23rd December, 2019 - Carol Singing at Belfast International Airport in aid of Christian Aid

A number of parishioners from St Bride’s joined members of Ballyclare Presbyterian Church and some other local churches to sing Carols in the Arrivals Hall of Belfast International Airport. This had become a very enjoyable annual event as singers for the various churches come together to welcome travellers back to Northern Ireland for the Christmas holiday. The people of Northern Ireland are always very generous and there was a steady stream of people dropping money into the collection buckets. Many even joined in with the singing after they had collected their bags and were walking past on the way to the carpark. Another successful evening in support of the Christian Aid charity and when all the counting was completed a cheque for £700 was passed to the charity.

19th December, 2019 - Farewell Service for Bishop Alan Abernethy

6th December, 2019 - Kilbride Parish Church Ladies’ Group Christmas Hampers

The ladies have been busy over the past few weeks putting together some fantastic Christmas hampers for a fundraising ballot. The money raised will go to a charity chosen by the ladies. Tickets cost £1.00 and are available from Hilary Rea after the church service on Sunday in the Parish Room, after the Masonic Carol service on Tuesday evening and at the lighting of the Christmas tree event on Saturday, 14th December. The draw will be made in the Parish Hall after the lights on the tree have been switched on by Councillor Vera McWilliam.

4th December, 2019 - Watchmen; The Sacrifice made by the Men Named on the Church War Memorial

The subject of this evening’s talk was the men named on the church war memorial and the sacrifice made by them for King and Country in two world wars. David Holmes has been researching each of these men for some time and he gave a presentation that covered their lives and families in the years before and after the wars. There was an interesting mix of personal information, family stories and military service details presented and discussed amongst the men and one lady present. It gave a wonderful insight into who exactly the men were and how they came to be fighting with armies across the British Empire, all in the cause of freedom.

A good chat and a cup of tea were enjoyed at the end.

1st December, 2019 - Dedication of the New Church Sound System in Memory of Mr Geoff Winter

A warm welcome was extended this morning to the family of the late Geoff Winter as the upgraded public address system was dedicated in his memory. Geoff was a dedicated parishioner in St Bride’s for many years and looked after the operation and maintenance of the earlier sound system around the church. He was an IT specialist by profession and had a great interest in technology of any kind so he was the ideal person to make sure the system was operating correctly and was always on hand to make adjustments or repairs when needed. Geoff passed away on 2nd April, 2015 after a long illness, and his widow Pam asked if his family could make a donation in his name towards some work in the church. It was suggested that perhaps a much-needed upgrade to the sound system might be particularly appropriate and Geoff’s family were pleased to support this suggestion. The new system has been installed and commissioned and Pam and her family were invited to attend today’s service for the dedication of the new equipment.

24th November, 2019 - Scout Fundraising Lunch

The Scout Group has been fundraising in recent months for some new Scouting equipment and one suggestion made was to run a Sunday lunch and invite the parishioners from St Bride’s to come down to the Parish Hall immediately after the morning service. The response from the church was wonderful with many very happy to have lunch prepared for them. They joined with the young people, leaders, parents and grandparents to enjoy vegetable soup and apple tart or lemon meringue and cream. A thoroughly enjoyable and successful venture which raises much-needed funds for the Scout Group.

22nd November, 2019 - Police Male Voice Choir Concert

The weather was rather inclement outside but there was a warm atmosphere inside the church this evening as parishioners and friends came to hear the Police Male Voice Choir perform in St Bride’s. The men sang beautifully and with strength and passion as the audience enjoyed pieces from the choir’s wide repertoire. The men performed American spirituals as well as popular pieces from the shows including You Raise Me Up and a West End medley and traditional Welsh choir pieces such as Cwm Rhonda and Gwahoddiad. The song ‘TheRose’, made famous by Bette Midler, was particularly well received by a very appreciative audience. Joining the choir for the evening were two performers from very different genres, Ami Ogilby who played the flute and Gary Anderson on accordion. Ami’s selection included the theme from the hit movie, Forrest Gump, Hypnosis, Gabriel’s Oboe and she finished with Ashokan Farewell. Gary played a mixture of traditional Irish and Scottish tunes which went down well.

The ladies of the church were once again superb as they laid on a delicious supper that was enjoyed by all. An extremely enjoyable and successful evening.

