Service of Thanksgiving and Reflection - Celebrating 40 years of Ordaining Women Ministers

The Session and Congregation of Ballymoney would like to invite anyone who wishes to attend to join them at a Service of Thanksgiving and Reflection celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the ordination of our Minister, Rev Lena Cockcroft, and 40 years of women being ordained into the Non Subscribing Presbyterian Church of Ireland as ministers of religion. 

This service will be held at “The Travel Lodge” situated in the grounds of The Lodge Hotel in Coleraine at 4pm on Sunday 6th March 2022.

The service will be led by Lynda Kane, one of our current Students for the Ministry, the sermon will be given by the Moderator, Rt Reverend Chris Hudson and we hope to have other members of the denomination participating as well. The organist at the Service will be Mr Tom Whyte.

After the service you are invited to join us for Dinner in the hotel at a cost of £15.00 per person. Suitable refreshments, included in the price of the dinner, will be provided for all, reflecting the hospitality for which Ballymoney is well known.

Believing this is an ideal opportunity for members of the denomination from near and far to meet, worship in a relaxed however sincere atmosphere, and then socialise afterwards, Ballymoney would love to see as many as possible in attendance on 6th March.  

If you wish to attend only the service, that is fine, if you wish to attend the service and dinner that too is fine, and finally if you wish to attend both and stay overnight then we have arranged a Bed and Breakfast rate with the hotel, based on a couple sharing of £89.00 per room which can be booked directly with the hotel on 028 7034 4848.

As we approach the date of the service more details will be made available, however if you would like further information, please feel free to contact either:

John Esler This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 07879885996

 Adele Johnston This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 07846057179

The service is open to one and all from all faiths and thoughts so feel free to invite friends and spread the word to those within and outside our denomination.

In order to organise numbers for both the meeting room and catering we would be grateful if you could confirm numbers by 24th February 2022.etary and John Esler, Treasurer

Ballymoney NSPCI

The NSPCI is very privileged to have Rev. Dr. David Steers BD, MPhill amongst our clergy.  He is the Editor of Faith and Freedom, a journal of Pregressive Religion. It is published twice a year. If you would like to know more about it, please be in contact with Rev. Dr. David Steers at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Below are photo's giving details of this editions content: 

As the NSPCI celebrates the role of women in our denimination in this year of 2022, as we also celebrate the 40th anniversary of Rev. Lena Cockcroft's ordination, a new NSPCI Women Facebook Page has been opened. 

Please take a look at: https://www.facebook.com/nspciwomen

Please also post any relevent information onto the page that can help us to celebrate the role of Women in the NSPCI. 

“2022 CelebratingNSPCI Women”

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This coming year year we would like to acknowledge and celebrate the contribution of our women, past and present, who have contributed to our denomination over the years. We are looking for your assistance and support.

Please help us, you are vital to its success. Our contact details are below.

Can you nominate one of your church ladies to be a link person with us?

Perhaps there may be those in your congregation who might put together a little feature or a human interest story for the Magazine? Tell us about your ladies or a specific lady you might like to honour. We want to highlight them throughout the year.

Sandra Gilpin and Pamela Topping are in the process of producing some pieces for the January and February editions, but we need pieces to include in the Magazine throughout the year. Your contributions would be invaluable. 

We also want to create a photographic display, possibly a photo ‘wall hangs’ and/or popups of ladies involvement in our churches. Do you have photos of ladies of your church in bygone days? If so, could you please forward copies. We would like to include these in the magazine along with your various recollections on women in your church. Photo of some of your ladies at recent events and activities will also be very useful eg. Church harvest, Carol Service, Sales, Walks, Picnics etc.

We would also like to have videos or written interviews with special ladies or individuals in your congregation?

Don’t forget to include date and name of the church and the ladies. (With their permission, of course)

If you or your ladies can suggest any other ideas of events we could have we are happy to hear from you as we look backward with pride and forward with hope.

Below is a list of some of the other suggested activities we are considering at present.

An ongoing charity, possibly Blythswood for those with the skills you might encourage your ladies to knit or crotchet some squares to make blankets which can then be donated to the cause.

January – Launch of NSPCI Women, each church is invited to host a service to celebrate the contributions of all our ladies. Lady ministers and lay-people could have an input to the content.

March – 40th Anniversary Celebration for the Ordination of Rev Lena Cockroft (organised by Ballymoney)

June – Synod – launch of Displays of NSPCI Women and their achievements. 

July/August – NSPCI Women walk, talk and a Picnic

September - Celebration Dinner –

Visit our website as dates are finalised for the various events – www.nspresbyterian.org

We look forward to hearing from you as we feel it is important to meet once again after the difficulties we have faced
during the past year.

You can contact any of us directly - Contact details are in the Aide Memoire or by the following email.
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Best Wishes
Carole McAvoy ,Sandra Gilpin, Heather Walker, Barbara Atcheson, Adele Johnston, Mary Stewart, Jayne
Caven, Pamela Topping, Joan Agnew, Margaret Montgomery, Elizabeth Moore, Sheila McMillan, Robert McKee,