Run by the Church’s Council for Mission in Ireland (CMI), the information evenings are also an opportunity to discover more about the work of the Council and hear from guest speakers who will highlight their work and witness in the places that God has placed them.
Looking forward to the first evening in Belmont Presbyterian Church in Belfast, Dr. McNeely said, “When people think of ‘mission’ we probably think of the work of the great missionaries of the 19th and 20th centuries, or the amazing work that our global mission workers are doing overseas today.
“In Matthew we read how Jesus calls each of us to mission and the making of disciples as part of the Great Commission. Later in the Book of Acts Jesus instructs His followers to start locally, being His witnesses at home in Jerusalem first.
“The work at home here in Ireland is not finished. Travelling across the island encouraging our Church and discovering its unique contribution to local life, I see the amazing work that is being done in the name of Christ by those engaged in Home Mission. The Information Evenings that are coming up are great opportunities to find out more about this invaluable work and the work of the Council for Mission in Ireland.”
The Council for Mission in Ireland provides support and strategic direction for the Church, in relation to Home and Urban Mission congregations – those supported directly by the Church through the Council. It also has an important role in considering new church development, church planting and the oversight of a number of special projects. The Church’s 23 Deaconesses, 5 Irish Mission Workers and 7 Community Outreach Workers are also an important part of its responsibilities along with overseeing and supporting the provision of various healthcare, prison, armed forces and university chaplaincies across Ireland.
“The role of the Council is amazingly diverse and includes overseeing the huge variety of work in Home Mission and Irish Mission,” Very Rev. Dr. Frank Sellar, convener of the Council for Mission in Ireland, said.
Encouraging people to attend the evenings, Dr. Sellar continued, “The annual information evenings are an opportunity to hear first hand what the Council for Mission in Ireland is currently doing. They also provide an opportunity for members of our congregations to get a glimpse into mission work in Ireland, where the guest speakers highlight stories of God at work. Everyone is warmly invited.”
The Mission in Ireland Information Evenings take place on:
11th March: Belmont Presbyterian Church, Belfast
11th March: Drumquin Presbyterian Church, Omagh
14th March: Killymurris Presbyterian Church, near Ballymena
14th March: First Cookstown Presbyterian Church
18th March: Muckamore Presbyterian Church
18th March: Portrush Presbyterian Church
21st March: Newtowncunningham Presbyterian Church, County Donegal
25th March: First Larne Presbyterian Church
6th May: Second Ballybay Presbyterian Church.
You can discover more about the work of the Church's Deaconesses, Irish Mission and Community Outreach Workers in the Mission People section here.