PEW NEWS

 WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE CHURCH COMMUNITY

(Older Computers - due to page width it is necessary to navigate sideways to see all photos in the older artcicles - you don't want to miss any!!)

	Like Ducks to Water Last Saturday saw several parishioners join other locals in support of local RNLI. Just like last year, they donned their wetsuits (if they were wise) or shorts with/without a t-shirt (if they were mad) and swam from the pontoon out round the lifeboat and back again. Starting was hard, finishing was harder and climbing up the ladder at the end looked almost impossible for a few! But the event was enjoyed by everyone and those of us who watched could only admire those who jumped in - it was freezing cold just watching! The photos at the end may appear blurred - hard to take a photo that doesn't look out of focus when the subjects are shivering so badly!

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Here I go, once again, with my knapsack on my back... Sing along if you know the words..... It seems the only people with stories for the website are those who leave us to spread their goodwill - church groups and parishioners take note!! Once again we have help going out to those less fortunate in the 3rd World. This time its our previous curate, the now Reverend Jack Kinkead. He has just left these shores for Uganda and sent these words before heading off to let us know what he will be up to:- "In the early hours of Friday 20th January 42 people will assemble at Dublin Airport to begin the journey to Nakasongola, Uganda, where we will join the 6 other team members who travelled ahead in an advance party. While in Uganda we will be working at a secondary school. Our aim is to complete a new dormitory, lay foundations for a second dormitory and construct 2 storage buildings. The core of the team are skilled tradesmen who work in the construction industry; the rest of us will do what we are told to!   The team is led by David Charleton, who is a Master Builder, based in Kilkeel. He is also a Lay Reader in Kilkeel parish. David has a real passion for the Gospel of Christ, and a passion to help other people for the sake of Christ. His dedication and commitment is inspirational. I am privileged to act as Chaplain on this trip, as well as helping/hindering the building work. This should be a great experience and I am looking forward to it (although slightly apprehensive at the same time!). Much work has gone into fundraising for this project and people have been very generous. Many thanks to all in Holy Trinity who bought Fireside Quizzes from Mum and gave donations. Over £300 was generated towards the trip, which will make such a difference to the people who will benefit. Although I have moved on, I still regard Portrush and Holy Trinity as ‘home’ and it is great to have received such support from here. Please keep us all in your prayers."   More information about the work of Fields of Life can be found on their website, and some details of the project may be found there also -  http://www.fieldsoflife.com/get-involved/short-term-mission/team-profile.php?t=51  .                                                             Hopefully on Jack's return there will be some stories - with photos!!

22 October 2011

	RUTH'S RETURN Ruth has returned from her charity trek up Kilimanjaro and, as usual, it is best left to those who know what they are talking about to tell their own story:- “After a lot of hard work, I did it… yaaaaaay!! I made it to the top of Kilimanjaro, the ‘roof of Africa’, 5895m. I once again would like to thank everyone for their hard work, support and generosity and I honestly couldn’t have done it without the support from Holy Trinity parishioners. In Tanzania we went to visit one of the schools in rural Moshi in which Childreach International help to fund to create a better school and teaching environment for the children here. Even though these children have very little and some have to walk miles to get there to learn, they are some of the happiest kids I have ever met. We played games with the kids and they taught us songs and dances they knew. It really makes you appreciate the life we have after seeing how little these kids have. Passing through the towns and villages and seeing the poverty affected me quite a lot but made me realise the difference the charities like Childreach International do in trying to make a difference here in giving these children a better quality of life. The trek itself was hard but with the upbeat spirits of the groups and guides it made it easier through the tough hills and any times you felt down. Every day was a different, going from the jungle to snow glaciers in the space of 4 days - breath taking views. I started to struggle around the third day as altitude hit me quite hard.The high spirits of the team and guides got me through this sickness. It was all worthwhile when I reached the top and realised the achievement I had made.  I was taken aback by the view at the top of Kilimanjaro looking over Africa above the clouds. I will never forget this experience and would recommend this challenge to all. So once again I would like to thank everyone, especially my Mummy and Daddy (Gwen and David) for everything they have supported me with throughout the whole experience. Keep your eye out as I don’t think this is my last challenge, I have been asked to team lead another challenge with Childreach International  this summer, so I’ll be kept busy for another year”

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ANOTHER NEW WELCOME This time we are welcoming our new intern-deacon - Jonny Campbell-Smyth -  and, as always, it's best if we hear 'straight from the horse's mouth': "Known to most as Jonny, I am 40 and married to Alison. We were both born and raised in Lisburn and now live in Garvagh, with our two boys Josh (7) and Nathan (4). Alison works for the Northern Trust as Head of Podiatry, and does a good job at looking after all the feet in our house. Josh is just moving into P4 in Gorran Primary, and Nathan begins in Pre-school at Aghadowey.  Since moving to the North Coast we have worshipped at St Patrick's Coleraine, where we are actively involved. Music has always been a big part of my life and I have been blessed to play alongside many great musicians both in a secular and christian setting. I play regularly with the New Irish Orchestra, and also at Summer Madness, New Horizon, Global Day of Prayer, to name but a few. Clarinet & Saxophone are my main instruments, but I’m also working on my Grade 3 piano.     Something I have come to realise is that if you want to tell people about Christ then you must first establish honest relationships with them. You get to know people more when they get to know you. We are looking forward to getting to know you all in HTP, so please be patient with me as I learn to connect names with faces. Born out of this journey has been my calling to ordained ministry and I hope that it will be marked with many encounters with people through honesty and humility. Mission also has played a big part in my life, with involvement in teams through Scripture Union and Crosslinks both at home and further afield. Most recently I have helped to lead teams from here going to Thailand, helping to support ministries there which deal with prostitution and drugs related issues. I have been hugely impacted by the importance of prayer within communities in Thailand and what transformation can come when people earnestly and continually seek God for their society.   The 4th September is a big day for us as a family, when I am ordained to the diaconate in St Colman’s Church, Dunmurry. Please pray for us as a family as a new chapter begins for us. You are all very welcome to come and support us on the day. ."   On a side not, we have another 'new' addition but with a familiar face - congratulations to the rector on being made a canon - prayers and good luck to both Peter and Jonny in their future challenges.

