Presbyterian Moderator, Right Reverend Dr Richard Kerr, will commence his second presbytery tour this Sunday (1st November), when he spends the week travelling around the Church’s Down Presbytery.
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A tour of Down for Dr Kerr
Following on from his tour of the Presbytery of North Belfast in September, Dr Kerr opens his week-long visit with morning worship at Spa and Magherahamlet Presbyterian Churches outside Ballynahinch, where he will conduct worship and share in the Lord’s Supper.
Looking forward to welcoming the Moderator, Rev Alan Burke, Clerk of Down Presbytery and minister of Lissara Presbyterian Church in Crossgar, said that Dr Kerr’s visit to congregations within the presbytery will be a huge encouragement.
“We are greatly looking forward to the Moderator bringing God’s Word to us when he takes part in services at Spa and Magherahamlet on Sunday morning, and then as he leads worship at First Saintfield in the evening.”
Mr Burke continued, “From the week’s itinerary we hope that Dr Kerr will be encouraged by the scope of the work of our congregations. The vision of Down Presbytery is to reach out to the people around us as well as further afield, and to meet the needs of others with love and compassion in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.”
The Presbyterian Church in Ireland has 19 regional presbyteries across Ireland and each tour is very much a pastoral visit by the Moderator. Each tour offers the opportunity to meet with ministers in their locality for a time of fellowship and prayer, while also carrying out a range of civic and community engagements. On the final day of Dr Kerr’s tour of Down Presbytery, Sunday 8 November, he will take part in a Service of Remembrance in the village of Killyleagh, near the shores of Strangford Lough.
Mr Burke explained that Down Presbytery consists of 20 congregations and has a worshipping community of just over 11,000 people, or 4,325 families. Encompassing the area along the western shores of Strangford Lough, from Comber to Downpatrick, its southern bounds run from Ardglass across to Clough. The main road from Clough to Carryduff then forms its western boundary.
Education will be a key feature of the week’s tour. While in Saintfield, Dr Kerr will visit and meet the staff and pupils of Saintfield High School, as well as participate in a Faith in Schools Forum to consider good practice around church involvement with faith in schools. He will also visit Nendrum College in Comber and learn of their partnership with the local Youth for Christ Centre.
The Presbytery is involved with a number of other projects that the Moderator will have an opportunity to visit. The first is ‘The Edge’, supported by First Ballynahinch, which is a youth and community centre with a Christian ethos that aims to work with local churches, community groups and schools. Another is Fountain Foodbank in Downpatrick, supported by Downpatrick Presbyterian Church, it is a local cross community charity responding to God’s love, by providing emergency food parcels to those who find themselves in difficult circumstances. Thirdly, the Moderator will travel to Saintfield where he will visit The Mission Shop. Established over 10 years ago by a few members of First Saintfield Presbyterian Church and operated by a team of dedicated volunteers, all proceeds from the Mission Shop go towards various missionary projects at home and abroad.
Looking forward to the tour, Dr Kerr said, “As Moderator I will have the opportunity to visit four presbyteries during my tenure – these are busy, but really encouraging weeks, as they enable me to see the hard work and faithful witness, not only of congregations in their communities, but ordinary Presbyterians working and serving in different ways across society. I am very much looking forward to seeing that same passion and Christ-centred service during my visit to Down Presbytery.
“Moreover, from a pastoral point of view, the opportunity to meet with my ministry colleagues in this way is vitally important. To be able to hear about their work, their challenges, and to pray for one another, will I hope be a time of blessing and encouragement for all involved.
Much time and consideration has gone into the programme and I want to thank Alan and all concerned for organising it for me.”
During his visit the Moderator will also visit Comber Rec Football Club to discover the role it plays within the town. He will hear about the sports chaplaincy service which is available, as well as meet a group of retired men who use their skills to provide a voluntary maintenance service.
On the final day of his tour of Down Presbytery, Sunday 8 November, which is also Remembrance Sunday, Dr Kerr will go to Killyleagh where as well as attending worship at Killyleagh Presbyterian Church in the morning, he will have the opportunity to take part in the town’s act of remembrance on behalf of the congregation.