Hosted by
First Lisburn Presbyterian Church for 25 Lisburn area churches
World Day of Prayer is
a worldwide movement of Christian women of many traditions who
come together to observe a common day of prayer each year, and
who, in many countries, have a continuing relationship in prayer
and service. It is a movement initiated and carried out by
women in more than 170 countries and regions and is a movement
symbolized by an annual day of celebration - the first Friday of
March.
One couldn�t help feeling the Christian
women of South Africa who prepared this year�s service under the
theme �Signs of the Times�, would have been pleased by the
participation in the service to highlight their struggles. The
service from South Africa, one of the most ethnically diverse
countries in Africa and often referred to as �The Rainbow
Nation�, called upon the gifts and imagination of members of
First Lisburn congregation to create a meaningful and lively
evening against an authentic African backdrop. The young and
the young-at-heart responded with IT skills, submission of
scripture verses, printing, hall d�cor, catering, tie-dyeing,
wearing of kaftans, floral arrangements, provision of African
artefacts and general overseeing.
The leaders, Jacqui Brackenridge and Evelyn
Whyte welcomed the three hundred visitors and the guest speaker,
the Rev. Hiram Higgins. There was a great uplifting of spirit
as the large massed choir of over sixty voices from the Lisburn
area churches led the praise, accompanied by Tom Whyte -
Director of Music, Jill Craig - pianist and supporting band.
Readings and prayers by women of all ages from Lisbun area
Churches: Nola Dundas - Christ Church, Elizabeth Scott - Society
of Friends, Bronwen Dark - Maghergall Parish, Jean Weir -
Loughaghery Presbyterian, Rosaleen Lennon - St Patrick�s Roman
Catholic Church, Cherry Guy - Seymour Street Methodist, May
Moreland - St. Mark�s Parish, Jean Henderson - The Salvation
Army, Bridie Conlon - St. Colman�s, Elizabeth McElhinney -
Harmony Hill Presbyterian and Sally Richardson - Hillhall
Presbyterian.
The guest speaker was the Rev. Hiram Higgins who has just
returned from South Africa after serving Eshowe Presbyterian
Church in Central Zululand for 24 years. Mr. Higgins spoke on
the hopeless situation of the AIDS orphans in Zululand. He
referred to the work of the Presbyterian Church and how they
helped The John Montgomery AIDS Foundation build a foster home
within an informal settlement in the Nganini Tribal Area. Using
a slide presentation, he highlighted the terrible living
conditions, the lack of clean water, sewerage and electricity
and called on the Presbyterian Woman�s Association to assist in
the improvement of the children�s life style.
The WWDP Motto � Informed Prayer - Prayerful Action� became
meaningful when for the first time WWDP asked that petitions be
signed and sent to the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. Tony Blair,
calling upon our government, among all governments of the world
to honour its commitment made in July 2005, to provide the full
resources needed to enable universal AIDS treatment be made
available by 2010. Our prayer is that it may be so.
Prior to the main WWDP Service of the day, a shortened
version of the service took place for the patients at Thompson
House Hospital and the tenants of Blaris Fold. Led by a team of
ten volunteers, and guest speakers, Rev. Diane Matchett - Curate
Christ Church and Angela Sofely - Pastoral Assistant Trinity
Methodist; these services were received with much gratitude.
Pictured against the
backdrop of the South African flag at the Women�s World Day of
Prayer in First Lisburn Presbyterian Church on Friday 3rd
March 2006 are L to R: (front The Rev. Hiram Higgins,
Elizabeth Watt and Tom Whyte. (back) Evelyn Whyte, Jacqueline
Brackenridge and Jill Craig.
Pictured above are
the ladies that organized the Women�s World Day of Prayer in
First Lisburn Presbyterian Church on Friday 3rd March
2006. L to R: Joyce Moran, Inez Price, Anne Kain and
Elizabeth Watt. Behind them is the beautiful themed
display, which was prepared by some of the ladies from First
Lisburn Church.
The reception committee, dressed in
authentic South African kaftans welcomed over three
hundred visitors to the Women�s World
Day of Prayer Service in First Lisburn Presbyterian Church on
Friday 3rd March. L to R: (front) Karen Canning, Cathy Steele
and Audrey Steele. (back) Nicola Andrews, Hazel Millen and Irene
Richer.
Tom Whyte - Director of Music and
Pianist - Jill Craig pictured with some of the large choir of
over sixty voices from the Lisburn area churches that led the
praise at the Women�s World Day of Prayer Service in First
Lisburn Presbyterian Church on Friday 3rd March.
Pictured at the
Women�s World Day of Prayer in First Lisburn Presbyterian Church
on Friday 3rd March 2006 are L to R: (front)
The Rev. Hiram Higgins and Elizabeth Watt. (back) Joyce Moran,
Annabelle Poots, Sylvia Cairnduff and Anne Kain.
