THE MODERATOR of the General Assembly, the Right Rev Dr Donald Patton, has formed an action group to address the recent placing of the Presbyterian Mutual Society (PMS) into administration.
The Very Rev Dr David McGaughey and Dr John Dixon, both former moderators, together with senior church treasurers Ron Prescott (Rostrevor) and Ian Brown (Knock), make up the action group.
Dr Patton acknowledges he “cannot dispel the uncertainty present as to what the resolution of the PMS situation will be. The recently appointed administrator, Mr Arthur Boyd, has also made it clear that he could not say when members’ funds might be returned to them or even whether that would ultimately be in full or in part.”
The credit crunch and large withdrawals from the PMS funds have affected liquidity. The administrator’s report is awaited.
British chancellor Alastair Darling said recently that “he would be reviewing the regulation of mutual societies in Northern Ireland”. An outcome could be that the Presbyterian Mutual Society might become regulated by the Financial Services Authority, resulting in the PMS coming under the compensation scheme covering banks, building societies and insurance companies.
The Presbyterian Mutual Society was established in 1982 for Presbyterians to invest money. While assuring them of a good return for their investment, the money would be used to make loans to help fellow Presbyterians and congregations.
The Meath Trust makes limited funds available each year for the support of children and young adults in education.
The trust was historically based in St Catharine’s parish and primarily gives grants to children in the Dublin area. It is administered by the Protestant Orphan Society with members of the Church of Ireland, the Presbyterian and Methodist churches on its committee.
Application forms can be had from the secretary at 74 Upper Leeson Street, Dublin 4 (01-667 5963). These must be returned by March 31st for consideration for the 2009/10 academic year. Fuller information is available from the society or school bursars.
Scottish co-religionists are looking forward to the celebration of the 250th anniversary of the birth of Robert (Rabbie) Burns, their national poet. The address to the Haggis and that strange morsel itself are undoubtedly in preparation. Burns was born on January 25th, 1759, the child of a struggling tenant farmer in Ayrshire.
His short life, so full of poetry,songs, romance, ambivalent religion and biting satire in Scots, gained immortality for him since his death of rheumatic fever on July 21st, 1796.
Auld Lang Syne, sung the world over, is generally agreed to be his composition. Romance in his life is epitomised in such love songs as My Love is Like a Red, Red Rose – so simple, so tender, so beloved of women especially – and My Jean. His desire for social justice and his humanity resonate in A Man’s a Man for All That.
Presbyterians will also celebrate the 500th anniversary of the birth of John Calvin (July 10th, 1509).
Burns had a marked antipathy to Calvinism and what he thought was its narrow judgementalism. His fondness for the ladies was to bring about a question of paternity, and an incident illustrative of the influence and authority of the Kirk Session (a body of ruling elders in Presbyterian churches) in former times.
For his sin, the pregnancy of Jean Armour, Burns was ordered to show public penance in open church for three consecutive weeks. It was this humiliation which probably caused him to write Holy Willie’s Prayer in scathing, satirical defiance of Calvinism, hypocrisy and the church.
It was directed against an elder, William Fisher, who had charged a friend with not properly observing the Sabbath.
Yet genuine Christianity had appeal for Burns and he was the friend of a number of the clergy of the day.
The moderator, the Right Rev Dr Donald Patton, has inspired a trauma service to be held in the Assembly Hall, Spires Centre, Belfast, from 7.45pm, on Thursday January 22nd.
The service is for all within the Presbyterian family who have experienced trauma through years of conflict in Northern Ireland. The moderator and his chaplains will acknowledge the hurt and loss sustained and seek to bring a note of hope and healing for the future.
The Belfast Phoenix Choir and a brass ensemble, with Daphne Arlow as soloist, will lead the praise. The Rev Michael Davidson will recall the loss of his father in the Troubles.