Archbishop Clarke preaching at Cairncastle bicentenary celebration

Wednesday May 6th 2015

St Patrick’s, Cairncastle, is celebrating its bicentenary.

On Sunday May 10 the Most Rev Dr Richard Clarke, Archbishop of Armagh, will preach at a special celebration service marking the 200^th anniversary of St Patrick’s, Cairncastle.

The service (which begins at 11.30am) will be led by Rt Rev Alan Abernethy, Bishop of Connor, and a number of other special guests will be in attendance.

These include East Antrim politician Sammy Wilson, Mayor of Mid and East Antrim Borough Council Cllr Billy Ashe, former rectors of the parish and representatives from other local churches.

A special choir – recruited and prepared for the occasion by organist Derick Jenkins – will lead the worship, when parishioners will celebrate the rich heritage of the church and give thanks for God’s faithfulness over many generations.

After the service there will be a celebration meal in the Halfway House Hotel giving an opportunity for friends old and new to share time together.

For the Rev Roger Thompson, rector of the parish of Kilwaughter & Cairncastle with All Saints’, Craigyhill since 2004, the service will be particularly poignant as he will be moving on to a new post over the summer, taking up the role of Partnership Co-ordinator with Belfast-based mission agency CMS Ireland.

Roger said: “It’s wonderful to be able to mark our 200^th birthday in this way, but it will be emotional for me too as I look back on 11 years in the parish. All in all it will be a very special day.”