First Rathfriland Presbyterian Women

First Rathfriland Presbyterian Women Our PW group exists to encourage women to come to faith in Christ and to develop in their faith.

05/04/2026

✝🙌PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN - EASTER THOUGHTS🙌✝

We are delighted to share today’s Easter devotional written by Linda Beattie, PW President. Linda invites us to step into the joy of the resurrection and reflect on the wonder of hearing Jesus call us by name.

"He asked her ‘Woman why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?’ Thinking it was the gardener she said.’ Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him. Jesus said to her ‘Mary’. She turned towards him and cried in Aramaic. ‘Rabboni’." John 20 v15

🌅 “OH, HAPPY DAY!”🌅
I love John’s account of the resurrection - especially the moment when Mary stands weeping outside the empty tomb. Jesus asks her,
“Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?”
Still in her grief, and assuming He was the gardener, she replies,
“Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”
Then Jesus simply says her name: “Mary.” (John 20:15–16)
That one word changed everything.
At the sound of her name, Mary turns toward Him. She looks into the face of the risen Christ - and instantly she knows. Recognition floods her heart. Joy breaks through her grief. And she cries out, “Rabboni!” (Teacher).
What a moment that must have been.
Can you picture yourself standing in Mary’s place?
To turn toward Jesus… to hear Him call your name… to realise He is alive and near? The risen Christ still calls each of us personally. He knows us. He sees us. He speaks to us.
But His calling is also a sending. Just as Mary is told in verse 17 to go and tell the disciples, so we too are invited to share the good news. Can you imagine how fast Mary must have run - her heart pounding, her voice overflowing with joy as she announced, “I have seen the Lord!”
On this Easter Sunday, let us renew our joy and our enthusiasm and may we rediscover the wonder of that first resurrection morning. May we:
• Turn toward his face
• Be present with Him
• Hear him speak our name
• And run with joy to tell others

🌅Happy Easter Day! He is risen indeed.

🙏Prayer for today:
Heavenly Father, on this joyful Easter Day, we thank You for the salvation we have received through the resurrection of Your Son, Jesus Christ.
Lord, you know each one of us by name. Fill our hearts with the same joy Mary experienced when she heard yours. Thank you that you know us completely and that you are ever-present with us.
As Presbyterian Women across the island of Ireland, help us shine like stars - wherever you have placed us: in our groups, our churches, our communities, our workplaces, and our families. Thank you that your compassions are new every morning and that great is your faithfulness.
We rejoice today, for Christ is risen. Amen.

03/04/2026

✝✝ PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN - EASTER THOUGHTS✝✝

✝ Today’s Good Friday devotional comes from Fiona Simpson, PW Overseas Vice President. Fiona invites us to pause at the foot of the Cross and reflect on three powerful statements Jesus spoke as he gave his life for us.

🌑 GOOD FRIDAY: A PLACE WHERE HOPE BEGINS
Today we pause at the foot of the Cross. Good Friday is often seen as dark and solemn - yet strangely it’s also the place where hope begins and the light of our faith truly breaks through. Let's pause for a few moments and reflect together on three things Jesus said as he hung on the cross, words that still reach into our deepest places today.

“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matt 27:46)
These words remind us that Jesus was both truly God and truly human. As Augustine once said, Jesus spoke as “the head” (our representative) and as “the body” (fully entering our human experience).
As our representative, Jesus experienced a depth of isolation from the Father that we will never have to face. He stood in our place. But as one of us, He also entered that feeling of abandonment that people sometimes feel when life is heavy or when we drift from God.
The truth is: God never walks away from us. But we can sometimes feel far from Him. So, if you’re suffering today, if you feel alone or weary, let Jesus’ cry remind you that He understands. He stands beside us in every valley. And, like Him, we are also called to come alongside others - bearing one another’s burdens, offering comfort, presence, and care.

“It is finished.” John 19:30
At first, the words might sound like a sigh of defeat - like everything good Jesus had done was now over. We sometimes feel like that ourselves: “I’m done.”
But Jesus didn't speak these words with despair. they were spoken with a sense of completion - like someone putting the final brushstroke on a painting. His mission of salvation was complete. Nothing more needed added. Nothing more needed earned.
Many people try to “add” their own bit to Jesus’ work, as if salvation needs a little help from us. But these words remind us that the work is finished. Our part is simply to trust and receive what Jesus has done for us.

“Today you will be with me in paradise.” Luke 23:43
These words to the thief on the cross are full of tenderness. The man simply asked Jesus to remember him - and Jesus gave him more than he imagined.
This promise still stands. Jesus offers not only the hope of heaven when our days on this earth are done, but His presence with us right now. His peace. His comfort. His nearness. His companionship in every season.

