful and difficult. That is what church is about: learning from each other and serving together as we strive to follow Jesus every day. If children do not have the opportunity to be within corporate worship at all they can miss out on so much. For example, the Lord’s Supper, or Communion, is one of the best visual illustrations of what Jesus has done for us and children often miss seeing it. Making full use of the time when all ages are worshipping together can have massive benefits for both the children and the adults and it advances the faith of the whole family.

But we also want to provide them with age-appropriate, solid Bible teaching, using active learning when possible, which church services are not normally designed for, and to interact with leaders of children’s ministry. We need to disciple them in following Jesus for themselves and to challenge them in growing their faith at different ages and stages. The Bible teaching for children is as important as that for adults. What happens in the church sanctuary is not more significant than what happens in a back hall where children’s ministry is held. The preaching of the Word from the pulpit is no more powerful in how God uses it than the sharing of a Bible passage

with a group of eight-year-olds or the reading of a Bible story to a toddler.

In Isaiah 55:10–11, it says: “As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”

We need to remember the crucial place there is for teaching the Bible to the younger generations and know that God uses his Word to impact the lives of every member of the church family.

Ensuring that children have adequate discipleship opportunities in church needs to be coupled with encouraging families to share faith within the home.

Parents need to know that they are not on their own and resourcing families to grow in faith together is an important role of the church family.

We know well the account from Matthew 19 where parents bring their children to Jesus and, when the disciples try to put them off, Jesus becomes indignant and shows something of the place that he has for children within his kingdom.

Jesus’ interaction with children shows us the importance that he placed on them and the command that we are not to hinder children in coming to him.

Whether all ages are together or there is time for children’s ministry that is age appropriate and separate, we need to point them to Jesus.

“Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.’ And he laid his hands on them and went away.” (Matthew 19:14–15)

FEBRUARY 2022

MissionConnect

God’s Word is not chained

God’s Word is not chained Tom Dowling

Mission news from workers around Ireland and the world.

The Father’s provision Gary and Mary Reid Together Rev Gary McDowell Reflections Margaret Robertson Perseverance Csaba & Ilona Veres

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.

Chaplaincy in the third wave Rev Norman Harrison

Including February prayer diary

God’s Word is not chained

Tom Dowling

Irish mission worker in Kilkenny

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ver the past couple of years, some of our regular especially during a time when face-to-face meetings were not outreaches have been hindered by the Covid situation. possible.

Nevertheless, we have experienced the truth that “God’s We are thankful that we have been able to resume market Word is not chained”. Just as the first lockdown began, a man I outreach and door-to-door visitation where we have found had shared the gospel with many times phoned wanting to know great openness and had some very good conversations. One how to get right with God. sprightly lady of 90 years has We talked at length about read Ultimate Questions and …we are thankful that we’ve been able salvation and the gospel. A requested another copy as she few days later he phoned had passed the first one on to to resume market outreach and door-to-door again to excitedly announce a friend! Another elderly lady, visitation…we’ve found great openness that he had gotten through having heard the gospel, said to God. He had understood she was going inside right there and good conversations. he needed to trust Jesus but and then to call upon Jesus. could never get to that place I continue to spend Friday until now. We’ve been meeting and talking by phone regularly mornings serving in the local Christian bookshop. since that date. Pray that he will grow in his understanding of the I have become involved in a locally organised pilot programme things of God. for men, which is designed to get men walking and talking.

A community centre Bible study has had to move online, where It’s been another opportunity for meeting new people in the we’ve had an unforeseen blessing, in that a number of people who community and has provided good openings for sharing the live outside Kilkenny joined with us. One lady and her husband gospel. Thanks to all who pray for the work in Kilkenny. It is very have since begun to attend church. much appreciated.

The men’s Bible study and another small group study also continued online, as well as a one-to-one Bible study with another Please pray: man, who by God’s grace has professed faith during this past year.

• Pray that those who have professed faith will grow as Christians.

I have been preaching from time to time in Kilkenny and in other • Pray for continued, and fresh openings to share the gospel in churches when the need arises. Time has also been spent keeping 2022. in contact with people by phone and text, and seeking to meet • Pray for conviction of sin to come upon people, and for more practical needs. hunger in people’s hearts for the truth.

For a number of months during the level five lockdown period, • Thank God for Jonathan and Liz Currie, our new minister and we ran daily online prayer meetings to seek God in prayer. These his wife. were great times of encouragement as we prayed together, Mission Connect | Herald February 2022

The Father’s provision

Gary and Mary Reid

Global mission workers in Kenya

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here are times when what we meet, and what we endure, contaminated were emptied, cleaned and made ready for when press heavy on the soul. On more than one occasion our Lord sent rain; much clothing and shoes were supplied to one recently, the encouraging words of 1 Corinthians 15:58 were of the church families with the aim to help the community and given to our hearts by our tender Beloved. He rallied strength church projects; and our Father made it possible that equipment within our hearts, and we were could be donated to Narok able to stand firm.

County Referral Hospital and We pray that our Father will be greatly Upon returning to the to the elderly and disabled Mission, we encountered rats within our Limuru Presbytery. glorified as individuals and families have almost daily, one having a How we pray that our Father received much-needed equipment and supplies. will be greatly glorified as quaint little nest (furnished with babies) in the office, and individuals and families have we could only but laugh when we noticed that their intricate received much-needed equipment and supplies. nibbling design had left unscathed two field mice and all of Through our Father’s provision, the Mission was able to assist one Ecclesiastes 3 on what had once been a country scene hanging in of the local government primary schools with water tank fittings, our kitchen. and steel-framed windows for one of their classrooms, whilst Despite the destruction, our Father kept our hearts content. We another was provided with guttering to help the school catch were not significantly moved, even when the Mission greeted much-needed rainwater. Materials were also brought in to provide safari ants, bees, hornets and snakes or when we knew the itchy a perimeter fence, alongside a gate, for this school. remnants of tick and flea bites. But with additional struggles, Of course, each week the church families gather to worship our there were days when we felt overwhelmed…however, as always, Lord and how we look to him to continue working by the power of God’s Word was a comfort to our hearts. Even in all these things his Holy Spirit in the lives of these beautiful people. We thank God and many other forms of wrestling, with God’s help and by his for continuous opportunities to witness for him and to share and enabling, thus far we could let nothing move us. teach others about him.

Despite challenges and hurdles we have been giving ourselves fully to the work of our Lord and doing everything as unto him.

Please pray: Seeking our Lord’s will, and with his help, many things that were • Pray for the souls of the Maasai, that God’s Holy Spirit will broken were fixed, or replaced, and a few unpassable areas of continue to work mightily in the lives of these people. dirt road repaired. The borehole was enabled to be back up and • Pray that God will enable us to follow his leading and that we working again using decommissioned materials; the fence (broken will always be obedient to his Holy Spirt. by elephants) also was fixed; the rainwater tanks which were Mission Connect | Herald February 2022

Together

Rev Gary McDowell

Greystones Presbyterian Church

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y favourite word, as the congregation in Greystones We were delighted when we were allowed to resume in-person knows well, is the word ‘together’. I love that word. services and, because our building is small, we started a second Working together, playing together, worshipping service for families with children which worked out brilliantly – together. So much of life is enhanced when it’s done together. families around tables learning, worshipping and praying together.

That’s the way God planned it of course. Living life in community We started the process of electing new elders in 2019, but under the love of God. when Covid hit, the process The last almost-two years has ground to a halt. Happily, as So much of life is enhanced when it’s done meant that togetherness has the situation changed, we been seriously challenged. In were able to make progress together… Living life in community the early days we, like many and we added Jen Robinson churches, had to adapt quickly and Bobby Davison to our under the love of God. to changing circumstances. leadership team.

But we were blessed to have I was so encouraged this some members who had the skills and tireless commitment to Christmas that we were able to have our carol service – a highlight make sure that even if we couldn’t physically meet together, we of the year for so many people. Last year we were unable to have would be able to meet together virtually. This new technology it, but this year, even with all of the restrictions, it was the most has continued to allow us to connect, not only with our own beautiful evening. It felt like a triumph, a celebration of Immanuel! congregation, but also with the wider world – something that may And as we look forward, we look forward to seeing what the Lord not have happened under normal circumstances. will do. His plans are perfect and, whatever his plans may be, we In the early days of the pandemic I did a Facebook live broadcast are privileged to be allowed to be fellow workers ‘together’ with every day at noon to encourage our own congregation and, him (2 Corinthians 6:1). indeed, those who tuned in from further afield. One of our members, Terry, also did a weekly talk from his garden shed, and even today Terry’s Shed Talks are eagerly anticipated every Monday.

A number of things, like our parents and toddlers’ group, our Please pray: Time Travellers kids’ club and our men’s breakfast get-togethers • Give thanks that the Lord has sustained us and blessed us had to stop. A mission trip had to be cancelled. But other things, during uncertain times. like our six home groups, managed to continue via Zoom.

• Pray that our eldership will be full of faith and wisdom in leading Technology, despite its limitations, kept us connected and we us forward. are grateful for that. But folk in Greystones are good at staying in • Pray that the new year will bring new depth in our discipleship. touch anyway; caring for each other, looking out for each other, • Pray we can be light and salt in a fast-growing town. even when times are challenging.

Mission Connect | Herald February 2022

Reflections Margaret Robertson

Deaconess in Elmwood Presbyterian Church

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s I reflect on this time last year, although there are still people that I came in contact with over that time that stays with uncertainties, I feel that things are very different now. me. It has been a real privilege and joy to get to know and share Thanks to the roll-out of the vaccines, we are still not in in the lives of many people, both in Elmwood and Gardenmore lockdown. Being apart from people on a daily basis is difficult. (where I served previously). In many ways I look forward to a new This was all too evident when start in my life, but I know last September we were able that leaving people I have to start back many of our How often do we fall into the trap of worrying grown close to will not be organisations and people easy. As I have discovered from more about the programmes and the running of past experience, leaving one were so keen to come and be together. the organisation, rather than caring and getting place and going to another, I have the joy of being a part the good relationships you of the toddlers’ and Young make are never really lost. to know those who come? at Heart groups in Elmwood.

Thankfully, as I leave my work When we recommenced and service in Elmwood, I in September, both groups did so on a much simpler scale. We know it will continue as those who help and serve God in toddlers limited the numbers who could come to toddlers and both groups and Young at Heart really do care for those who come faithfully to simplified the catering, keeping it to tea, coffee and a biscuit. The both organisations. result of cutting everything back meant that we had so much more time to get to know and interact with those who came, rather than focusing on all the preparation work that needed to be done. How often do we fall into the trap of worrying more about the programmes and the running of the organisation, rather than caring and getting to know those who come?

