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The vision of a local benefactor, Miss Brownlee, will be kept alive this weekend when Presbyterian Moderator Dr Harry Allen officially opens a new suite of refurbished halls at Railway Street Presbyterian Church, Lisburn.
'Part of the £270,000 project has been funded by the selling of school buildings that were originally provided by Miss Brownlee for the Railway Street Congregation,' explained its minister, Rev Brian Gibson. 'Since the emphasis of the rebuilding programme has been to provide facilities particularly for young people we are calling one of the new rooms the Brownlee Room. It is a good link with the past in that Miss Brownlee was concerned for the youth of her day just as we see young peoples work as a vital element in our mission today.'
Indeed Railway Street has a history of starting new projects that spread the witness of the church. It was the parent congregation behind the development of two new Presbyterian Chuches in Lisburn over the last thirty years, Harmony Hill and Elmwood, both of which are now full congregations in their own right.
The new hall is a major refurbishment of the original building opened in 1887 and shares the same site as the church. It has been substantially extended to create a new entrance that leads to a 300 seater main hall with new stage. New kitchen and toilet accommodation have been provided together with a church office and the Brownlee Room, which will be specially decorated and equipped with young people in mind.
'If the church is to grow then we must take our youth work seriously,' added Mr Gibson. 'These new building show a commitment on our part to that area of our work and will help us develop it considerably while at the same time fulfilling our ministry to the community as a whole.'
The opening and dedication of the new halls takes place this Saturday, 15th March at 2.30pm.
Issued by Stephen Lynas, Presbyterian Information Services
Arrangements for photography should be made with Rev Brian Gibson Tel:01846 662149
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