Thank you for taking the time to pray with us this week.
Sunday 12th November
Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. (John 15:13 kjv) This morning we give thanks to God for the sacrifices of so many in the defence of freedom and justice. Pray for the families of all those who mourn the loss of loved ones because of man’s inhumanity to man.
Monday 13th November
This afternoon our after schools’ clubs meet in Portstewart Primary School. Pray for this important work among the children attending the local primary school. Pray for the school, teaching and non-teaching staff. Pray also for the children and their families that they would know how much they are loved and valued by us as a church, but also by God their creator and Jesus their saviour.
Tuesday 14th November
PW meets tonight. Give thanks to God for this important ministry among the ladies of our congregation. Thank God for all the women who do so much to ensure the life and witness of this church is maintained.
Wednesday 15th November
Last week our GB packed over 20 shoeboxes. Thank God for all the boxes that will be sent not just from this congregation but from across to the church to families who have little in comparison to us. Thank God for the real expressions of joy on so many children’s faces when these gifts are handed out.
Thursday 16th November
Our world continues to tumble further and further into turmoil. Pray for the many places where suffering seems to reign, and misery dictates how people live their lives. Thank God for his sovereignty and the promise that he will bring all suffering to an end. Pray for that day to come.
Friday 17th November
Stuart is convenor for Ballywillan while they are vacant. Pray for Ballywillan, and the many other vacant congregations across our denomination. Pray for especially for those congregations who are enduring or facing long vacancies.
Saturday 18th November
Joe Fell continues to faithfully visit in our congregation. Thank God for Joe, pray for him as he ministers among us. Pray also as he does this while facing illness within his own family.
Each Sunday morning we publish a prayer diary which is designed to help us pray more regularly throughout the week. We would be delighted for as many people as possible to join us in prayer.
Sunday 5th November
He took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” (Luke 22:19 nlt) Take time this morning as we come to the Lord’s table to remember what he has done for each of us, as individuals and a collective.
Monday 6th November
As the weather turns colder and people begin to make decisions as to whether they can afford to heat their homes, pray that our society would become fairer. Pray for our local economy remembering Jeremiah’s words to the exiles, that if Babylon prospers, they will prosper.
Tuesday 7th November
This evening there is a special meeting of Presbytery to discuss how the Presbyterian Church in Ireland responds to the fact it cannot provide ministry in the way it always has to many of our congregations. Pray for wisdom and sensitivity in these discussions. Pray also for those congregations who have been vacant for a long time and have little prospect of calling a minister of their own.
Wednesday 8th November
At the time of writing the events in Gazza and Israel show little signs of improving with more and more civilians caught up in the fighting on both sides of the war. It’s hard to believe this is a land where Jesus demonstrated so much love and compassion. Pray for all who have been caught up in the fighting, pray for the day when God finally beats the swords into ploughshares, breaks the shield and burns the spear.
Thursday 9th November
Robin Gawne, our treasurer, has been reporting an improving picture for the church finances, however the church still operates at a significant deficit. Pray for our finances, pray that God would provide not just for the church to keep going, but for the means that we would be able to continue to reach our community for Christ.
Friday 10th November
Thomas Black is a candidate for the ministry from 1st Coleraine. Thomas will be joining us for a four-week placement on Sunday as part of his application process. Pray for Thomas, pray that he would know God’s blessing and presence, but also that he would know God’s leading as he continues to explore God’s call on his life.
Saturday 11th November
On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month the guns fell silent. Thank God for the ending of wars, pray for those who still suffer the effects of war, and pray for those who have been caught up in war.
Each Sunday morning we publish a prayer diary which is designed to help us pray more regularly throughout the week. We would be delighted for as many people as possible to join us in prayer.
Sunday 22nd October
This morning we read the names of Helen Davies, Samantha McPeak and Julie Watters for the second Sunday as we continue the process of electing new elders. Please pray for Helen, Samantha and Julie as they have allowed their names to become part of a very public process. Pray they would know God’s blessing and presence in the coming days and weeks.
Monday 23rd October
Can these bones live? (Ezekiel 37:3) When Ezekiel was presented with the valley of dry bones, he was asked Can these bones live? As part of the process of bringing the bones to life God told Ezekiel to Prophesy, to speak God’s word to the bones. Take time this morning to remind yourself of God’s word to us, the church today. Read Colossians 3: 1-17 and pray that God would lift our eyes to Christ and everything he has done for us.