CLEANLINESS IS NEXT TO ..... Way back in the cold depths of winter, Ruth Owen kicked off fundraising efforts for her Kilimanjaro climb with a pub quiz. More recently, and in warmer circumstances, there was a car wash at the Portrush Fire station. Parishioners supported both efforts and Ruth wanted to say a  thank you:- "The car wash was held on Saturday 9th 2011, which was another fantastic fundraiser - a lot of people from the church came and kindly showed their support. We managed to raise another £250 towards my total for Childreach International thanks to everyone's generosity.  If anybody would like to make any further donations to help me meet my final step of the target for the challenge of my life, the deadline for donations is the 18th July 2011. I would like to thank  everyone's help and support so far."  For donations and more information about my challenge visit:  http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/RuthOwen1

SUNDAY SCHOOL NEWS  The Sunday School year wound up at the start of June, with the annual prize giving service, when a full church of children, parents and friends enjoyed a lively service led by Alice McAlary, from Alliance Youthworks, used clips from the movie ‘Valiant’ which is the story of a woodland pigeon who dreams of being a great hero someday. Alice reminded us that God can use us all, no matter how inadequate we feel, if we let him.   We had hoped to have our annual sausage sizzle and beach games that afternoon, but as is often the case in Portrush, the weather beat us. We plan to reschedule this in early September. The Sunday School ended fully the following weekend when 50 kids had a great morning out at AlleyCats.

CHURCH LADS AND GIRLS BRIGADES The Regimental Athletics Day at the Mary Peters Track was held on Saturday 4th June. Brilliant results for HTP - total of 30 medals won!!! The senior girls won the shield for the most points gained and the juniors came second. Unfortunately no-one from CLGB ever gives me photos so.........

WELCOME A new adddition has been welcomed to the rectory - meet Evan,  a second son for the rector and his wife and a baby brother for Joshua. Word has it that, rather like his brother - but some might say, unlike his father ('some', rector, not me!!) - Evan was in rather a hurry to arrive!! He looks happy enough to be here now that he has.

Congratulations to the Very Reverend Patrick Rooke, Dean of Armagh, on his appointment as Bishop of Tuam, Killala & Achonry. Patrick served as curate here in HTP from 1981-83, and then was rector of our neighbouring parish of Agherton from 1994-2006. Dean Rooke said he was delighted to accept the appointment and looked forward to leading the clergy and people of Tuam, Killala and Achonry at this important time for the Dioceses. He said that he took heart from the Special Meeting of the General Synod held last month, which had given almost unanimous support for the appointment of a new bishop to the numerically small diocese.  Dean Rooke knows the West well. His mother’s family came from County Mayo and his sister and other family members live in the Diocese. ‘Having spent the past thirty-three years in Northern Ireland, returning to the Republic will be different,’ he said. ‘However, I have found throughout my ministry that the experience gained growing up in a rectory family in Dublin has prepared me for most things.’ We wish Patrick, Alison, Emily, Nicholas and Susanna every happiness as they prepare to move to the west of Ireland, and every blessing to Patrick in his future ministry as a bishop in the Church of God.

GIFTS DEDICATED ON ST PATRICK'S DAY   St Patrick’s Day was very special this year for one parishioner, Tony Stewart, when he was joined by his only daughter Anne, and granddaughter Sophia from the USA in church for the dedication of a full set of burses, veils and pulpit falls in loving memory of his late wife, Nancy. Handcrafted, the burses, veils and falls are a beautiful and much appreciated addition to the visual aspect of worship. The green has a beautiful celtic design, as does the white, while the purple has the crown of thorns and a cross and the red the Holy Spirit depicted as a dove. During a well attended service, Sophie’s friend Abby, a gifted flautist played several reflective pieces and refreshments were served after the service.

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	HAITI   A few weeks ago there was a Pudding Club in our Parochial Rooms, which raised £800 for Samaritans Purse and their work in Haiti. For those of you who do not know much about this, as I didn't, here is a short piece form Nam, the brother-in-law of Sharon and Simon Finlay, who spent 2 weeks volunteering there as a doctor at one of the cholera clinics:   "After a devastating earthquake in January 2010 with a death toll exceeding 230,000, Haiti ’s suffering was compounded by a cholera outbreak in October. With an expected 650,000 people affected, an urgent appeal was made by Samaritans Purse UK, better known for its annual Shoebox Appeal.  I volunteered for 2 weeks, working 12 hour night shifts at the Cite Soleil CTC. Gunfire was a nightly occurrence and 2 of my shifts there was an immediate threat to the CTC. CTC was treating between 40 and 100 patients a day both as inpatients and day cases. Relief workers were from all over the world and we worked alongside Haitian nationals. Some of the patients treated were literally at death’s door but quickly made a remarkable recovery just with simple intravenous fluids, sometimes up to 30 litres were given. Nationally approximately 2500 had already died from cholera but thankfully there were no further deaths during my fortnight there. As we met their physical needs, the patients were then open to addressing their spiritual needs too. The majority of the Haitian people had very little, many living in the temporary tent shelters that Samaritans Purse had provided. Rubble was everywhere. But despite their suffering and poverty, there was hope and the work of Samaritans Purse and other organisations showed them that others did care. There was a proud sense of identity, with a number thanking us for helping ‘my people’.   There is still a long way to go for Haiti ’s recovery and it will take many years. The fortnight, however, has shown me that with Christ all things are possible and even a group of strangers can achieve great things when working together in Christ for a common purpose." left: cholera graveyard and pathway to it; right: shanty town: below, the clinic and staff

