Lenten service and lunch in Ballymacash

Tuesday March 13th 2007

Pictured at a Lenten Service in St Mark’s Church, Ballymacash, are, left to right: James Walker, rector’s warden; Councillor Trevor Lunn MLA, Mayor of Lisburn; Mrs Laureen Lunn; Miss Sheila Jennings; the Rev Canon George Irwin, rector; Mr Kenneth Gamble, student minister and Mrs Frances Moreland, people’s warden. Photo John Kelly. The Right Worshipful the Mayor of Lisburn, Councillor Trevor Lunn MLA, and Mayoress Mrs Laureen Lunn were the special guests at a Lenten Service, Holy Communion and Lunch in St Mark’s Church, Ballymacash on March 11.

The rector, the Rev Canon George Irwin, welcomed a large congregation and said the Mayor was no stranger to St Mark’s having played at the organ on several occasions.

After reading the Scripture lesson the Mayor thanked Canon Irwin for his invitation and spoke on his Mayoral theme to make Lisburn ‘A City for Everyone’. In bringing the greetings of Lisburn City Council he wished Canon Irwin and the congregation every success and God’s blessing.

Timothy Howe on organ and the church choir led the praise. Mr Kenneth Gamble, who is in the final year of training for the ordained ministry, led the intercessions and administered the chalice at Holy Communion.

Canon Irwin’s address was based on the gospel reading describing Jesus cleansing the Temple in Jerusalem.

Pictured with the church choir at a Lenten Service in St Mark’s, Ballymacash, are, left to right: Councillor Trevor Lunn MLA, Mayor of Lisburn; Mrs Laureen Lunn; Timothy Howe, organist and the Rev Canon George Irwin, rector. Photo John Kelly. This annual service and lunch is an important part of the work and witness at St Mark’s during the season of Lent. Proceeds from the lunch will be divided between the Crossroads Care Attendant Scheme and two overseas mission projects supported directly by St Mark’s – the Anglican Seminary of St John the Evangelist in Kitwe, Zambia and the Sinikithemba project in Grahamstown, South Africa,

During the service Miss Sheila Jennings, a member of the congregation of St Mark’s, spoke of her recent visit to Grahamstown and explained how the proceeds from the lunch will be used directly for the Sinikithemba project, which helps 40 people who are HIV positive.

During the lunch there was a powerpoint presentation on the Kitwe project and an exhibition of information and photographs on both projects.