Rededication service at All Saints’ Parish Church, Eglantine

Tuesday November 3rd 2009

At the service of thanksgiving and rededication are L to R: (front) The Rt Rev Alan Abernethy (Bishop of Connor), Mrs Norma Bell and Rev Canon William Bell (Rector). (back row) Norman Hutchinson (Architect, Kennedy Fitzgerald, Belfast), Mark Smyth (Annvale Construction, Armagh), Mr David Orr (Rector’s Glebewarden) and Mr Donald Finlay (Rector’s Churchwarden).

A service of thanksgiving and rededication was held in All Saints’ Parish Church on Sunday November 1 to mark the reopening of the church after major refurbishment.

Work got underway last April and involved restoration of the church roof and stonework; upgrading disability access and lighting; and repainting of the interior of the church.

It was most appropriate that the historic church, consecrated in July 1875, was rededicated on All Saints’ Day. Rededicating the church, The Rt Rev Alan Abernethy, Bishop of Connor, assisted by the rector, the Rev Canon William Bell, gave thanks for 134 years of At the service of thanksgiving and rededication are L to R: Mrs Maureen Campbell (Peoples Churchwarden), Mr Geoffrey Simpson (Peoples Glebewarden), The Rt Rev Alan Abernethy (Bishop of Connor), Rev Canon William Bell (Rector), Mr Donald Finlay (Rector’s Churchwarden) and Mr David Orr (Rector’s Glebewarden).

At the service of thanksgiving and rededication are L to R: Mrs Maureen Campbell (Peoples Churchwarden), Mr Geoffrey Simpson (Peoples Glebewarden), The Rt Rev Alan Abernethy (Bishop of Connor), Rev Canon William Bell (Rector), Mr Donald Finlay (Rector’s Churchwarden) and Mr David Orr (Rector’s Glebewarden).

Christian work and witness in the church and parish of All Saints’ Eglantine and for the lives of all those who have worshipped here.

New carpet for the choir vestry, presented, by the Mothers’ Union, was dedicated during the service.

Bishop Abernethy preached the sermon. Also taking part were Donald Finlay (Rector’s Churchwarden), David Orr (Rector’s L to R: (front) Parishioners Beth and Norman Bell, Jean Kerr and Louie Hull pictured with (back row) the Rev Canon William Bell (Rector), The Rt Rev Alan Abernethy (Bishop of Connor) and Mrs Norma Bell (Organist).

L to R: (front) Parishioners Beth and Norman Bell, Jean Kerr and Louie Hull pictured with (back row) the Rev Canon William Bell (Rector), The Rt Rev Alan Abernethy (Bishop of Connor) and Mrs Norma Bell (Organist).

Glebewarden), Maurice Wright, John Leckey, Ben Simpson and Rosemary Taylor. The Scripture readings were, ‘God’s Temple is to be a place of prayer and forgiveness’ (1 Kings 8: 22-30) and ‘Christ the living stone is the true foundation of our faith’ (1 Peter 2: 1-10).

Mrs Norma Bell presided at the organ and together with the church choir led the thanksgiving praise that included, ‘I was glad when they said to me, let us go to the house of the Lord’ (Psalm 122), ‘Bright the vision that delighted’, ‘God, whose city’s sure foundation’, ‘God is here! As we his people’, and ‘Great Shepherd of your people, hear’.

Report and pictures by John Kelly

The Church of Ireland Diocese of Connor

Rededication service at All Saints’ Parish Church, Eglantine

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