Podcasts from the Presbyterian Church in Ireland

Christian parents who want to actively help their children follow Jesus may find that this role changes as their family gets older. In this episode, Dr. Gareth Crispin (Cliff College, England and father of 3) and Gillian Spiers (mum of 4 from First Dromara Presbyterian) are in conversation with Graeme Thompson (PCI Youth Development Officer) about how parents can disciple their young people. They...

The 26th UN Climate Change Conference known as COP26 is currently meeting for twelve days of talks in Glasgow. To give an insight into why we as Christians, both individually and corporately should be concerned about climate change and suggest some practical ways we can respond, this episode hears from Rachael Thomas, a member of Knock Presbyterian and Gareth MacLean, minister of Orangefield Presb...

Ministry to children and families has been seriously impacted by the pandemic and we may have lost momentum that we had in this ministry previously. So, what are some of the things we need to think about as we restart children’s ministry for this season? For this conversation, Ruth Bromley is joined by Rev Mark Johnson (minister, St Andrew’s Bangor), Hazel Kyle (volunteer, Glengormley) and Stephan...

This isn’t an easy time to be a leader. The newness of the moment, the need to learn new skills, the pressures of decision-making among the vast array of opinions alongside constant changes and the need to generate momentum. So, what are we learning about leadership?  For this conversation, host Rick Hill is joined by Rev David Thompson (Secretary, CCLW), Rev Kathryn Viner (Minister, Malone) and T...

The General Assembly is meeting next week for the first time since June 2019. This episode looks ahead to the practicalities of what to expect and some of the themes being discussed this year as we are joined by the Moderator of the General Assembly, Rev Dr David Bruce, the Clerk of the General Assembly Rev Trevor Gribben and the Secretary for the Council for Global Mission Rev Uel Marrs. This epi...

The Bible is part and parcel of congregational life, whether on Sundays or through the week, but this episode of the PCI Podcast explores how we are doing when it comes to Bible engagement. We live in a time where access to the Bible has never been higher and yet readership is in decline. Add to that the disrupted rhythms of the past 18 months.  So, in this conversation, Valerie Murphy (Precept Mi...

Guests at the Presbyterian Church in Ireland’s (PCI) centenary event ‘On These Steps’, which took place on 17 September 2021, were treated to the premier of a specially commissioned song by the Belfast-based indie singer-songwriter, Ferna. The livestreamed event from PCI’s Union Theological College in south Belfast, marked the part played by the College in hosting the Parliament of Northern Irelan...

The impact of the pandemic for declining churches has accelerated some towards the point of unsustainability. What might a journey of re-habilitation involve for congregations like this? This conversation with Rev Neil Stewart (Trinity Greyabbey and Cloughey) and Rev Marty Gray (Ravenhill) and hosted by Neil Harrison, seeks to share experience and wisdom in this area.

The podcast returns after a summer break to bring you a fresh set of conversations over the coming weeks to help us reflect on the life and witness of our congregations at this time. This episode focuses on how we can be going about resuming and re-starting some of our rhythms in the months ahead. Host, Rick Hill, is joined by Rev Alistair Bates (Wellington) Hayley Cullen (Muckamore) and Matthew B...

On Thursday, 15 July 2021, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Right Honourable Brandon Lewis MP, published a Command Paper entitled, ‘Addressing the legacy of Northern Ireland’s past’. In its response to the Secretary of State’s statement in the House of Commons, the Presbyterian Church in Ireland said that key principles previously committed to by government, especially the right of vic...

This is a challenging time to do ministry and the last year has been draining in so many ways for those who take a lead within our congregations. Therefore, for this episode, Rick Hill is joined by Dr Lena Morrow, Rev Jonathan Frazer and Rev David Allen to explore the whole area of rest and refreshment for ministry leaders. They explore things such as spiritual refreshment, self-care and Sabbath,...

The experience of the pandemic has been shared globally and as global disciples we have a responsibility to care and respond in appropriate ways. In this episode we have an opportunity to hear an update from three of PCI’s Global Mission Workers including Diane Cusick (Zambia), Rev Peter Fleming (Nepal), Rev Steve Kennedy (Romania).

With restrictions gradually easing, how might church leaders consider using the summer months with better weather and longer evenings, to renew church community and refresh church life. Walking with others, football, barbeques, and a church weekend are just some of the helpful ideas shared by Rev Marty McNeely (Ballykeel PC), Rob Bailie (Dundonald PC) and Sonya Anderson (Shore St PC).

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 tho...

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 wal...

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...

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 (Gr...

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 Wi...

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 rece...

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,...

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 ha...

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...

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...

Our final episode of 2020 has a special guest. Well-known pastor and author Jon Tyson joins Rick Hill to discuss the whole area of discipleship and spiritual formation. Jon is pastor of Church of the City New York, and has also written several books including "A Creative Minority" and his latest work "Beautiful Resistance". On the podcast he shares about the critical importance of spiritual format...

Where is home? And who do we include or exclude from our vision of home? This episode ties in with the launch of the Moderator's Christmas Appeal to benefit Christian Aid, Tearfund and PCI's partner churches across the world in their broad-ranging relief and development response to COVID-19.   The Moderator, Rt Rev Dr David Bruce, Rev Dr Liz Hughes (Global Mission Convener) and Rev Uel Marrs (Glob...