Each Moderator undertakes four week-long presbytery tours during their year in office. With between 20 and 30 engagements in each, Dr Mawhinney’s tour concluded yesterday, when he preached in First Antrim Presbyterian Church, one of 20 congregations that make up the Presbytery, and one that holds special memories.
“Each tour is intensive, but they are so worthwhile, as they are wonderful opportunities for Moderators to get a genuine feel for the life and ministry of the Church. This time, for personal reasons, the Templepatrick tour has been different, as it holds some special memories for Karen and I.”
Dr Mawhinney explained, “We met in First Antrim, which was Karen’s church, and we were married there in 1993. Having studied to become a doctor, I had wrestled with leaving medicine to offer myself for the ordained ministry while working as a trainee GP in Templepatrick. Two years later I was licenced at a special service in the church, The Presbytery, has therefore, been a significant shaper of my life.”
The Presbytery takes in the towns of Antrim, Crumlin, Randalstown and Templepatrick itself. Situated on the north and eastern shores of Lough Neagh, it extends to just before Toome in the northern part and as far as Ballyeaston to the northeast, and Dundrod in the south, reaching Mullusk at the Presbytery’s eastern edge.
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“We were in most parts of the Presbytery and were made very welcome during our visit. I spent time with my minister colleagues, and found them to be in good heart and have been impressed with their pastoral and missional outlook to ministry.” Dr Mawhinney said.
“In each of the three presbyteries, coming alongside my colleagues in small groups in a pastoral setting, for prayer and fellowship, has been so important. Karen has also played her part in coming alongside and being with ministers’ wives who are partners in ministry. The visits to businesses across the Presbytery, schools and colleges, and health care facilities have also highlighted the positive influence Christian men and women and young people can play in their workplaces and communities. It was a good week,” The Moderator continued.
The tour opened when Dr Mawhinney preached in Kilbride Presbyterian Church, which was celebrating its 175th anniversary. To commemorate the landmark Dr Mawhinney planted a Scots pine. That evening the Moderator spoke at Templepatrick Presbyterian, with the presbytery coming together for a joint celebration in Muckamore Presbyterian Church on Wednesday evening. Yesterday morning found Dr Mawhinney preaching in Second Randalstown Presbyterian, which was celebrating its 200th anniversary.
Education has always played an important part in a presbytery tour, and the tour of Templepatrick was no exception, with visits to Loanends Primary School and Crumlin Integrated College.
“It was a pleasure to meet Mr Niall O’Hara, the principal of Crumlin Integrated College, who has led the College during a time of considerable growth. From 120 pupils, when he started, to upwards of 350 pupils, so it has also been a time of improving results.
“I was also very impressed by the questions from a special Q&A session I had with the prefects. The questions were sensitive as we explored what faith is, especially from a young person’s perspective in an unbelieving culture. Questions ranged from the relevance of the church in an increasingly secular society, to how does PCI view integrated education, what are the biggest challenges facing the Christian church in 2024, and did I think that it is harder for a young person to be a Christian in today’s society. All great questions,” Dr Mawhinney said.
At Loanends Primary School, known locally as ‘The School at the Steps, the Moderator was treated to a rehearsal of the musical ‘Annie’ that the school was putting on. “From what we saw, it is going to be a great show, as the children acted with what I can only describe as, ‘sas’ and real confidence. They had been working on it for months and you could really tell.
“You could also tell, even in our fleeting visit, that the Christian ethos in the school was integral to the school itself. This really came across talking to Mrs Armour, the principal, and was encapsulated in the welcome that we received. In fact, in both schools, Christian principles were lived out and were part of the character of the school. There was confidence in these, which resonated with me and my theme for the year, ‘Confidence in Christ’,” Dr Mawhinney said.
During the week the Moderator also visited two of the area’s major employers – Randox and Brett Martin, which employ over 4,300 people between them. He also spent time at the Greenmount campus of the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise. “On its website it describes itself ‘the centre of all things green – that’s agricultural, horticultural and environmental providing an idyllic rural setting for your land-based studies’.
“One of the blessings of my role, is that you get to see and do things that you wouldn’t normally. I have known about Greenmount for many years, but I didn’t fully appreciate the range of courses and the world class professionals that it turned out in many areas, greenkeeping, for example, or the research that it undertakes. Keeping with an agricultural theme, we also visited a local dairy farmer, where Karen and I were shown round, and Lough Neagh Fisheries.” During his eight-day visit, Dr Mawhinney also paid a courtesy call on the Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council.
With just over four months left of his year in office, the Presbytery of Monaghan beckons next month, which will be the Moderator’s final presbytery tour. “I’ve already visited the presbyteries of East Belfast and Omagh, and each one, for a variety of reasons, has been different. Omagh is a big widespread rural presbytery, while East Belfast is compact and primarily urban. Templepatrick, meanwhile, is quite integrated. Each has similar challenges, but I found all three to be wrestling with and engaged in building the Kingdom of God.”
“A year away from your congregation may seem like a bit of a break, but that couldn’t be further from the truth – especially when I look back at last week, the other presbytery tours, or our 15-day visit to Kenya in November. Each in its own way has pushed me, been engaging, and at times challenging, but they have afforded a welcome and the opportunity to see a cross-section Church life, its people and its work, that I would not have otherwise seen. For that I am very thankful.”
Photos (1) The Moderator with the elders of Second Randalstown Presbyterian (2) Planting a Scots pine to commemorate the 175th anniversary of Kilbride Presbyterian Church with its minister Rev Gareth McFadden (3) after the Q&A at Crumlin Integrated College (4) at Brett Martin and (5) Greenmount Agricultural College (6) with the Mayor of Antrim & Newtownabbey Borough Council.