When we consider that God’s plan from the start is for us to have Please pray: and to be in relationships, the importance of getting together and • Pray for those who are continuing to serve the Lord in the caring for each other is what really matters. Our Seniors’ Christmas different organisations, that they may know God’s leadership party in particular stands out as although numbers were low, in all the decisions and changes that are created by evolving those who came, despite the cold room which had to be well circumstances. ventilated, stayed and chatted long after the programme was over • Pray too that they may have opportunities to share God’s love because they were just so happy to spend time with each other. in their words and actions and that relationships will continue At the end of January, I retired from my time as a serving to grow. deaconess. As I reflect back over the years it is the memories of the Mission Connect | Herald February 2022

Perseverance Csaba & Ilona Veres

Global mission workers in Romania

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t may not be a surprise that in 2021 the Cambridge Dictionary from hospitals early to free up beds and create Covid wards, word of the year was ‘perseverance’. Defined as “continued effort putting extra pressure on the homecare services, impacting to do or achieve something, even when this is difficult or takes community care nurses like the Diakonia nursing team. a long time”. In 2021, people all over the world have had needed With each patient they visit, extra care is taken to safely and perseverance in the face of challenges and disruption to our lives compassionately support patients and their families and give the from Covid-19. Lockdowns, curfews, home-schooling, cancelled best care possible, for this is an opportunity to reflect God’s love events and exams have all taken their toll and weariness has and grace. descended. Surely then it is Fortnightly the nursing no surprise that perseverance staff meet for Bible study, …extra care is taken to safely and was looked up more than fellowship, prayer and 243,000 times! encouragement, which is led compassionately support patients and their The writer to the Hebrews,

by Csaba. This support group families… for this is an opportunity to writing largely to Jewish offers nurses a space to reflect Christians who faced many and communicate their fears reflect God’s love and grace. pressures, is well aware of the and stresses, a place to gain struggle to endure in faith and strength from God’s Word and the temptation to give up. In chapter 10 he calls us to persevere, a time to declare the promises of God’s Word and look to Christ to reminding us of the reason why we can persevere. It is because of persevere in the days ahead. the living hope we have in the sovereignty and faithfulness of God. “Let us hold on unswervingly to the hope we profess for he who promised is faithful” (Hebrews 10:23).

Please pray: At the beginning of this year, we are particularly mindful of one • Pray that the nurses would be strengthened, protected and group in need of encouragement and prayer for perseverance in sustained during this very challenging time. faith and ministry – our Diakonia frontline workers.

• Pray for the fortnightly support group, that God’s Word would While some took a slower pace of life during lockdown or are ignite fresh hope, peace and comfort to the nursing staff. working from home, others like the Diakonia healthcare and • Give thanks for the generous funding from the Presbyterian nursing team, who provide medical treatment and palliative Church, which provided the nursing team with a new car, homecare for patients throughout the county of Cluj, have an seasonal nursing uniforms, including warm winter jackets, increased and more intense workload. Those needing care far nursing bags and PPE. outnumber the caregivers. With hospitals under pressure from • Pray for opportunities for the nursing and care team to bring the Covid patients, the need for post-operative treatments or end of message of living hope in Jesus to those they care for. life care in the home has increased. Patients have been released

Mission Connect | Herald February 2022

Chaplaincy in the third wave

Rev Norman Harrison

Presbyterian chaplain in Royal Group of Hospitals and lead chaplain in Northern HSC Trust

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s chaplains we continue to operate our ministries during With the pressures and burdens upon staff leading to high this third wave of the pandemic with faith and resilience. levels of sickness and Covid-related absence, as well as some God has been faithful to us throughout, and he continues leaving their professions, we have found that staff, particularly to bless our work and enable us to make meaningful connections lead nurses and other Allied Health Professionals, have opened with patients and staff. up more about the difficulties We are not unaffected by they are facing, and we have We count ourselves blessed to have the the pandemic, with losses had opportunities to listen, to our number through ill opportunity to engage in face-to-face ministry hear and to pray for these health and resignation, and at situations. at a time when such activity in the wider present in the Belfast Trust we Patients and families have are operating with a smaller appreciated that chaplains church has had to be curtailed. team for these reasons. This have been able to attend to means, of course, that there is their, and their loved one’s greater pressure on the fewer available chaplains, but that has not needs when there has not been the same clarity regarding access dampened our enthusiasm for this important ministry. by ministers and pastoral personnel. Our advice in general is for We count ourselves blessed to have the opportunity to engage ministers to contact the wards directly for their local policy about in face-to-face ministry at a time when such activity in the wider visitation, as the extraordinary number of Covid cases has led church has had to be curtailed due to the various restrictions in to pockets of infection all over the various hospital sites, and so operation. Our hearts go out to congregations and to ministers access cannot be guaranteed. Also our advice is to phone the ward and kirk sessions where it has been a struggle to maintain and ask permission, and let the ward know you are the person’s connections. designated minister. Please let us know about your members who However, the unique set of circumstances we have been in are in hospital, as we can visit irrespective of outside restrictions, has led to a great deal of creativity in how we have adapted, and we don’t want to miss anyone who comes into our care. embracing PPE, ensuring a professional standard in our work as a Please pray: means of confidence building among the multi-disciplinary team, and offering new resources to support both patients and staff, • Pray God protects the team still standing and brings back to us such as prayer resources, practical personal care packs, art packs, soon those who are ill or isolating. and the patient resource bank material circulated by the Northern • Pray God blesses, heals and saves through our ministry.

Ireland Healthcare Chaplains Association.

Mission Connect | Herald February 2022

FEBRUARY 2022

Please pray for...

■ GLOBAL PANDEMIC – Pray for everyone around the world affected to greater or lesser extents by the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

Pray especially for those living in countries where healthcare and state support is limited.

■ DOMESTIC VIOLENCE – Pray for all who are trapped in a cycle of domestic violence, whether physical or emotional. Pray for those who are abused and for those who suffer as their family members are abused.

■ HOME MISSION – Pray for the leaders and members of Aghada and Cork congregations, that they will have courage to love their neighbours in the name of Jesus Christ.

■ IRISH MISSION – Pray for David Boyd and the International Café in Dublin, that despite the ongoing pandemic, he can keep in contact with the students and have opportunities to share God’s Word with them.

■ DEACONESS – Sonya Anderson serves in Shore Street Presbyterian Church, Donaghadee. Pray for the church family to continue to grow strong inwardly and remain focused outwardly on the community.

■ INDONESIA – Pray for God’s blessing on the Christian Church of Sumba as they continue to worship God and share the gospel with others on the island of Sumba and beyond.

■ ROMANIA – Pray for Steve and Rosie Kennedy in their work with Cluj Christian Fellowship, and for the service on Sunday 6 February. Give thanks for the increasing opportunities they have to connect with the international community in the city.

■ HOME MISSION – Give thanks for all the members of Arklow Presbyterian Church and pray for them as they seek God’s guidance in reaching others in their community for Christ.

Steve and Rosie Kennedy

■ CARLISLE HOUSE – This residential substance misuse treatment centre offers a range of services, advice, information, treatment programmes and ongoing support services. Give thanks for the specialist ministry of Carlisle House.

■ SCAMS – Many older and vulnerable people are falling victim to a wide range of scams by telephone, email and postal methods. Vulnerability to scams is often the result of loneliness and isolation. Pray that we will all become more aware of those who are lonely and isolated in our communities.

■ CHAPLAIN – Norman Harrison is lead chaplain in the Northern Trust/Royal Group of Hospitals/Belfast City Hospital. Pray that he will encourage the other chaplains in their work and that God will give him the words to say to patients, families and staff.

■ DEACONESS – Paula Burrows serves in Ballygrainey. Pray that God will use her ministry to touch the hearts of the congregation.

■ HOME MISSION – Pray for God’s blessing on the congregation of Alt in Co Donegal near the border with Co Tyrone.

Pray especially for Alt’s minister (Rev Colin McKibben), the kirk session and all in leadership positions in the church.

■ INDIA – Give thanks for PCI’s longstanding partnership with the Church of North India and pray that God’s love will shine through its leaders and members so that many more people will put their hope and trust in Christ.

■ PORTUGAL – Pray for the growth of the Christian Presbyterian Church of Portugal, for encouragement for its leaders and members and for the Comunidade Pedras Vivas church plant in Senhora da Hora, Porto.

■ STAFF VACANCIES – Pray for vacant staff positions currently advertised, that there will be a positive and encouraging response.

Give thanks for the role that our Personnel Department plays in the recruitment of Council for Social Witness staff, especially under difficult circumstances during the pandemic.

■ HOME MISSION – Pray for the life and witness of Carlow and Athy congregations and for the minister, Rev Stephen Rea. Give thanks for a number of immigrants who have joined Carlow congregation.

■ KENYA – Pray for Naomi Leremore and members of the Theological Education

by Extension writing team as they prepare resources to help people grow in their Christian lives.

Rachel Cubitt

■ CHAPLAIN – Pray that the Lord will continue to bless John Coulter’s links with the Christian Union at the Ulster University (Coleraine campus), so that he can be a useful resource to the young leaders there.

■ HOME MISSION – Pray for God to bless the life and witness of Aughentaine congregation and minister, Rev David Curran.

■ MALAWI – Pray for the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian, and Blantyre, Livingstonia, and Nkhoma Synods in Malawi, especially for their healthcare ministry and church-run hospitals and clinics. Pray for protection for staff and for better resources, especially as the pandemic continues.

■ COMMUNITY OUTREACH – Pray for Mark Annett in First Rathfriland as he coordinates the congregation’s community outreach work and seeks opportunities to lead people to Christ.

■ HOME MISSION – Give thanks for the three linked congregations of Ballina, Ballymote and Killala and pray for Rev Molly Deatherage as she ministers to them.

■ SAFEGUARDING – Taking Care oversees the child and adult safeguarding work of our Church, providing advice and support, training and the processing of vetting. Pray for designated persons and ministers who will deal with child protection issues. Pray for guidance, wisdom and strength as they work with families and leaders to resolve issues which are sometimes very complex.

■ HOME MISSION – Pray for Rev John Hanson, the kirk sessions and members of Ballyhobridge, Clones, Newbliss and Stonebridge as they continue to seek opportunities to share the gospel.

■ SOUTHERN AFRICA – Pray for Volker Glissmann as he works off-campus as programme developer for the Theological Education by Extension College in Johannesburg, South Africa. Give thanks that it is now easier for Volker to attend international conferences.

■ CHAPLAIN – Ken Doherty is chaplain in the Mater Hospital, Belfast. Pray for those in hospital, pray for healing, and for their families to seek strength, comfort and peace in Christ.

■ DEACONESS – Rachel Cubitt serves in Whiteabbey. Pray for good relationships and for a blessed time of service that will bear much fruit.

■ HOME MISSION – Pray that the congregation of Ballymagrane will be guided by God as they endeavour to expand on their outreach programme.

