Diocesan News
Centenary celebrations at St Colman's, Dunmurry
A Centenary Service held in St Colman’s Parish Church, Dunmurry, on Sunday April 27 concluded a weekend of special events to mark 100 years of worship in this beautiful church.
The preacher was Lord Eames, former Archbishop of Armagh. Mr John Williams (Parish Reader) and the Rt Rev Alan Abernethy, Bishop of Connor, led the service assisted by the Very Rev Hamilton Leckey (former Dean of Down). .
Among the special guests were the Mayor of Lisburn, Councillor James Tinsley and his wife the Mayoress, Mrs Margaret Tinsley and a former rector, the Rev Canon Terry Rodgers.
At the centenary service in St Colman’s Parish Church, Dunmurry on April 27 are, L to R: Chris Cusdin (rector’s churchwarden), John Williams (parish reader), Lord Eames, the Rt Rev Alan Abernethy (Bishop of Connor), Councillor James Tinsley (Mayor), Mrs Margaret Tinsley (Mayoress), the Very Rev Hamilton Leckey (former Dean of Down), the Rev Canon Terry Rodgers (past rector) and Roberta Campbell (people’s churchwarden).
In his address Lord Eames looked forward to a new chapter at Dunmurry Parish with the institution of the Rev Denise Acheson on Thursday May 1.
Speaking of a God who loves, cares and sustains, he said a parish should be ‘a place of reassurance,’ ‘a place where we find God,’ and ‘a place where hearts and minds are touched by God’.
During the service the Bishop dedicated a lighting system presented by Billy and Diane Mawhinney in memory of their parents - Sam and Margaret Mawhinney and John and Ethel McCormack; a sound system presented by Sheena Herron in memory of her husband Tom Herron; and a wall plaque presented by Dr Bob Common listing the clergy who have served in the parish over the past 100 years.
Alan Yarr presided at the organ and together with the church choir led the praise that included ‘Praise to the Lord,’ ‘Lord for the years’ and ‘We have a gospel to proclaim’. The anthems were ‘O come ye servants of the Lord’ and ‘The Holy Spirit came at Pentecost’.
The weekend of celebrations included a centenary dinner in the Beechlawn Hotel last Friday evening, and a three-day exhibition which featured photographs, letters and other memorabilia chronicling life in the parish over the last century.
Following the service on Sunday morning, light refreshments were served in the parochial hall.
For further information please contact:
Connor Diocesan Communications Officer
Contact Details
Karen Bushby
028 4066 0798
07766103880
[email protected]