10th November, 2019 - Remembrance Sunday

The sacrifice made by men associated with St Bride’s in two world wars was remembered during this morning’s special Remembrance Sunday service. Twenty four men from St Bride’s died in the conflicts and are commemorated on the church war memorial. Each one was remembered in turn as their names were read out during what was a very moving and poignant service. Guides and Scouts presented their colours and poppies were placed at the altar by the young people in recognition of the Fallen of the church. Guest preacher for the service was Rev. Canon David Brown. The church was beautifully decorated as always, with poppies being prominent in the floral displays.

6th November, 2019 - Watchmen’s Visit to Thales in Belfast

The men in the Watchmen group had an extremely interesting visit to the Thales engineering facility in Belfast this evening. Parishioner Billy Robinson has worked in the company for over thirty years and he was guide for the tour. It began with an overview of the company and everyone was surprised at the sheer size of the Thales group across the world and how many areas of expertise it’s involved with, everything from telecommunications and trains to space satellites and defence systems. The Belfast works specialises in missiles and on walking around the many and varied machines used to make individual components it was clear that the expertise in the factory is world class. The company also look after the development of missile launch vehicles. A thoroughly enjoyable tour, led by an expert and very knowledgeable guide, was completed with refreshments in the board room.

4th November, 2019 - Firefighting at St Bride’s

Members of Select Vestry, together with leaders from Scouts and Guides, came together this evening for some training in the use of fire extinguishers and how to tackle a fire without putting themselves in harm’s way. It was an interesting exercise and a very informative and practical session with a very knowledgeable instructor, Thomas. The importance of what to do first when a fire is discovered was discussed, before when and how the fire should be tackled. The requirement to use the correct type of extinguisher and the possible dangers of using the wrong one were highlighted before the practical session started. All fires were successfully extinguished!

27th October, 2019 - Unveiling of a New Korean War Memorial

This afternoon dignitaries of the borough and relatives of William John McConnell gathered in Ballyclare War Memorial Park to unveil a memorial to those soldiers from the Ballyclare district who served in the Korean War and especially to commemorate William John McConnell from Doagh who died in the conflict. John McCormick from St Bride’s laid a wreath at the new memorial in his capacity as chairman of the Royal British Legion, Ballyclare Branch.

26th October, 2019 - Autumn Wedding in St Bride’s

There was a distinctly autumnal feel to the weather for today’s wedding in St Bride’s as Victoria Montgomery and Ben McKinney were married but the day was sunny and dry, with a light breeze gently blowing the autumn leaves around the church. The happy couple enjoyed a wonderful wedding service witnessed by their many friends and family and conducted by our Rector, Rev. Canon David Humphries. Best wishes to them both for a long and happy marriage from everyone in St Bride’s.

9th October, 2019 - Kilbride Parish Church Ladies’ Group - Presentation of Cheque to The Air Ambulance

The ladies' group was pleased to welcome a representative of the Air Ambulance NI to their meeting this evening to hear about the work that the air ambulance does in saving lives across Northern Ireland. Grace Williams. who is the fund-raising manager for Co. Antrim, was delighted to be able to come to the meeting and to explain how vital the air ambulance service is in helping to save lives across the country. She was very pleased to accept a cheque for £300 from the ladies and explained that fundraising is vital in keeping the helicopter in the air as it costs approximately £2,000,00 to maintain the service every year.

If you would like to find out more about the air ambulance follow this link - Air Ambulance NI

9th October, 2019 - Watchmen Visit to the Moyle Interconnector

The Watchmen group visited the site of the Moyle Interconnector in Islandmagee this evening to find out more about this vital link between the electricity networks in Ireland and Great Britain. The interconnector site is tucked into a small valley very close to Ballylumford power station and the tour of the facility gave the fourteen men from Kilbride an appreciation of how important the interconnector is to the economy of Northern Ireland in particular and to the electricity networks on both sides of the Irish Sea. Sam Gibson works for Mutual Energy and manages the facility, and he explained the technical details of how it all works and took the group on a tour of the site to see the equipment used. The men thoroughly enjoyed the tour and thanks must go to Sam for facilitating this visit.

Next month the Watchmen will be visiting the Thales Defence Systems factory in Belfast.

6th October, 2019 - Olive Masonic Lodge 487

The congregation of St Bride’s was joined at this morning’s service by members of the Olive Masonic Lodge No. 487. The lodge is celebrating its centenary and members were welcomed by our Rector and invited to take a full part in our communion service.