■ SOCIAL WITNESS – Give thanks for God’s protection on our everyday work and witness. Give thanks for dedicated staff in their caring of residents and tenants especially during these difficult times. Pray for all our residents and tenants as they deal with Covid-19 within the homes and units.

www.presbyterianireland.org/prayer

REFLECTIONS

The preacher... on meaning David Clarke Themes in Ecclesiastes

“H

omo sapiens is the meaning-seeking animal,” 1:7) is the first step to wisdom. The wisdom that is from above wrote Rabbi Jonathan Sacks. He points ( James 3:17) may be sought in prayer ( James 1:5). The author out how great modern institutions fail to of Ecclesiastes was questing for the certainty of Jeremiah: “Let provide meaning: “Science can tell us how not the wise man glory in his wisdom...but let him who glories but not why. Technology gives us power but cannot guide us glory in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the how to use that power. The market gives us choices but leaves Lord” ( Jeremiah 9:23–24). us uninstructed as to how to make those choices. The liberal The author sought meaning in the pursuit of pleasure, both democratic state gives us freedom to live as we choose but in “laughter” (2:2) as in the superficial gaiety of a party, or in principle refuses to guide us as to how to choose.” “pleasure” (2:2) of a more thoughtful type, such as in the joy of The author of Ecclesiastes, the ‘Teacher’, who self-designates a festival or a royal proclamation. He soon discovered that, as as a “son of David” (chapter 1:1) was concerned about life’s Robert Burns wrote: “pleasures are like poppies spread, you seize meaning, and set down something of his disillusion in the the flower, its bloom is shed.” It is the paradox of hedonism, phrase, “Utterly meaningless! Everything the more one hunts for pleasure, the less is meaningless!” In The Message, Eugene of it one finds. As the writer Nathaniel It is the paradox of Peterson vigorously paraphrased the Hawthorne advised, “Make happiness the Teacher’s verdict on life as being akin to “a hedonism, the more one object of our pursuit, and it leads you on mere spitting into the wind.” a wild-goose chase.” In addition, selfhunts for pleasure, the “The voice of the Old Testament has indulgence often leads to self-loathing. less of it one finds. many accents,” wrote Derek Kidner, and “It hardens all within and petrifies the a glance at the various genres of which feeling.” By contrast the John Newton it is composed affirms his verdict. The rabbis who assembled hymn states: “Solid joys and lasting treasure, none but Zion’s the Old Testament Scriptures were doubtful about including children know.” the sceptical voice of the Teacher. Besides, what benefit could The author sought meaning in materialism. He “undertook there be in a book so disjointed in construction, so obscure in great projects” (2:4) such as only Solomon could have afforded.

Hebrew vocabulary, and so cryptic in style? But just as they had “I built houses for myself and planted vineyards.” Yet this too opted to include the Song of Songs, so full of the joy of living failed to bring satisfaction (2:11). He would have condemned as to offend their sober theology, so they also included this book our consumer society with the same vigour as the columnist which reflects our experience of the darker hours of life. who described it as “a society in which people spend money Thinkers in all ages have wrestled with the problem of life’s they have not earned, to buy things they do not need, to impress dark hours. Is life “a tale, told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, neighbours who do not care.” signifying nothing,” as Shakespeare put it in his Scottish play?

Such possessions bring only a passing joy. “The good things Is it, as the poet Housman surmised, “a long, fool’s errand to the of life,” wrote the distinguished Methodist preacher, W.E. grave”? Was Leonard Cohen correct to see a human life as “a Sangster, “are no more important than the furnishings of an leaf that the seasons tear off and condemn”? Where is meaning inn. Who cares much whether it is pseudo-Chippendale or to be found?

Sheraton? We are only staying for the night.”

The author sought for meaning in the pursuit of wisdom: “I The key lesson is the one the rich farmer of our Lord’s parable devoted myself to study and to explore by wisdom all that is (Luke 12:13–21) failed to learn, the need to be “rich towards done under heaven” (1:13). Humankind, Pascal’s ‘thinking reed’, God”. The summons addressed to the rich fool, “This very night seeks understanding. Yet the thirst for knowledge can prove your life will be demanded of you,” puts all life’s turmoil into frustrating, for “with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the perspective. more knowledge, the more grief ” (1:18) and “much study is a Ultimately, as the Teacher concludes, “God will bring every weariness of the flesh” (12:12). It is not without significance deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is that Hamlet, who of all Shakespeare’s characters thought most good or evil” (12:14). about human nature, was also one of the unhappiest.

Another writer in the Hebrew wisdom tradition pointed to Very Rev Dr David Clarke is a former PCI Moderator and minister the wisdom that matters. Reverence for the eternal (Proverbs emeritus of Terrace Row Presbyterian Church, Coleraine.

Herald February 2022

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TALKING POINTS

Costly discipleship

Norman Hamilton reflects on how we need to pay more attention to social justice.

T

he news is awash with stories of the ever-rising costs of living.

Just before Christmas, a forecast for BBC Panorama reported that “a typical UK family will spend £1,700 more per year on household costs in 2022”. At a more local level, the BBC also reported in December that LifeHub – a Belfast foodbank which helps more than 600 families each week – saw a 250% increase in demand for food in the last year. And to add to the statistical misery… the children’s commissioner states that “almost one in every four children in Northern Ireland lives in a family which struggles to provide for their basic needs. These are children whose parents often have to get into debt to pay to make ends meet.”

My wife and I see a little of those pressures, for we are paying 50% more for heating oil than a year ago – and everyone else is too. And that is clearly going to get worse during 2022. But as a family we are not in need of more money to pay for the oil, nor needing to visit the local foodbank, and we do expect to be able to weather the economic storms that may come our way over the next few years.

Our situation is not very different from many of you reading this edition of the Herald, and that makes it all too easy to be relatively unconcerned about the intense stress and distress that so many around us are feeling right now in the midst of our winter. But there is a major and ongoing change in the thinking of God’s people on this subject of social justice and inequality, which was highlighted in several major pieces of research in 2021 – led by the Christian think-tank Theos in London, and the Jubilee Centre in Cambridge. (Details of the research are at the end of this article, and both are well worth reading!) Their findings are entirely consistent with the straightforward teaching of Jesus himself.

If he was walking our streets today, he

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might well repeat what he said so many years ago: “I have compassion for these people; I do not want to send them away hungry.” And he would look to me – and to you – as he did then, to offer what we can to help. Indeed, the account of the last judgment in Matthew 25 is both a sobering warning and a call to action here and now. “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink.’”

Practical compassion and practical action involve costly discipleship. Faith without works really is dead…

Crucially, this message of Jesus, and the wider teaching of the Bible captured by the Christian academics, is not just about fixing material poverty. The research clearly spells out how human sin is core to the injustices behind inequalities, and that inequality becomes a problem when it undermines our capacity to have good relationships with one another and separates us from the wider community.

As the title of one of the research papers puts it: ‘Money Can’t Fix Everything’.

The articles make it abundantly clear that if God’s people are to exercise a real ministry and make a real difference to those in need, we must fully take on board the importance of building relationships with them, and like Jesus, having real compassion, giving time, and offering practical support. Practical compassion and practical action involve costly discipleship. Faith without works really is dead – very dead.

In our world where sin, greed and distress are rampant, the importance of properly valuing and caring for people everywhere is, of course, not a new idea amongst Christians. However, it always has been, and will remain, a very long haul, because there are powerful forces at work valuing power, privilege and wealth over almost everything else. For example, by the end of the 18th century, William Wilberforce had spent almost two decades trying to get parliament to pass a law ending the slave trade.

And at a more local level the call of the Micah Challenge in the UK (whose name comes from chapter six of that book) was launched more than 17 years ago. The challenge itself has a key aim of galvanising Christians towards greater practical and political engagement with the issues and injustices of poverty.

Clearly this cannot be achieved overnight, nor even in the space of a few years.

Yet as ordinary believers, we are not stranded from the opportunity of dayto-day concern and action. We need to remember that we are also electors and taxpayers who – unlike many others – do not look to government to pander to our own preferences. We do want political leaders and public policy to properly reflect the call of the Apostle Paul to value others above ourselves, and to look to the interests of others. This is where our choices at elections matter a great deal. Christian and biblical principles are surely to be chosen over any prior allegiance we may have to any political party.

It is however true to say that the huge demands of dealing with the Covid pandemic have meant that governments around the world have scarcely been able to give much consideration to such concerns and aspirations, irrespective of whether they have any interest in the faith communities. Yet there is a glimmer of light in London with the government

there making much of its ‘levelling up’ agenda, and its promise to increase prosperity, widen opportunity and ensure that no region of the UK is left behind.

In a speech last year, the Prime Minister referred to a passage in Matthew’s gospel when he promised to invest in transport, broadband and infrastructure in towns and cities that have been omitted from long-term plans. He said: “To borrow a biblical comparison, governments have created a sort of Matthew effect – ‘to him that hath shall be given’.” In other words, the better off keep on prospering, whilst the poor keep on struggling.

However, he later redefined ‘levelling up’ as being about inequalities in health, crime, and education. Those priorities are well understood in Northern Ireland, not least because, for example, 18% of the entire population is now on NHS waiting lists – around 350,000 people. And south of the border there are over 900,000 patients on public hospital waiting lists.

Given this harsh reality, it is highly significant that the Bible does not focus on high politics, economics, or what influential or powerful people can do. Its focus is firmly on the contribution that

…the church’s mission must start at parish and regional level, and go way beyond what takes place in the buildings on Sundays. the church and all believers can make, and it is brutally honest as to what is required. The book of James says this: “Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.”

And as James makes clear, the church’s mission must start at parish and regional level, and go way beyond what takes place in the buildings on Sundays. Sadly, this twin-track understanding of what the church is for is still a contested view in spite of the work of Rev John Stott who famously described mission as consisting of the twin blades of missionary scissors, or the two wings of a bird: evangelism

and social action. It needs to be said time and time again that evangelism must not be allowed to play second fiddle to social justice. Equally however, social justice and facing down all that leads to lifedestroying inequality must never be seen as a distraction from the proclamation of saving faith in Christ.

Whatever direction the statistics go on the costs of living or the extent of poverty, don’t we all firmly believe that people in need really do matter to God – and so must matter to all of us who are followers of Christ, and to every congregation wherever he has placed us?

References: Theos: Beyond Left and Right: Finding consensus on economic inequality by Hannah Rich; Jubilee Centre: Money Can’t Fix Everything: The impact of family relationships on poverty by Matt Williams.

Very Rev Dr Norman Hamilton is a former Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland.

33

How to be a

resilient disciple Sarah Harding chats to Rick Hill about his book Deep Roots of Resilient Disciples: Principles and practices for a life of everlasting faith.

T

he term ‘resilience’ has become a bit of a buzz word in recent times – often referenced when discussing the mental health of children and young people. But perhaps not so common a phrase when contemplating faith.

However, resilience is the subject that Rick Hill has decided to write his first book about, linking it to effective discipleship. Rick is PCI’s Discipleship and Leadership Development Officer, but the book was a personal venture, one that he embarked on when the first lockdown afforded him more space in his diary.

“I’d begun to reflect on what really helps build faith for the long haul,” says Rick. The pandemic also helped clarify his thinking. “I was aware of asking what our faith looks like whenever so much is stripped away – that became almost the lens for me to write through.”

The book starts with Rick recounting the stories of three people he once either led in youth group or served in ministry with; all on fire for Jesus and visibly living out their faith, whether through leading worship, witnessing to friends or teaching the gospel. His summary of the stories heartbreakingly ends with the words, “None of them currently follow Jesus.”

These words will undoubtedly resonate strongly with some. Young adults are often notoriously absent from our churches and can be the most difficult age group to attract and retain.

Recognising this, Rick sees resilience as the key to lasting faith.

“Reflecting on some of the cultural changes within Ireland – in the last five to 10 years – it feels like it’s more of a post Christian environment now, and so for us to carry our faith really well and keep following Jesus, there needs to be a

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certain type of resilience.”

He is keen to stress that these societal changes don’t have to be viewed negatively.

