Sunday Worship 11.00 am and 6.30 pm Minister: Dr William (Bill) J M Parker
UPCOMING EVENTS
UPCOMING EVENTS
Sunday Services 14th April 2024, God willing
Morning Service
(11:00am in the Church Building)
They've Gone!
Romans chapter 6 verses 6-10
Rev Dr Bill Parker
Evening Service
How To Pray
Matthew chapter 6 verses 5-6
Rev Dr Bill Parker
Sunday Services 21st April 2024, God willing
Morning Service
(11:00am in the Church Building)
Mr Howard Keery
Evening Service
(6:30pm in the Church Building)
Harvest of the Sea Service
We welcome Portavogie Fishermen's Choir
Rev W A Abernethy
(Minister Emeritus)
Sunday Services 28th April 2024, God willing
Morning Service
(11:00am in the Church Building)
Rev David Maxwell
No Evening Service
Sunday Services 5th May 2024, God willing
Morning Service
(11:00am in the Church Building)
We gather round the Lord's Table
Romans chapter 6 verses 11-14
Rev Dr Bill Parker
Evening Service
(6:30pm in the Lower Hall)
How To Pray and What to Pray
Matthew chapter 6 verses 7-9
Rev Dr Bill Parker
The Pastor's Study on YouTube
There are 66 Pastor’s Study Services
on the Sinclair’s YouTube Channel.
Why not engage with one you have missed?
Follow the appropriate link on the Church website home page:
www.sinclairschurch.co.uk
Midweek Meeting
Thursday 2nd May 2024, God Willing
Concluding overview to our Study on Job
7:15 pm for 7:30pm start - the Lower Hall
(Corporation Street side entrance)North Belfast Presbytery Prayer Guide
PRESBYTERY OF NORTH BELFAST PRAYER POINTS
April 2022
The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:5b-7, ESV
GENERAL PRESBYTERY PRAYER TOPICS FROM
TREVOR LONG, CLERK OF PRESBYTERY
International Meeting Point – IMP North Belfast.
- Give thanks for the continuing impact the OP Shop is having. Frances Jackson and the team are doing a great job and the shop has helped many people while also
raising funds for the work of IMP.
- Eileen Black and the team as they make the most of the Friday morning Parents and Tots Group.
- Pray for Shirley McGonigle who has just started as the Deputy to Keith Preston in North Belfast. Pray she will quickly find herself at home with the work of the English Classes and Bible Studies and be guided by God in developing the work of IMP for the future.
- Pray for opportunities to share the Gospel with everyone who comes into contact with IMP.
- Pray for Keith as he directs and leads the work of IMP in South Belfast and North Belfast.
Newcomers and Refugees
Pray for all newcomers to North Belfast from wherever they originate from and whatever faith they have and that they will find a warm welcome and the love of Jesus.
Hope and Grace Community Church Plant
Pray for the relationship that IMP and Rev Peter Burke (Associate Minister of West Kirk) are building together and that this will bring new people into the influence of the word of God.
Urban Mission Trust
- Give thanks for the work of the Trust as it supports Mission and Outreach within our Presbytery.
- Thank God for the property and resources that have been gifted to the Trust. Pray also that the Trust will work wisely to be good stewards of these resources and makes grants to a variety of posts and activities.
- Pray for the practicalities of good management and accounting and thanking God for the talents of those who serve on the Trust.
- Pray that God will encourage Congregations to becreative and courageous in developing their mission and outreach and that UMT will be supportive of what God wants to develop in our Presbytery.
Absent Young People Task Group
Following the Discussion and report on the issue Disappearing Young People the Task group has been formed and has met twice in March.
- Give thanks that the Group has begun its work and Pray that God will inspire and direct them in the ways that they tackle this vital issue.
ABBEY
Give thanks
- For a sense of God’s faithfulness over these last few years, for particular blessings including financially, and for encouragements in being gathered as a Church
family.
- For a fresh vision as we emerge from this time of being an "Open Church" - open to God, each other, our community, and world, and to new things.
Pray for
- Wisdom in the challenge of encouraging and retaining our youth, and reaching young people from ourcommunity.
- The emergence of new leadership which is needed in different areas, as well as the wisdom to both let go and try new approaches.
- The development of our fresh vision in terms of Church programmes, and the appointment of the right people for two new roles of Church Coordinator and Community Evangelist.
