2016/01 A Humble Apology We are seeking to win souls, not just arguments! The idea of respect has taken on a very particular flavour in our present culture. It may be described by the cliché ‘Live and let live.’ In essence, we are all supposedly given the freedom to believe what we want, and to

2014/01 Should Women be Ordained? The announcement was made on 20th September 2013: The Church of Ireland had chosen Rev Pat Storey to be Bishop of Meath and Kildare.    ‘Nothing unusual in that’, you might say – except that Pat is not an abbreviation for Patrick but Patricia! Mrs Storey, rector of St Augustine’s in

2014/03 Distinctives Features of Free Presbyterianism THE PRAYER MEETING   The surroundings were less than luxurious: an old portable building, the usual combination of forms and the obligatory stacking chairs, well-worn carpet, and a make-shift pulpit. Known affectionately as ‘the hut’, the structure served as kitchen, venue for weekly children’s and youth meetings, and as

2014/05 Distinctives Features of Free Presbyterianism THE PRACTICE OF PROTEST At the beginning of the year members of our congregation convened a protest outside the Theatre at the Mill, Newtownabbey. We were there, with others, to register opposition to the staging of a production that mocked the Bible and belittled its message. When the honour

2014/07 Distinctives Features of Free Presbyterianism PREACHING THE WORD The year was 1960. It was a Sunday morning and I was, as usual, in Mount Merrion church. I was not in my accustomed place, but was seated right at the front, with no one between the pulpit and me. The preacher was Rev. Bert Cooke

2014/09 Distinctives Features of Free Presbyterianism EVANGELICAL AND EVANGELISTIC There was no one there. The lepers ventured into the Syrian camp realizing that death was likely no matter what they did. They went from tent to tent, found food and drink, silver, gold and clothing, but there was no one there!  They feasted and they

2014/11 Distinctives Features of Free Presbyterianism A COMMITTED MEMBERSHIP Church members are not to be spectators but participants, willingly employing what God has given them for the good of the church as a whole. To survey the religious scene in the area where I minister is to be struck by the fact that many congregations