Boards and Committees of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland

Board of Mission in Ireland

Convener:
Executive Director:

The Board was formed in June 2000 by the merging of the former Board of Evangelism and Christian Training and The Home Board. It draws together a number of agencies and committees concerned with evangelism and outreach in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

The BMI currently has a large number of issues to face. The two most significant are:

The development of an overall strategic plan for the mission of our Church alongside other Christians throughout our island.
The development of support for any congregation which is taking seriously its call to worship, mission, fellowship, discipleship and ministry, alongside a challenge to other congregations to wake up to our calling to be the people of God in our local areas.

Congregational Life Committee Convener: Rev. Harold Boyce
The new Congregational Life Committee has begun its work through its Panels on Worship, Discipleship, Fellowship, Mission and Ministry. Our focus is to help and encourage congregations to carry out their mission and service to their local communities.

Home and Irish Mission Committee Convener: Rev. Roy Patton
This committee is facing up to the challenge of drawing up a mission strategy for our Church in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. It supports congregations that are struggling and helps pay for ministers in deprived areas. At the other end of the scale it assists ministers of large congregations by supporting assistants and licentiates to help with the work.

Shankill Road Mission Convener: Rev. Ian Harte Superintendent: Rev. Bill Campbell
In 1898 Shankill Road Mission came into being through the vision and zeal of its founder the Rev. Dr. Henry Montgomery. The aim and objective of the Mission was to give spiritual and practical aid to a very needy community. In June 2004 the Shankill Road Mission became a committee under the Board of Mission in Ireland.

Education and Promotion Committee Convener: Mrs. Cherry Poynton
The main work of the committee is to raise the profile of mission in Ireland throughout our Church and to provide means for envisioning local congregations so that they will want to be more actively involved in the work of mission.

Personnel Committee Convener: Mrs. Irene Younge
This committee has a large remit which involves the appointment of Home Mission Ministers, Irish Mission Workers, Urban Mission Workers, Tentmakers and any other personnel which the BMI seeks to appoint to forward mission throughout the land.

Property Committee Convener: Mr. Brian Knox
This committee will look after all property issues such as Church buildings and manses of Home Mission congregations, and housing for Irish Mission Workers.

Finance Committee Convener: Mr. Douglas Cowan
The main financing for all the Board's work comes from the United Appeal. This committee will seek to ensure that the Board's finances are used in the most effective way, to forward Church development, church planting and mission throughout Ireland.

More information can be obtained from the BMI home pages at www.missionireland.org