	SHINYANGA UPDATE Delays and mishaps nothwithstanding, Robert had made it there and back on his latest Shinyanga trip - "On Friday 14 January Canon John McCammon and I set off for the second SOMA mission to Shinyanga.  As with the previous mission trip in 2009, most of the cost of the trip and the clergy conference was paid by Holy Trinity.  After almost 30 hours of travelling, we reached Shinyanga on Saturday afternoon.  The next day Canon John preached in St.Luke's Church, built since our last visit. On Monday we went to the Bible School, where 25 clergy and evangelists had gathered for the 2 week teaching mission.  We saw the new dormitory building, completed since our last visit, using some of the money sent by HTP.   During the trip I did quite a bit of teaching and Canon John introduced TEE (Theological Education by Extension) to the bishop and clergy, as well as a copy of Daily Bread Bible reading notes.  The 2 TEE books and Daily Bread, written in Swahili and given to each person, are the only Bible notes and theological books most of the clergy possess!  They are using the old Swahili Bible, without study notes, references or any other helps.  We also visited St. Patrick's Meatu, where Canon John preached and St. Steven's Cathedral, where I preached.  Travelling conditions are quite challenging: during the fortnight we had 3 punctures and one exploding tyre!  On the 2nd. day of teaching, the ground conditions were so treacherous that we had to abandon the 4x4 and walk.  This was when Robert slipped in the mud and damaged his knee!" Safely back, Robert is now on a mission to help provide more books in the local language and is hoping that the annual Book Fair, held by Robert and Jean Burgess who are willing to donate a portion of their proceeds, will be an extra special success this year. From top left round anticlockwise to top right:- Photo 1  Canon John handing over £1,700 from HTP to Bishop Charles to pay for the conference; 2 Robert handing over gift from M.U. to Diocesan M.U, secretary (Mama Makusa);3 a room in the newly finished dormitory block;4 The clergy with their certificates; 5 Robert after his fall;  6 teaching under the tree
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KEEPING IT IN THE FAMILY Last Sunday, James Wilkinson joined his sister Rachel at the Church Lads and Church Girls Brigades' enrolment service. This was the first enrolment for James, 9, while Rachel, 5, is an old hand - this is her second.  In joining their brigades, they have joined an alternative 'family'. The Brigade has been fulfilling its object 'to extend the kingdom of Christ among lads and girls'. The members enjoy fun, faith and fellowship, in a safe environment that helps them to grow in confidence, develop their skills, respect others and work together - just like a family!! The Rev Adrian Dorrian, from St Peter's in Belfast, opened up the wider theme of family when he reminded us of the importance of our names and how God knows the name of each of his children, before they know it themselves. While the leaders of the Brigades take on the weekly task of encouraging the children in their growth, the wider church family also have a part to play in supporting them - we would ask them to especially remember this when to annual displays, which the children work so very hard at, come around.

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RUTH'S KILIMANJARO CLIMB There must be something good at the top of Kilomanjaro because for the second year in a row another parishioner has decided to walk the walk and raise funds for Childreach International. This year it is Ruth Owen, who held a quiz night in a local establishment where she was ably supported by friends and family and raised £700. There is stilll a long way to go, if you will forgive the pun, s if you feel like helping Ruth, andthe good work of the charity, you can donate by cisiting Ruth's webpage -  http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/RuthOwen1

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IT'S CHRISTMAS!!!!! It's that time again and the church celebrations are well underway. Mothers and children have been lighting the Advent candles each week, last week we had our Christingle service and today saw the blessing of the crib in the morning and the Nine Lessons by candlelight in the evening. Our nativity scene was a gift to the parish from the Men's Society and was bought in Gernany last year. It was handmade in olive wood at the Bethlehem Star Olive Wood factory, where a team of 15 skilled craftsmen make each unique set. Most nativity scenes depict Jesus in a manger, surrounded by Mary, Joeph and the animals (usually and ox and a donkey, depicting the Jewish and Gentile peoples), the Wise men (3, because of the gifts they brought), a shepherd and his sheep, and an angel and the star. Tradition has it that the first nativity scene was staged by St Francis of Assissi in 1223 in the town of Greccio, as a visual depiction of the Christmas story, to help the non-literate poeple understand the meaning of Christmas and to help them worship the Christ-child.

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BODY BEAUTIFUL WEEKEND   The Parish celebrated the start of Advent with a visit to the parish by Bishop ken Clarke, and his wife Helen. Bishop Ken is well known to many parishioners from his time as rector of our neighbouring parish of Coleraine. On Friday evening about seventy parishioners braved the cold and snow to gather in the KMH for an Agape meal. This simple shared meal, set around an act of worship, was greatly appreciated, and Bishop Ken spoke on the theme of Being the Body Beautiful, encouraging us to live up to our calling to be Christ’s body here on earth. The following morning, sixty parishioners met in 55 North for a woman’s breakfast, at which Helen and her daughter Ally spoke - the food, company and talk were all fulfilling. That evening Bishop Ken had an opportunity to meet informally with the members of the Select Vestry and their partners over a meal at the Rectory, and was able to share some thoughts on leadership. On the Sunday morning, Bishop Ken spoke at the main service, using the words of Isaiah 52, he encouraged folks to be people with beautiful feet – to share the good news of Jesus Christ with the local community. As ever Bishop Ken’s easy manner, and infectious sense of humour made it a pleasure to listen to him, and the parish was greatly encouraged and challenged by his words and his presence

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	CLASS OF 2010                      This year's confirmation class step up to the bar. Unfortunately I could not be there - thanks to Sharon for the photos - so apologies to anyone whose photo isn't here -  feel free to send any you want on.

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BEEN THERE....DONE THAT!! Way back at the start of the summer, the parishioners of HTP rallied around and raised funds to help Stuart Currie climb Kilimanjaro in behalf of Childreach, a charity which works with families in African countries to provide sustainable solutions such as adequate water supply, sanitation, improved infrastructure to schools to encourage more children to attend. All projects aim towards self sufficiency of the community - of utmost importance in this is helping each child to unlock their full potential in the developing world. Nothing speaks louder than a first hand account so...  "So I made it to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro! The highest point in Africa! And I really wouldn't have been standing there if it wasn't for all of the you and your amazing generousity! Thank you so much. On my first day we visited one of the schools that is supported by Childreach, who have helped this school massively through building projects and providing sanitation. We all got to play with the children, teach them games and songs. What was so amazing to see was that even though these children had so little, they were some of the happiest kids ever! Passing through villages and towns, the sheer extent of poverty in some areas was quite a shock to the system. But that's where charities like Childreach are trying to make a difference, to give children in these areas a chance to realise their potentials and to have a better quality of life! The trek itself was amazing fun, the group I was with were very positive and we were always having fun, which made it easier through the tough uphills or when you didn't feel the best. It was so cool on the 4 days up, every day provided a different landscape, from jungle to a more moon-like landscape! I found it all ok up until an hour or two before we reached the summit, when the altitude hit me quite hard. I had been lucky enough not getting it until then but the last hour was a real battle. But it's all worth it when you reach the top and stand in awe as you watch the sun rise up out of the clouds over the whole of Africa! So once again I would like to thank everyone in the church who donated or helped out at the coffee morning! Especially Nanny and Pappa (Sadie and Sammy) who helped me the whole way through!"

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Update on summer fundraising -

Jean and Robert raised £2200+ at the Book Fair and a further £397 at the line dancing; the Summer Fete raised £3300+;

and Kay's 'Nearly New Clothes Sale' weekends raised £3486 (a total of £18764 since Kay started doing it!)