29th September, 2019 - Harvest Thanksgiving Service

This morning St Bride’s held its Harvest Thanksgiving Service and the church was looking particularly lovely as we celebrated this important time of the year when we can be thankful to God for nature’s plentiful bounty. A team of parishioners had spent Saturday morning getting the church decorated for this morning’s service and their efforts transformed the church in such a wonderful way. Many people had donated produce such as fruit, vegetables and tins of food and everything will be sold off on Monday morning. Rev. Amanda Adams from Ballyrashane & Kildollagh parish near Coleraine was the guest preacher for the service and Mr Gerald Hill was the guest organist. Rev. Adams is a very close friend of our own rector and and they have been on numerous pilgrimages to the Holy Land over the past years.

27th September, 2019 - Visit to Ulster Rugby at the Kingspan

A group of seventeen parishioners and friends had a very enjoyable trip to Belfast to see the Ulster team play its first Pro 14 game of the season against Welsh opponents, the Ospreys. The game started badly for the Ulster team as the Ospreys took an early lead but Ulster soon turned it around and won fairly comfortably in the end by 38 points to 14. Rain had threatened but thankfully, other than one light shower, the heavy rain forecast didn’t happen.

25th September, 2019 - Bishop of Connor Announces His Retirement

The Bishop of Connor, the Rt Rev Alan Abernethy, has today announced that he is to retire on health grounds. Our Bishop has suffered ill health for some time and has decided to retire from the position on 31st December. He was last in St Bride’s on 19th November, 2017 when he officiated at a confirmation service.

For the full announcement please follow this link - Rt Rev. Alan Abernethy

22nd September, 2019 - Family Service with Holy Baptism

It was a delight to welcome another child into our church family this morning as our Rector baptised a little girl during our Family Service. The little girl was baptised Charleigh Margaret and she is pictured below with her parents, Kieran and Carla, together with her godparents and Rev. Canon David Humphries.

9th September, 2019 - St Bride’s Rambling Group: End of Season Dinner

8th September, 2019 - Morning Prayer with Holy Baptism

During this morning’s service a little boy was welcomed into the church family as he was baptised by our Rector. His name is Jaxon and he is pictured below with his parents, Simon and Laura, together with our Rector, Rev. Canon David Humphries. The second photograph includes his godparents.

4th September, 2019 - Watchmen: Presentation on the Royal Observer Corps

The men in the Watchmen group welcomed Mr Roy Coulter along this evening for the first meeting of the new season. Roy was a member of the Royal Observer Corps in Northern Ireland for many years until it was stood down in 1991. He described the work of the Corps with particular emphasis on the main sites in Northern Ireland where they were based and the type of work they did and the sometimes simple but very effective equipment they used. A lot of their work involved training for a doomsday scenario when the United Kingdom may have come under attack by Soviet nuclear missiles or bombs and when it would have been vital to have monitored the nuclear fallout and to have raised the alarm quickly to minimise civilian casualties. Thankfully their skills were never utilised in war. Kilbride’s own Raymond McDonald was Roy’s commanding officer and they exchanged memories of their service over the years. A very interesting presentation by Roy which was enjoyed by everyone there and sincere thanks must go to him for coming along this evening.

27th August, 2019 - St Bride’s Rambling Group: Minnowburn and the Giant’s Ring

It was back to the car park at Minnowburn for the start of this evening’s walk. The clouds had drifted in from the west throughout the day but thankfully the rain stayed away and the evening was pleasantly warm for the duration of the walk. The route this evening took the ramblers upstream along the bank of the River Lagan before turning off the riverside path and heading up into the National Trust property that forms part of the Lagan Valley Regional Park. It was a gentle climb by way of a narrow path through Minnowburn Wood before emerging into farmland at the top. Following the path around the large barley field led the walkers into the massive earthwork circle that forms the perimeter of the Giant’s Ring with its neolithic tomb in the middle. Leaving the Giant’s Ring the roadway led downwards to the Sandpit Field with its undulating contours, a legacy of the ice age. All eyes were drawn to the magnificent view of lush green fields and mature woods with Malone House commanding the landscape in the near distance, with a backdrop of the Belfast hills. Next stop was the Terrace Hill Garden built by a famous linen merchant called Edward Robinson in the 1930s. Here was yet another wonderful viewpoint across the Lagan valley from the front of the garden. Moving down the hill the path led to the Minnowburn river and downstream to the famous Minnowburn bridge - journey’s end. Another very pleasant evening and a walk enjoyed by all.

