Thank you for praying for the life of our congregation through 2023. Please do remember there are opportunities for us to pray together on Sunday mornings before the service and at our prayer and praise services on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of the month.
Sunday 17th December
Isaiah 9:4 Thank God that the birth of Jesus is the one single event in the whole of history that will lift all the burden of sin that makes life so difficult at times. Thank God that Jesus birth is also what will end every kind of oppression that is still so evident in our world.
Monday 18th December
Micah 5:4 Thank God that Jesus is the Good Shepherd. Take time to remember that the great promise of scripture that we will never be abandoned by the shepherd. Take time today to simply sit in the presence of God, to be aware of his leading, care and love in our lives.
Tuesday 19th December
Isaiah 11:6-9 Christmas is not just about the time when Jesus came to the earth, but a time to look forward to when he will return. Thank God for what will be, the peace and absence of war, death and fear.
Wednesday 20th December
Luke 1:38 Mary offered herself in service to the Lord in an incredible way. Take time today to consider how we might offer ourselves in service to God, the church and one another.
Thursday 21st December
Luke 2:7 Jesus was born into poverty and homelessness. He was a refugee at an early age. Take time to pray for the many people in Gazza, Israel, Ukraine, and many other places across our world who are refugees. Pray for our friends living next door to the church as they spend a Christmas away from their families.
Friday 22nd December
Luke 2:14 It is incredibly easy to let the preparations for Christmas overshadow the meaning of Christmas. Take time today to pause and echo the song of the angels. Give glory to God for all that he has done. Why not list your blessing (count them one by one) and glorify God for all that he has done. Start the list with the fact that Jesus Christ has died for us!
Saturday 23rd December
John 1:5 The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it. Rejoice, and again I say rejoice that the light of Christ continues to shine in this dark world. In the turmoil, in the pain, in the good and in the celebrations. Thank God for the light of Christ, the hope of Christ and the promise of Christ… Happy Christmas!
This week we are using advent prayers and reflections written by some of the great heroes of the Christian faith. The language may be archaic in places, but take the time to allow the words, thoughts and meanings to sink in as you reflect on the importance of advent.
Sunday 10th December
O blessed Love of God, that all may taste and see how good thou art, once more I pray: Love through me – even me. (Amy Carmichael 1867-1951)
Monday 11th December
Wherever in the world I am, in whatsoever estate, I have a fellowship with hearts to keep and cultivate; and a work of lowly love to do for the Lord on whom I wait. (Anna Laetitia Waring 1820-1910)
Tuesday 12th December
Let your love so warm our souls, O Lord, that we may gladly surrender ourselves with all that we are and have to you. Let your love fall as fire from heaven upon the altar of our hearts; teach us to guard it carefully by continual devotion and quietness of mind, and to cherish with anxious care every spark of its holy flame, with which your good Spirit would quicken us. (Gerhard Tersteegen 1697-1769)
Wednesday 13th December
Whatever you, Lord, ordain is right: Here shall my stand be taken; through sorrow, need, or death be mine, yet I am not forsaken. My Father’s care is round me there; you hold me that I shall not fall; and so to you I leave it all. (Samuel Rodigast 1649-1708)
Thursday 14th December
Ah, Lord, dost thou not see my heart? Alas, how little love! I pray thee, do not lose thy part; drop softness from above. Oh, keep it tender, keep it soft, that I may know to raise, and quickly fir the lowest string, unto a tune of praise. (John Mason 1646-1694)
Friday 15th December
Lord, my heart is before you, I try, but I myself can do nothing; do what I cannot. Admit me into the inner room of your love. (Anselm of Canterbury 1033-1109)
Saturday 9th December
Come down, O love divine, seek thou this soul of mine, and visit it with thine own ardour glowing. O comforter, draw near, within my heart appear, and kindle it, thy holy flame bestowing. (Bianco da Siena 1350-1399)
There will be a congregational meeting on Sunday 17th December immediately after Sunday worship.
The purpose of this meeting will be to appoint new property trustees. The Presbytery Education Board are the current property trustees. These boards are being wound up which means the congregation must appoint new trustees. There are two options.
Appoint trustees from within the congregation. The disadvantage to this option is that these trustees must be kept up to date. People will step down from the role, but there will also be circumstances when trustees die in post. The congregation will then have to keep the trustees up to date and each change will require legal assistance.
Appoint the new Presbyterian Church in Ireland Trustee Company. The advantage of this option is that the trustees will always be in place and the congregation will not have to keep appointing new trustees.
What do property trustees do?
Property trustees act on behalf of the congregation when buying or selling land or buildings. Trustees can only act at the instruction of the congregational committee. Trustees cannot make decisions for themselves. Having trustees, as we have done, that are not members of the congregation is not a way of forfeiting ownership or decision making by the congregation.
What will happen at the congregational meeting.
At the congregational meeting the congregation will be asked to approve the appointing of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland Trustee Company as trustees. If the congregation chooses not to do this we will then have an election to elect trustees from among the congregation.
Thank God for the results from our congregational meeting: Helen, Samantha & Julie all received the overwhelming support of the congregation and so will now undergo a period of training before a conferral with Presbytery. Please continue to pray for each of the three new elders elect. Click on the picture below to find out more.
Monday 4th December
As we enter the Christmas period it is good to remember that for some this is a time of great sadness and difficulty. People are on their own, they miss loved ones who have died through the year. For some children it is a time when they become acutely aware that their family is very different to everyone else’s. Pray fro those for whom Christmas is difficult.
Tuesday 5th December
Presbytery will meet tonight. A busy agenda will include nominations for an incoming moderator, discussions around how ministry will be re-configured. We will also seek permission to offer Michelle a full-time position as Youth and Family Worker. Ballywillan will also present their vacancy papers to Presbytery. Please pray for what will be a busy meeting.
Wednesday 6th December
Little Treasurers’, our mums and tots’ group, has been incredibly successful this session. Thank God for the opportunity to provide a safe space for families and an opportunity for parents to meet and talk. Pray for Julia and her team of leaders as they model an example of family worship each Wednesday morning. Click on the picture below to find out more.
Thursday 7th December
We continue to have a few of our members in hospital. Please pray for families who worry about the health of loved ones. Pray especially for those who have been in hospital for a lengthy period. Pray for God’s healing and strengthening.
Friday 8th December
Our tech team, headed up by Alistair Nichol & David Porter continue to provide an invaluable service Sunday by Sunday. Thank God for Alistair and David, but also thank God for the different young people who do so much to help and improve our audio-visual output each Sunday.
Saturday 9th December
Ronnie Hyndman continues to faithfully care for our buildings. Thank God for all that Ronnie does and pray that he would know God’s blessing and presence as he serves the church.
I am delighted to be able to announce that all three of our prospective new elders, Helen Davies, Samantha McPeak, and Julie Watters received well in excess of the required two thirds of the votes cast in today’s congregational meeting.
Thank you to everyone who prayerfully took part in both the initial election and today’s meeting. The next stage for Helen, Samantha and Julie is that they will undergo 6 weeks training and an interview with presbytery. Please do continue to pray for each of our prospective new elders as they continue with this process.