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ARCHBISHOP BEN AND MAMA GLORIA'S UNIQUE FAMILY Quite often in the midst of terrible adversity and horrifying conditions of survival we ask ourselves "Where is God?"  - the daily struggle in Jos could be one such example. But the answer here lies in the home of Archbishop Ben Kwashi. He and his wife have suffered directly themselves, yet in their house we find exactly where God is - this is one of Robert's photos that deseved its own explanation.  "Archbishop Ben and his wife Mama Gloria have fostered 40 children, who have been left as orphans as a result of the problems in Jos. They are in the process of adopting them. The children all live in the Bishop's compound, are fed and clothed by the Archbishop and his wife. Mama Gloria also teaches the children herself. Some of the local clergy wives and her family assist in looking after the children. Three of the children are physically handicapped and two are mentally handicapped. The children also are given tasks around the house and taught to live together as a family. Every night, when he is at home, the archbishop gathers them all together for family prayers, and spends as much time as he can with them." Archbishop Ben and Mama Gloria are living examples of God's love in challenging conditions. Where is God in Jos - He is in the love and care shown to this vulnerable group of children by people who themselves face danger every day as they practice their Christian faith.

	HAPPY NEW YEAR!! Yes, I know it isn't January 1st. But, like so many other institutions, (Taxman, school etc,), the Church has its own year, as do the associations that are part of it. The summer break is over and there are rumbles in the jungles of the various groups. First to kick off are the Men's Society and the Souls Sisters who held BBQs in the Rectory - different nights but the same cooks so they must have been good and all ages apparently were welcomed!

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	SUMMER FUNDING SEASON Last week, during the Twelfth celebrations, Jean and Robert kicked off the summer fundraising effforts with the annual Book Fair. Once again (and we feared it might not happen this year!) Jean gave up the chance to join everyone else and have a holiday, opening the Book Fair every day from 10am until 10pm. This year the part of Sharon was played by Robert! Hot on the heels of that came the Summer Fete. A wet start did not deter the faithful and God rewarded their efforts by causing the sun to shine. There was ice cream, BBQ, baked goods, smellies (the good kind!), plants, books, the ever popular bric-a-brac, a fancy dress for the kids, 2 separate raffles with lots of great and generous prizes from businesses and individuals not just in the congregation but the wider community and, of course, the tea room. While many usual volunteers were away on their summer break, there were plenty to fill in. Thanks are due to all, especially those behind the scenes. Next up is Kay and the weekend clothes sale every Saturday.  Totals raised will be forthcoming.
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	STUART'S CLIMB FOR KIDS Last Saturday Sammy and Sadie Kane held a coffee morning to raise funds for their grandson Stuart to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in aid of Childreach International. Due to the generosity of those attending, along with donations from the Parish Ministry Fund and the Men's Society, over £2000 was raised! Stuart wanted to take the opportunity to express his gratitude and tell us a little more about the project:  "I would like to thank everyone who donated so generously - it was a massive success - and everyone who helped out, especially my Nanny and Papa who have helped with all my fundraising. I head off at the end of August to Mt Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. East Africa. It is the world's highest free standing mountain at 5895 metres and takes 4 days to climb and 2 days to descend. The climb is set up by Childreach International to help children in developing worlds. Before the climb, I get to meet some of the children who will benefit from the funds raised and see the difference Childreach International is having on their lives - they work with the families to provide sustainable solutions such as adequate water supply, sanitation to schools, improved infrastructure to schoolsto encourage more children to attend. All projects aim towards self sufficiency of the community - of utmost importance in this is helping each child to unlock their full potential in the developing world." Alongside a raffle/guess the number of sweets in the jar, Sammy and Sadie and their helpers provided tea/coffee and the usual goodies - judging by Sharon's determination to get back in, they must have been good! For those who missed the coffee morning and would still like to donate, you can do so online at Stuart's designated account :- http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/StuartCurrie  We hope to hear more on Stuart's return.
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	IF YOU GO DOWN TO THE WOODS TODAY.... ...there was probably nobody there because they were all at the Teddy Bears' Picnic! To mark the end of the year, the Mothers and Toddlers group had a teddy bear themed morning in the sunshine on the church green. Teddy Bear friends were also invited! There was lots of fun and games, including teddy bear songs and teddy bear sandwiches and teddy bear crisps and teddy bear buns and a parachute where all had fun tossing ........a ball (Hah - got you there!)

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	JACK'S ORDINATION   As we have mentioned, on 20 June our student reader, Jack Kinkead, was ordained deacon by the Bishop of Down & Dromore. During the 2 years he was part of the ministry team in HTP, his personality endeared him to many of the parishioners and seventy of them made the long journey to Down Cathedral to support Jack as he took this first step into ordained ministry.  He will now serve in the parish of Cregagh in Belfast for the next three years as curate-assistant. We wish Jack every blessing in his new role, and he carries with him our love and prayers.

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	ANOTHER YEAR OVER Last Sunday was of double importance. As well as marking Jack's last Sunday with us, it also saw the Sunday School Year draw to a close.  The children listened as Jack talked about how each of us has a talent, watched as he demonstrated his for golf (no, that's not a typo!) and then received their books. The Souls Sisters organised a Sausage Sizzle at the beach in the afternoon to round off the day, with a BBQ and lots of fun, including surfing lessons for the young kids and a tug-of-war for the big (some might say 'bigger') kids.

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	HAPPY BIRTHDAY.....    ...to us!  Last Sunday was Pentecost and in support of the day, and the Sunday School who performed beautifully for us, the congregation was invited to wear something red. This was to reflect the red of the flame which designated the Holy Spirit's visitation upon the disciples. As the rector reminded us, this is seen as the birth of the Church, and birthday candles on a cake were lit to celebrate and to remind us of the purpose of the occasion. This was later shared around the children, the adults making a great sacrifice in admitting there wasn't quite enough for the whole congregation (it was chocolate!!!). The rector exhorted us to carry the flame of faith with us wherever we go - not so much a literal red flame but in our actions  - the Holy Spirit is referred to as the 'Helper' and this should guide us, to be like Him.

