Podcasts from the Presbyterian Church in Ireland

What if there’s a better way to approach the end of life than assisted suicide or euthanasia? In this episode, Will Leitch is joined by Professor Max Watson and Dr Matthew Dore to talk about the real power of palliative care - what it is, what it isn’t, and why it offers hope even in life’s hardest moments. They unpack the funding challenges facing palliative services, debunk common myths about th...

Building faith in our children is something that works well when the partnership between parents and churches works well. Faith in Kids , headed up by Ed Drew, long to see confident parents and thriving churches working together to raise children who trust in Jesus eternally. In this podcast, Ruth Bromley (PCI’s Children’s Development Officer) is joined by Ed Drew as they talk about what Faith in...

How do we stay attentive to God and one another in a world swirling with distractions? The Presbyterian Church in Ireland invites you to explore this question in their new podcast series: Really present… In the first episode, presenter Will Leitch sits down with Helen Thorne-Allenson to reflect on what it means to live fully present – to God, to others, and in the places we’re called to be his wit...

This is the first episode in a four part series in which Will Leitch will discuss the issue of assisted suicide and euthanasia with different guests. In this episode, Will sits down with Prof Max Watson, a leading palliative care specialist, and Rev Daniel Kane, Minister of West Presbyterian Church in Ballymena and Convenor of the Council for Public Affairs, to explore one of the most sensitive an...

In this latest episode of the PCI podcast, David Thompson, Secretary of PCI’s Council for Congregational Life and Witness talks with Gary Millar, Principal of Queensland Theological College in Brisbane, Australia about his recent book called Both/And Ministry: Living and leading like Jesus’. Present is a denomination wide initiative inviting and encouraging congregations and their members to make...

In this latest episode of the PCI podcast, Jonny McClune and David Thompson from PCI’s Council for Congregational Life and Witness are joined by missiologist David Smith to explore what it looks like for congregations to be present in today’s changing communities. Present is a denomination wide initiative inviting and encouraging congregations and their members to make themselves fully present to...

In this latest episode of the PCI podcast, David Thompson, Secretary to PCI's Council for Congregational Life & Witness, explores what it means to be an intergenerational Church family with Ruth Bromley, PCI Children’s Development Officer, and Graeme Thompson, PCI's Youth Development Officer.  This podcast is part of the denomination wide Present initiative, inviting and encouraging congregati...

In this latest episode of the PCI podcast, Andrew Dickson, PCI’s Congregational Life Development Officer, explores being present to God as we read the Bible with David McCullagh, Rosie Donaldson and Richard McChesney.  This podcast is part of the denomination wide Present initiative, inviting and encouraging congregations and their members to make themselves fully present to God who is ever presen...

In this latest episode of the PCI podcast, Jonny McClune, PCI’s Congregational Witness Development Officer, explores with Darin and Joy Stevens from the organisation Start to Stir, why sharing our faith with our friends can be so challenging.  We can see examples in the Bible of people who struggled to speak up for God like Moses and Jonah but we take time to explore on the podcast the things that...

Food insecurity is an issue that's affecting many parts of the world – it is said one in ten people in the world live in food insecurity. To discuss this important issue and to introduce this year's World Development Appeal, Rev Richard Kerr, Convener of PCI's Global Development Committee, hosts the episode with guests - Ruth Cooke (Christian Aid Ireland’s Head of Fundraising and Supporter Engagem...

In this latest episode of the PCI podcast, Ruth Bromley, PCI’s Children’s Ministry Development Officer, hosts a conversation with Andy Frost, Director of Share Jesus International and contributor to the Kitchen Table Project, Caroline Bradley from Care for the Family and Andy Lamberton from Legacy, about sowing the seeds of a growing faith in the lives of our children.   This podcast also highligh...

This episode explores PCI’s vision for church planting across Ireland. It considers why we need more churches on this island, and how that can be an effective way to reach new people with the good news of Jesus Christ. Tom Gilliam, an elder in Maynooth, and Josh McCance, church plant leader in Balbriggan, share their experiences and insights into church planting along with ways everyone can be inv...

