Diocesan News
St Ignatius Parish Church, Carryduff celebrates 40 years
Parish of Carryduff
The Church of St. Ignatius (of Antioch)
A time of celebration for the parish
Sunday, 2 October 2005 marked the 40th. anniversary of the consecration of St. Ignatius parish church, Carryduff. At morning service, the Holy Communion was celebrated by the Rector, Rev. John R Auchmuty, and the special guest preacher was The Most Reverend Dr. John R W Neill, Archbishop of Dublin and Bishop of Glendalough.
In his address the Archbishop told a large congregation that "As we recall the forty years of the life and witness of this lovely Church, it will mean something different for different parishioners. For some, this church will be a place set apart, a place where the presence of God is very real. For others it will be a springboard for their daily life and witness, a powerhouse for the mission of God's people. For others it will be their 'Church' - that is where family baptisms, weddings and funerals have taken place. There is validity in all these meanings, and yet in the world in which we live, it is the second aspect - the powerhouse for mission -that remains the most challenging and relevant."
There were further celebrations at the evening service when the Bishop of Down and Dromore, the Right Reverend Harold Miller, addressed a congregation including representatives of the various parish organisations, Elected Representatives, local clergy and a cross section of members of the local community.
Other events throughout the year to mark the anniversary include a Children's Disco, Youth Sporting Events, a Bowling Tournament, an Anniversary Lecture and a Parish dinner.
The Rector said "These celebrations recognise not only the achievements of the parish over the past forty years, but also the development of a fresh approach to strengthen the witness of the parish to meet the needs of our changing society." The key issues over the next five years will be:
+ To continue to grow and develop in the faith of Jesus Christ.
+ To draw in new parishioners and promote a greater
development of our current congregation in church life.
+ To strengthen our links with local churches and implement the
the challenges of the Hard Gospel initiative.
+ To strengthen our popular parish organisations.
+ To develop our Ministry of Healing Group.
+ To increase our financial giving to missionary work and
charities.
In all these endeavours the parish seeks to build on a renewed vision and a fresh sense of purpose in witnessing to its strong tradition of Christian faith and in sharing that faith with others both within our local community and further afield.
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Further notes:
Regular services in the Carryduff area first began in 1952 when they were held in Mr Thomas Sloan's barn on Sunday mornings.
In 1954 a permanent place of worship was provided in the form of a dual purpose hall housing Sunday services and weekday parochial activities.
The foundation stone of the church was laid on 19 September 1964. The Church of St. Ignatius was completed and the consecration service held on 2nd. October 1965.
The Consecration Service was conducted by the Right Reverend F J Mitchell, Bishop of Down and Dromore. The preacher on that occasion was Metropolitan Anthony Bloom, head of the Russian Orthodox Patriarchal Church in Great Britain and Ireland.
A new hall complex named "The Dean Good Memorial Hall" which incorporated an improved main hall, was dedicated on Saturday 6th October 1990 by Bishop Gordon McMullan, now retired, but then serving as Bishop of Down and Dromore.
The main church building is a splendid example of 1960s church architecture.