The Methodist Church has recently received two conservation awards. One was in the European Entente Florale and the other in the Tidy Towns Competition.They recognise the work of the local congregation in renovating the building and the attractive garden in which it stands.
A delegation of Irish Methodists has recently waited on the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands, Ms de Valera, to discuss the adaptation of church interiors, balancing the preservation of tradition with the changing needs of the worshipping congregation.
In the 1960s there was considerable interest among all the churches in the principles of Christian Stewardship. That interest has recently revived among Irish Methodists and programmes are being introduced in Portlaoise, Longford, Moy, Cork, Dundrum and Lisburn. Basic to these is the understanding that all aspects of the life of the Christian are held as a trust from God and should be used in his service.
The number of people who have already responded by offering their time and skills has brought to fruition a number of schemes in these circuits which would not otherwise have been realised so soon.
Eastwell Residential Home on Palmerston Park has a tradition that goes back to John Wesley, the home having been founded in 1766. It has passed through many changes in the intervening years to become the comfortable modern place it is.
It continues to offer the same care to senior ladies that has given it an honoured place in the life of the church and the community. It has at present vacancies for two other residents.
Work has begun on the redevelopment of facilities at Edgehill College in Belfast, where Methodist ministers are trained, and courses are offered for lay people. Demolition of part of the buildings, preserving the original house, has now been completed and work has begun on the construction of the more modern facilities. It is hoped these will be in use by this time next year.
In the interval, the college is functioning in part of the premises of Fisherwick Presbyterian Church. These have been made available by the Kirk Session in a happy example of inter-church co-operation.
The sequence of Flag Days for the Dublin Central Mission conclude next weekend, November 30th and December 1st, when collections will be made in Sutton.
The president of the church, the Rev Harold Good, will be visiting the Lurgan circuit tomorrow, and preaching in some of the churches there. On Wednesday, November 28th, he will attend the National Prayer Breakfast in London.
He will preach in the churches at Finaghy and Seymour Hill on Sunday, December 2nd.
Worship through the Christmas season on successive Sundays will be broadcast from two Methodist churches.
On November 25th, the broadcast will be from Longford and will be led by the Rev Laurence Graham. On December 2nd the broadcast will come from the Dundrum church and will be led by the Rev Thomas Kingston. .