Lisburn marks Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

Tuesday January 23rd 2007

A special service was held in First Lisburn Presbyterian Church on Sunday January 21 as part of a ‘Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.’

The Service was organised by the Lisburn City Centre Ministers’ Fellowship, which comprises of ministers from seven Lisburn city centre churches: Rev Brian Anderson, Seymour Street Methodist; Rev John Brackenridge, First Lisburn; Rev Paul Dundas, Christ Church; Rev Brian Gibson, Railway Street; Pastor George Hilary, Lisburn Christian Fellowship; Father Dermot McCaughan, St Patrick’s and the Rev Canon Sam Wright, Lisburn Cathedral.

Rev Brackenridge gave the call to worship and during the singing of the opening hymn the congregation greeted one another.

Tom Whyte, Director of Music, and the church choir led the praise. Rev Brackenridge read the Scripture Reading; Pastor Hilary led the a prayer of adoration; Rev Dundas led a prayer of confession; Canon Wright led a prayer for the people of Lisburn and Rev Anderson led a prayer for each other.

The address, by Rev Gibson, was entitled – My Ecumenical Journey.

During the service a plain wooden cross was placed at the front of the church and a Dramatised Song was sung for the people of South Africa and for the community of Lisburn. During each spoken verse the music was quietly played and Eithne Burrell, Ernie Cromie, June Gibson and Heather Middleton came forward to the foot of the cross and kneeled, representing the ‘voices’ of the people of Lisburn.

Following the closing hymn, Father McCaughan spoke of the importance of being open to God’s voice in the Word and in the City of Lisburn.