“I think it’s a problem but also an opportunity…I actually think there is a stronger type of discipleship emerging among a younger generation because they are learning to carry their faith as a minority…I wonder if the culture and the conditions around us are actually creating a resilience, even without us realising it.

“I talk a lot about the parable that Jesus told in Matthew 13 of the four different types of seed or soil. Jesus seems to be hinting that it’s inevitable that some will get choked by the weeds and some will get scorched by the sun, but actually the crop that will grow and flourish and multiply, will multiply 60 and 100 times. So I think in the case of resilient disciples who stay the course, there’s going to be a huge, almost disproportionate, impact that’s going to come from their lives.”

The book is made all the more relevant in the midst of the pandemic which has forced churches and individuals to dig deep in their faith to stay strong.

However, Rick believes that the issues involved in this were always there under the surface.

“The phrase that I’ve been using, I heard from a Presbyterian minister. He said, ‘Covid hasn’t changed anything in our Church – it’s exposed everything.’ I thought that was brilliant…I wonder if

Covid hasn’t changed anything in our Church – it’s exposed everything.

we’ve paid too much attention in getting people in the door.

A phrase I mention in the book is that ‘humans count and Jesus weighs’…

If we’re focusing on attraction and not really focusing on depth, then I think we’re going to lose something at some point.”

The pandemic has perhaps been hardest on young people in terms of growing their faith because of their need and desire for relationships and inperson community. Rick comments, “It’s not enough for them just to turn up to a service – they need environments where they can share their lives. In the book I do talk about the need to develop a love for the body of Christ – and I think ministers and leaders would celebrate that part – but there’s also a challenge to leaders. Can we create spaces and environments where genuine, authentic Christian community can be developed and shared?”

Rick is passionate about engaging younger generations in a church environment. “I get why some people have walked away, but yet I don’t see another way…After a time of so much disconnection over the past couple of years, what people need most is personal connection with other Christians. There’s a challenge to not just see discipleship as a download, or to not just engage with church from the comfort of sofas – we need each other.”

Deep Roots of Resilient Disciples is a practical read. Rick addresses many issues and offers his thoughts and advice on a range of subjects, including: embracing

the cost of discipleship; cultivating spiritual habits; choosing courage; enduring challenges; and relying on the Holy Spirit. He is mindful that there is often a balance, or tension, in how Christians live out their faith.

One such balance is how we can be in the world but not of the world. Rick says, “It’s not about escaping the world – trying to hunker down and hide away.

But it’s also not just about embracing everything in the world as if it’s good.

It’s about trying to find a third way of engaging with the culture as followers of Jesus. I think the increased conversation around diversity should actually help us – an opportunity to say, ‘Hey, we’re different too.’ But we shouldn’t waste our energy on just shaking our fists angrily at the culture…our responsibility is not always to try and change the culture, but to focus on how we are following Jesus and walking in his ways.”

Another fine line to walk is between activity and intimacy.

“I don’t know whether it’s Irish Presbyterians,” says Rick, “But I think we’re hardwired for spiritual activity – we want to feel useful. I can see it in my own heart and life as well. I wouldn’t want what I’m saying to be heard that actually

…the pandemic gave us an opportunity to reflect…how much of our spiritual activity really is helping to push spiritual depth in people. there’s no need to serve and be active for the kingdom of God, but I do think the pandemic gave us an opportunity to reflect and review how much of our spiritual activity really is helping to push spiritual depth in people. Do we have an intimacy with God? Are we prioritising this in our lives?”

One of the things that Rick sees as key when it comes to creating resilience and depth of faith in young people is leading by example.

“A friend of mine, Andy Lamberton, talks about this idea of, ‘Who was Daniel’s youth leader?’ Who prepared Daniel to live for God in Babylon?

Because whenever he reaches Babylon, maybe as an older teenager, he and his friends seem to be able to make wise decisions. So I think there’s something

about the preparation of young people – that maybe we see youth ministry not as the end in itself, but it’s the preparation to help them follow Jesus in the future and not just in the moment.

It’s about modelling to them what’s really important.”

Rick’s book is a must-read for young adults and those who lead them in our congregations. But in truth, it’s a valuable read for all of us who are disciples, at any age. Resilient faith is not something that is once-learned and ticked off; rather it is an ongoing process, an upward battle of consistency, digging deep and then digging a little deeper again. In these weary days of pressing on, Deep Roots of Resilient Disciples will re-energise you in your walk with God. And with questions to ponder at the end of each chapter, it is also the perfect resource to share our walk with others, inspiring and encouraging one another on the journey.

Already on a third reprint, Rick is humble about what he wants to achieve.

He says, “My hope is not that this is the final word, but that it starts conversations – this is a lens that we could think about in our discipleship – how we’re preparing people for the long haul and not just for a season.”

Herald February 2022

35

Walking the

Photos: Jamie Trimble

recovery road Dr Sharon Hastings, who first wrote an article for the Herald back in February 2020 on her struggles with mental health, now shares her experiences of recovery.

I

t’s a typical evening.

My son laughs as his bath toy squirts water high in the air. I rinse the shampoo out of his hair. “1-2-3!”

I lift him on to his fluffy towel and kiss his cheek.

With baby in bed, I sit down to write a guest blog post. The subject is psychosis and what faith might look like for someone who has lost touch with reality.

At 9pm, I lift a container from the sideboard in the kitchen. One by one, I take out boxes of antidepressants, moodstabilisers and antipsychotics, plus a drug to help treat side effects. Later, I practise some mindfulness and read a devotional, then have a snack with my husband.

Severe mental illness – a life sentence?

Previously, I wrote in this magazine that, “Those of us who live with severe mental illness are unlikely to find healing in the sense of having our symptoms removed completely.”

Ten years ago, I was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder – a mental illness characterised by episodes of depression,

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mania and psychosis – and I was told to adjust my expectations of life. I had graduated as a doctor, but my future was likely to involve day centres and volunteering.

More recently, I came across the ‘Recovery Model’ of mental healthcare, which proposes that recovery is not ‘cure’, but “a process of change through which individuals improve their health and wellness, live a self-directed life, and strive to reach their full potential.”

Recovery in this sense is marked by acceptance and change: acceptance of ongoing symptoms and side effects; change in mindset, skills, and choices to make life better in this context. Of course, what we accept is key – I did not accept that I would never work again. I have found Reinhold Niebuhr’s ‘Serenity Prayer’ helpful: “God, grant

…we need to take up our crosses daily, choosing ‘recovery’ in our life as Christians…

me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”

My recovery journey…

Today, I am walking in recovery, and I have identified 10 steps in the process which has brought me this far: 1. A foundation: I couldn’t just ‘pull myself out’ of my psychotic depression; I needed professional help to kickstart the recovery process. Early in 2019, I met a new psychiatrist who changed my medication, finding a combination which was tolerable and effective. This was the foundation I needed to build upon.

2. A plan: Medication set me on the right path, but I had lost confidence and life skills, and I needed to plan for the future. In the Recovery Model, a longterm ‘therapeutic relationship’ is key, and Christian counselling helped to cement my progress.

3. A book launch: After launching my memoir, Wrestling With My Thoughts, my challenge was to live up to what I had written. I needed to show my mental

health team that I was truly drawing strength from God. 4. A steadfast commitment: I became pregnant earlier than expected in my recovery journey. If I was going to parent our child, I needed to take recovery very seriously indeed. If things got tough, walking away would no longer be an option.

5. A rigorous theology: While pregnant, I studied Old and New Testament Survey courses, and read the entire Bible in three months, growing in awe of God and respect for him. I wanted to know him completely and recover in light of his promises and his holiness.

6. A narrower focus: I had spent years chasing career moves to try to get myself better; recovery would mean finding focus, first on motherhood and family life, secondly on my emerging ministry as a writer. I needed to commit to the things which I valued the most.

7. A simple approach: I had sometimes been lazy about the simple things that help me to stay well, such as having a regular routine, getting daily fresh air and exercise, meditating, and spending time with God. Now I determined to maintain good rhythms of living.

8. A personal solution: I wanted to take personal responsibility for my own wellbeing, rather than relying on my professionals to find solutions for me. I studied Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT) through a free online course and have begun to put its principles for mindful living into daily practice.

9. Prayer: Instead of moment-tomoment ‘arrow prayers’, I started praying flat out for recovery and that I would honour God on my recovery journey. I also recruited prayer partners, and a WhatsApp support group was born.

10. A partnership: I needed to be vulnerable enough to seek support and accountability from my church. This was hard, but it was worth it. Our family was hugely blessed by church members who committed to us, and we couldn’t have raised our little one without their practical help and fellowship.

The ultimate recovery Recovery on earth is not the same as ‘cure’; it involves perseverance

Let’s…embrace new opportunities to be involved in the journeys of people with severe mental illness… through depressive blips and drug side effects. Recovery in heaven will be complete: I will be truly well, free of depression, free from side effects, with no more crying and no more tears.

Why do I tell my ‘recovery story’, and why do I think the Recovery Model is relevant to the church? For the following reasons: A lesson: As Christians, we are all in recovery from something, at the very least the sinfulness which created our need for salvation. We live in ‘the now and the not yet’ of the kingdom. Now, we need to take up our crosses daily, choosing ‘recovery’ in our life as Christians, while acknowledging that this is not yet the same as ‘cure’, or perfect Christ-likeness.

What the Recovery Model teaches is that we don’t have to wait until we are made perfect to live as though we are becoming perfect. Every choice matters and every day we can do positive things which help us build for a future of greater wholeness.

I have learnt in recovery that I do not have to wait until life is perfect before I “continue to do good” (1 Peter 4:19).

An opportunity: The Recovery Model recognises that ‘spirituality’ such as having a Christian faith is something to be harnessed as a positive force within the life of someone moving towards recovery… so the church is no longer left to watch and wait while professionals change medications or plan talking therapies. Recovery Model psychologists talk about ‘banking up’ positive experiences to build resilience and help diminish the impact of negative experiences, and Christians can help with this. It might be as simple as taking someone for a walk at a beauty spot, bringing them to a musical event, or having a coffee with them after a church service. As I invest in the good things in life, the ongoing symptoms of illness have less power.

A promise of hope: I believe that King David understood the Recovery Model of acceptance and change millennia before psychologists embraced it. The title of my book comes from Psalm 13, where he wrote, “How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart?” David knew the pain of depression. Yet, while he was still depressed, he prayed, “I trust in your unfailing love…for you have been good to me.” He was not cured, but he knew that God was faithful. With the Recovery Model, there is hope for people with severe mental illness who might at one time have faced a life of institutionalisation and limitation.

As Christians, we know that there is hope for all people in this life, regardless of the extent of their previous sinfulness. What’s more, they can look forward to a true ‘cure’ in eternity with Christ.

In one sense, my mental health professionals were right: I have never been able to practise as a doctor, but I use my medical training every day as I write, and I have an even more fulfilling role in life as a wife and mum. With the right choices and the right support, recovery is possible.

Let’s learn our lessons from the Recovery Model, embrace new opportunities to be involved in the journeys of people with severe mental illness, and share our kingdom hope today.

Herald February 2022

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Bible engagement

for the whole family

Catherine Little outlines how the Bible Society in Northern Ireland will be marking World Day of Prayer this year and encourages readers to get involved.