THE HIGHER THEY CLIMB......... ....the further they fall - 13000 feet to be precise! Tom Wright, the Bishop of Durham, says that if we say we call ourselves Christians, then we must live as Christians and not simply worship in church 1 hour a week. Those of you at church last Sunday will have heard the rector, in his address, describe the hallmark of authentic Christianity as loving and caring for one another. You could say that greater love hath no ordinary man for his fellow humans than to jump out of an aeroplane in order to raise money to help people he has never met. Such was the choice of parishioner Simon Finlay over Easter when he partook in a parachute jump - for the first time ever but word has it not the last.  With the help of friends and parishioners, he raised money - £1100 in total - for the benefit of those who need the services of the Northern Ireland Hospice. So very not wanting to put myself in his shoes, I will let him describe it - "The dispatch door was opened and the first few solo jumpers waved bye bye and left. Then it was the turn of the tandems. I was the last one to leave the plane. The sensation of falling only lasts for a few short seconds after which there are no visual reference points to measure against, so all that is experienced is a strange kind of weightlessness and the loud rush of wind. The freefall only lasts for about 45 - 50 seconds during which we descended about 7500ft, before the chute is deployed. Thereafter it's a pleasant, and silent, glide back to terra ferma."  Pleasant?......definitely have to take his word for that!  Simon hopes to do another jump later in the year to raise funds for another as yet unnamed charity. Another parishioner going above and beyond (get it!!) the call of duty is Stuart Currie. Stuart is at present at uni in Edinburgh but is training to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in August. He needs to raise £2300, at least 60% of which goes to Childreach International. To sponsor him, see Sadie or Sammy Kane or visit his fundraising page at http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/StuartCurrie Hopefully we will have some feedback from Stuart after the event.

CREED VISIT CREED stands for Communities Regenerated Enabled Enriched and Developed. Its driving force is Cyril McElhinney and it is Church based. The main aim is to "help churches to grow and be more effective in living out and promoting faith in Christ, by enabling them to implement a vision for their ministry and outreach to the local community."   They exist to help churches like ours to define their vision and then achieve it.  They have an excellent record in helping Churches both plan, run and fund projects.  They provide advice, practical help, legal know-how, and expert consultancy at  minimal cost to the parish.   We have entered into an agreement with them to help us with our project, and have had two very encouraging meetings with them.

CGB MARCHES ONWARD TO VICTORY!   Yet again our CGB Company has marched to success in the Northern Ireland Maze Marching Finals. Well done to the girls and their leaders for their excellent results at the finals held in Magherafelt. The girls from the Y-section of the Company were placed first in their age group, and the members of JCT/SC were placed second in theirs. Also, congratulations to Holly Haslam (pictured centre right) who won the Best Leader award. Well done to all the girls and their leaders!

	THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT, THE FUTURE IS............ .... you know the rest. And the orange, for such a small fruit, played a large, symbolic part in the double celebration that was the annual Christingle service and the first Sunday in Advent. The preparations started the day before when members of the congregation gathered together to prepare the Christingle packages - enough for everyone who attended the service to receive one each - no small feat. Despite this now being an annual event, no-one was quite prepared for this year's sermon on the meaning of Christingle. Not content with the extra large demonstration model, the clergy decided on a more animated production! It certainly was a more memorable one, making it easier to recall the blood shed for us, the goods and luxuries we enjoy as part of God's creation and the Jesus, the Light of the World.

	HAPPY HALLOWE'EN After lots of pictures of adults enjoying BBQs, dinners, shows, it's the turn of the youngest members of the Parish and their friends to show how they can party - and as you can see from all the photos here and below, they can! The Mother and Toddlers group had their Hallowe'en fun early this year (as usual, along with all other M&T groups in the area, school half-term means a morning off for the toddlers as well). Most dressed up for the occassion and had fun playing, showing off their costumes, making pumpkin cards, listening to Hallowe'en stories, eating ghostly buns (chocolate of course!)  and dancing and singing. To round it all off, everyone got a Trick or Treat party bag - who says grown-ups have all the fun!!

ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL YEAR This weekend saw Kay's 9th year co-ordinating the clothes sale in the Parochial Rooms. Beginning after the fete and lasting until the first weekend in September, each year sees Kay and her band of volunteers giving up their Saturdays (and Bank Holidays and some Fridays!) to sell clothes and the odd knic-knack donated by parish members and non-parishioners. As usual with these fund-raising efforts, a lot of the work goes on before and after, with the collection, storage, packing and unpacking - it starts after Christmas (if not before!) as people clear out and think - "Kay could use this" - and invariably she does, but that means storing it until the summer. Then, when it is all over, Kay packs all the remnants up and delivers them to local charities to benefit from. This year the total raised is £(TBC but around £3000). Unbelievably, Kay says she misses her weekends in the Parochial Rooms once it ends - it is popular with all members of the Portrush community and vary rarely is there not someone in amongst the rails and tables browsing and chatting.
SOUL SISTERS' BBQ So popular was last year's BBQ that it was decided to hold another one this year and open it to all ladies in the parish, irrespective of age. The Soul Sisters' Committee acted as hosts and provided a wonderful array of food (and drink!). The night was dry (a big change on recent conditions) if a little cold - but that didn't hamper the chat and laughs. There was a full moon to illuminate the event so all were able to enjoy the outdoors - perhaps causing the Committee to have to hold their meeting in an outbuilding - maybe they were hiding from the rest of us, maybe it was the proximity of the fridge and it's contents - whatever the reason, a few of the more stalwart members of the parish found them!!
ANNUAL BOOK FAIR While the rest of us have been enjoying the July holiday week, spare a thought for Sharon and her mum Jean who, for the last five years, have voluntarily foregone their time-off to spend each day in the Parochial Rooms up until 10 pm each night for 6 days, all in aid of Church funds. Yet again this year they have unloaded the piles of books donated by parishioners and non-parishioners alike, to sell them at rock bottom prices but raise mountain-high sums for Holy Trinity. It bears mentioning that when the book fair is over for us each year, it is not over for them, as they have to pack up and store the leftovers, along with ongoing, incoming donations, until the next year - the words 'fire hazard' and 'where's my bed gone' have been heard in Jean's house especially. This year, they raised an amazing----------- £3 176 !!!! ---------- their biggest amount to date.
PRESENTING…………. A little bit of parish history was made at 11.15pm on Friday 19 June 2009, with the birth of Joshua Kerr McDowell to the rector, Peter, and his wife Claire - a timely arrival for Father's Day!. Baby Josh is their first child and the first baby to be born into the rectory in living memory. Weighing in at 7lbs 6oz, Josh was anxious to make a start on life – being born a mere forty-five minutes after Mum Claire arrived at Altnagelvin hospital! Both Josh and Claire are doing well, and Josh is looking forward to meeting his new HTP family.
ROBERT'S SHINYANGA MISSION In the early months of 2009, Holy Trinity Church raised funds to help Robert, the curate,on his mission to  the diocese of Shinyanga in N W Tanzania, at the invitation of Bishop Charles Ngusa, to teach the local clergy under the auspices of SOMA. Shinyanga is one of the poorest parts of Africa, where the clergy and diocese are too poor to fund this training themselves. Therefore SOMA have undertook to cover the cost of transport, food and accommodation for the African clergy.  In total Robert and Ian received £3064 from Holy Trinity. The total raised by the Parish raised more than enough to cover all travel expenses and to pay for the travel and living expenses of the 28 clergy throughout their 2 week mission, during which there was the consecration of a new church - St Patrick's in Meata.  On Thursday 12 March, the Rev. Ian Ballentine (national director SOMA Ireland) and Robert set out for Shinyanga Diocese, Tanzania, to spend their two weeks working with the Diocesan Clergy.   The journey was long and tiring, taking some 37 hours and involving 5 flights!  [The return journey also included five trains as they sought to cross London from the City Airport to Heathrow – an awkward journey as Robert was carrying a large giraffe (hopefully not a live one!) as well as two suitcases!] Arriving at Mawdui in the evening, they stayed at the Williamson Diamond Mine, setting off at dawn next morning for Meatu, where Ian opened the new church of St. Patrick, while Robert preached.  The journey took 6h.30mins, by dirt road - exhausting!  The return journey, by a different route took 3h.30mins.  The bishop, who had already made the journey once to meet Robert and Ian at the airport, went the long way round to make sure they got there, as during the rainy season the “bridges” tend to get flooded and some of the rivers too deep to cross. On Monday two weeks of teaching began with the Diocesan Clergy at St. John’s Bible School, a 4h.30min return trip each day over dirt “roads” – about 80 miles in all!  The bible school has one accommodation block and one classroom.   The water supply is simply a large “butt” which collects the rain water.  They have no electrical supply.  This was the first time since the inauguration of the diocese (three years ago) that all the clergy had been together.  The two week course was only possible because of the generosity of HTP, where the congregation paid not only Robert and Ian's fares but the full cost of the conference! This is one of the poorest parts of Africa, in the bottom 10% of the world’s economies, where the people and clergy live by subsistence farming.  Nobody is starving, but nobody has money.  One priest, Canon William Zephaniah, has been building a church for 10 years, and has built the walls and put on a roof, at a cost of $10,000.  He still has to put in a floor, windows and doors, and furnish the building.   It will be done over the next few years as they struggle to raise the money needed.   For Ian and Robert, it was a privilege to work with Bishop Charles and his clergy, to see such vibrant faith in the midst of great poverty and challenges, which we at home can scarcely imagine - it is humbling merely to look at the photos of St Patrick's and the local people and realise the pride and effort it took to raise what is a simple, unadorned building but one which allows the local community to worship.	Bishop Charles and Canon Ezra meet Robert at the airport Robert hands over the money raised by Holy Trinity parishioners
Ian at St Patrick's Church               Mothers' Union in unfinished building                 Dedication of Church                                  Diocesan Clergy	Robert preaching at opening of church
Robert teaching under the tree                    Discussion group                                     Orphans at the cathedral                                    The cathedral	A gift for St Patrick's churchwarden
PARISH FAMILY FUN DAY On a hot summer’s Sunday afternoon in June, 150 parishioners came together for an afternoon of fun, food and competitions on a packed East Strand. Blessed by the best day of the year so far, many (mainly parents) opted for a lazy afternoon lying back and soaking up the rays. For those with energy, there was a packed afternoon of activities, from walking to various races, to a sandcastle competition (which brought out the emulous nature of some parishioners!). Competition was high, with fifteen entries (including one that had made the effort to go to the beach the previous day to practice), but was eventually won by Jade’s team, awarded for her imaginative use of sand to create not just a castle, but an entire village-scape around it. The afternoon was brought to a close by a sausage sizzle, courtesy of our resident chefs Colin and Stuart, where 340 sausages just managed to sate the appetites built up by all the activities. Our thanks to the Soul Sisters for organising a great day out.
INTERNATIONAL MISSION TO SEAFARERS CONFERENCE This is the 21st century and we do live in an enlightened age of equal opportunity but it still causes you to do a double take when you see the rector and the curate with dishcloths in their hand, being used, and Sammy with his hands in the sink! It must have been an important occasion. The meeting in question was of the Consultative Forum of the Mission to Seafarers, which met in Northern Ireland from May 12th - 14th. This was the first time the body has visited the province.  Forty seven representatives from the ten regional areas of the mission world-wide gathered to plan their strategy for the next five years including the agenda of the Mission’s next World Conference. Area representatives came from India, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, USA, Africa and Europe and  included a bishop or archbishop from each region. The Consultative Forum which was established in 1999 has previously met in Toronto, Durban and England. During their stay they made a visit to the North Coast and had lunch in the Kelly Memorial Hall.  The lunch, greatly enjoyed by all, was organised by hardworking Sadie Kane and served by members of the Mothers Union.
