History and unity
I find history fascinating – whether watching documentaries on the past, looking at old photographs or reading about how things used to be. However, it can be a sobering exercise to look back. There is a realisation that our lives on this earth do not last forever and as Psalm 144 confirms, our days “are like a breath”.
In this edition, Billy Kennedy takes us on a journey to the USA, looking at the history of First Pittsburgh Presbyterian, which was established through the pioneering efforts of Presbyterian ministers from Ireland. As they embarked on an adventure to an unknown land in the 18th century, did they give thought to the legacy they might leave and how history would remember them?
The fragility of life is highlighted in this month of Remembrance as we honour those who have sacrificed their lives for others. PCI forces chaplain Rev Heather Rendell outlines how she marks the occasion in her role in the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps. Sharing it with colleagues from other countries, she says it is “a multi-layered commemoration”.
In Presbyterian history, 2023 marks the 50th anniversary since the denomination made the decision to ordain women as teaching elders on the same basis as men. The Herald takes a look back at how the press (both Church and secular) recorded events surrounding this. It is clear the Church has, at times, struggled to navigate this often contentious issue. Yet there has always been a striving for unity – the ‘guidelines’ of 1990 were an effort to allow those with conscientious objections to decline attendance at the ordination services of women.
Commenting in the Herald in 2008, editor Stephen Lynas said, “It is vital to the credible witness of our faith that we unite in using the God-given gifts of everyone within our Church”. Jane Nelson, one of PCI’s female ministers, echoes the importance of unity when discussing her ministry at First Omagh. Speaking of the collaboration between other churches in the area, she says: “Rather than building our own empires, we need to build together…”
At the core of any good leader, male or female, is a heart full of humility. Dermot Parsons, PCI’s Secretary to the Council of Social Witness, outlines his thoughts on what good leadership looks like; it includes attributes like integrity, listening to others and servant-heartedness. To sum it up, he comments: “We would do well to follow Christ’s leadership… The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”
A challenge for us all is to try and hold the concept of history at the forefront of our minds, and strive more ardently for a legacy of unity, humility and love.
The Presbyterian Herald is the official magazine of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. It provides a forum for debate and discussion on a wide range of topics and aims to challenge and encourage Presbyterians, as well as inform them about what the wider Church is involved in. It has a readership in excess of 25,000 and is distributed throughout Ireland.
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