A

ll around the world on Friday 4 March 2022, people will gather to pray. On that day services will take place generating a great wave of prayer encircling the globe, beginning as the sun rises over Samoa and ending some 38 hours later back in the Pacific, as the sun sets over American Samoa. This annual event is a women-led, global, ecumenical movement known as ‘World Day of Prayer’ (you might know it as Women’s World Day of Prayer).

In 2022 World Day of Prayer events all over the world will focus on England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The Bible text from Jeremiah chapter 29, ‘I know the plans I have for you’ is the theme and it encourages people to reflect on some of the issues facing them today: poverty, domestic abuse and disability; finding hope in difficult situations and encouragement in help from each other.

World Day of Prayer has enabled sharing of the ideas and concerns of this region, as groups meet in communities and churches all over the world and pray for England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Each year the Bible Society in the focus country develops a project in partnership

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with their local World Day of Prayer committee. As part of our international Bible mission support we provide financial and prayer support to the host country. In 2022, we are the host country – we are the ones receiving support this year.

Our plans involve Bible engagement for the whole family: • Bibles for Babies; • 52 – a Bible reading plan for the family; • Daring to Hope – a small-group resource helping us to experience the grace of lament.

Bibles for Babies We want everyone in Northern Ireland to have access to a Bible, which is why one of our 2022 projects for Northern Ireland is ‘Bibles for Babies’: a Bible distribution initiative to get a Bible into the homes of babies born in 2021.

We are passionate about families reading God’s Word together and hope that this

We are passionate about families reading God’s Word together…

will encourage parents and guardians to read to their young ones from the very beginning of their life.

Through this programme we want to provide a free Bible to every baby born in 2021, and then again in 2026 when they turn five. We will also send them a birthday card on their second, third, fourth and fifth birthdays. We were completely blown away when we launched this project in November 2021, with over 1,000 babies registered in 24 hours! To date we have had nearly 1,500 babies registered.

This project is available to every child born in Northern Ireland in 2021, no matter what their background. We simply want to bless babies and their families, wherever they are living in Northern Ireland.

Babies can be registered by other relatives or family friends, however, you must have the parent/guardian’s permission to sign a baby up.

We will also need some volunteers to help us with this lovely project; to wrap Bibles, write cards and pray for the homes of the little ones receiving the Bibles.

Could you get involved in helping us to deliver Bibles for Babies in 2022?

52 – A Bible reading plan for the family Throughout 2021 hundreds of people, families and churches across Northern Ireland journeyed with us through our one-year-long Bible reading challenge: ‘52’.

With a brand-new pack of readings released each month, the 28 Old Testament and 24 New Testament readings – the 52 – were designed to take every reader on a journey through the big story of the Bible.

As part of our World Day of Prayer family Bible engagement projects, we are making 52 available as a paperback book. Priced at just £15 this book will make 52 even more accessible to individuals, families and churches.

52 is is the perfect resource for families, Sunday schools, youth fellowships, and even small-group ministries seeking to read, study, discover and practice more of the Bible.

To pre-order your copy visit our website: www.biblesocietyni.co.uk or get in touch with us at the office.

Daring to Hope Every human being has the same opening story. Life begins with tears. Yet this first heartfelt protest and crying of tears does not end simply moments after our birth; it continues throughout our lives because the world is broken. To cry is human.

Across Northern Ireland, people inside and outside of the church are often facing

up to an avalanche of psychological, emotional and spiritual pains.

Carrying tears, wounds, doubts, pains and sorrow, perhaps because of our nation’s troubled past, or due to the impact of Covid-19, and even for a myriad of other unique and personal reasons, the church is faced with a significant and important challenge…

How do we respond to that which is before us and within us?

At the Bible Society in Northern Ireland, we know that being a part of the church in Northern Ireland and beyond, we need to be able to come together and deal with the realities of what many are experiencing, in the light and grace of who God is. Nothing can be swept away or ignored.

To do that, as part of the World Day of Prayer 2022, we have created ‘Daring to Hope: Experiencing the grace of lament’.

Available from March 2022, this accessible, five-session small-group resource aims to help people inside and

We pray that you and your church might consider joining us on this journey as we turn toward God, living, lamenting…

outside of the church rediscover the oftenneglected prayer language in the Bible for our travels through a broken world: lament.

Journeying through the Bible, this resource will encounter and explore the four elements of lament seen so often within the Scriptures: • Turning to God • Bringing our complaint • Asking boldly for help • Daring to trust in God. Through combinations of video teaching, group discussion, personal reflection, and opportunities for participants to learn to lament, Daring to Hope will enable small groups of people under the care of their church leaders and support of Bible Society NI to stand in the gap and experience the grace of God as they wrestle with the paradox of their brokenness and pain, and the promises of God’s power, faithfulness and goodness.

We pray that you and your church might consider joining us on this journey as we turn toward God, living, lamenting and daring to hope for the day when “he will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:4).

Catherine Little is the General Secretary of the Bible Society in Northern Ireland

Get involved Bible Society in Northern Ireland is known and recognised for our sacrificial giving to our international Bible Society colleagues supporting Bible translation, printing, distribution, literacy, engagement and advocacy work all over the world. We continue to prioritise supporting work around the world but also see that we need to play our part in helping people here in Northern Ireland to learn to love the Bible. In 2022 we have pledged over £500,000 to international Bible mission through our Bible Society colleagues around the world.

We could not do what we do without the support of many of you.

The financial and prayer support received from individuals, families, groups and churches is fantastic and much appreciated. We have been overwhelmed by God’s goodness and generosity to us over the years through our loyal supporters and friends.

you – information on events can be found at www.wwdp.org.uk for Northern Ireland and www.wdpireland.org for the Republic of Ireland.

• Pray for the impact of these projects on our country and society here in Northern Ireland.

Do consider how you could get involved with these projects this year: • Tell people about them, especially the families of babies born in 2021.

• Consider supporting World Day of Prayer on 4 March at an event near

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REVIEWS

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

Podcast

The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill Christianity Today ««««« Mars Hill was a megachurch in Seattle, USA, founded in the late 90s and later collapsing in 2014. This documentary-style podcast tells the story of what happened, journalistically looking at the culture of wider church and society at the time, but most especially focusing on the influence and behaviour of the church’s pastor, Mark Driscoll.

Driscoll is a controversial figure, often still in the media because of his outspoken views on theology, gender roles and marriage. This podcast puts forth a balanced view on his ministry, talking to church members and leaders who experienced both the highs and the lows of the Mars Hill journey and Driscoll’s part in it.

With many audio clips of his sermons and training sessions, there is no doubt that Driscoll seems arrogant and egotistical; and sadly, where others have repented for their part in the unhealthy leadership of the church, he remains unapologetic.

However, the podcast highlights that while many have pointed the finger of blame solely at Driscoll, the fault cannot lie only with him. He was elevated to such a position of power by people who clearly didn’t mind being led by a narcissist – an interesting discussion on church culture and our obsession with celebrity follows.

The most striking thing about the story is that it shows the damage that a patriarchal system leads to. Rather than it being a story of one man’s abuse of power, it is a more sinister tale of the culture that Driscoll ultimately created, whereby men were pressured to appear hyper-masculine, women were controlled and dismissed, and a general air of shame and guilt was heaped on everyone.

This podcast will provide much food for thought on how we all engage with church. Leaders will be reminded of the power of their influence and their responsibility to be humble and lead well; perhaps even in regard to the celebrity writers and pastors they mention from the front, which unwittingly gives an endorsement of that person’s character and wider message.

Church members will be reminded of the need to pray over our leaders so that they will not fall into sin. There is also the responsibility to support leaders and encourage them in these difficult and complex roles. Although it may be hard to get our heads around the culture of a megachurch and the scale of influence Driscoll had, we can still identify with the temptation to focus on people. Whether it is the minister or an elder, whether we adore them or loathe them, if our engagement with church is dependent on our feelings towards broken people, rather than the person of Jesus Christ, we will undoubtedly be left disappointed and disillusioned.

Despite the heartache and continuing pain in the aftermath, overarching all of the Mars Hill story, is the sovereignty, grace and redemptive love of the Saviour.

At the start of each episode Mike Cosper sums it up in these words: “It’s a story about power, fame and spiritual trauma…yet it’s also a story of the mystery of God working in broken places.”

SH

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Gloriously Ordinary Ruth Garvey-Williams PRAXIS PRESS

£13.00 (Amazon)

«««««

When you’ve been a Christian for a long time you often fall into the trap of thinking that you have ‘the basics’ of Christianity sussed – amongst them the mandate to ‘make disciples’. This book challenges us to think about mission afresh, to question what it looks in the unique context and time that we find ourselves in right here, right now – in contemporary Ireland living through a pandemic.

The reader is encouraged by a range of true stories that illustrate the blessings that flow from explaining the message of Christ to those around us in words, symbols and actions that our contemporary culture can understand.

This insightful book highlights the principles behind incarnational ministry, namely presence, mercy, humility, listening, hospitality and learning.

Each theme is explored by a variety of voices as local believers – some of whom you may know – tell stories of seizing opportunities, embracing chance encounters/current circumstances, using resources available to them or leaning into limitations and failures to put these principles into practice amongst their local community, to great effect. Every chapter points us to Jesus and concludes with several questions to ponder, to help us, not to imitate, but rather to apply the theme explored in our own way for our own context. We’re reminded that if we are available to him and his leading, God can use us just as we are, ordinary people – “He is the ‘glorious’ to our ordinary and that will be evident for those around us.”

LS

REVIEWERS

JD – Very Rev Dr John Dunlop is a former Moderator SH – Sarah Harding is the editor of the Herald

Goodnight World Rebecca Parkinson, illustrated by Patrick Corrigan SPCK CHILDREN’S BOOKS

£5.99

«««««

Goodnight World is a descriptively written and colourfully illustrated book that both children and parents will want to add to their bedtime storybook collection.

The story opens with God’s delight as he looks down at the world he has created. The reader is then taken on a night-time journey around the planet to say goodnight to all the animals as they settle down to sleep. We are transported from the rainforests and grasslands, to the deserts, Arctic and oceans, with each page beautifully illustrating the many different animals that can be found in these places.

Children will love discovering the many creatures of the world. Moreover, they will gain a new appreciation for the variety of God’s creation as well as learning about the diverse habitats in which the world’s animals live. The narrative continues with the gentle reminder that it is our responsibility “to protect all the wildlife, to treat the world right, so the animals can settle to sleep every night”.

The story concludes with darkness falling on the children as they go to sleep in their houses, with the knowledge that God is keeping watch over them and that they are safe in his love.

Aimed at children aged three to five years, my daughter could not wait to peek inside, and after reading it once, we had to read it several times again that night. The story prompted her to ask questions, such as, who is God and where is God? This book would certainly make a fine addition to any child’s bookshelf and bedtime routine.

EH

SEH– Suzanne Hamilton is an administrative officer for the Herald LS – Lisa Skinner is a member of Kirkpatrick Memorial EH – Elaine Huddleston is an administrator officer for PCI’s Creative Production Department

Goodness (EP) Eleven32 Music

Available digitally £5.94

«««««

I have to admit that I’d never heard of Eleven32 Music until their new album, Goodness, appeared on my music streaming platform. It turns out they’re the official band for Church Eleven32, a non-denominational church in America.

