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Lisburn, Co. Antrim, Northern Ireland
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 
 
 
 

40th anniversary celebrations at St Columba�s, Derryvolgie

Pictured at service on Sunday 1st October to mark the 40th anniversary of St Columba�s Church, Derryvolgie are L to R:  Brendan Kane - Rector�s warden, Jack Hassard - Diocesan Reader, the Rev Donna Quigley, the Rev Canon Bertram Livingston, Dorothy Jackson - Parish Reader and Bertha Thompson - People�s warden.

A service was held on Sunday 1st October to commemorate the 40th anniversary of St Columba�s Church, Derryvolgie.  The present Rector, the Rev Donna Quigley, led the service assisted by Jack Hassard - Diocesan Reader and Dorothy Jackson - Parish Reader.  The special guest was the first Rector, the Rev Canon Bertram Livingston (1963-1979).  During the service Mr Livingston recounted the history of how the church was founded and explained where the various church items came from.  The service was followed by lunch in the church hall during which Hannah Perry presented Mrs Livingston with a bouquet of flowers.

A series of events to mark the 40th anniversary of St Columba�s Church commenced with the Beavers� 40th, followed by the Mothers� Union 40th and in April, a Display and dinner celebrating the formation of Derryvolgie Parish Girls� Brigade 40 years ago.  Other events over the past few months included a Variety Gospel Concert last May and a concert by Murley Silver Band on Friday 29th September.

St Columba�s Parish was created in 1963 from the adjoining parishes of Lisburn Cathedral, Lambeg and Derriaghy. The first Rector was the Rev (now Canon) Bertram Livingston, previously rector in charge of five churches in Co. Monaghan.  When he came to Lisburn, there was neither a church, nor land available for it.  His home was used for Sunday School and a Bible Class and in January 1964, Sunday services and Sunday School commenced in a vacant shop on the Moss Road.  In May of that year, a hut was built by parishioners to be used until a church could be built to cater for the needs of people moving into the area of Derriaghy, Lambeg and Lisburn.  The foundation stone was laid on 11th December 1965 and the new building was dedicated on 10th September 1966.  The cost of the building with furnishings was �23,500.  St. Columba�s achieved full parish status in January 1978.

In 1979 Canon Livingston was succeeded by the late Canon Noel Wilkinson.  On Canon Wilkinson�s retirement, the Rev Chris Pollock was appointed Rector on 15th October 1993.  The present Rector, the Rev Donna Quigley, was instituted here on All Saints Day, 1st November 2004.  Jack Hassard was commissioned Diocesan Reader on 20th November 1980.  Dorothy Jackson was commissioned Parish Reader on Sunday 4th June 2006.