In this latest episode of the PCI podcast, Will Leitch interviews Rev David Thompson, Secretary of PCI’s Council for Congregational Life and Witness, on the thinking behind and hopes for Present - the new, denomination wide, initiative designed to encourage congregations in this season of life and witness, launched at this year’s General Assembly. The initiative will roll out over three successive...

Neil Hudson is Senior Leader of Salford Elim Church, but is better known to us in PCI for his work on the Imagine Church project for the London Institute for Contemporary Christianity . That is the project that birthed the Frontlines small group material which many congregations have used and found helpful, along with two books authored by Neil, Imagine Church and Scattered and Gathered. David Tho...

The 2024 General Assembly opens on Thursday, 20 June and will run until Saturday afternoon, 22 June. In this episode four guests, each with different roles in next week’s event, look ahead to the annual gathering of ministers, elders and other representatives from home and overseas. They are the Clerk of the General Assembly, Rev Trevor Gribben, Deputy Clerk, Rev Dr David Allen, PCI’s Public Affai...

The 2024 General Assembly opens on Thursday, 20 June and will run until Saturday afternoon, 22 June. In this episode four guests, each with different roles in next week’s event, look ahead to the annual gathering of ministers, elders and other representatives from home and overseas. They are the Clerk of the General Assembly, Rev Trevor Gribben, Deputy Clerk, Rev Dr David Allen, PCI’s Public Affai...

In both good times and dark days, pastoral care is a vital ministry of the church. We all want to be confident to walk alongside and care well for those God has placed in our lives. But how do we do that? In this podcast, Andrew Collins (Director of the Certificate Course, Biblical Counselling UK), Marion Hadden (Family and Youth Coordinator and Elder, Terrace Row Presbyterian Church), and Rev Ben...

We hear so much about how we are an increasingly aging society and an aging church. The focus often falls on the challenges that brings, but that reality also offers enormous possibilities for ministry and outreach through the local church if we have eyes to see them.  Alex Drew who leads the work of a ministry called Faith in Later Life and David Thompson, Secretary of PCI’s Council for Congregat...

The Presbyterian Church in Ireland (PCI) is holding a Ministry Taster Day on Saturday, 16 March 2024. The special open day is for men and women who have been thinking, and praying about, becoming ordained ministers in PCI and feel that God is leading them in this direction. The event will take place in Belfast at Union Theological College, PCI’s principal body for the training of its ministers pri...

All around the world, people are on the move, displaced from their homes by conflict, natural disasters, persecution, and land grabbing. In this podcast episode, Pip Florit, PCI’s Mission Support Officer for Partnerships talks to Rev Richard Kerr, Convener of the Global Development Committee, and Ruth Cooke, Christian Aid Ireland’s Head of Fundraising and Supporter Engagement about displacement an...

Leading in the church today can bring lots of encouragements and joy – lives transformed, people growing as disciples, a sense of purpose and community. But leading in the church can also feel difficult. Emerging from the retreat and restrictions, limitations and loss, disruption and disaster brought by the last number of years, many leaders feel weary and lonely. Whether we are a minister, elder,...

The world today can be overwhelming. Culture wars. Constant connectedness. Covid’s impact. A changing church landscape. Crisis after crisis local and globally. The list of challenges impacting how people faithfully follow Jesus goes on.  So, how do we craft a disciple-shaped life? And how can we shape aspects of local church life – our corporate worship, Bible engagement, and congregational commun...

The 2023 General Assembly opens on the evening of the longest day of the year, Wednesday, 21 June, and will run until Saturday afternoon, 24 June. In this episode, four guests, each with different roles in next week’s gathering, look ahead to the annual gathering of ministers, elders, and other representatives from home and overseas. They are the Moderator of the General Assembly, Rt Rev Dr John K...

Over the past few weeks, much attention has been drawn to the 25th anniversary of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement with many visiting dignitaries and special events across Belfast and further afield.  In this podcast episode, Karen Jardine (PCI’s Public Affairs Officer) is joined by Rev Dr Tony Davidson (Convener, Peace & Reconciliation Panel and recently retired from First Armagh), Rev Dr Ma...

The world is a different place now than it was three years ago. Church is not the automatic place to come to for community and relationship building. No longer does the mantra of “if we open the doors, they will come” hold true. There are many children and families who have connections with our congregations and come to organisations during the week but are not part of our Sunday morning church fa...