Tuesday 24th October
Kirk Session is meeting tonight along with Burnside elders to hear a presentation from an organisation called Safe Families Safe families aims to help families who are in crisis for one reason or another. Pray for both Kirk Sessions, pray for the families in our community who find themselves in a difficult situation and pray that we as a combined Presbyterian witness would make a difference in our community.
Wednesday 25th October
On Sunday morning we welcomed our Girls Brigade into the church for their enrolment service. Thank God for the girls, the leaders, officers and captain of the GB. Pray that the GB would be a place where girls find friendships, love and above all that it would be a place where they see the love and faithfulness of God through Jesus Christ.
Thursday 26th October
Karen Elliot sends birthday cards to every child connected to the church, be that through baptism, Treasure Hunters, GB, Youth Club or the schools club. Thank God for Karen and this important work. Thank God also for the approximately 100 children that we as a church have weekly contact with. Pray that God would bless this work and that it would become a stepping stone to bring more families into our church family and faith in Jesus Christ.
Friday 27th October
The congregations of Moneydig and Second Kilrea where Stuart was minister are still vacant almost 2 and a half years since he moved to Portstewart. This is a story repeated many times over throughout our denomination. Pray for Moneydig and Second Kilrea, pray also regarding the difficulty are church has in finding new ministers and for the new ways it is trying to find to provide stable ministry for many small congregations.
Saturday 28th October
Blaze and Chill (Youth Clubs) meet tonight. Thank God for the work Michelle is doing among our young people. Pray that as she adjusts to working on her own over these next weeks that she would know encouragement and support from us as a congregation, but also that she would be encouraged through the work she is carrying out.
Mums and tots meets on Wednesday mornings from 10am – 12 noon, in our church hall. It’s open to anyone (parent, childminder, grandparent, male or female) who is caring for a pre-school age child or children.
Adults have the opportunity to make friends over a cup of tea or coffee whilst the children learn to play with each other. The children also sit down together to enjoy a snack and a drink.
Come along and get to know others in the community who have kids at the same stage as yours. Make friends, share how you raise your kids and learn what others do differently. Above all have fun- you and your baby.
I want to begin by saying thank you to everyone for your support over what has been another incredibly busy church year. Our church simply would not function without the time and commitment you give to the various programmes we run. I also want to pay tribute to Michelle and Heather for everything they do throughout the year. Please continue to pray for both Michelle and Heather as they try to find ways of building relationships, not only with our young people but their families as well.
Michelle Mullan & Heather Hamilton
We will begin the 2023 – 2024 church year by holding an election for up to four new elders. This is always an important moment in the life of any congregation. The role of the elder is very different to any other role in the church. The elder is responsible for the spiritual welfare of the congregation. An elder is often described as a shepherd leader. Someone who gently guides through leading by example, but one who serves by putting the welfare of the congregation first. I would encourage you to begin prayerfully considering who in the church might fit such a role. Who is faithful in prayer, who are the servants in our congregation?
On the subject of prayer and bible study, we will be changing the night of our bible study and prayer meetings. Over the last couple of years, we have been meeting on a Monday night, this will now change to a Thursday. We will use Thursdays as a time to study bible books and topics. The plan is to run a series of blocks of teaching with a gap between each block. The focus on Thursday nights will be bible study, we will then move our prayer time to every other Sunday evening which we will use as a time of Prayer & Praise. Our Sunday morning prayer time before the church service will continue as normal.
Please do give careful consideration to coming along, bible study and prayer are the basic building blocks of the Christian faith along with the opportunity they provide to build supportive Godly friendships within the church.
The new church year will bring something new as I take up the role of Convenor of the vacancy in BallywillanPresbyterian Church. This will mean I will be away from Portstewart once a month to preach in Ballywillan. Please pray for the congregation in Ballywillan as they come to terms with a vacancy and seek God’s will for the start of a new ministry and era.
2023 was a significant year in the life of our nation. After the death of her Majesty the Queen, King Charles III was officially crowned as King and Defender of the Faith. We marked this in church through the planting of a second tree in the church lawn. It was good to be able to bring the congregation together and take a photograph marking the occasion for posterity.
