Magheraknock Mission Hall
_small.jpg "The new Magheraknock Mission Hall, opened in November 2006") |
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| Magheraknock Mission Hall leaders Ronnie Douglas (left) and Sam Sommerville (right). Also included in the picture is one of the pianists- Ethne Douglas. |
The new Magheraknock Mission Hall,
opened in November 2006 |
2 Laurel Road, Magheraknock.
Leaders:
Sam Sommerville (9756 3228)
Ronnie Douglas (9756 1063)
Services:
Gospel Meeting: 3.30pm (Sundays)
Prayer Union Meetings: 8.00pm (Fridays)
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| The Magheraknock Mill, now a beautifully restored private dwelling. |
HISTORY
The Magheraknock fellowship was formed in 1924 following a Gospel Mission held in Magheraknock Orange Hall. A Sunday School was held in Magheraknock Primary School and Prayer Union meetings were held in the house attached to the late Billy Reid’s Blacksmith’s shop. The fellowship saw the need to build a more permanent meeting place. Billy Reid, owner of a Blacksmith’s shop gave some land and the original Magheraknock Mission Hall was built in 1927. In later years, Billy Reid’s son, the late George Reid, gave some extra ground and a car park was added. In about October 2003, it was decided to replace the old Mission Hall. Plans were submitted in October 2004 and building work on the new hall commenced in May 2006.
The once familiar landmark of the old 1927 Magheraknock Mission Hall was dismantled and removed from the site on Wednesday 11th October 2006 for re-erection by a private purchaser. During dismantling a piece of wood found in the cavity wall had the following note hand written in pencil, “In the year of our Lord - 6th Dec to 21st Nov 1927”. This would clearly indicate that in 1927, it took nearly one year to erect the solidly constructed building; it would also help to explain why it took such a lot of hard work and effort to dismantle it. The site of the old hall has now been levelled and tarmaced, creating a new car parking facility.
The first Prayer Union meeting was held in the new hall on Friday 13th October 2006 and the first afternoon gospel meeting was held in the new hall on Sunday afternoon 15th October 2006. The new Magheraknock Mission Hall was officially opened on Saturday 11th November 2006 by Mrs Babs Fox (wife of the late Eddie Fox - former director of the Faith Mission) and dedicated by Faith Mission Evangelist, Trevor Matthews.
The old and new Mission Halls were built on opposite sides of the Mill Race River, which in bygone days powered a large water wheel at the now disused mill on the opposite side of the Magheraknock Road (the old mill has been renovated and is now a private dwelling). For many years locals felt that the Mill Race River divided Lisburn and Down areas and it was therefore assumed that the old Mission Hall on the Lisburn side of the river was in Lisburn City Council area and that the new Mission Hall on the Ballynahinch side of the river would be in Down County Council area. However, phone calls to both council offices revealed that the centreline of the Laurel Road divides the two council areas meaning that both the old and new Mission Halls are in County Down, but just a few yards outside of the Lisburn area.
For two news articles on the old and new Mission hall, click on: New Magheraknock Mission Hall replaces one built in 1927. Official opening of the new Magheraknock Mission Hall
