Comber Rec Football Club recently celebrated its 75th anniversary, and during his week-long tour of Down Presbytery, the Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland (PCI), Rt Rev Dr Richard Kerr, paid a visit to find out more about what it does within the local community.
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A football club at the heart of the community
Comber Rec is one of the most respected amateur football clubs in the country, with four senior men’s teams, a ladies’ section and a large number of youth teams. The teams have enjoyed much ‘on field’ success recently, but the club is about much more than their sporting achievements.
When the Moderator visited the Club on Tuesday (3 November) he heard about the many ways in which the Club serves the community of Comber – how it is a place where many people from the area find friendship and support.
Rev Andrew Conway, minister of Second Presbyterian Church, Comber, also serves as chaplain to the Club and describes how vital it is to the town.
“Various groups in the town use our premises regularly, including local schools and churches, and my role as one of the chaplains at the Club dovetails with this community ethos. I serve the senior teams and the wider Club, while the pastor of Comber Baptist, Neal Gordon, is chaplain to our youth teams.
“The ministry of chaplaincy involves getting alongside people and showing an interest in their welfare. Matches, training sessions and other occasions in the life of the Club are ideal opportunities to do this.”
When Dr Kerr visited the Club this week, he met the Tuesday Club volunteers – a group of retirees who volunteer there. The Moderator enjoyed a time of fellowship with them and heard about the valuable work being carried out by the volunteers within the Club and wider community.
Developing the theme of serving the community, Rev Conway said, “Serving as chaplain gives him lots of opportunities, particularly to meet a wide variety of people, to hear their stories and to offer friendship and care in the name of the Lord Jesus. I am regularly amazed at how often people choose to ‘open up’ for a conversation about things that matter most.
“Recently we installed a ‘Chaplain’s Box’, an especially crafted wooden case with the Comber Rec Club crest on the front which contains copies of the Bible featuring the Club crest on the cover. The number of people who have taken a Bible has been a special highlight.”
Mr Conway went on to describe the Club’s appreciation of Dr Kerr’s visit: “The Moderator’s visit has been very well received and means a great deal to the club. It’s encouraging to all to see the Club’s role in our community and town recognised in this way. The Club is very special to me and my chaplaincy there is a great joy – to have the Moderator’s encouragement in this is marvellous!
Speaking about his visit Dr Kerr said, “Comber Rec is much more than a football club – this is community at its very best. It has been both a privilege and a pleasure to come here today and to meet the individuals making a positive difference within their community. I have also been encouraged to learn about the amazing role that chaplains play when partnering with sports clubs in this way. I pray that this relationship continues to flourish and grow in the years.”