History

Thirteen young women of the Congregation met in the Choir Room on Tuesday 12th April 1988 to form a Young Women’s Group.

Mrs. Hilary Gourley acted as chairperson and introduced Mrs. Lorna Poots, a member of the Executive Committee who told them the practicalities of forming a group.

Mrs. Hilary Gourley was elected President, Mrs. Margaret Stanfield Vice-President with Mrs. Joan Walsh as Secretary and Mrs. Ruth Long as Treasurer, Mrs. Florence Annett, Mrs. Ruby Hunter, Mrs. Pamela Jess and Mrs. Sandra McKinney formed the rest of the Committee.

A programme is being arranged to commence in September next and all Young Women will be very welcome.

CONCLUSION

I have come to the end of our Church’s story, or as far as I can write at present, but we have not reached an end or stopping place. Our Church will move on. We are in the midst of change and this rate has increased in recent years.

Long prayers and long sermons formed the main part of public worship for many a generation, and the number of Psalm tunes familiar to a congregation was very limited, and Loughaghery in this respect was no exception. The first improvement was probably in the musical part of the service, with the formation of choirs, a wider range of music and the use of organs.

Time was, when apart from the Communion season, every Sunday had the same kind of service. Probably the first departure from this was the holding of Harvest Thanksgiving Services, which we have been holding since the late 1920’s, and the following of the Christian year from Sunday to Sunday. We, in Loughaghery, are moving with the times, looking to the future. In generations, yet unborn, those perusing the archives will see that 1988 was a year of note, for they will read that in that year we built the Hall.

APPENDIX

As minister of the congregation, I would like to thank Mrs. Mary Eddie and Miss Mary Reid for all their painstaking research and effort in producing this short history of our congregation.

As this book is published, a new church hall is under construction. At a meeting of the congregation on 21st January, 1987 it was agreed to build a new Church Hall according to plans submitted by S.V.W. McCready & Company, Architects, Lisburn. The cost is expected to be approximately £142,000. This has been made possible largely through the generosity of the late Mr. Robert Moorhead, son of Rev. J.N. Moorhead.

Mr. Robert Moorhead died on 18th April, 1982, leaving approximately £81,000 to be used for the benefit of the congregation. With the interest that has accumulated since this bequest was received, it has been agreed by our congregational Committee to use £100,000 from this investment, and our Fund Raising committee is actively engaged in raising the balance required to complete our new Hall.

The generosity of the late Mr. Moorhead is greatly appreciated and, in thankfulness to Almighty God, it should inspire every family associated with our congregation to renewed commitment to Jesus Christ. We are not just building a church hall, we are building the Kingdom of God in a community which is changing with the passing of the years. Many new houses have been built within our bounds and we welcome warmly several new families who have made their spiritual home among us.

Let us all respond to the challenge of reaching out in love with the message of the Gospel. By our personal words and deeds, and by all our activities, let us witness to the truth as it is revealed in Jesus Christ. Let us be open to the leading of the Holy Spirit, to grasp any opportunities of the days to come, and, filled with gratitude for the past and hope for the future, may we, as a congregation of God’s people, hand on the torch of faith to those who follow us – a torch alight and burning brightly.