Taking part in the Mission Service in Railway Street Presbyterian Church last Sunday morning (9th March) were L to R: (seated) Heather Henry, Billy Patterson and Elma Lindsay. (back row) Margaret Coulter, Claire Crawford and Karen Blythe.

A mission service held in Railway Street Presbyterian Church last Sunday morning (9th March) focused on mission in Ireland and overseas. The minister, the Rev Brian Gibson led the service assisted by ladies from the PWA and Soul Mates. Elma Lindsay, President of the Railway Street Branch of the PWA offered the opening prayer and Soul Mates Karen Blythe and Claire Crawford read the Scripture lessons. In the prayers of intercession Margaret Coulter and Heather Henry thanked God for the influence that the PWA and Young Women�s Groups have had on so many women over the years and prayed that women of the Presbyterian Church, young and old, will together embrace the vision to become disciples of Christ under the umbrella of Presbyterian Women.

The guest speaker at the service was Billy Patterson, a former member of Sloan Street Presbyterian Church. In his address, Billy gave a short testimony, explaining that he was brought to saving grace through a Sunday School teacher who told him that God loved him. One day while working as a plumber in Twinbrook, a young man was shot dead. It left Billy thinking, where do you go to when you die? Following this incident he had a nervous breakdown. In June 1973 he attended an open-air meeting at Sloan Street and that night he gave his life to Jesus. Twelve weeks later his wife also became a Christian and so began a Christian life together. He joined the Irish Mission in 1984 and is now an Irish Mission Worker based in Drogheda. He went on to speak about his work with the Presbyterian Mission in Ireland (PMI) and how he shares the gospel through door-to-door visitation, hotel services, one to one Bible study, open-air evangelism, children�s and youth work. He said that the true gospel has made an impact in the South of Ireland resulting in increased attendance at churches and in particular at Presbyterian Churches.

10/03/2008