The Presbyterian deaconess movement is celebrating 100 years of work and witness in Ireland. To mark the occasion a special thanksgiving service will be held in Church House, Belfast on Thursday 25 September at 7.30pm. Guest speaker at the event will be Ann Allen from Scotland. Everyone is welcome to attend.
The service will be led by Presbyterian Moderator, Dr Donald Patton. Valerie Stewart, President of Presbyterian Women and Rev David Bruce, Executive Director of the Board of Mission in Ireland will also take part. The worship will be a mixture of contemporary praise and traditional hymns with Graham Hawthorne leading the praise group and Rev John Murdock, minister of Loanends and Killead, playing the organ.
The evening will take the congregation through glimpses of the past as Valerie Stewart interviews retired deaconesses. The current work of serving deaconesses in congregations, communities and chaplaincies will also be focused on, as well as a look ahead at the future when the training of new deaconesses will be considered. The event will be attended by some Church of Scotland deaconesses who will bring greetings from their denomination during the service. There has long been a close connection between the deaconesses of the two Churches and until recently, Presbyterian women travelled to Scotland for deaconess training.
The service will mark the end of the year-long centenary celebrations. Already this year deaconesses have enjoyed a reception hosted by the Lord Mayor of Belfast, Cllr. Jim Rodgers, in March and a special lunch for present and retired deaconesses in May. A book was also published in May, entitled A Century of Service, which details the history of deaconess ministry in Ireland and also includes the personal stories of six deaconesses as they describe their varied work and the path that led them to their training.
The first deaconess began training in 1908 following a recommendation by the Presbyterian General Assembly that an "agency of fully trained women workers should be introduced into congregational ministry." Since then deaconesses have played an important part in the home mission of PCI, serving in congregations, being part of hospital, university and prison chaplaincy teams and working in various community-based initiatives, including the Vine Centre on the Crumlin Road and South Belfast Friendship House in Blythe Street, off Sandy Row.
The work can be varied and demanding. Currently there are 27 serving deaconesses in the Presbyterian Church, along with two at the probationary stage and two in training.
Valerie Stewart, President of Presbyterian Women said, "Deaconesses have played and continue to play an important role in the mission of our church at home. Over the years much has been accomplished through the deaconesses as they have faithfully served God. I am sure there will continue to be new areas and opportunities for deaconess work in the coming years."
Issued by Sarah Harding, Presbyterian Information Services. Info@PresbyterianIreland.org
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