PARISH DINNER 2009 It seems like no time since the last one but once again the parish held it’s annual dinner in late April, when nearly 120 parishioners came together for a meal at 55º North. As ever, it was a great night’s craic, enjoyed over good food and wine. The evening raised in excess of £1700, and we were deeply pleased that the raffle of Laz-y-boy recliner, very kindly donated by Right Price Carpets & Furniture Ltd, raised £800 and was won by Mavis Lamont. During the course of the evening the rector made a presentation to our student reader Jack Kinkead to mark his second year placement in the parish, and the Events Committee highlighted future events such as a 60’s and 70’s retro night, an Autumn Ball, and a spring Fashion Show.
CGB DISPLAY The Church Girls Annual Display took place on Friday and was pleasantly well attended not just by the girls families but by the parish as a whole. We were treated to singing, dancing, maze marching, poems and sketches - notably a Strictly Come Dancing sketch won by a dalek! It was a pleasure to see all the members perform before the prize-giving. The leaders are to be commended for their patience and tenacity in guiding and instructing the girls but it is equally important to remember the girls themselves. The youngest members are only 4 years old yet they performed in a room of almost total strangers - not an easy task at that age, yet they did it with style and enthusiasm, as did the older members.
TAPAS EVENING On Monday 9th March members of the congregation, along with other guests, enjoyed a Tapas Evening in 55 North. The evening was organised by Wilma Fletcher of 55 North and the chef  Darren Purnell. They organised and provided the food and a raffle so that 100% of money paid by those who enjoyed the evening went towards the fund to help Robert, the curate,on his mission to Africa. Robert is going in March to the diocese of Shinyanga in N W Tanzania, at the invitation of bishop Charles Ngusa to teach the local clergy under the auspices of SOMA. Shinyanga is one of the poorest parts of Africa, where the clergy and diocese are too poor to fund this training themselves. Therefore SOMA have undertaken to cover the cost of transport, food and accommodation for the African clergy. The preacher at our Lenten lunch was the Rev Ian Ballentine, National Director of  SOMA, who accepted a cheque from Wilma on the Tapas Evening for an amazing £1050! The efforts and generosity of Wilma and the restaurant staff on this occasion and others are appreciated by Holy Trinity as a whole. In total Robert and Ian received £3064 - this also included proceeds from the Lenten Lunch, organised by the Mothers Union with help from the Spinnaker restaurant, which donated the soup. The total raised by the Parish during Lent has raised more than enough to cover all travel expenses and to pay for the travel and living expenses of the 28 clergy throughout their 2 week mission, during which Robert will speak at the consecration of a new church - St Luke's in Meata.
SURF'S UP!!!! This year's SURF membership, our Sunday night club for 11-yrs-old-plus, are an energetic bunch, in keeping with the theme for this season - "Me, Unique and I". This focuses not just on health and beauty but also what it means to be a healthy Christian. So far there have been quizzes, using Nintendo brain teasers, keep-fit with Strictly Come Dancing dance routines and now a Valentine's ball, which the members were keen to have, although allowances for family committments at half-term meant it was held a week early. Hearts and chocolates were the theme for the evening and that Strictly Dance DVD paid off !! There was a 'night off' earlier in the term to see the film Bedtime Stories but normal service is now resumed and an ultimate silly and proper makeover for both boys and girls is planned to end the year before the summer break. Mother's Day also sees the group invite their mothers for tea and cupcakes that evening - waited on, fattening buns to eat and no dishes to wash (kids take note!!) - what more could a mother ask for. The leaders themselves have attended 'Energise' - a youth leadership traing course - and are to be commended for the hard work they put in, like all the members of the parish who act as leaders in the various groups and organisations.
SOUL SISTERS WINE AND CHEESE The daunting struggle which faced the 300 Spartans when confronted by the might of the Persian army paled in comparison to David Martin's task on Friday night when attempting to give a talk on wine to 50 women with plenty to say - to each other! At times the odds seemed overwhelming, but David persevered and delivered a very informing and - as usual with him - amusing evening's entertainment which everyone enjoyed, especially the tasting part! Fortunately there was no exam at the end but there was lots of cheese, fruit and, thanks to David again, chocolate - a subtle way to get us all to listen. The proceeds of the evening were donated to the Lenten Lunch  fund which is going towards Robert's SOMA trip to Tanzania - more of that on his return.
ANNUAL DINNERS Both the the Men's Society and the Mothers Union had their Annual Dinners in January and both were held in the Spinnaker Restaurant. Word has it that the men had a merry old time but the restaurant was back in ship-shape fashion for the ladies the following evening. As usual, the food and craic were good. Despite their separate evenings, more than the choice of venue was in common, with both parties enjoying a quiz and a raffle. While the ladies were the winners in the fashion and good looks stakes, the men made up for it in their gemerosity by raising £200 in their raffle towards Robert's forthcoming mission trip to Tanzania.
A YOUTHFUL CHRISTMAS With the onset of Advent, the Church began its Christmas programme with the Christingle Service, where the children of the Sunday School gave each of the congregation a Christingle orange. Each Advent Sunday, during morning service, a parent and child lit another of the Advent candles. At a later service, and also part of Advent preparation, the Sunday School introduced the congregation to the Jesse Tree – you can just see it behind the children in the photo. This was a very visual way to look at how God was preparing the way for the coming of his Son, through the faithfulness of men and women in the Old Testament. The title ‘The Jesse Tree’ originates in Isaiah 11:1, in which the prophet writes, ‘A shoot will spring forth from the stump of Jesse, and a branch out of his roots.’ The Sunday School told the story of God’s faithful people through readings and song, with a symbol for each character being hung on the Jesse Tree, which can be seen during the Christmas season in our side chapel. At Family Service, on the last Sunday before Christmas, the Youth Praise Group took part in the blessing of the crib.
THE FASHION SHOW Congratulations to all who participated in any way in the Fashion Show - organising, modelling, buying tickets - which was an unheralded success. The evening was both enjoyable and profitable. There were over 350 in attendance and, along with the raffle, over £1700 was raised for Church funds. Of the models pictured here, only one was professional - the rest were all members of the congregation who, along with other people from the local community, braved the catwalk to help with the event. Well done everyone.
CONFIRMATION SERVICE October 19 was an important day in the life of the parish, and for twenty-two parishioners in particular. We were visited by our bishop, Alan Abernethy, who confirmed twelve young people and ten adults in the Christian faith. In a lovely service, using the image of the coin used in the story of paying taxes to Caesar, Bishop Alan encouraged everyone to give to God what is God’s, and to make him a priority in our lives. This was Bishop Alan’s first visit to the parish, and his warmth and relaxed nature shone through. The worship was led jointly by the organist and choir and the praise group. During refreshments afterwards bibles were presented by the parish to all those who were confirmed. Brian Smyth and Poppy Haslam presented Bishop Alan with a small gift.
