Recorded in Belfast in Assembly Building’s Weir Chapel, Dr Bruce looks at Ephesians 5:21-6:9 and how Paul draws some principles from the Old Testament to help us frame relationships and writes of his grand vision of the church, which the Moderator says, “is nothing less than a new way of being human.”
Crossing over into the final chapter of Ephesians, Dr Bruce explains that these relationships include husbands and wives, children and their parents and (in Paul’s day) slaves and their masters. “In looking at these important themes, I will be reflecting on the influence of the sexual revolution and feminism in the 1960s and will be quoting from the former Chief Rabbi, Jonathan Sacks. I will also be reflecting on ‘cancel culture’ as it relates to the slave trade, and recognising that sometimes, when it comes to wisdom, order is better,” the Moderator said.
This week Dr Bruce is joined by members Route Presbytery. During the service Presbytery Clerk, Rev Noel McClean, minister of First Kilraughts Presbyterian and Presbytery Moderator, Rev Alan Buick, minister of Dunluce Presbyterian Church, will introduce the Presbytery in a short video, read and pray.
Presbytery of Route
From Bushmills in the north, round the coast road to Ballycastle, Route Presbytery extends across much of north County Antrim, taking in Cloughmills to the south and Finvoy to the west, with the town of Ballymoney at its heart.
The Presbytery includes 22 congregations making a Presbyterian family of around 9,000 people of all ages. It is one of the oldest presbyteries in the Presbyterian Church in Ireland and contains some of the longest established congregations: First Ballymoney, Bushmills, Dervock and Ramoan Presbyterian Churches (1646), First Kilraughts (1660) and Finvoy Presbyterian (1688)
Songs and hymns in this week’s service include:
- How Great Thou Art
- Jesus, be the centre
- The Church’s one foundation
- This is our God.
To help respond to God’s word today, the Moderator has asked Tracey Nicholl, who serves as a deaconess in St James’s Presbyterian Church, Ballymoney, to lead us in prayers for others.
Next week…
Next week, under the title ‘A battle-ready church’, Dr Bruce looks at Ephesians 6:10-17. For this service he will be joined by members of the Presbytery of Iveagh, which is named after the historic title associated with south and west County Down, where its 27 congregations can be found.