Plaque to be be unveiled at First Derry on Sunday

MEMBERS of the congregation at First Derry Presbyterian Church will gather on Sunday morning for a short open air service on the walls adjacent to the church, marking another milestone for the church.

The congregation is getting tantalizingly close to moving 'home' after a seven-year absence following the discovery of dry rot. While major alterations, extensions and repairs to the city's oldest Presbyterian church have been necessary at various intervals since settlers first gathered together to form a congregation here, but this has been their longest test of faith without a spiritual home.

"No one could ever have imagined the displacement would last seven-and-a-half-years," said Minister Rev Dr Daivid Latimer, adding: "The 245 families associated with First Derry throughout the long years of disruption have remained exceedingly loyal to the church of their fathers. Happily Government funding from NITB and NIEA has enabled a contractor to be appointed and restoration work to begin."

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To celebrate this Dr Latimer will lead his congregation onto the city walls for a short open air service on Sunday morning, during which a replica plaque will be unveiled and dedicated to mark this defining moment in the life of First Derry Presbyterian Church.

Afterwards in Carlisle Road Methodist Church three children will be baptised, and Rev Latimer has thanked Jack Glenn of Adair and Neely, for providing a finger buffet for the entire congregation.