Lisburn Churches

St. Columba’s Presbyterian and Methodist Church

St. Columba’s Presbyterian and Methodist Church, Lisburn, opened in September 1969.


Rev James Todd Minister	Rev. Dr. Malcolm Scott Minister Emeritus

Killaney Avenue, Old Warren, Lisburn.

Minister: Rev James Todd

Sunday services:

Morning: 11.30am.

Evening: 6.30pm.

During July & August services are at 11.00am

Web site: www.columbas.net

HISTORY

A scheme of joint working with the Methodist Church was agreed on in Conference and Assembly in May and June 1967. The congregation since then serves both Presbyterians and Methodists, both being represented on the Congregational Committee, and with Methodist representatives being present at and deliberating in Kirk Session. The Rev. Desmond Morris was Methodist minister at the time, being succeeded in July 1971 by Rev. Winston Good.

The building of the church was commenced on 20^th September 1968 when the Rev. A. H. Graham the General Assembly's joint-convener of Church Extension, cut the first sod. Foundation stones were laid on 8^th March 1969 by Very Rev. Dr. Wm. Boyd and Rev. Howard Cromie representing the Presbyterians, and by Rev. Dr. R. D. E. Gallagher and Rev. R. D. Morris representing the Methodists. The Church building, Minor Hall and ancillary rooms were declared open and dedicated on 5^th September 1969 by the Rt. Rev. Dr. J. T. Carson, Moderator of Assembly. Another hall, the Oliver Brown Hall was opened in March 1970. Mr. and Mrs. Brown had been missionaries in India for many years and were members of St. Columba’s after their retirement.

The Rev. Malcolm Scott retired in 1998 and is now the Minister Emeritus in St. Columba’s.

The Rev. John Honeyford, previously in Magheragall Presbyterian Church, was installed in St. Columba’s on Friday 1st September 1999. Mr Honeyford preached his farewell sermon at St Columba’s Presbyterian and Methodist Church on Sunday 8th April 2007 and was installed as the new minister of 2nd Castlederg and Alt Presbyterian Church in the presbytery of Derry and Strabane at an installation service in 2nd Castlederg on Friday 13th April 2007. The present minister, the Rev James Todd, previously minister of Second Newtownards was installed as the new minister of St Columba’s on Friday 27th June 2008.

Brief history as recorded in a book ‘Lisburn’s Rich Church Heritage’ by John Kelly

The growth of Lisburn on the Moira Road side of the town was such that in 1964 the Kirk Session of Railway Street, in whose parish the area lay, requested Dromore Presbytery to invite the General Assembly’s Church Extension Committee to undertake the establishment of a new charge in the area. In consequence the congregation of St Columba’s first met in a temporary wooden building on the Moira Road. The Rev Malcolm Scott was installed as its first minister in June 1965, and the first service was held on Sunday 6th June 1965. A scheme of joint working with the Methodist Church was agreed in 1967. The present church building, minor hall and ancillary rooms were opened on 5th September 1969. Another hall, the Oliver Brown Hall was opened in March 1970. Mr and Mrs Brown had been missionaries in India for many years and were members of St Columba’s after their retirement. The Rev Dr Malcolm Scott, now Minister Emeritus, retired in 1998. The Rev John Honeyford, previously in Magheragall Presbyterian Church, was installed in September 1999 and left in April 2007 when he was appointed minister of Second Castlederg and Alt in the Presbytery of Derry and Strabane. The present minister, the Rev James Todd, was installed on 27th June 2008.

At an Assembly meeting in June 2008 a resolution was passed that St Columba’s Church, be recognised as a Congregation of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland and that the formal links with the Methodist Church in Ireland pertaining to St Columba’s be ended.