20th August, 2019 - St Bride’s Rambling Group: Randalstown

The rambling group was in Randalstown this evening for a very enjoyable walk around this historic Co. Antrim town. The meeting point was in Drummaul Parish Church car park, courtesy of the Rev. Canon Derek Kerr, and it was good to have walkers from St Brigid’s and All Saints’ in Antrim join the walk for the evening. By happy coincidence this church, like Kilbride, is also dedicated to one of Ireland’s most revered saints but is called St Brigid’s. There were three new recruits as well who slotted comfortably into the group and it is hoped that they will take part in the last two walks as the season draws to a close. Leaving the church the walkers took a quiet pathway across to New Street before crossing over and going along the avenue to the town’s landmark viaduct where everyone admired the views of the River Maine on both sides. Back down to street level it was a short walk to St MacNissi’s church and then back past the wonderful gates into the Shane’s Castle estate before following the path along the river upstream to the weir complete with the obligatory grey heron. The rain which had been threatening began to fall but by that stage the walkers only had a short distance to go through the grounds of the OC Presbyterian Church, stopping briefly at the British Legion memorial garden, before returning to St Brigid’s for a tour around what is a beautiful church. Almost everyone had time to go for a coffee (and even a plate of cheesy chips!) in a local cafe and all enjoyed the conversation before heading for home down a very wet M2.

Only two more walks to go as the nights are sadly closing in. Next week it will be back to Minnowburn to visit the Giant’s Ring and the final one in two week’s time will be a train journey to Helen’s Bay from Holywood and then walk back along the coastal path - about 5 miles. There’s an option to shorten the walk by getting off at an earlier stop on the main Belfast to Bangor line. So if anyone of a certain age has a Translink pass bring it along to enjoy free travel!

18th August, 2019 - The Herald

The latest edition of the parish magazine is now available to read - click this link; The Herald

Printed copies will be delivered as usual to those on the normal list and are also available in church.

13th August, 2019 - St Bride’s Rambling Group: Lisnabreeny

Tonight’s walk should have been up the picturesque Cregagh Glen but it seems that Doagh isn’t the only place where access is closed off as the walkers were confronted with a barrier at the bottom of glen and a sign saying it was closed for maintenance! Undaunted they took an alternative route up the hill with a steep climb up Rocky Road to start with before they reached the American War Memorial at the top. During World War Two 148 American military personnel sadly lost their lives in accidents across Northern Ireland. They were all buried in a temporary cemetery in the Castlereagh hills beside Rocky Road. At the end of the war all the graves were moved to an American cemetery in Canterbury or were repatriated to the USA. The only reminder of the cemetery now is a memorial to those who were once buried there, on which their names are engraved. The walkers paid their respects and then made their way up the steep climb to Lisnabreeny further up the hill, exploring the rath at the top as they went. The view from the top was almost panoramic as Slemish could be seen to the north, with Divis and Cavehill above the city. Scrabo tower and Strangford lough to the east with Stormont dominating the view across east Belfast. Then it was back down the hill to the cars parked at St Finnian’s on the Cregagh Road followed by some refreshments on the way home. An enjoyable walk despite the enforced change of plan.

12th August, 2019 - Road Closure

Road works commenced on the Station Road last week to carry out emergency repairs to the bridge over the Six Mile Water due to structural failure. So for anyone coming to St Bride’s from the A57 at Lindsay’s Corners roundabout they will need to be aware of the diversions and allow a little more time to get to church. Diversions are via Ballyclare, using the Doagh Road, or Parkgate, using the Burn Road. The works should be completed by the end of August. Did you know that this particular bridge is known as the Bessy Gras Bridge!

For an update from the Traffic Watch NI Roadworks website follow this link and type ‘station’ into the search window - Update

30th July, 2019 - St Bride’s Rambling Group: Minnowburn and the Lagan Tow Path

There was a weather warning in place for this evening but undeterred the ramblers made their way to the National Trust car park at Minnowburn in Belfast to walk the Two Bridges walk on the River Lagan. Starting at the car park the narrow path led upstream following the river as far as the Gilchrist bridge where the ramblers crossed over and walked back downstream to Shaw’s Bridge, back across the river near Newforge and then on to the lock-keeper’s cottage and the remains of the old canal. Then back up the river again and under the bridges to the car park. It was a wonderful evening with dry weather and pleasantly warm and luckily the heavy rain that was forecast didn’t arrived until everyone was on their way home. Next week it will be the more strenuous walk up Shane’s and Agnew’s hill starting at the back of Ballyboley forest on the Larne - Ballymena road. This route follows a section of the Ulster Way.

