Podcasts from the Presbyterian Church in Ireland

This episode is focused on congregations can recover core elements of their life and witness that has been lost over the past year. We hear from Author and Pastor Karl Vaters who unpacks some key themes from his recently published book called “The Church Recovery Guide.” He explores the need to re-assess our programmes, re-engage with volunteers and continue to use digital technology to engage those outside our church. Host Rick Hill is also joined by PCI’s Children’s Development Officer Ruth Bromley to consider this theme from a children’s and family angle. To read more of Karl’s thoughts, check out this blog: What To Do If Church Volunteers Don’t Come Back For A While | KarlVaters.com

For further information on how to set up and run your children’s ministry at this time, please go to: bit.ly/3hCVnLW

For more content focused on supporting congregations and their members in responding to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, please visit www.presbyterianireland.org/refined

The pandemic has undoubtedly taken its toll on young people and it is important for us as adults to try to understand how it has impacted them. Katherine Dickson (The Big House), Ashley Parks (First Lisburn Presbyterian), and Lyndsay Shields (Hillsborough Presbyterian and GB district commissioner) each work closely with teenagers and share with Graeme Thompson their thoughts on the best way to walk with them in the months ahead. 

We also hear encouraging and challenging reflections from young people Evan, Holly, and Rachel, about what they need from us all in the church.

In our last episode we explored how we could go about pursuing new connections with new people. This time we take a look within our church communities, to consider how we can go about re-building our congregational life together again. Host Rick Hill is joined by Rev Helen Freeburn (Galway) and Rev David McCullough (Annalong) to discuss opportunities of reconnection in the months ahead along with some practical reflections on how they are seeking to rebuild community when so much of our life has been fragmented over the past year.

One positive outcome of digital church is that it has never been easier for unreached people to go to church and yet we know that the experience and expression of church is one that is corporate. Digital communication, offering prayer, regular phone calls and distributing resource packs are just some of the helpful ideas shared by Rev Lachlan Webster (Craigavon Presbyterian) and Roberta Irvine (Greystone Road Presbyterian) to nurture and develop relationships with new people connecting with our congregations.

We’ve heard lots over the last months about ‘road maps’ and in this episode of the podcast, three leaders in the life of our denomination join Rick Hill to reflect on the moment we are now in and how we can move forward. The current Moderator of the General Assembly Rev David Bruce, the Clerk of the General Assembly Rev Trevor Gribben and the Secretary for the Council of Congregational Life and Witness, Rev David Thompson each share their reflections on how we might helpfully go about re-engaging, resetting and rebuilding again within our congregations. They also offer some insights about the recovery phase as well as share about PCI’s ‘Hope for Easter’ campaign.

Meeting in smaller groups throughout the week is something that happens in many of our congregations and is one of the areas of church life that has been able to be maintained in various forms over the past year. Rick Hill (PCI) is joined by Rev Sam Mawhinney (Adelaide Road, Dublin) and Jonny Campbell (Orangefield / Alpha NI) to discuss howsmall groups have developed in their congregations in recent times. They share encouraging stories of changed lives and growth in groups, as well as offer some advice on how best to lead small groups whether online or in-person. 

The creativity and courage of congregations and individuals is encouraging in stories of life and witness from across PCI including recipes, a drive-in cinema and the hope of sunflowers. These are some of the examples told by Neil Harrison and Pauline Kennedy along with guests Flo Houston (Conor) and Andrew Dawson (Second Dromara), as we hear good news stories of God’s ways among us, near and far, throughout the pandemic.

Parenting our children through the pandemic has been a challenge in many ways over the last 10 months. Caroline Hawthorne (Waringstown Presbyterian) and Marc Harding (West Church, Bangor) joined Ruth Bromley and Graeme Thompson to reflect and share about parenting children through lockdowns, homeschooling and faith journeys. They discuss challenges and opportunities that have arisen as families have spent more time together that ever before as well as how the faith of both children and parents has been impacted by recent global events. Kate Middleton (psychologist and church leaders, Director of Mind and Soul Foundation) also spoke to us about practical ideas to help our children and young people to process and live through a global pandemic in terms of mental health and resilience. She gives practical tips to parents on how to support their children in these challenging times. 

The simple practices of noticing others, being brave, asking good questions, looking for relationship opportunities and praying. These were some of the things that emerged from this conversation between a minister, a community outreach worker and a university student as Neil Harrison was joined by Rev Andy Carroll (Donabate), Rebecca Smyth (West Kirk) and Peter Hutchinson (Waringstown) to discuss how we can be more effective in sharing our faith in ordinary ways, within the current circumstances we find ourselves in.

The power of the phone call, pressing into God, doorstep conversations, sitting still and creating family moments of discipleship. These were some of the things that emerged from this conversation between a minister, a deaconess and a youth worker as Rick Hill was joined by Rev Ben Walker (Saintfield Road), Joanne Dunlop (Hospital Chaplain) and Andy Lamberton (Exodus North West) to discuss how we can live with the circumstances we find ourselves, both in following Jesus ourselves as well as caring for others around us.