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Two Presbyterian congregations in Londonderry, First Derry and Claremont will amalgamate later this year if decisions taken by the congregations last night (09-05-96) are agreed to by the General Assembly meeting in June.
At separate meetings both congregations agreed to resolutions brought by their respective Kirk Sessions to seek approval for the amalgamation which will see Claremont's members, assets and property transfer to First Derry.
For sometime the Presbytery of Derry has been reviewing its manpower provision in the city as movements of population effected congregational membership. While still an active church, Claremont's membership has been reducing for some time. In 1994, when their last minister was called to another church, Presbytery, in consultation with the congregation considered how best use could be made of the available resources in the future.
The option of amalgamation with First Derry was seen as the most suitable alternative and the congregations have now agreed to this. Only the General Assembly has the power to permit this and it is expected to ratify the request at its meeting during the first week of June.
Claremont began in 1895 when services were held in the Bethany Hall, Park Avenue. Then in 1900 the General Assembly sanctioned the formation of a new congregation and the following year the congregation called its first minister, Rev David Graham Millar. In 1905 the new church building was opened at a cost of £4,000. The congregation reached its zenith during he Fifties and Sixties but with the troubles numbers declined to their present level today.
First Derry was established in 1642 and while its membership also declined during the troubles a reversal of this trend has occurred during the last few years. The congregation is now growing again and looks forward to the proposed amalgamation to further strengthen the Presbyterian witness on the west bank of the Foyle.
Following approval it is expected that the amalgamation will be completed by the end of the year with Claremont's members transferring to First Derry. Elders of Claremont will automatically join the session of First Derry. To this new session will fall the task of considering how best to use the assets of the amalgamated congregation.
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