ABBOTSCROSS
- Pray for our election of elders in Abbots Cross.
- Pray for the congregation as we vote in April as to whom God might have called to this office.
Pray we would recognise and choose people who have the goldy character the Lord desires. It has been over 20 years since this last happened.
ALEXANDRA
Prayer
- Upcoming plans to reach our local community, by building connections and sharing the Good News. Particularly at Easter and around the Jubilee celebrations in June. Please pray for opportunities to reach those around us.
- Messy Church - In May we plan to begin Messy Church series on a quarterly basis to reach young families who are regular in worship and those on the periphery of church life. Please pray for a good response from these families.
- Evening Plans - Post-Covid our evening worship has returned on a series basis, running for 5/6 weeks then taking a break, looking at specific topics and making space for intentional discipleship. Please pray for good engagement from the church family.
- Youth Night - we are planning a youth night on Sunday 8th May for youth groups in the area, particularly for encouragement for those churches with small numbers like ourselves. More information will follow in Presbytery but please pray for many young people to be both encouraged and challenged by God's word.
Praise
-Our Community Mission Worker, Jason Sime, has been in post for almost six months. Giving thanks for howwell he has settled into the life of the congregation. Also for opportunities for mission he has already been involved with.
- Giving thanks for the growth in numbers of our regular 'between Sundays' work such as our toddler group and Wee Cafe. There is clearly a desire among the community to be at groups where they can be with other people again. Thankful for the relationships being built in this way.
- Giving thanks for the sense of togetherness and God's presence as we gather on Sundays despite two years of social distancing and covid measures. God is good!
BALLYGOMARTIN
Pray for the congregation and Glen Jordan and his family as we prepare for the installation on 29th April. And that all the preparations for the installation and
readying the Manse will go smoothly.
BALLYHENRY
- In Ballyhenry we are thankful for a steady, gradual, return to church on the part of many of our members. -
- Recently we celebrated our 50th anniversary as a congregation and we give thanks to God for his keeping throughout the years.
- As we look to the future we pray that the Lord will open new doors and lead us into the things that he has for us.
- Pray that we will know step by step what He is calling us to and that together, in faith, as a congregation we will follow.
BALLYSILLAN
Praise
- Some new people on a Sunday morning
- Good relationships with kids and young people coming to organisations and programmes
- Signs of deepening spiritual life in people
- An encouraging sense of welcome and belonging on Sunday morning as well as a hunger for teaching and participation in worship.
Prayer
- For Session as we discuss, discern and decide on future focus and plans.
- For leaders for encouragement and energy and rest.
- For church family to embrace the characteristics of Church we've been preaching through over the past few months.
- For Gospel fruit from our growing relationships with those outside of church
CARNMONEY
Praise
- Give thanks for a sense of God’s presence and unity during this period of Vacancy
- Give thanks for the ongoing work at Carnmoney, working out the practicalities of the ‘All In’ strategy
- Give thanks for the increasing numbers and involvement of people in Central.
Prayer
- Pray for a continued sense of God’s leading s we progress with filling the Vacancy
- Pray for Michael Wylie as he goes to be Pastor at Greenisland Baptist Church in June 2022
- Pray for the Staff Team at Carnmoney, and the leadership team in Central, as they seek to serve Jesus in their respective areas of work, especially through this busy Easter period
CRUMLIN ROAD AND WEST KIRK
Like other congregations we are thankful that things are returning to a sense of normality. Pray for elders and others in leadership who are trying to think how we move forward in ministry and mission into the local area again after a long break. We are committed to work from the Peace wall to Crumlin Road now that amalgamation is moving on and restrictions are lifting. Pray to the Lord of the Harvest that he would send the workers into the harvest field.
We give thanks that our kids work has had a good start this year. Pray for plans as we welcome a summer team in August. There will be much wisdom required as we plan, and please pray for the recruitment of that team. Pray that this might make a good impact for the nextyear ahead.
Give thanks and pray for the West Kirk Community Project, the project are stepping up outreach and seeking to develop the team who lead the work. Pray for community worker Walter McBride and others as they develop the work. Walter has placed a burden on our hearts as he shares about the increased drug use in the community, please pray for inroads in tackling this. “And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ” Colossians 4v3.
