Two more Methodist churches have recently completed redevelopment schemes making their buildings more suitable to the changing demands of work in their areas. The first of these is at Priesthill, near Lisburn. Worship has been celebrated in the church here, known as Zion Chapel, for more than 150 years, and in 1974 the congregation built a new church hall for week-night activities. The growth of population in the vicinity has increased the number of groups using this hall, and so three additional rooms and storage space have been added. There are plans to use adjoining land for outdoor sports.
The other is at Comber in Co Down, where the church building was demolished five years ago. It had become too small for the congregation. Now the former church hall has been redeveloped to serve a dual purpose. It will be both a church for worship and a hall for various group activities. On the occasion of the dedication of the renovated building the porch displayed a poster designed and executed by the children of the congregation. This carried the message, "all are welcome in God's House".
The December issue of the Methodist Newsletter reports an interesting development in connection with the church at Cregagh, in Belfast. Called Parenting Plus, this is based on a Positive Parenting Course prepared by some women in Portsmouth. It was designed to be used by parents, and not by professionals. Based on Christian values, the course is not specifically religious, and welcomes those with varying degrees of church affiliation and none. The Cregagh experiment began 18 months ago, and was so appreciated that it has moved further than the original course, offering others on first aid, cookery, self-defence and stress, each designed to help mothers. Each course is short, lasting for no more than six weeks.
Tomorrow the president of the church, the Rev David Kerr, will be the preacher at the morning service in Joanmount, Belfast. In the evening he will preach at Cookstown, in Co Tyrone. On Saturday, January 5th he will attend the Peace and Harmony Concert in Waterfront Hall in Belfast. On the morning of Sunday, December 6th he will visit the Methodist church at Finaghy. That afternoon he will share in the Marie Curie service at St Anne's Cathedral, in Belfast.
At 10.15 am tomorrow the Rev Dr Johnston McMaster will lead the first of three Advent Studio Services on BBC Radio Ulster. The other two, on successive Sundays, will be led by Father Martin Magill and the Rev Dr Donald Watts. RTE Radio 1 will broadcast Morning Worship on Sunday, December 6th, from the Methodist church in Ballymena. The service, at 10.45 will be led by the minister of the church, the Rev Roy Cooper.
Sutton Methodist church in Dublin is holding a Craft Fair on Saturday next, December 1st.