Describing themselves as “a community of worship leaders, musicians and songwriters who passionately pursue the heart of God”, band members want to see generations

The Fugitive Moment Rev Ivan McElhinney

PUBLISHED BY CEDRIC WILSON

£12.95 (Amazon)

«««««

The story begins in 1946 on a small farm in Co Donegal owned by a hard-working Methodist family. Ivan McElhinney writes that his family were poor and debt could not be avoided “…But as we knew no rich people we had no resentment or jealousy over material things and we were happy”.

The vivid description of life in rural Donegal will bring back farming

impacted by the presence of God in worship.

Their latest offering – released in January – may contain just six tracks, but all transport the listener from day-to-day distractions to focus on the glory of God. In an interview about the EP, songwriter and performer Cayla Callaway explains, “These songs are written out of a place of where I just needed to be reminded of God’s goodness, his faithfulness, just who he was to me…”

Goodness is not only the album title, but also one of the songs. Callaway’s voice is beautiful with a richness and honesty to it, which really emphasises the words.

My favourite track is an updated version of the hymn It is Well. Slow in nature, it acts as a balm for these troubling times.

The other song worth noting is Living in Me, where Callaway is joined by Eniola Abioye. This combination really works, making for a great song. On the whole, Goodness gets better with every listen.

SEH

memories to many readers and be illuminating to those who know nothing of what life was like then.

The influence of a nearby Anglican Sunday school led Ivan to serious commitment to Christ in a morning service. This led on to a sense of call to the Methodist ministry.

The book contains descriptions of experiences in nine different congregations, including two periods of service in the Caribbean and a year as the Methodist president. It’s worth reading his account of the chaos in the Shankill Road area in the summer of 1971. Presbyterians, aware of the lengthy vacancy procedures, will be startled to read of Ivan having to move unexpectedly with his wife and family from a settled ministry in Irvinestown and Pettigo to Ballynahinch with two weeks and two days’ notice.

We are indebted to this account of a richly blessed ministry in the transitional decades through which many of us have lived.

JD

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LIFE IN PCI Reaching out to youth in Newtownards After many months of not being able to hold activities due to Covid restrictions, Strean Presbyterian Church successfully reached out to many young people with a Summer Blitz.

Having obtained £4000 in funding from the Education Authority to provide a programme to enable re-engagement with young people, the Newtownards congregation only had five weeks to find enough volunteers and to organise the event.

The result was a three-day, high intensity, outdoor activity programme for 40 young people – all of whom were connected to Strean through BB, GB, youth club and youth fellowship – with a vision to help them reconnect with each other and the church, and to show them God’s love.

Stephen Boyle, the church’s BB captain, explains that the success was down to the whole team – those working with the young people as well as those involved in catering, sourcing equipment, transporting items, tidying up and, of course, praying.

“Sometimes serving opportunities come out of the blue. On the first day, we had 50 persons expecting a pizza feast from a local business, but unfortunately the business cancelled that morning because of a Covid issue within their staff. A few frantic phone calls were made, and prayers were answered. One of our church members happened to be going to Marks & Spencer that day. She purchased 25 pizzas, lots of garlic breads, and then organised the cooking of these and helped serve it all up for our group.

Our reflection is that sometimes serving is about lifting the pressure off someone else’s shoulders, and stepping in,” he adds.

Strean hopes to continue serving the Lord with plans for Summer Blitz 2022.

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

Special service in Cregagh Cregagh congregation was delighted to welcome back minister emeritus Rev Hastings McIntyre to the pulpit recently. As Mr McIntyre has decided to retire from preaching, it was fitting that his final sermon was preached in the Belfast church where he ministered from September 2001 to August 2011. Mr McIntyre and his wife Rosamund are pictured with Michael Graham (clerk of session), Dennison Mahood (clerk of session emeritus) and John Dallas (organist and choirmaster).

Birthday celebrations a first for Ballywatt Moira Campbell, a resident in Trinity House, Garvagh, marked her 100th birthday recently. Her sons and daughter, and PCI Moderator Dr David Bruce, joined her for the celebrations. Mrs Campbell is a member of Ballywatt Presbyterian and this is the first time the congregation has had a centenarian. Pictured in the front row are: Rev Ross Collins, Mrs Campbell and Gwen Cochrane. Back row: Dr Bruce, John, Harry, Mark and Lex Campbell.

Long service marked in Groomsport

Presentation in Kilraughts

A presentation has been made to John Ekin, organist and choirmaster of Groomsport Presbyterian, who is leaving the Co Down church after 33 years of service. Pictured are minister Rev Paul Dalzell, Susan Ekin, Mr Ekin and Alastair McQuoid (clerk of session).

Rev Noel McClean has made a presentation, on behalf of the congregation of First Kilraughts in County Antrim, to Arnold McClure (left) on his retirement as clerk of session, thanking him for his work of over 20 years in this role.

Honour for First Derry minister emeritus Rev David Latimer, minister emeritus of First Derry and Monreagh, has been awarded the Freedom of the City of London. Presented at a special ceremony in London’s Guildhall, the award is in recognition of Mr Latimer reaching out in friendship to former IRA commander Martin McGuinness, and for pioneering a bespoke youth peacebuilding initiative. Involving 425 schools and colleges across the nine counties of Ulster, the programme culminated in a metal peace tree being placed in Ebrington Square, site of a former army base.

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LIFE IN PCI

Killead retirement Rev John Murdock was presented with a gift from Killead Presbyterian to mark his retirement after 16 years of ministry in the County Antrim church. The congregation also gave gifts to Anne, Judith, Ian and Stuart Murdock.

New halls dedicated in Upper Clonaneese PCI Moderator Dr David Bruce recently unveiled a plaque to mark the dedication of a new hall complex at Upper Clonaneese. He is pictured with Rev Alan Dicky (presbytery moderator), Rev Ian Fleck (minister emeritus), Rev Jackie Spence (current minister of the County Tyrone church) and Zoë Bruce.

Presentation in Irvinestown Two members of Irvinestown Presbyterian Church were presented with clocks by the congregation at a special service. Myrtle Oliver and Violet Murphy, who are sisters, have given many years of service to organisations in the County Fermanagh church. Mrs Murphy retired as captain of the Irvinestown Girls’ Brigade, having served for 40 years, and Mrs Oliver was a Sunday school teacher for 15 years. Photograph courtesy of Norman Donnell.

Newbliss presentation Dorothy McConkey received a gift from the Presbyterian Children’s Society in recognition of over 39 years’ dedicated service as secretary of the Society in Newbliss Presbyterian Church. The presentation was made

by Rev John Hanson (minister of the County Monaghan congregation).

Opening in Redrock Building work has recently been completed at Redrock Presbyterian Church, with the most senior elder in the Co Armagh congregation, Stanley Cordner, performing the official opening.

He is pictured with Roy McCall and Rev Sam Finlay.

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REFLECTIONS

The throwdown Ruth Sanderson

F

or those of you who have ever lived with a two-year-old, The flailing suddenly stops. The screaming ceases. The tears you will be well aware of the ‘toddler throwdown’ – that dry up quicker than a puddle in July. Their cherubic face turns fateful moment of sheer horror when a child is told, to you.

“No”.

“Chocolate,” they assert, through muffled sobs.

This ‘no’ can be given for something very sensible, like: “No, A smartie is dispensed into the now unclenched fist. you can’t touch the fire” or “No, you can’t run into the road”.

Order is restored (for around five minutes).

However, as many of us are aware, this reaction to ‘no’ manifests As you may have guessed, I am the proud mother of a twofor many reasons. year-old, and the season of ‘the throwdown’ is suddenly upon us.

“No, you can’t eat the nail polish”.

I had been warned about it, but I had thought there was no way “No, we can’t take those birds home”. my angelic daughter could ever turn into that child.

Lately, my own toddler did a ‘throwdown’ because I wouldn’t However, the terrible twos has made me think. Do we ever let her wear my underwear over her leggings to go to nursery. really grow out of being that child who throws a tantrum? We Without adequate language or reasoning, the throwdown can no longer express it by beating the earth and flailing about on really happen anywhere, at any time, for really any reason. the ground, but in our own way we feel deep injustice where If you are unfamiliar with the maybe it isn’t warranted. throwdown (or have simply blocked it I had a moment like that the other Do we ever really grow from your memory) let me enlighten you. day – I had popped into the local shops out of being that child There is a moment where the toddler and taken much longer than anticipated. stands, shocked, appalled by the fact that (I wish there had been mitigating who throws a tantrum? you, their parent, have dared to say ‘no’ to circumstances but I got chatting to them. someone I knew.) I saw the traffic warden At this point, the situation could veer either way. They like to sticking the ticket on my car just as I emerged. lull you into a false sense of security, then, just when you think “NOOOOOO!” I cried, running across the road. you’ve gotten away with it, you see it happening, as though in He made the very reasonable point that I’d been away for slow motion. The determined look on the face, the pouting lips, twice as long as the free parking permitted. I found myself in the snarled nose and then… the throwdown, when they literally the tantrum zone… “But, but, but…” I began, before giving him hurl themselves on the ground. a very icy stare and huffily ripping the ticket off my windscreen.

They lie prostrate, dramatically on the floor and a deafening It was several hours later when the guilt began to kick in – he and prolonged silence ensues. You count 1, 2 ,3… until… was just doing his job. I was throwing a toddler tantrum, which, “WWWWWWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!” aged nearly 40, is pretty undignified.

Suddenly they are flapping around like a landed salmon; their How often do we throw tantrums with God? “Give me, give legs flailing, their little fists clenched and red, pounding the me, give me!” earth as though subject to the greatest injustice known to man.

How often do we get angry with him when he doesn’t grant You realise the worst has happened, and the ‘throwdown’ has us exactly what we want, when we want it? How often do we turned into a full-on tantrum. pray from a place of selfishness, and even anger with others?

You look anxiously at the other shoppers passing you in the How often do we get upset when God says, “No”? I think it’s pasta aisle. Some tut, some laugh; some throw you a much our human condition, so unfiltered in small children, which appreciated, ‘I’ve been there, keep going’ face. Like survivors in never really disappears. a war, you can tell when you look deep into a stranger’s eyes…

Yet I know that just as I love my daughter, even when she is they too, have seen the horror. raging at a ‘no’, so God loves us when we behave like toddlers; You know for the sake of everyone in that supermarket you we are his children after all. have to resort to desperate measures.

“Do you want a little bit of chocolate?” you say, in your most persuasive voice.

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Ballyholme Presbyterian Church is seeking to appoint a

Music Ministry Leader The suitable person will lead the music ministry of the congregation under the direction of the Minister, to coordinate the music ministry of the whole church engaging with young and old in the worship through music.

For further information and an application form please contact: Rev Peter Lyle, 3 Second Avenue, Baylands, Bangor, BT20 5JZ. Email: plyle@presbyterianireland.org Telephone: (028) 9145 3660.

