The Presbyterian Church in Ireland (PCI) launched a weekly podcast today to support congregations in these particularly difficult and different times.  

Entitled ‘These Three Remain: Stories of Faith, Hope & Love from the Presbyterian Church in Ireland’, new initiative will include insights from a variety of ministers and leaders in congregations across Ireland as they reflect on church life as it is now, share creative ways to respond and discuss supporting their local communities.

Podcast presenter, PCI’s Discipleship Development Officer, Rick Hill, said that he was thankful for the technology that makes initiatives like this possible, “Obviously we have had to do this remotely, in keeping within the government guidelines. But I hope everyone who listens to the podcast, which will go out each Wednesday, will find them informative, useful, and fun, as we reflect together on what is going on around our Church and the different aspects of our life and witness as followers of Jesus. In short we want to share good practice to spark and encourage one another.”

The first episode in the ‘These Three Things’ podcast explores how congregations are adapting to their work given that church buildings are closed and church activities have ceased. Rick Hill is in conversation with Revs Kathryn Viner, minister in Malone Presbyterian in Belfast, Stephen McNie, minister of Ballyalbany and Glennan Presbyterian Churches in County Monaghan and Nigel Craig of Belmont Presbyterian in Belfast.

“Our first episode is called ‘Responding to a scattered Church’ and over the next few weeks we will also explore the need to re-imagine youth, children’s and family ministry, support people in this time of crisis and disciple people form a distance,” Rick said.

“For example, in our first broadcast Nigel talks about doing school assemblies online for pupils to engage with, as well as conducting public worship on digital platforms for the first time. Kathryn talks about a buddy system within her congregation as well as reaching wider into the community to offer help and support at this time, while Stephen talks about a co-ordinated church-wide response, which includes live-streaming Sunday worship, widespread communication and supporting the Foodbank in Monaghan in new ways.

Welcoming this new initiative, Presbyterian Moderator, Rt Rev Dr William Henry, said, “Different times lead to different ways of doing what we once took very much for granted. I really want to commend this podcast and thank all those working together, albeit remotely, to make this happen. I especially want to thank Rick who is presenting and Alan Meban, of Kilmakee Presbyterian, for editing it all together, not to mention the contributors of course.

“As many will know, the title of the podcast, ‘These Three Remain’, draws its name from a verse in 1 Corinthians 13. Writing to the Church in Corinth, the Apostle Paul said, ‘Now these three remain: faith, hope, and love - but the greatest of these is love…’ the three core elements of Christianity.

“I would encourage everyone to follow along, sharing the podcast on social media, subscribing, leaving reviews and engaging with this new initiative as we get used, for however long, to these new times,” Dr Henry said.

You can listen to and subscribe to These Three Remain: Stories of Faith, Hope & Love from the Presbyterian Church in Ireland here, or via your favourite podcast provider. You can also find other resources in the new ‘These Three Remain…’ section of the PCI website.

Photo: Taking part in the first of PCI’s new podcasts are (LtoR) Presenter, Rick Hill, podcast editor and member of Kilmakee Presbyterian Church, Alan Meban, with contributors Revs Stephen McNie, minister of Ballyalbany and Glennan Presbyterian Churches in County Monaghan, Nigel Craig of Belmont Presbyterian in Belfast and Kathryn Viner, minister in Malone Presbyterian in Belfast.