ROBERT AND HEATHER  RETURN FROM SOUTH AFRICA SOMA - the Sharing of Ministries Abroad - is an Anglican mission agency established in 1978. It prepares and sends teams of adults or young people from one culture to another for short periods to equip the local church - by working with the leaders, the whole church is reached. Our curate Robert and his wife Heather flew to Johannesburg where they took part in a large international conference - "Growing the Church" - teams attended from Canada, Australia, Kenya, Singapore, Latin America to name but a few. At the end of the conference, the Eucharist was celebrated in 13 languages! They were then commissioned by the Archbishop of Johannesburg to be part of a teams visiting the 18 local dioceses. The Irish team was sent to serve in the Diocese of Saldanha Bay (almost as large as Ireland!). Robert and Heather found it to be a humbling experience. The diocese has 48000 immigrants annually, hundreds of thousands are living in poverty, their homes are wooden shacks with open power lines, 80 children aged between 11 and 12 are pregnant. But the local churches are growing in size and have to expand to cope - the newly built church runs a soup kitchen to help feed its hungry parishioners. Robert was impressed and humbled by what he saw - "...those who come to the church are full of joy and praise, exhibiting a lively faith in the midst of adversity.....We were very aware that we had more to learn from them that they from us...Exhausted, enthused, challenged and humbled, we returned to Ireland thanking God for the privilege of walking alongside the Church of Southern Africa as they launched "Growing the Church". We left behind a Church strong in faith, focused on growth, determined under the guidance and power of the holy spirit to advance the Kingdom of God."
WELCOME TO OUR NEW STUDENT READER We will shortly be welcoming our new student reader, Jack Kinkead. Here, he introduces himself:- "I was born and raised in Lisburn, and was an active member of our local church (Legacurry Presbyterian) from an early age. At the age of 15, I discovered the Church of Ireland and started singing in the choir of St. Peter’s parish, in north Belfast. After finishing school, I moved to Dublin in 2002, to read a degree in History at Trinity College, graduating in 2006. Following a year of full-time work (during which time I went through the selection process for ministry in the Church of Ireland) I entered the Theological College in September 2007. As I start my second year (of three) I am very much looking forward to my placement in Holy Trinity. My family have had a long association with Portrush; we always spent school holidays and weekends here, and finally moved up permanently last summer.I will be on placement over the next few months, and I am sure I will learn a lot from the clergy, and parishioners (which include my parents!) of Holy Trinity. In between times, I will most likely be found on the fairways (or in the rough) of Royal Portrush Golf Club." We look forward to seeing him from the 10th October and wish him well in his stay with us.
SUMMER FUNDRAISING EFFORTS Our annual parish fete was held on Saturday 2nd August on the Parish Green and, unlike most of our summer, the weather was gloriously sunny. A large crowd enjoyed browsing through the stalls which included crafts, cakes,, bric-a-brac, books, toys, smellies and plants, sustained by tea and coffee, a bar-b-que or, for the more healthy, strawberries and cream. One of the highlights of the day was the children's fancy dress competition, run for the first time, as well as a raffle and painting competition. Over £4500 was raised for church funds - well done all who took part. Added to this was over £1100 profit from the annual concert in the Magherabouy Hotel organised by the Youth Club. This is the 4th year of the concert and featured George Jones for the second time. It was as popular as ever and everyone who attended had an excellent evening's entertainment of songs and laughter, along with a raffle. Congratulations to all involved in organising both events for their  hard work. Our annual Book fair, organised by Sharon Finlay in July, raised £2026 - anyone who visited it will realise the sterling effort put in by Sharon and her family in categorising the thousands of books and manning the fair throughout the Twelfth week. Added to this is £2567 raised by Kay and her team through the annual 'Nearly New' clothes sale, held every Friday and Saturday August until early September - again, the organisation and clearing up afterwards  involves a tremendous amount of work and dedication, not to mention giving up weekends off .
HOLLY RETURNS FROM THE USA - AGAIN! (a profile of one of our younger parishioners) People's conception of those who attend and are active in church often tends towards the older generation. While their contribution is perhaps the mainstay of any congregation, the younger parishioners play their part, especially in Holy Trinity. Pictured on the right of the photo is Holly Haslam, one of the younger members of Holy Trinity Parish. Holly is active in the Youth Praise Group and the Youth Club, along with her sisters, and is a Junior Leader in the Church Girls' Brigade. Along with Colin McKeown, Holly participated in an International Leadership Project for 10 days at a summer camp in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. This was part of a training experience for young people in Northern Ireland aged 16+ and Holly and Colin were 2 of a group of 12 teenagers from youth clubs around the Province. This followed attendance at a series of training days and 2 residential weekends organised by the NEELB for trainee leaders. Participation in the USA summer camps led to them both being awarded their OCN certificate in Youth Leadership. Both young people had to raise funds in order to take part and they were helped by the Church and the Youth Club - it is hoped Colin and Holly willl be able to put their training to use in the Youth Club this coming year. This was Holly's second trip to the USA. Last year she was selected by Ulster Project Delaware 2007 to be part of a cross-community group of 9 Protestant and 9 Roman Catholic teenagers from various schools in Northern Ireland. Those who participated had to come from practising Christian families. These 18 young people stayed for 1 month with the families of 18 young people in Delaware and all 36 were together everyday for various activities and outings. They also had  Discovery days, where they got to know more about each other, and also particpated in alternate church services. Pictured with Holly is Kallie McCormick - Holly stayed with the McCormick family in Delaware and this year the favour was returned with Kallie, along with others in the Delaware Project, visiting their former guests.
GOODBYE TO CARMEN AS SHE MOVES TO NEW MINISTRY Student reader Carmen Hayes finished her placement with Holy Trinity on Sunday 27th April. Her ministry was been greatly appreciated by the parish and we wish her well for her ministry in St Mark's, Portadown. A small gift was presented to Carmen at the annual church dinner (pictured). We will be remembering Carmen and her husband Alwyn in our prayers.
NEW CURATE   We are delighted that the Rev'd Robert Simpson has been appointed curate of the parish.  His first Sunday was 8th June and we welcome him and his wife Heather (pictured) to our parish family. Born and raised in Coleraine, Robert attended St Patrick's and was also active in the Boy's Brigade, serving with it for 21 years. After gaining a degree in Greek and English at NUU and a PGCE in Lancaster, Robert taught for 26 years in the Royal School in Armagh and then CAI, Coleraine. This allowed him to once again worship at St Patrick's and he served as church warden, a member of the Select Vestry  and trained as a Diocesan Reader. In 2003 he became ordained for the NSM curacy of Ballymoney, Finvoy and Rasharkin. While he shares an appreciation of wine with the Rector, he prefers swimmimg to football, coaching it for over 20 years. Most importantly, Robert claims never to preach for longer than 15 minutes!  He prefers to be called Robert or, for those who prefer a more formal address, Rev. Robert.
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALAN Congratulations to Alan Devers who has successfully completed training for the role of  'parish reader' and was commissioned in the Rector's former parish of Upper Malone, Belfast on Pentecost Sunday evening (11th May). A small congratulatory gift was presented to Alan at the parish dinner (pictured). We wish Alan well in this new role.
PARISH DINNER 2008 Our parish dinner took place in 55 North on Thursday 17th April when about 100 parishioners and their friends enjoyed an evening of good food and great craic. During the course of the evening presentations were made on behalf of the parish to our student reader Carmen Hayes, prior to finshing in the parish and preparing for her ordination and futuure curacy, and to Alan Devers upon completion of his training as parish reader. Thanks are due to the Events Committee for organizing the evening, which included a raffle, to the Fletcher family for the use of 55 North and to all who attended the evening or supported it in anyway.
SAMMY KANE ATTENDS MAUNDAY SERVICE Congratulations are also due to Sammy Kane - Sammy was one of those fortunate to be chosen as a recipient of Maunday Money from the Queen. At the 2008 Maunday Service in Armagh Catherdral he was presented with a special set of coins to the value of the Queen's age by Her Majesty. This included a specially minted £5 coin.