Moderator to attend Dixon Park football match ahead of tour of Carrickfergus Presbytery
The Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland is to ‘warm up’ for his tour of east Antrim by attending Dixon Park for a Ballyclare Comrades game this Saturday (October 5).
Right Reverend Dr Richard Murray will watch the home club take on Dundela before his week-long visit to Carrickfergus Presbytery officially begins the following morning at Ballycarry, the oldest of the church’s 500-plus congregations.
Established in 1642, the Presbytery of Carrickfergus is made up of 19 congregations, including Ballycarry, which dates back to 1613.
“Someone once described the Carrickfergus Presbytery to me as ‘the mothership’ of PCI given that it was the first presbytery,” Dr Murray said, “and I am very much looking forward to the week, not only because it will be my first tour, it will also be a great opportunity to see the work that congregations are doing on the ground in their local communities, and get a feel for this part of east Antrim.”
From the Belfast Loughshore through Islandmagee and on to the beginning of the Antrim coast road, the Presbytery moves inland and includes Ballyclare, Carrickfergus and Larne, with several significant villages and townlands encompassed within that triangle.
The visit will see Dr Murray preach in the mornings and evenings in different congregations on the two Sundays that bookend the tour: the churches in Ballycarry and Ballynure on the first Sunday, then Ballyclare on the second Sunday morning, with a ‘united service’ at Gardenmore Presbyterian in Larne that evening, for local churches in and around the town, which will close the week’s engagements.
“In the 30 or so events that have been planned, it will be a good opportunity to meet a lot of people in a relatively compressed period of time, seeing what is happening in local congregations and meeting ministers and their families,” Dr Murray said.
Meeting People
“I am also looking forward to meeting people in the community who are working and serving in different ways, especially in local schools, foodbanks, businesses, policing and politics. With the North Channel running along the Presbytery’s eastern edge, I am also looking forward to visiting the Port of Larne and, in their 200th anniversary year, the RNLI’s lifeboat station and meeting their crew.”
Dr Murray continued, “While there are a number of civic elements to the tour, and I want to encourage all who serve in their various ways, the primary focus is pastoral; encouraging our congregations.
"Spending a time of fellowship and prayer in three separate meetings across the week with their ministers will also be a highlight for me. We have 15 active ministers and assistant ministers serving in the Presbytery and I very much look forward to spending time with them all.”
Speaking at the various Sunday services Dr Murray will bring his theme, ‘Mighty to Save’, to each congregation. “I chose this for my theme because I believe there has been a loss of confidence in the power of the gospel.
"The Apostle Paul says in Colossians 1:18 ‘Him we proclaim’ and I wanted to put the person and work of Jesus Christ front and centre throughout my year in office. If we are not about proclaiming Jesus Christ and Him crucified, then clearly we have lost our way,” he said.
The Presbytery Clerk and minister of First Larne Presbyterian Church, Rev Dr Colin McClure, helped to organise the tour. “It will be a packed schedule for the Moderator, which will see him meet many people who contribute to local community life and well-being.
"There are visits arranged to a foodbank, which does such valuable supportive work in these challenging times, various statutory agencies, including the emergency services.
“Education is always an important focus on a Presbytery tour, and Dr Murray will take assembly in Woodburn Primary School in Carrickfergus and in Larne High School he will take part in a Q&A session with some of the older students, while meeting the school’s senior team. He will also visit Roddensvale School, which is also in Larne.”
Dr McClure concluded by saying: “This has been an eagerly anticipated visit and I know that the Moderator is looking forward to being received by Alderman Beth Adger, Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, as well as meeting all the area's MLAs at a breakfast that we have arranged.
“What we call the ‘uniformed organisations’ play a large part in the life of our churches and our children and young people, and as a former member of the Boys’ Brigade, Dr Murray will attend the BB’s East Antrim Battalion’s annual service at my church, First Larne, and attend the Girls’ Brigade District Parade in Gardenmore.
"It will be a busy week, but I hope an informative and enjoyable one for the Moderator.”