The big event of the last few months was the Festival of Crafts and Talents. It was wonderful to see the church filled with so many beautiful examples of art and craftwork. The presence of so much talent during worship on the Sunday added much to the service. The festival raised in excess of £2000 which was split evenly between PW mission funds and our own church finances.
Thank you to everyone who donated items to be displayed, those who set the display up and everyone who baked and served tea and coffee in the hall over the whole weekend. Your work was being talked about as far away as the General Assembly where people stopped me to say how much they had enjoyed the exhibition.
The events committee have been as busy as ever. The Northwest 200 breakfast another day of hard work, but one that was as successful as ever. This against the backdrop of the sad and sudden death of Betty Kennedy. Betty was a much loved and valued member of our congregation and of the events committee, she will be greatly missed.
Some of you may remember Bertie and Ann Hunter who were members of our congregation at one time. Bertie and Ann both emigrated to Canada in the early 60’s, Bertie from Coleraine and Ann from Ballywalter. It’s incredible to think two people from opposite ends of Northern Ireland would then meet and marry in Canada living a very happy life together there.
Eventually the call of home was too much to resist and so the pair returned home in 2005 and were valued members of our congregation for 10 years before returning to Canada because of Bertie’s poor health. Sadly, Bertie died in 2021 in Canada. It was wonderful then to be able to welcome Ann and other family members to Portstewart in May for a memorial service which allowed friends and family to pay their respects.
We had the joy of another two baptisms in our congregation. It was an honour to be able to baptise Hugo and Ottilie Stewart in June. Please continue to pray, not only for Hugo and Ottilie but for all the children and families within our congregation. As well as baptisms we also welcomed Jacob Morrow into full membership of our congregation.
Kirk Session and Committee have been extremely busy this last year. We have been grappling with understanding what our mission ought to be. Our mission is the reason we as a church exist. This might sound quite a straightforward task, but it was anything but. After much discussion and an incredibly honest look at what we have been doing this is what we have arrived at. Our mission is to be a people who worshipGod, serveour community and proclaimthe good news of Jesus Christ. We want this statement to be central to everything we do as a church. This will mean all our activities will have to incorporate some form of worship, service to the community and proclamation of the gospel. We are still working on our vision statement that will help us achieve this goal.
We held our annual Holiday Bible Club as an afterschool club at the end of June this year. This was another successful club on top of everything we’ve been doing throughout the year. Thanks, has to be given to Mrs Taylor and her staff who have made us welcome. It is a privilege, not a right, that we have the access to the school that we are allowed. The Holiday Bible club ended with a service on the Sunday, and it was such an encouragement to see children from the club along with their parents in the church.
As is the way with every church year the business of life is always marked by moments of sadness. Since my last letter we have mourned the loss of three valued family members and friends.
Betty Kennedy died on the 4th of May 2023
Alfie Ferguson died on the 4th of June 2023
Denise Sloan died on the 6th of June 2023
Please continue to pray for the life of our church and I pray that you find the summer months both relaxing and revitalising. Julia and I plan to enjoy our holidays this August and we look forward to seeing you all again in September.
Ladies, Friday 16th June 7.30-9.30 in the minor hall, we are launching Secret Sister for Portstewart Presbyterian Church..
Secret Sister is where you pledge to pray every day for a year, for another lady out of the church, though they will not know it’s you praying for them…thus SECRET sister.
This is a great opportunity for any women who attend or are connected to Portstewart Presbyterian Church, to get to know each other better, grow in their faith and have fellowship together.
On the secret sister night we will have fun, a yummy sweet supper (so come hungry) and a Fashion Me Perfect workshop, where you can learn how to work out what colours and shapes suit you best.
On that night you ll fill out a form giving your name, address, birthday (if you d like to) and prayer requests. These will be thrown into a hat and you pick one out, and that will be the lady who you will pray for. There will be a basket in the church foyer where you can leave cards or small gifts for your secret sister to encourage them through out the year. If you can make the night please let Helen Davies, HazelWalker or Wendy Porter know. If you can’t make the Friday night but would like to be part of Secret Sister, please let us know and we ll give u a form to fill out which can be included on the night.