Good Friday invites us to pause, reflect, and respond.
Have you welcomed Jesus into your life?
If you’d like to listen to something that captures this so simply and beautifully, here are a couple of songs to help you give thanks for the Cross:
🎵 Charity Gayle - Thank you Jesus for the blood - https://youtu.be/dhU-Omwg2rU?si=kbNg98DJ9bGR3L-o
🎵 The Way of the Cross Leads Home - Hymn with Lyrics - https://youtu.be/gsgXFbrYEAY?si=Oz9Ulb_9bMFc7YPd

A Prayer for Today:
Father, on this Good Friday we come with grateful hearts. Help us trust in Christ’s finished work. Thank you that we are never abandoned, and that your presence holds us in every season. Thank you for such love, such sacrifice, and such hope. Amen.

This Saturday. Everyone welcome.
14/10/2025

This Saturday. Everyone welcome.

13/10/2025

Tomorrow night, Tuesday 14th October at 8pm, we will have Martin and Xander Burrows as our guest speakers. Martin and Xander will be sharing with us about their recent trip to Uganda. They will be joined by members of the Hopeful Horizons team who will bring some craft items which will be available to purchase. All ladies welcome.

13/04/2025

Presbyterian Women - Easter thoughts ✝️💟

Centuries before Jesus sat on a donkey to ride into Jerusalem, Zechariah had spoken these words to God’s people telling them that a king would come to rescue them. This King would not come in power or might carrying a sword but instead he would come humbly, riding on a donkey. This King would bring peace, not by force but by his Spirit.

When the crowds waved their palm branches for Jesus’ triumphal entry to Jerusalem, they were expecting a different kind of king, one who would overthrow their enemies.
Instead of raising a sword, he surrendered to the cross. He wasn’t just any king, he was the King of kings who endured pain and mockery to save his people!

12/04/2025

On Tuesday night, 15th April, at 8pm, we welcome Fiona Storer as our guest speaker. Fiona uses her knitting skills to knit Bible story characters and animals. There will also be some of Fiona’s items for sale on the night, with the proceeds going to charity. This will be our last meeting this season and all ladies are welcome.

17/03/2025

Tomorrow night, Tuesday 18th March at 8pm, we welcome a representative from Prison Fellowship (NI), a Christian ministry that has been working in prisons across Northern Ireland for over 40 years. This is PW’s special home project this year and we’d love to see you there to hear more about their work. All ladies are very welcome to attend.

08/03/2025

😍SAVE THE DATE✍
Presbyterian Women’s Annual Conference
Theme | "God ...ever present" Psalm 46:1
Saturday 10th May 2025 in Assembly Buildings, Belfast
Guest Speaker | Siân Wyn Rees
Morning Session | 10.30am – 12.15pm
Afternoon Celebration | 2.00pm – 3.45pm
Praise led by Emma Smyth, Erin McBride and band.
No tickets needed
Cost: Free
We are delighted that Siân Wyn Rees will be joining with us as guest speaker.
Siân serves as Bible Society’s Head of Wales and is passionate about encouraging others in their walk with the Lord. Siân is a musician by training, and was Head of a Performance and Expressive Arts Faculty at a secondary school in north Wales for many years.
Siân likes to keep busy and she is currently completing a Graduate Diploma in Kingdom Theology with Westminster Theological Centre. She serves as a trustee of a number of Christian organisations, including the Sound of Wales worship collective, Ffald Y Brenin Christian retreat centre, Caleb Ministries, Llanw Conference and Capel Caersalem.
In her spare time(!) she can be found sipping a skinny latte in one of Cardiff’s excellent coffee shops, catching up with friends or engrossed in a good book.

This event is open to women of all ages and is an opportunity to join with women from across Ireland as we come together to worship and celebrate all that God is doing in our lives and through His church. We come expectant to encounter Him afresh and take His blessing back to our local churches and communities.
For more information go to; https://www.presbyterianireland.org/pw/PW-Events-and-Recordings.aspx

27/02/2025

🥳🤩SERVANT HEART EVENT RECORDINGS AVAILABLE NOW! 🥳🤩

We've had a number of requests for the recordings of our recent Servant Heart-Leading like Jesus event - these are now available🥰!
Please do share the recordings with others you know who were unable to attend on the day.
To download the talks just click on the link below;
Direct links to the videos are as follows: Session one | Session two
or you can go to our webpage,
https://www.presbyterianireland.org/pw/PW-Events-and-Recordings.aspx

17/02/2025

This Sunday, 23rd February is our annual PW service at 11.30am. This is a special year for us as we celebrate our 75th anniversary. After the service we invite the congregation to join us in the church hall for an afternoon tea to celebrate the occasion. Please put your name on the list in the vestibule or contact any PW member if you wish to attend, this will help with catering arrangements. We look forward to seeing you there to celebrate with us.

17/02/2025

Tuesday 18th February at 7.30pm.
Our next meeting welcomes Roberta from ‘At the Clay House,’ where she will be helping us to make a sandwich tray. The cost for this is £20. Please note the earlier start at 7.30pm. All ladies are very welcome.

20/01/2025

Tomorrow night, Tuesday 21st January at 8pm, we have Karen Salmon from Magherally & Annaclone as our guest speaker.
All ladies will be made very welcome.

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