The Old Presbyterian Church, Ballyclare

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The Old Presbyterian Church, Ballyclare

A Christian Church, founded in 1642, where every person can search the Scriptures and, with prayerful consideration, seek the will of God.

The Non-Subscribing Presbyterian Church of Ireland is a small but significant denomination with a historical witness to liberal Christianity. Although a separate denomination in its own right, it has no exact parallel with any other church outside Ireland and may best be understood in relation to Irish Presbyterianism, in which tradition it had its origins and with which it still retains a deep af

finity. Non-Subscription Means:

that the minister and elders of this church are not required to sign the Westminster Confession of Faith unlike those in the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. that the minister and elders of this church accept the Bible alone as the rule of the Christian faith and duty under the teaching of the Lord Jesus Christ. that the minister and members of this church have the duty and freedom to discover for themselves what God is teaching His people through the words of Scripture. that the church is not a closed community but is open to the wisdom and insight of other churches and welcomes the fellowship of other Christian people. that we are not bound by compulsory subscription to man-made creeds and doctrines of Faith. We declare allegiance to the principle that: the teaching of Christ must take precedence over the doctrines of a later time, and Christian unity is to be sought, not in the uniformity of creed but in a common standard of duty and adherence to the commandments set out in the Holy Bible.

09/04/2026

Our new church social group begins this evening at 7.30pm in the room beside the main church. We will have a real mixture of events and activities planned once a month, typically a thursday evening.

Our first activity is an evening of card games which should get our competitive drive awoken.

We will be playing
UNO
Snap
Old Maid
Trumps
Jack change it

Everyone welcome
Tea & coffee during.

08/03/2026

To celebrate International Women's Day, the service was led by these women from our congregation

01/03/2026

Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus
Happy St David’s Day 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

Today we celebrated St David's day & I even managed a few words of welsh! A huge thank you to my Welsh speaking colleagues for the guidance & input Melda Grantham Ant Howe.

We opened our service with the words “We come with Hiraeth—a deep longing for home, finding our truest home in the presence of God”.

The kids learnt about the history of the welsh dragon & flag - Y Ddraig Goch.

Our sermon included the final words of St David, "do the little things that you have heard and seen me do”.

And of course...welsh singing got a mention!

We also prayed:
"We pray for our fellow churches in Wales. We pray for the Unitarian chapels who share our history of a free-thinking, liberal and progressive Christian faith. Give blessing to their members and wisdom to their clergy."

Rev Lynda

19/02/2026

Today some of our congregation visited our sister church First Dunmurry NS Presbyterian Church. We were treated on arrival to lovely tea, coffee, scones & pancakes. Then Rev Dr David Steers gave us a tour of the graveyard and church, before we all gathered in the MacMillan library to learn about its formation, special collections and ongoing conservation work. We even got to view some fascinating historical documents about our church in Ballyclare, as well as some great old newspaper clippings...one of which advertised the zoo in Rostrevor....I bet not many knew about that!

We had a thoroughly good time. Thanks to Rev Dr Steers and Mrs Sue Steers for all the hospitality, info & stories.

08/02/2026

This morning we had our annual Love Service in preparation for Valentines day. I read an excerpt from the book pictured below...here John O'Donohue explores the ancient recognition between two souls once born of the same clay in the deep earth. He had such a way of grounding the human journey with nature and love for the world around us, with specific focus on Ireland of course.

We also explored first dance songs & their history, courtship and wooing, and decided ultimately that using scripture as a reference point for marriage probably isn't the best idea for a contemporary society which supports monogamy! We also reckoned King Solomon had far too much time on his hands with 700 wives & 300 concubines!

Rev Lynda

29/01/2026

This week we'll be thinking about 'being stuck'.....(what on earth is she on about now??). 🤔

We will also share a tea & coffee after the service.

If you're looking for an open, welcoming, inclusive and free-thinking community....we might just be the spiritual home you've been hoping to find.

EVERYONE welcome, without exception.

25/01/2026

We had another fantastic Burns Night celebration. Thank you to everyone who helped set up, to all who provided entertainment and to everyone who came along.

04/01/2026

📣 SERVICE CANCELLED

We have taken the decision to cancel this morning's service due to the driving & walking conditions. Please stay safe and warm at home and we will see you all next week, God willing.

Rev Lynda

31/12/2025

Pride isn't typically a virtue to behold, but it is when it comes to being minister of this wonderful church. I am privileged to serve the people of Ballyclare Old Presbyterian Church. It truly is a place of faith & fellowship and a lot of love.

Here's to another great year together in 2026.

If you're looking for a spiritual home where you will be accepted just as you are....why not call in on Sunday morning, you would be very welcome indeed.

Happy New Year everyone

Rev Lynda

28/12/2025

The following is an excerpt from a poem entitled 'Impossible' by Harry Baker which was one of our readings this morning.

"And I am tired
of the doom and gloom
and self-fulfilling prophecy,
I am trying
to find room to bloom
and self-fulfil the opposite,
When it’s an act of revolution
to try to stay remotely positive,
There’s nothing wishy-washy
about opting to be optimists.
Whether a brighter future’s
possible we may not truly know,
But the first step towards that
future is imagining it so,
and so as indeed the dos we did
outdo the don’ts we didn’t,
It only stays impossible,
until it isn’t."

If you enjoy exploring faith and seeking wisdom and inspiration from a range of sources....why not start the new year by paying us a visit.

Rev Lynda

25/12/2025

A short reflection

As children we quickly learn all the magical tales we need for life. We know that when we lose a tooth we must place it under our pillow with a note for the tooth fairy who kindly pays us for it. We know that at Easter, the Easter bunny hides eggs for us to find and gather in our baskets. Most importantly of all, we know that if we don’t go to bed and sleep on Christmas eve, Santa doesn’t come! These are the traditional stories passed down through generations. They fill us with wonder and awe and most importantly joy. These traditions we share with our children give us pleasure. To see that look of wonder on little faces. To watch the wee eyes light up and then we hear that fantastic word when a child experiences something magical for the first time...wow!

Yet somehow as we get older, we lose our sense of wonder at the world. We can forget to remember how many amazing things we take for granted. The stunning scenery of this amazing island we live on. The kind and welcoming nature of the people who inhabit this island, our hospitality famous the world over. Even those more clichéd things in life, the first snowdrop of spring as the earth begins to thaw, the feeling of warm summer sunshine on our faces or a gentle seaside breeze, the glorious colours of autumn and the crunch of leaves on the ground. We forget the magic in these moments. We forget to remember.

Yet here we are once more, Christmas morning and if we allow ourselves to remember, this time can be filled with magic. The anticipation of a special time & the exchanging of gifts. The visiting of family and friends with warm embraces, good food, a wee babysham to cleanse the pallet and most importantly....we must have plenty of craic! A Christmas with laughter and stories and joy and singing is one that gives us all that feel-good factor.

So let’s not forget to remember the magic. Let’s allow our adult selves to feel excited. To experience the beautiful moments, however and wherever we find them because life is short and there are no reruns! We should savour every precious moment we can. And above all else, may we never forget to remember the most important and most magical component of all....the blessing of love that we share with one another. Amen.

Rev Lynda

Address

Main Street
Ballyclare
BT399AA

Website

http://www.ballyclareoldpresbyterian.co.uk/

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