Organised by the PCI’s Council for Mission in Ireland (CMI), Council Secretary Rick Hill explained that they will not only provide opportunities for people to come together to worship with friends and people from other local churches, they will also be great opportunities to hear PCI’s church planters, chaplains, deaconesses and mission workers talk about their work.
“Each of these gatherings are specific opportunities to tell the story of what God is doing through His church and to share the message of Jesus today. The Covid pandemic affected and interrupted so much of what we took for granted, including the rhythm of church life. This is why we are so delighted to be able to announce the restoration of these Mission in Ireland Evenings for the first time since 2019, having had to be cancelled in 2020 due to the onset of the pandemic,” Mr Hill said.
“We have called the series ‘Scattered and Sent’ based on words founds in Acts 8:4. We will reflect on how, even though the early church experienced difficulty and disruption, it resulted in these disciples being scattered to the ends of the known world. God used those uncertain times as a catalyst for mission, spreading the gospel far and wide.
“While the church may face fresh challenges in contemporary society, people still need to hear the Good News of Jesus. As a church we need to be faith-filled and forward looking, and at each of our evenings there will be practical examples of this through real life stories of people being reached, congregations growing, churches planted and God’s mission flourishing across Ireland,” he said.
The Mission in Ireland Evenings began on 5 March in Stormont Presbyterian Church in east Belfast where Rick Hill was the speaker. The evenings close on 19 March where one of the meetings will also focus on global mission:
Sunday 12 March
- Donacloney Presbyterian Church (7pm)
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Speaker Rick Hill, Council for Mission in Ireland Secretary |
- Downpatrick Presbyterian Church (7pm)
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Speaker: Billy Paterson retired Irish Mission Worker |
- Muckamore Presbyterian Church (7pm)
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Speaker: Rev Dr Keith McCrory, minister Maynooth Presbyterian |
Wednesday 15 March
- Richhill Presbyterian Church (8pm)
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Speaker: Rev Nigel Craig, Chaplain to Queen’s University, Stranmillis and Union Theological Colleges |
- Ballee Presbyterian Church, Ballymena (8pm)
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Speaker: Rev Peter Burke, church planter – Grace and Hope Church, North Belfast |
Sunday 19 March
- Hamilton Road Presbyterian Church, Bangor (6.30pm)
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Speaker: Shirley McGonigle, assistant project leader, International Meeting Point in North Belfast
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- Ballycastle Presbyterian Church (7pm)
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Speaker: Rev David Moore, minister in Special Work in West Belfast |
- Edenderry Presbyterian Church (7.30pm)
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Speaker: Rick Hill, Council for Mission in Ireland Secretary |
- Maze Presbyterian Church, (6.30pm)
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Speaker: Stephen Richmond, minister of Donegal and Stranorlar Presbyterian Churches |
- Dungiven Presbyterian Church (7pm)
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Speaker: Naomi Leremore PCI’s global mission worker, who serves in the Theological Education by Extension Department of the Presbyterian Church of East Africa. |
The Council for Mission in Ireland is one of the Councils of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland and provides support and strategic direction for the Church in relation to its 60 Home and Urban Mission congregations. It also has an important role in considering new church development and church planting, as well as the oversight of a number of special projects and numerous areas of chaplaincy, which those attending will hear about.
Mr Hill continued, “While many may automatically associate ‘mission’ with the work of churches overseas, mission at home is also a vital part of gospel outreach. Our Mission in Ireland Evenings enable Presbyterians, and others, to get a snapshot of the role played by PCI centrally in home grown mission and the green shoots that we see in local communities the length and breadth of Ireland.
“There will be time to pray for what God is doing and for those serving quietly behind the scenes, reaching people of all faiths and none and meeting their needs in the name of Jesus. These evenings are a great opportunity to discover more about that work and how God’s kingdom is growing, he said,”
All are very welcome to the evenings. Full details can be found here in the events section of this website.
Images: (1) Rick Hill, Council for Mission in Ireland Secretary (2) Scattered & Sent logo for the 2023 Mission in Irealnd Evenings.