Presbyterian Moderator begins final tour in office

THE Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland has embarked on his final tour in office.

The Right Rev Dr William Henry (inset) began his week-long tour of the South Belfast Presbytery yesterday, having just returned from a 14-day visit to Kenya.

As well as speaking at several churches, his tour will focus on the community work of the church with visits to the Welcome Centre for the Homeless, a church-run job club and a PCI residential care home.

Dr Henry said the aim of each tour was to encourage ministers and congregations to see “the incredible work” the Church does in the community “often quietly behind the scenes”.

He said he had been impressed by the “outward focus” of the Church in Kenya, which translated into practical good deeds in the community.

“I am looking forward to seeing the manifestation of this in South Belfast, which is a diverse and vibrant place, through the work of our local churches and people,” he said. The PCI has just over 210,000 members, including 19 presbyteries and 535 congregations.

South Belfast has 18 congregations, with over 3,300 families and 6,300 people of all ages. Rev Morris Gault of Cooke Centenary Presbyterian Church commented: “In South Belfast, we have areas of great poverty sitting side by side with places of great wealth and one of the main highlights will be his visit to Lowe Memorial’s Job Club, which is part of their Christians Against Poverty Project.”