EGLINTON
1. Election of additional elders
Praise : Give thanks for really good engagement by the congregation in the recent nomination process for 5 additional elders , and for the 5 people willing to allow their names to go forward for selection by the congregation.
Prayer: That the selection will go well , that the training process and ordination / installation service will be a blessing to the new elders, and that they in turn will be a blessing to the congregation in the years to come.
2. “ Holy week” events on the theme “Who is this man?”
Praise: Give thanks that we can have face to face gatherings over Holy Week for the first time since 2019
Prayer: The week is focussing on outreach, around the chosen theme, which will include a DVD presentation (“Heaven : How I got there”) and a Good Friday service, but leans heavily on “testimonies” shared in different ways throughout the week.
Pray that God will usethese evenings to bring others into his Kingdom.
GLENGORMLEY
Thanksgiving
We are glad to be able resume some Church activities- life groups, parents and tots, some youth and children’s ministry.
Prayer
- Please pray for those who have not come back to morning worship and our discernment about how to sensitively encourage them to join us.
- Pray for wisdom about changing aspects of the ‘church week’ in light of the new normal.
- Covid has highlighted that we are disconnected from the community we are in. Pray for us to build the relationships across the community so that we can enable people to know Jesus and ultimately know him for themselves.
GRACE AND HOPE COMMUNITY CHURCH
We are encouraged in Grace and Hope Community Church. Could we pray for a greater connection with the local community and for continued unity among us as a new congregation. Like all other congregations could we pray for a movement of the Spirit drawing people to Christ?
HOSPITALS
KEN DOHERTY (Chaplain in the Mater Hospital)
shares the following:
- Give thanks for the unity of purpose that prevails amongst the members of staff. Despite such a long difficult period, in which they have been under enormous pressures, stresses and strains, they have remained united as a team, in order to deliver the best possible outcomes for all their patients.
- Give thanks for the increasing number of requests from colleagues in other Presbyteries to visit on their behalf. We work best when we work as a team, chaplain and local church together.
- Let's pray that we will all continue to be aware of the current surges in levels of the covid virus. Regardless of what transpires in the wider community, current restrictions in the NHS will be with us for some time tocome.
One problem with a prayer request is that the situation can be so different from ward to ward. Another difficulty is that the situation changes by the day. Further, the situation at the Mater appears to be quite different from other sites, as I listen to some colleagues. A few things seem constant - all front line staff (chaplains included, in the Mater at least) are very restricted in the work they are 'allowed' to do. Doctors and consultants now generally work on only one ward, rather than through the whole site. The old patterns of visitation, in which we could visit just about anyone at just about any time without phoning ahead or using PPE, seem so far in the past - and it would seem that any return to that earlier system is a long way off in the future. The most recent internal communication, received on 1st April, makes it very clear that the Executive Team of the Belfast Trust will not be changing internal procedures for the foreseeable future.
IVAN NEISH (Chaplain in the Antrim Area Hospital)
shares the following:
Praise: for the privilege and opportunities to visit people at a time of need particularly when access by family and ministers are restricted. This has been temporarily widened to include Whiteabbey and the Moyle as well as Antrim.
Prayer: for opportunities to speak to patients on a more personal level about faith.
- Pray for wisdom to give pastoral support as needed.
IMMANUEL
- Give thanks to the Lord for his faithfulness and for all the ways he has helped us since Covid-19 began.
- Please ask God to use the reading and preaching of his word to convince and convert sinners to faith in Christ and to build up believers in holiness and comfort.
- Please ask God to help the elders to keep watch over the members and to guide the congregation wisely.
- Please ask God to use our Easter tract to awaken people in the district to the good news of Christ's death and resurrection.
NEW MOSSLEY
Praise:
- for the encouragement of recent signs of growth
- for the re-opening of a number of church organisations
- for the desire and hunger to reach out into the estate
Pray for:
- a number of seriously ill individuals which is difficult for both family and congregation. Pray for peace and comfort.
- our congregation to glorify God in our lives and to reach out effectively with the gospel.
NEWINGTON
Praise: for the fellowship and good heart in the present difficult and uncertain circumstances.
Prayer: for clear guidance from Linkage in May as to the way forward.
RATHCOOLE
Give thanks
- for the gracious care and keeping of God in the first 6 months of vacancy.
- for opportunities to look afresh at witnessing to Christ in the area.
