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A service of thanksgiving will be held this Sunday night (27-10-96 at 8pm) in Claremont Presbyterian Church for the work and witness of the congregation since 1904.
The congregation has recently been amalgamated with First Derry, a decision that was taken by both congregations and ratified by the General Assembly in June.
Presbyterian Moderator Dr Harry Allen will be present at the service and will offer a special prayer of thanksgiving for the congregation and its people and what has been achieved over the last 100 years. Also attending will be the senior minister of the congregation Rev James Kilgore who ministered in Claremont from 1945 until 1974, and the praise will be led by the Foyle Presbytery choir.
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, Claremontıs 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. Amalgamation with First Derry was considered the best option.
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 amalgamation to further strengthen the Presbyterian witness on the west bank of the Foyle.
Under the terms of the amalgamation the members, assets and property of Claremont transfer to First Derry under its minister, Rev David Latimer. 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.
Issued by Stephen Lynas, Presbyterian Information Services on behalf of the Presbytery of Derry. For further information and arrangements, contact Rev David Latimer, Tel:01504 41490
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