CROSSWORD Puzzle no 265 1

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ACROSS 1 Church hallway (9) 5 Female pronoun (3) 7 Absolutely devastating (12) 9 Type of embroidery (11) 11 Skye is one (4) 16 Place to exercise (3) 18 Ancient Egyptian city (10) 20 Jane Austen novel (4) 21 Views (8) 24 A Great Lake (4) 25 Our natural state (10) 26 Gun discharge (4)

DOWN 1 Albert’s queen (8) 2 The evil one (5) 3 A point under dispute (5) 4 Not rigid (5) 6 London taxi? (7) 8 A ring of sorts (4) 10 Inner city (8) 12 Patrick’s mountain (7) 13 French ‘the’ (2) 14 Tire out (7) 15 Prepare for a job (5,2) 17 Muddles (6) 19 Foreigners (6) 22 Bears minerals (3) 23 Local grocery chain (4)

JOIN THE ADVENTURE

Appointment of Convener of the Council for Global Mission Applications are invited for the Convenership of the Council for Global Mission within the structures of the General Assembly, to take up post immediately following the June 2022 General Assembly.

The position is open to ministers, elders and communicant members of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland.

Appointment of Conveners of Church Relations Committee and Strategy for Mission Coordination Committee Applications are invited for the Convenerships of the Church Relations Committee under the General Council; and of the Strategy for Mission Coordination Committee under the Council for Mission in Ireland.

These positions are open to ministers, elders and communicant members of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland.

5 – 8 Years

8 – 11 Years

11 – 14 Years

14 – 18 Years

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT YOUR LOCAL GROUP The BB is The BB is a vibrant organisation actively serving young people in 13 counties across the Republic of Ireland. For weekly activities in a safe, encouraging, fun-filled environment, grounded in the Christian faith, you can find a company near you by visiting www.boysbrigade.ie/find-a-company or contact info@boysbrigade.ie

WWW.BOYSBRIGADE.IE The Boys’ Brigade in the Republic of Ireland, Unit C1 Nutgrove Office Park, Nutgrove Avenue, Rathfarnham, Dublin D14 V5Y2 Registered Charity No: 20016654

SHEEP ISLAND VIEW

SELF CATERING ACCOMMODATION Main Street , Ballintoy, County Antrim

• 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

Further information for any of the above posts can be obtained from the Deputy Clerk, David Allen, at the email address below or telephone (028) 9041 7204.

Application forms may be downloaded from the PCI website at www.presbyterianireland.org/convenerships Applications, using the pro-forma, should be forwarded no later than 5pm on Friday 4 March 2022 to: deputyclerk@presbyterianireland.org or by post to The Deputy Clerk, Assembly Buildings, 2–10 Fisherwick Place, Belfast BT1 6DW.

Are you a caring and compassionate person?

Choose a caring career..

We have full-time and part-time opportunities available across our homes in Bangor, North Belfast, South Belfast, Dundonald, Newcastle, Omagh and Garvagh.

For many roles, previous experience is not required as full training will be provided.

£500

Team Leader £12 ph (Garvagh only) Senior Care Assistant £11.09 ph Activities Coordinator £9.69 ph (Newcastle only) Care Assistant £9.64-£9.95 ph Relief Cook £9.64 ph Housekeeper £9.50 ph Kitchen Assistant £9.50 ph

WELCOME BONUS*

We are hiring!

Benefits normally include: • Discount card – entitling you to money off in various locations • Free staff meals, uniform, and training • Free Access NI and NISCC registration • Enhanced maternity pay and pension scheme

Download application packs from www.presbyterianireland.org/jobs Or email personnel@presbyterianireland.org for more details WE ARE AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES EMPLOYER

*Terms and conditions apply

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

1. LEAVE TO CALL GRANTED

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

BALLYGOMARTIN: (Reviewable Tenure – 7 years) REV I.K. McDONALD: Mr Raymond Cummings, 43A Lyndhurst Gardens, Belfast, BT13 3PH. BANGOR, HAMILTON ROAD (ASSOCIATE): REV CHRISTOPH EBBINGHAUS: Mr Alan McDowell, 11 Braemar Park, Bangor, BT20 5HZ. BANGOR, WEST (ASSOCIATE): VERY REV DR C.J.C. McMULLEN: Mr Lindsay Conway OBE, 14 Rutherglen Gardens, Bangor, BT19 1DD. BROUGHSHANE – SECOND: REV P.D. THOMPSON: Mr Ivor Hutchinson, 73 Tullymore Road, Broughshane, BT43 7HW. CARNMONEY: REV P.G. McCREA: Mr Paul Elliott, 52b Connor Road, Parkgate, BT39 OEA. CASTLEBLAYNEY FIRST, CORVALLEY & FRANKFORD: (Part-time (60%); Reviewable Tenure – 7 Years) REV DR G.W. CLINTON: (Castleblayney, First) Mrs Daphne Holmes-Greer, Tighnabruaich, Killygola, Castleblayney, Co Monaghan. (Frankford) Mr Thomas McBirney, Mulladuff, Newtownhamilton, Newry, BT35 0LG. (Corvally) Mr Fred Eakin, Sreenty, Corduff, Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan.

CLOGHERNEY and SIXMILECROSS: REV R.G. McELNEA: (Clogherney) Miss Ruth Kerr, 2 Georgian Villas, Omagh, BT79 0AT. (Sixmilecross) Mr Alan Gibson, 1 Dreenan Road, Beragh, Omagh, BT79 0SH. COOKE CENTENARY: (Reviewable Tenure – 7 years) REV IVAN STEEN: Mrs Elaine MacNeill, 55 Kirkliston Park, Belfast, BT5 6ED. DONAGHADEE, SHORE STREET: REV P.C. LYLE: Mr Jim Pollock, 60 Hogstown Road, Donaghadee, BT21 0NH. DONEMANA: VERY REV DR R.L. CRAIG: Mr Derek Gamble, 20 Longlands Road, Donemana, Strabane, BT82 OPQ. FIRST DERRY (incl. CLAREMONT) and MONREAGH: REV DR T.R. BUICK: (First Derry) Mr Billy Kyle, 74 Dunboyne Park, Eglinton, Londonderry, BT47 3YJ. (Monreagh) Mr John Vance, Cross, Carrigans, Lifford, Co Donegal, F93 PXT0.

GARVAGH, MAIN ST and KILLAIG: REV DREWE McCONNELL: (Garvagh, Main St) Mr Alan Farlow, 39 Ballynameen Road, Garvagh, BT51 5PN. (Killaig) Mr Ivan McKane, 27 Cashel Road, Macosquin, Coleraine, BT51 4PW. KILLYLEAGH: REV A.S. SMYTH: Mr Graham Furey, 75 Comber Road, Toye, Killyleagh, BT30 9PA. LECKPATRICK and DONAGHEADY: REV S.J. RICHMOND: (Leckpatrick) Mr Sam Clyde, 36 Woodend Road, Strabane, BT82 8LF. (Donagheady) Mr Ernie Colhoun, 44 Lowertown Road, Ballymagorry, Strabane, BT82 OLF. WEST KIRK (ASSOCIATE): (Reviewable Tenure – 3 years) REV DAVID CLAWSON: Mr Roy Thompson, 3 Ingledale Park, Belfast, BT14 7GZ.

2. LEAVE TO CALL DEFERRED GORTNESSY: REV A.J.A. ROSBOROUGH: Mr Ross Hyndman, 32 Temple Road, Strathfoyle, Londonderry, BT47 6UB. RICHVIEW: REV N.S. HARRISON: Mr Victor Garland, 25 Abingdon Drive, Belfast, BT12 5PX.

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

48

Herald February 2022

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

3. DECLARED VACANT BALLINA, KILLALA & BALLYMOTE: REV D.J. CLARKE: Mr Geoffrey Shannon, Robin Hill, Carraun, Corballa, Ballina, Co Mayo, F26 A070.

BALLYRONEY and DRUMLEE: REV A.M. BORELAND: (Ballyroney) Mr David Peters, 30 Seafin Road, Ballyroney, Banbridge, BT32 5ER. (Drumlee) Mr Graham Truesdale, 128 Lackan Road, Ballyward, Castlewellan, BT31 9RX. BELLAGHY and KNOCKLOUGHRIM: REV J.B. MULLAN: (Bellaghy) Mr Harry Ferson, 12 Railway Terrace, Castledawson, Magherafelt, BT45 8AY. (Knockloughrim) Mr Wilbur Bownes, 10 Meadowell Fold, Westland Gardens, Magherafelt, BT45 5DP. BELVOIR: REV B.J. McCROSKERY: Mr Brian Dunwoody, 19 Drumart Drive, Belfast, BT8 7ET. BURT: REV JAMES LAMONT: Mr James Buchanan, Heathfield, Speenoge, Burt, Co Donegal, F93 W3K6.

CARRICKFERGUS, JOYMOUNT: REV G.A.J. FARQUHAR: Mr Stephen Drake, 8 Bluefield Way, Carrickfergus, BT38 7UB. CARNLOUGH & CUSHENDALL and NEWTOWNCROMMELIN: REV R.J. WATT: (Carnlough & Cushendall) Mr Norman McMullan, 91 Ballymena Road, Carnlough, Ballymena, BT44 0LA. (Newtowncrommelin) Mr James Gillan, 67 Gracefield, Ballymena, BT42 2RP. CASTLEROCK: REV D.H. BROWN: Miss Heather McSparran, 26 Freehall Road, Castlerock, BT51 4TR. CLADYMORE and TASSAGH: REV R.I. ABRAHAM: (Cladymore) Mr David Wilson, 73 Kilmachugh Road, Mowhan, Armagh, BT60 2EN. (Tassagh) Mr Philip Crozier, 68 Bachelors Walk, Keady, Armagh, BT60 2NA. DROMARA, SECOND: REV. D.H. GILPIN: Mr Herbert Chambers, 29 Stewarts Road, Dromara, BT25 2AN. DROMORE and DRUMQUIN: REV E.T. FRAZER: (Dromore) Mr Lynden Keys, 25 New Park Road, Dromore, Omagh, BT78 3JU. (Drumquin) Dr Paul Booth, 231 Tummery Road, Irvinestown, BT78 3UF. DUNFANAGHY and CARRIGART: REV DR BRIAN BROWN: (Dunfanaghy) Mrs Ethel Montgomery, ‘Millrace’, Marble Hill Road, Dunfanaghy, Co Donegal, F92 N2WO. (Carrigart) Mrs Joy Buchanan, Figart, Carrigart, Co Donegal, F92 N2WO. DUN LAOGHAIRE: REV A.J. DUNLOP: Mrs Dorothy Shanahan, 1 Holmwood, Brennanstown, Cabinteely, D18 T2T5.

ENNISCORTHY and WEXFORD: REV M.R.J. ANDERSON: (Enniscorthy) Mr Ian Gibson “Tanglewood”, Monart, Enniscorthy, Co Wexford. (Wexford) c/o Mr Ian Gibson.

FAHAN and WATERSIDE: REV G.A. McCRACKEN: (Fahan) Mr James Lamberton, 1 Deanfield, Limavady Road, Londonderry, BT47 6HY. (Waterside) Mr William McIlwaine, 19 Glenaden Hill, Altnagelvin Park, Londonderry, BT47 2LJ. GLASTRY and KIRKCUBBIN: REV N.W. McAULEY: (Glastry): Mr Will Taylor, 43 Manse Road, Kircubbin, Newtownards BT22 1DR. (Kirkcubbin)

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 GLENWHERRY: REV S.D. KENNEDY: Mr Andrew Hoey, 49 Ballynulto Road, Ballymena, BT42 4RJ. GRANGE with CRAIGMORE: REV B.A. SMYTH: Mr Jamie Harris, 32 Portglenone Road, Randalstown BT41 3BE.

