On Saturday, 5th April Presbyterians gathered in Assembly Buildings for a morning conference entitled 'Dealing with the Past, Shaping the Future'.

Rev. David Cupples addressed the need to recognize and affirm the sovereignty of God when we are dealing with issues of the past. In considering how we move forward, he asked delegates to consider not only our sectarian past but also our increasingly secular society at present.

On Saturday, 1st February, around 200 people gathered in Assembly Buildings to “break the silence” on adolescent mental health.

“Breaking the Silence” was the result of speeches that two young women made at the Presbyterian General Assembly in June 2013. They spoke about the rise in mental health issues that teenagers and young adults are facing, the personal experiences they have faced with their friends and asked the church to respond to this crucial issue. As a result of this, a resolution was passed to work with the SPUD Youth Assembly on a project to engage the church with these issues – the conference was part one of this project.

Professor Peter McBride reminded the delegates about the importance of taking what they have been challenged about and what they have learned and use it in their local context.

On Saturday, 1st February, around 200 people gathered in Assembly Buildings to “break the silence” on adolescent mental health.

“Breaking the Silence” was the result of speeches that two young women made at the Presbyterian General Assembly in June 2013. They spoke about the rise in mental health issues that teenagers and young adults are facing, the personal experiences they have faced with their friends and asked the church to respond to this crucial issue. As a result of this, a resolution was passed to work with the SPUD Youth Assembly on a project to engage the church with these issues – the conference was part one of this project.

Dr. Ken Yeow then challenged the delegates about how the church should be responding to these issues and how they become mental health friendly places that support teenagers and walk alongside them as a loving community.

On Saturday, 1st February, around 200 people gathered in Assembly Buildings to “break the silence” on adolescent mental health.

“Breaking the Silence” was the result of speeches that two young women made at the Presbyterian General Assembly in June 2013. They spoke about the rise in mental health issues that teenagers and young adults are facing, the personal experiences they have faced with their friends and asked the church to respond to this crucial issue. As a result of this, a resolution was passed to work with the SPUD Youth Assembly on a project to engage the church with these issues – the conference was part one of this project.

Dr. Gavin Davidson’s address provided the delegates with a solid picture of adolescent mental health in Northern Ireland at the present time. He provided examples of what the statistics look like in reality and highlighted the challenges that we are facing with regards to the future of mental health.

On Saturday, 1st February, around 200 people gathered in Assembly Buildings to “break the silence” on adolescent mental health.

“Breaking the Silence” was the result of speeches that two young women made at the Presbyterian General Assembly in June 2013. They spoke about the rise in mental health issues that teenagers and young adults are facing, the personal experiences they have faced with their friends and asked the church to respond to this crucial issue. As a result of this, a resolution was passed to work with the SPUD Youth Assembly on a project to engage the church with these issues – the conference was part one of this project.

The Moderator, Rev. Dr. Rob. Craig, opened the conference and reminded delegates that the church needs to “break the silence” on the issues that affect us. He encouraged delegates to “be Christ” to the young people in their care, to give them a listening ear and share their time with them.

‘The Church in the Public Square?’ was the title for a major day conference held on Thursday, 30th January in Assembly Buildings, Belfast and organised jointly by Union Theological College and the Church and Society Committee of the Presbyterian Church. It was attended by 200 people including ministers, students and MLA’s and officials from the various political parties and the NI Assembly.

At a time when not only has the Christian voice become incomprehensible in many ears, but is often hated and opposed, the aim of the conference was to bring together a number of leading thinkers in the UK to consider the role which Christians and the Church can play in wider community life.

John Larkin QC is the Attorney General for Northern Ireland he addressed the questions, What about rights? Do Christians have rights? Can the competing and opposing rights of individuals and groups be reconciled?

‘The Church in the Public Square?’ was the title for a major day conference held on Thursday, 30th January in Assembly Buildings, Belfast and organised jointly by Union Theological College and the Church and Society Committee of the Presbyterian Church. It was attended by 200 people including ministers, students and MLA’s and officials from the various political parties and the NI Assembly.

At a time when not only has the Christian voice become incomprehensible in many ears, but is often hated and opposed, the aim of the conference was to bring together a number of leading thinkers in the UK to consider the role which Christians and the Church can play in wider community life.

Dr. Jonathan Chaplin is Director of the Kirby-Laing Centre for Christian Ethics in Cambridge and a specialist in Christian political thought. He dealt with the challenge that arises when a diversity of religious communities no longer accept the privatised role allotted to them by liberal secularism but demand public recognition and public influence. Many want public policy to reflect their distinctive religious identity. Can this be done and should we expect, or work for, some degree of practical agreement?

‘The Church in the Public Square?’ was the title for a major day conference held on Thursday, 30th January in Assembly Buildings, Belfast and organised jointly by Union Theological College and the Church and Society Committee of the Presbyterian Church. It was attended by 200 people including ministers, students and MLA’s and officials from the various political parties and the NI Assembly.

At a time when not only has the Christian voice become incomprehensible in many ears, but is often hated and opposed, the aim of the conference was to bring together a number of leading thinkers in the UK to consider the role which Christians and the Church can play in wider community life.

Professor Donald McLeod is Professor of Systematic Theology at Free Church College in Edinburgh, and a regular commentator on current affairs in Scotland and the UK from a Christian point of view. He reflected on how and where the Church ought to position itself in current debates. Should the church retreat from the public square and only be concerned with spiritual matters or is there a biblical mandate for involvement in the discussion of key issues?

Presbyterian Moderator Dr. Rob Craig has spoken of the “positive dimension coming out of Rwanda” in an audio diary and studio discussion broadcast on BBC Northern Ireland’s Sunday Sequence programme on Sunday, 8th September.

Dr. Craig, who has just returned from two weeks in Rwanda visiting Christian Aid and Tearfund development programmes, told the programme’s presenter William Crawley, “I think the positive thing is to understand how Rwanda as a country has within a relatively short space of time been seeking to build a new society and a new community.

“It is fascinating to see how they have tried to cope with issues of justice, remembering, victims and perpetrators while restoring relationships.”

Listen to Dr. Craig’s studio discussion with Presbyterian minister Rev. Dr. Lesley Carroll and Northern Ireland’s Commissioner for Victims and Survivors Kathryn Stone, both also recent visitors to Rwanda.

Presbyterian Moderator Dr. Rob Craig has spoken of the “positive dimension coming out of Rwanda” in an audio diary and studio discussion broadcast on BBC Northern Ireland’s Sunday Sequence programme on Sunday, 8th September.

Dr. Craig, who has just returned from two weeks in Rwanda visiting Christian Aid and Tearfund development programmes, told the programme’s presenter William Crawley, “I think the positive thing is to understand how Rwanda as a country has within a relatively short space of time been seeking to build a new society and a new community.

“It is fascinating to see how they have tried to cope with issues of justice, remembering, victims and perpetrators while restoring relationships.”

Listen to Dr. Craig’s Rwandan audio diary.