Project Description

2015/05

Fred Greenfield

At an evening of praise and testimony in Dunmurry Free Presbyterian Church on Sunday 22nd February, the minister, Rev Fred Greenfield, testified of fifty years serving the Lord.

During the service, the congregational praise was led by Jackie Moore at the organ and David Moore at the piano. Mr Greenfield, on accordion, led the singing of a selection of well known choruses including, ‘Because He lives’ and ‘Victory in Jesus’ and concluded as the children joined him at the front of the church to sing ‘Jesus loves me’. Also taking part in the service was the group ‘Kingdom Heirs’ in which both Fred’s son and son-in-law are members. They sang a great selection of well known gospel hymns including, ‘Amazing grace’, ‘The plan of salvation’, and ‘Jesus saves’.

Reflecting on those fifty years, Mr Greenfield went back to a summer evening when a group of teenage lads were playing football on a pitch at the Bog Meadows, near his home, off the Donegall Road, Belfast. They were only half-hearted about the game though, for the air seemed to be full of music. It wasn’t the blare and blast of fairground music either; no, this was something different. When the introductory music gave way to the sound of singing there seemed to be hundreds, possibly thousands of voices, united in song.  “Do you hear that singing?” someone asked. It seemed a silly question, for nobody could miss it, but it was the cue that ended the kick about. The ball was abandoned and the boys stood or sat around to listen.  The music was coming from a Gospel Crusade in the nearby Windsor Park. Young Fred had always loved music and this was very good music. He listened along with the others, and then the voice of the preacher declaring the gospel began to waft out across South Belfast.  It was possible that some of Fred’s mates didn’t understand much of what was being said, but they were held spellbound by the compelling voice with its American accent.  Fred understood it though.  His mum and dad were Christians and as a boy he was sent along to Sunday school and church every week and he knew what the speaker was talking about.  That summer evening wasn’t the only time that Fred would think about the claims of Christ on his life. A friend asked him to go to hear Pastor William Mullan speak about the second coming of Christ. After hearing that message Fred went home and read through the book of Revelation, trying to learn more about the subject. He wanted to be right with God but something was holding him back.

Fred left school and began to work in a factory in Belfast. There he met with a number of Christians, one of them his cousin Jim Fox. Jim asked Fred to attend a meeting in Ravenhill Free Presbyterian Church to hear Dr Ian Paisley preach the gospel. At first the young apprentice made some excuse, but on the 21st February 1965, Fred and another cousin, Billy Halliday, accompanied Jim to Ravenhill. The surroundings were strange as Dr Paisley preached that evening but the message was familiar. During the service the words of Genesis 6:3 were quoted, “My spirit shall not always strive with man”. This text awakened Fred to the danger of further delay, and when an appeal was made at the close of the service, Fred went into a counselling room. He waited there for a few minutes and into the room came his cousin Billy, and then Dr Paisley, who opened the Bible and explained the way of salvation. Both Fred and Billy received Christ as Saviour.

Immediately after his conversion, Fred became involved in the work of Ravenhill Free Presbyterian Church. Less than two years later, he felt the call of God to the ministry of the Free Presbyterian Church.  While training for the ministry and sharing in a gospel mission with the Rev William Beattie in Castlerobin Orange Hall, Fred met a young Christian lady called Jean Richardson. They became friends and that friendship matured into love, and they were married in September of 1971.  It was the privilege of the young married couple to embark on a shared life of service for God. Over the decades to follow, Fred has given faithful and committed service to a number of Free Presbyterian congregations in Northern Ireland, as well as ministering for some time in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

Fred and Jean were blessed with three children – Anne, Paul and Naomi. Their children were converted early in life. They have always been, and continue to be, a great encouragement to their parents in the work of God.  Now having ‘flown the nest’, and been married and with families of their own, Fred and Jean are the proud grandparents of twelve grandchildren. They continue to serve the Lord in the growing congregation at Dunmurry.