Please pray
- that the Vacancy Commission and Kirk Session will discern the will of God.
- that the Word will be rejoiced in, read humbly, preached persuasively, explained simply, and modelled courageously in all settings as the Spirit gives grace.
ROSEMARY
Praise
- Give thanks for God’s goodness and faithfulness to our congregation
- Give thanks for the continuing commitment of our members to one another
Prayer
- Pray for a planned distribution of Easter literature to the congregation and for our Easter Services
- Pray for God’s presence in our organisations as they continue to serve others in Christ’s name
SEAVIEW
We give thanks for the faithfulness of members in attendance and in their giving.
We give thanks for some new members, and for the general sense of encouragement and engagement between people on Sundays
Pray that we would have a clear direction for development of our worship and ministry, and for God's guidance in how that should look for the needs of the congregation and with the resources we have.
Pray that members would be enthused to take a part in services and so encourage one another.
Pray for the organisational leaders continuing to work out their way of ministering as we move out of the pandemic restrictions.
SINCLAIR SEAMEN’S
Praise:
1. For the time, effort and prayer put in by Session and Committee in producing the ‘Navigating Our Way’ (NOW) document that was formulated by Session and Committee in 2020-2021 and agreed by Session in July 2021. NOW sets out our objectives as a fellowship, and steps to achieve them by God’s grace, over the next three to five years.
2. For the admission to membership of Sinclair’s, on profession of faith, of a man at our March communion season. Also for two new men who have been attending regularly on Sunday evenings.
3. For various outreaches: weekly ministry to the young folk in the Urban Sports’ Park – relationships continue to be built and many opportunities present themselves to share the Gospel; planned indoor and/oropen-air outreach in June or July, God willing, to children who live just off Garmoyle Street.
4. For a great start to an eight-week course on Biblical peace-making which will run until June. 20 folk have enrolled.
Prayer:
1. That the Lord would grow our congregation both qualitatively and quantitatively.
2. As we plan summer outreach to children and youngpeople in our parish. We hope to continue to have help from Child Evangelism Fellowship in either a Holiday Bible Club Ministry in our Church Hall or a Five-DayClub ministry at Barrow Square, a paved performance area not far from the Church building. Also, for opportunities to develop a ministry to the thousands of students who live and study in our parish, and for potential ministry to ‘members’ of the ‘car club’ whogather weekly in the car park near Corporation Square.
3. For the Kirk Session as we continue to implement the various strands of the ‘Navigating Our Way’ (NOW) document.
UNIVERSITY
Cheryl Meban (Ulster University Chaplaincy, Belfast and Jordanstown) shares the following:
Prayer
- for students graduating in the next few weeks (the covid years) and finishing exams and coursework - to discover ever more deeply the love of God and purpose of their lives as they move forward with summer plans and beyond...
Thanks
For good contact with students through our collaboration with Queens chaplaincy in lunches at Berry Street. And questions as to how to carry that forward. Pray for Rev Dave Gray and family as he accepts a call to Cooke Centenary. And for those deciding how best to replace him.
WHITEABBEY
Thank God that our services, small groups and organisations are going well.
Please pray that we could reconnect with those who have not yet returned
Thank God for new members joining the congregation
Please pray for a new initiative with our young adults which is seeing well over thirty form new small groups with a clear emphasis on missional living.
Thank God for so many people in the congregation who are committed to serving the Lord in the congregation.
Please pray for a current committee election, that theLord would raise up for us the people we need to serve in this way.
WHITEHOUSE
Give thanks for the encouragement that has accompanied the lifting of restrictions and the return of many to corporate worship.
Pray that families returning to Lord’s Day worship would steadily increase.
Give thanks that 7 local primary schools have signed up to our Easter Schools project, where we plan to host and give a visual tour of the Easter story to 11 different
P5 classes.
Pray that boys and girls will hear and see the truth and beauty of Jesus, and that the Spirit will draw them to believe in Him.
WOODVALE
Please pray in support of our Family Outreach Worker,Linda McFerran, as she pursues her burden for reaching families for Christ in the area. To adapt a favourite benediction of T. S. Mooney (Londonderry), please pray with us and for us that:
a dying Saviour’s love,
a risen Savour’s power,
an ascended Saviour’s glory,
and a returning Saviour’s promise
will be our conviction, comfort, and compulsion
today and always.