Walk of Witness and Lough Shore Easter Day Service in Antrim

Monday April 25th 2022

Good Friday Walk of Witness in Antrim.

Members of churches in Antrim were pleased to be able to take part in the 16th Good Friday Walk of Witness on April 15.

The Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey, Councillor Billy Webb MBE JP, participated in the opening and closing acts of worship.

In the past, the walkers heard a portion of the Passion Narrative in Antrim Methodist, All Saints’, St Comgall’s and High Street churches, but due to issues of getting 250 people in and out of the churches in as safe a way as possible, worshippers gathered under the bandstand in the Parterre Gardens in Antrim’s Castle Grounds to hear the story of Christ’s crucifixion and sing hymns together.

The Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey, Councillor Billy Webb, and some of those who took part in the Good Friday Walk of Witness in Antrim.

Archdeacon Stephen McBride, Vicar of Antrim, said: “In the past years, we can only recall having to use umbrellas on one occasion and were very grateful for the lovely spring weather in which the walk was carried out. Thankfully the break of two years due to Covid didn’t have any effect on the numbers participating and once again this was a very strong visual statement of how the churches in Antrim work together.”

On Easter morning, upwards of 90 people from Muckamore, Drummaul and All Saints’ parishes met at the Lough Shore carpark in Antrim to celebrate Holy Communion together.

The Rev Peter Blake, Archdeacon Stephen McBride and Claire Thompson lead the Eastern Day Lough Shore Service.

Despite earlier rain, there was no further need for umbrellas when the worship began at 7.30am. Archdeacon Stephen McBride was the celebrant and he was assisted by Claire Thompson who is in training for the Ordained Local Ministry. The Rev Peter Blake led the singing.

Everyone was then invited back for a breakfast of sausage baps in All Saints’ Parish Centre.