Congregations of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland

Loy Hill,
71 James Street,
Cookstown,
Co. Tyrone BT80 8AE

Sunday Service:
11.30am and 7.00pm
(11.00am and 7.00pm Jul/Aug)

Minister: Rev. Dr. J. Isaac Thompson
Tel/Fax: (028) 8676 3296
Mobile: 07802 984242

First Cookstown

Motto for 2008:Growing believers into disciples, united in Christ, reflecting Jesus to the world

A Short History

The Scottish settlers established their first place of worship in this area at Coolreaghs near the northern end of the present town during days when there was much opposition from the Episcopal (Anglican) Church of Ireland. And yet during this time the Westminster Confession of Faith was drawn up (1646) and this owed much to the influence of Archbishop James Usher of the Irish Anglican Church who had been trained, educated and influenced by Walter Travers, Provost of Trinity College Dublin and a great Presbyterian.

In 1701 the congregation was forced by opposition from the Anglican Church of Ireland to move from Coolreaghs to the southern end of the present town, to Scotstown which is now in the centre of Killymoon Golf Club. Here they erected their new building inside three months using the materials transported from the previous site. In 1996 cairns were erected on both the Coolreaghs and Killymoon sites with some of the above historical detail.

In 1764 as the planned town of Cookstown (designed by an ecclesiastical lawyer, Dr Allen Cooke) was developing, the congregation bought the present site on Loy Hill overlooking the main shopping area of the town, and here their new church building was opened on 4 January 1764. The present building on Loy Hill was erected in 1841.

The minister of First Congregation today is The Rev Dr J Isaac Thompson, TD, BSc, CertEd, BD, MTh, HCF, formerly a school teacher and a part time member of The Royal Army Chaplains' Department (1987-2005) is the sixteenth minister of the congregation.

The second minister of the congregation, The Rev John McKenzie (1673-1696) was one of eight Presbyterian ministers who took refuge in Derry in 1688 during the famous siege there and he took part regularly in the Presbyterian services held in St Columb's Cathedral. Up until a few years ago the small communion table of 1673, made of bog oak, was the only one in use in the congregation and is still to be seen in one of the ancillary rooms.

In 1828 The General Synod met in Loy Hill and it was memorable because The Revd Dr Henry Cooke proposed to set up a committee to examine candidates for the ministry. This was agreed and thus our denomination became established officially in the doctrine of the Trinity, and from 1835 all ministers and elders have had to subscribe to The Westminster Confession of Faith.

The eighth minister was Dr Hamilton Brown Wilson (1846-1892) (and like the present minister was a native of the Garvagh district) who was Moderator of the General Assembly in 1883. The present pipe organ, one of the finest church organs west of the Bann, was installed in his memory in 1910. The most recent renovation was in 1993 when a new trumpet stop was installed. Our organist is Mr Bryan Dunlop, BSc, organist@firstcookstown.co.uk and Choir Leader is Mrs Meta Bell, choirleader@firstcookstown.co.uk

The Present Congregation

Today First Congregation has some 380 families. The minister is assisted by a full time Youth and Family Worker, Chris Pollock (chrispollock@firstcookstown.co.uk), a Kirk Session of 23 Elders and a Pastoral Assistant Minister, The Very Rev Dr Andrew Rodgers.

Sunday Services are at 11.30 am and 7.00 pm (During July and August the times are 11.00 am and 7.00 pm), with Junior and Senior Sunday School and Bible Class at 10.15 am - 11.00 am. (September to June). There is also a full programme for adults and children during the week, details of which can be obtained from the addresses below.

For more information please contact either The Rev Dr J Isaac Thompson - minister@firstcookstown.co.uk
or Mr Norman Bell, FIMLS (Clerk of Kirk Session) clerk@firstcookstown.co.uk
or Mr John Topping BSc (Congregational Secretary) secretary@firstcookstown.co.uk