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.

STRABANE and SION MILLS: REV COLIN McKIBBIN: (Strabane) Mr William Watson, 44 Orchard Road, Strabane, BT82 9QS. (Sion Mills) Mr Colin Campbell, 26 Albert Place, Sion Mills, Strabane, BT82 9HN.

GREYSTONE ROAD, ANTRIM: REV STEPHEN SIMPSON: Mr James Warwick, 3 Dunsilly Road, Antrim, BT41 2JH.

TOBERKEIGH: REV JOHN STANBRIDGE: Mr Jim Kane, 67A Ballinlea Road, Ballinlea Upper, Ballycastle, BT54 6NN.

INCH: REV JAMES LAMONT: Mr James Buchanan, Heathfield, Speenoge, Burt, Co Donegal, F93 W3K6.

VINECASH: REV P.W.A. McCLELLAND: Mr Thomas Graham, 38 Richmount, Portadown, BT62 4JQ.

KELLS: (Home Mission) REV ALAN McQUADE: Ms Ruth McCartney, Shancarnan, Moynalty, Kells, Co Meath, A82 PF60.

WHITEHEAD: REV N.W. DUDDY: Ms Helen Graham, 4 Kilcarn, Islandmagee, BT40 3PJ.

KILLEAD and LOANENDS: REV D.J. STEELE: (Killead) Mr Tom Lewis, 65 Ballyrobin Road, Antrim, BT41 4TF. (Loanends) Mr Peter Leitch, 212 Belfast Road, Antrim, BT41 2EY. KILRAUGHTS, FIRST: REV. R.M. MURRAY: Mr. Maurice Christie, 10 Kilmandil Road, Dunloy, Ballymena, BT44 9BH. KILREA, SECOND: REV DR CLIVE GLASS: Mr John McIlrath, 9 Moyagoney Road, Kilrea, Coleraine, BT51 5SX. LECUMPHER AND MAGHERAFELT, UNION ROAD: REV J.A. MARTIN: (Lecumpher) Mr Sammy Thompson, 10 Ballynagowan Road, Desertmartin, BT45 5LH. (Magherafelt, Union Road) Mr Ian Francis, 32 Caraloan Road, Magherafelt, BT45 6NW. MONEYDIG: REV DR S.D.H. WILLIAMSON: Mr Steven Torrens, 115a Agivey Road, Kilrea, Coleraine, BT51 5UZ. MONEYMORE, FIRST and SECOND: REV DR G.W.D. STEWART: Mr Jim Davison, 20 Drumrot Road, Moneymore, BT45 7QH. MOUNTPOTTINGER: REV J.W. FRAZER: Mr Gordon McConnell, 247 Orby Drive, Belfast, BT5 6BE. MUCKAMORE: REV S.J. LOCKINGTON: Dr Brian Hill, 1 Lylehill Green, Templepatrick, BT39 0BF. NEWINGTON: REV DR I.D. NEISH: Mr John Lynass, 8 Bushfoot Park, Portballintrae, BT57 8YX. NEWMILLS and CARLAND: REV. A.S. THOMPSON: (Newmills) Mr Roy Wilkins, 38 Dungannon Road, Coalisland, Dungannon, BT71 4HP. (Carland) Mr Howard McLean, 16 Ballynorthland Demesne, Dungannon Park, Dungannon, BT71 6BT. NEWTOWNARDS, SECOND: REV DR W.J.P. BAILIE: Mr Ivan Patterson, 11 Heron Crescent, Newtownards, BT23 2WH. NEWTOWNARDS, REGENT STREET: REV P.T. DALZELL: Mr Ian MacDonald, 11 Stanvilla Road, Newtownards, BT23 8HE. PORTAVOGIE: REV G.J. SIMPSON: Mr Trevor Kennedy, 1 Cairndore Road, Newtownards, BT23 8RD. RATHCOOLE: REV A.K. DUDDY: Mr Ken Neill, 307 Merville Garden Village, Newtownabbey, BT37 9TY. RATHFRILAND, FIRST: REV C.G. HARRIS: Mr David Scott, 13 Sleepy Valley, Rathfriland, Newry, BT34 5HL. SAINTFIELD, FIRST: REV B.A. SMALL: Mr Paul Jackson, 20 The Grange, Saintfield, BT24 7NF. SPA and MAGHERAHAMLET: REV D.F. LEAL: (Spa) Acting Clerk – Mr Stephen McBride, 28 Ballynahinch Road, Castlewellan, BT31 9PA. (Magherahamlet) Mr David Whan, 74 Castlewellan Road, Dromara, BT25 2JN.

TEMPORARY STATED SUPPLY ARRANGEMENT ARMOY and RAMOAN: REV DR MARK JONES: (Armoy) Mrs Heather Morrison, 82 Carrowreagh Road, Armoy, Ballymoney, BT53 8RS. (Ramoan) Mr Robert Getty, 23 Carrowcroey Road, Armoy, Ballymoney, BT53 8UH. BALLYCAIRN: REV WILLIAM HARKNESS: Mr Brian Milligan, 19 Glenariff Drive, Dunmurry, BT17 9AZ. BELLVILLE: REV D.S. HENRY: Mr Mervyn King, 29 Ardmore Road, Derryadd, Lurgan, BT66 6QP. NEWTOWNSTEWART and GORTIN: REV R.N. ORR: (Newtownstewart) Mr James Baxter, 22 Strabane Road, Newtownstewart, Omagh, BT78 4BD. (Gortin) Mr Adrian Adams, 32 Lisnaharney Road, Lislap, Omagh, BT79 7UE. RALOO and MAGHERAMORNE: REV D.R. CROMIE: (Raloo) Mr Geoff McBride, 72 Raloo Road, Larne, BT40 3DU. (Magheramorne) Mr Morris Gardner, 89 Ballypollard Road, Magheramorne, Larne, BT40 3JG. WARRENPOINT and ROSTREVOR: REV S.S. JOHNSTON: (Warrenpoint) Mr Denis Brady, 28 Seaview, Warrenpoint, Newry, BT34 3NJ. (Rostrevor) Mr Terry O’Flynn, 15 Aurora Na Mara, Shore Road, Rostrevor, BT34 3UP.

THE ELDERSHIP Died: BALLYMONEY, FIRST: John Michael BELFAST, ST. ANDREW’S: John Kielty BLOOMFIELD: Pearl Kerr BROUGHSHANE, FIRST: Nathaniel Wright CASTLEREAGH: Harry McDowell CAVANALECK: George Henry Irvine CLARE: Robert McClelland COMBER, SECOND: Elizabeth Myrtle Murray COOKE CENTENARY: Margaret Elizabeth McBurney CUMBER: Dorothy Margaret Winifred Thompson DONOUGHMORE: Jim Patterson FANET: John Ward FISHERWICK: Robert Carson CBE GILNAHIRK: Robin Morrow CBE GRANGE WITH CRAIGMORE: Maurice Black GREAT VICTORIA STREET: Laura Henry HOLYWOOD, HIGH STREET: Betty Morrow, Roy Houston MAGHERAGALL: Margo Wills McCRACKEN MEMORIAL: Leslie Hully McQUISTON MEMORIAL: James Leslie Ross MONEYMORE, FIRST: Isabel Janet Beatrice Miller MOUNTPOTTINGER: Thomas Jeffrey OMAGH, FIRST: Noel Davison ORANGEFIELD: Margaret Kloss RAY: John Duncan, Alistair Tinney STRAND: William John Cairns TYRONE’S DITCHES: James Cully WHITEHEAD: Norman Smith continued on page 50

Herald February 2022

49

CHURCH RECORD continued from page 49

THE ELDERSHIP (cont) Ordained and Installed: AHOGHILL, BROOKSIDE: Michael Arnold, Joseph Millar, Geoffrey Young, Hugh Young FINTONA: Eric Keith Boland MAGHERAGALL: Mark Priestley

THE MINISTRY Licensed: Billy Abwa, by the Ballymena Presbytery, on 24 October 2021 Mark Haugh, by the Armagh Presbytery, on 26 November 2021 Ordained and Installed: Gareth Keaveney, as Minister of New Mossley, on 7 January 2022 Installed: David Stewart Brownlow, as Minister of Derramore & Drumachose, on 26 November 2021 Samuel David Currie, as Minister of Ballysillan, on 12 December 2021 Russell James Edgar, as Minister of Kilfennan, on 17 December 2021 John Hamilton Flaherty, as Minister of First Donaghadee, on 5 November 2021 Stewart William Kells Glendinning, as Minister of Coagh, Ballygoney & Saltersland, on 3 December 2021 Craig Neil Lynn, as Minister of First Newtownards, on 10 December 2021 Laszlo Csongor Orban, as Minister of Drumlough & Anahilt, on 26 November 2021 David Mark Shaw, as Minister of Ballycrochan, on 8 January 2022 Commissioned and Inducted: Kenneth William James Hanna, as Rural Chaplain, on 7 November 2021 Resigned: David Stewart Brownlow, as Minister of Newmills & Carland, on 25 November 2021 Samuel David Currie, as Associate Minister of Knock, on 11 December 2021 Russell James Edgar, as Minister of Ballyroney & Drumlee, on 16 December 2021 Kenneth William James Hanna, as Minister of Second Dromara, on 6 November 2021 David Jonathan Hyndman, as Minister of Spa & Magherahamlet, on 31 December 2021 Craig Neil Lynn, as Minister of Rathcoole, on 9 December 2021 David Mark Shaw, as Minister of Strabane & Sion Mills, on 7 January 2022

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50

Herald February 2022

Readvertisement

FIRST HOLYWOOD PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH invites applications for the post of

Coordinator of Children’s and Youth Ministry to coordinate the strategic development of the children’s and youth ministry of the congregation.

Hours of work: 37.5 per week (permanent) Salary: PCI recommended salary scale Band B (£23,772–£27,899 pa).

Information pack, revised job description and application form : Church Office, First Holywood Presbyterian Church, 7 Bangor Road, Holywood, Co Down, BT18 0NU Tel: (028) 9042 5035 Email: office@firstholywood.co.uk

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

Piano Tuning Tel: +44 (0)28 9268 9468

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.

Northern Ireland

Died: Rev Dr Robert John Gordon Gray, Minister Emeritus of First Lisburn, on 15 December 2021 Rev Thomas Irvine Harte, Minister Emeritus of Trinity Boardmills, on 16 November 2021 Very Rev Dr Samuel Hutchinson, Clerk of the General Assembly Emeritus, on 19 November 2021 Rev Norman Rayner McCormick, Minister Emeritus of Ballygawley & Ballyreagh, on 7 November 2021

Services available throughout Ireland

CLASSIFIEDS

Accommodation

Retired: Terence Richard Graham, as Minister of Joymont, Carrickfergus, on 31 December 2021 Noel McClean, as Minister of First Kilraughts, on 31 October 2021 Stanley Stewart, as Minister of Castlerock, on 31 December 2021

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