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Lisburn, Co. Antrim, Northern Ireland
 
 
 
 

First minister installed in Aghalee Free Presbyterian Church

Rev Carin Salt sits with his wife Cherith as he is installed as Minister of Aghalee Free Presbyterian Church at the Lisburn Free Presbyterian Church. US37-452CL

LISBURN Free Presbyterian Church was the venue for a Service of Installation for the Rev. Cairin Salt to the Ministry in Aghalee Free Presbyterian Church this week.

Many friends and family members travelled from across the Province to join the several hundred who filled the Church for this special occasion.

Some people came from Bridlington (England), the Rev. Salt's previous Church, made the long journey to be present for this historic event.

Historic, as Aghalee Free Presbyterian Church is the first church to have been built with-in the village for hundreds of years and Rev. Salt the first minister to be installed.

The service was conducted by the Rev. Thomas Martin, minister of the Lisburn Congregation, and other ministerial colleagues took part in the Service.

Included were the Moderator of the Free Presbyterian Church the Rev. Ian Paisley, the Rev. Timothy Nelson (Sixmilecross), the Rev.Rev Ian Paisley stands with Cairin Salt - second from left - who was installed as Minister of Aghalee Free Presbyterian Church at Lisburn Free Presbyterian Church. Also pictured are fellow Ministers US37-450CL Trevor Baxter (Ballynahinch), the Rev. John Gray (Enniskillen), the Rev. John Woods (Bushmills), the Rev. Andrew Patterson (Garvagh), the Rev. Kenneth Elliott (Portadown) and Mr. Phillip Beattie (Committee man in Aghalee).

Rev. Salt gave a personal word of testimony in which he recalled the time of his conversion. As a young man he became aware that he was a sinner in the sight of a Holy God and after hearing and being instructed in the Gospel he sought and found Christ for salvation.

He then sought the will of God for his life and soon the Lord burdened his heart for full time Christian service. After applying for the Whitefield College of the Bible he was accepted for a four year training course in the Theological Hall.

Finishing his training he received a call to Bridlington Free Presbyterian Church (England) where he ministered for over five years.
Aghalee Free Presbyterian Church, which had recently been constituted, then issued a call to Rev. Salt and he accepted that call and was installed on Monday night.

Aghalee Free Presbyterian Church came into existence as an extension work of the Lisburn church.
A few years ago the Session and Committee of Lisburn was approached and offered a site and asked if they would consider commencing a work in the village.

The proposal presented a great challenge to them, as they were soon to commence work on a new building in Lisburn. However they took time to discuss the matter thoroughly and to pray and it became clear the Lord was leading them to accept this generous offer and plans for a permanent building were drawn up and work commenced on the building of a Free Presbyterian Church in the village.

The work progressed steadily on the Church with some of the labour being given free of charge.

On the l7th October 1998 a stone laying ceremony was conducted and the Moderator Dr. Paisley, along with Dr. Douglas and Mr. Eric Graham who were present to lay the foundation stones.

Dr. Paisley officially opened the new building for the preaching of the Gospel on Saturday 27th February 1999, after which a two-week Gospel campaign commenced.

There are two meetings on the Lord's Day 11.30am & 6.30pm, a Sabbath School in the afternoon at 3.15pm, and a Prayer Meeting every Tuesday evening at 8.00pm.

The Rev. Salt said he was looking forward to the challenge of ministering among the people of the area and extends a warm welcome to everyone to the services in Aghalee Free Presbyterian Church.