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Next week (Sunday 05-10-97 until 12-10-97) Presbyterian Moderator Dr Sam Hutchinson will be undertaking an official visit to the North West when he tours the Presbytery of Derry and Strabane taking in the city of Londonderry, Strabane and part of Donegal County.
During his week long visit the Moderator, accompanied by Mrs Hutchinson, will meet the Mayors of Strabane and Derry, be the guest of honour at the Strabane Chamber of Commerce Banquet and visit local industry, schools and hospitals. The Moderator will also meet with RUC personnel in addition to conducting special services at various Presbyterian churches during the week.
'Every year the Moderator undertakes official visits to four presbyteries and I am delighted to be coming to the North West,' explained Dr Hutchinson. 'The dramatic development of Londonderry and the surrounding area over the last few years has been remarkable. Within our churches here we are seeing changes too and I had the pleasure of recently opening the new buildings at Kilfennan. Developments at Magheramason and Ebrington show that the church here is vibrant and I hope that my visit here will encourage the local ministers and congregations in their outreach to the community.'
The Moderator will meet both management and staff on visits to Adria in Strabane, Herdmans in Sion Mills and Leckpatrick Dairies in Artigarvan. At Strabane High School Dr Hutchinson is expected to be questioned by GCSE students while he will conduct assembly at Strabane Grammar School.
On Friday events will have a more nautical feel when the Moderator sees the activities of Foyle Search and Rescue who help people that fall into the river and visits Greencastle Fisheries School and meets local fishing organisations.
Church events planned for the week include the reopening after renovation of Ebrington Presbyterian Church and Harvest Services at Inch and Strabane this Sunday. Next Sunday the Moderator will conduct morning worship at Newtownstewart and Gortin and in the evening he will speak at 1st Castlederg's Harvest Service.
During their year of office Moderator's pay official visits to 4 presbyteries and later in the year Dr Hutchinson will be visiting the presbyteries of Newry, Coleraine and East Belfast.
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