27th July, 2019 - Blessing and Dedication of the New Rectory

This afternoon a short service was held in Brook Meadow, Doagh to dedicate the new Rectory for Kilbride Parish. Members of the Select Vestry, together with their spouses, were invited to take part in the service and they were given the opportunity to look around the grounds and inside the house. Parishioners will have the opportunity after tomorrow’s morning service to have a look around and to enjoy some light refreshments in the garden.

23rd July, 2019 - St Bride’s Rambling Group: Olderfleet Castle, Larne

The rambling group had a short journey to Larne this evening and enjoyed sunshine and a blue sky together with warm and quite humid weather conditions. The walkers made their way from the leisure centre car park on the sea front across to visit the Chaine memorial tower, the MV Princess Victoria memorial and the Clyde Valley memorial all found on the approach to Larne Harbour. From there it was down to explore the ruins of Olderfleet castle on Coastguard Road, back along the Curran Road and Glenarm Road to the Chaine memorial park and then back for refreshments at the leisure centre - a distance of 3.25 miles. Another very enjoyable walk around a local town with a little history thrown in to add to the interest. The good weather encouraged ramblers out with a total of 30 people enjoying the evening sunshine, making it the best turnout this season! It was good to welcome another five new walkers and hopefully they will be back again in the near future.

16th July, 2019 - St Bride’s Rambling Group: Scrabo

This evening the rambling group ventured into Co. Down for the first time this season and despite a few dark clouds looming over Belfast on the drive down the walkers enjoyed superb weather for what was a very enjoyable and interesting walk up to Scrabo tower and around the adjoining country park. A blue sky overhead and a balmy 18 degrees C in temperature made for very pleasant conditions to explore the park with time to admire the magnificent views over Newtownards, down Strangford Lough and as far as the Mourne mountains to the south. Scrabo tower is also known as the Londonderry Memorial as it was built to commemorate the 3rd Marquis of Londonderry, who had his Irish residence at Mount Stewart, and it was completed in 1857. There was another very good turnout and with yet another new recruit. A very good walk that will be repeated in seasons to come.

9th July, 2019 - St Bride’s Rambling Group: Ballyclare Churches

There was a last minute change of venue this evening due to the uncertainty of the weather so instead of the dizzy heights of Divis mountain it was the more down-to-earth streets of Ballyclare. This particular walk had been scheduled for earlier in the walking season but due to torrential rain it that evening it was postponed. Numbers were down a little as walkers drift off to places like Spain and Portugal where sun is almost guaranteed but the smaller group thoroughly enjoyed following a route that passed the numerous places of worship in Ballyclare - all thirteen of them! Importantly it stayed dry throughout and both good coffee and conversation were enjoyed at the end.

7th July, 2019 - Floral Arrangements

God’s gracious bounty is all around us, manifested in the beautiful things we see in nature as we go about our daily life. Sometimes they may be unintentionally taken for granted and this also holds true for some of the beautiful things that are found in our church. There is a very small team of two wonderful ladies who regularly come together to produce the beautiful floral displays that can be seen every week in various parts of the church. Through their skills and devotion the church is always beautifully decorated and sincere thanks must go to Irene and Iris for the work that they do throughout the year. Thanks must also go to the parishioners who contribute to the purchase of the flowers through the annual flower list. Anyone who would like to add their name to the list should speak with either of the church wardens.

2nd July, 2019 - St Bride’s Rambling Group: Antrim

There was a very good turnout once again as the rambling group made its way to Antrim Castle Gardens to begin a walk along the Six Mile Water and the shore of Lough Neagh. It was a very pleasant evening with the sun shining throughout, the clouds having cleared during the afternoon. Thankfully the infamous Lough Neagh flies didn’t cause any major problems although there were a few clouds of midges to contend with near the water. Twenty walkers (including some ladies from All Saints’ and two dogs) enjoyed the evening sunshine and the great conversation on the 4 mile walk before heading for a coffee in the town.

30th June, 2019 - Battle of the Somme Commemoration Service

Rector Rev. Canon David Humphries officiated at the annual Battle of the Somme Commemoration Service held in Ballyclare War Memorial Park this afternoon. The service was organised by the Ballyclare branch of the Royal British Legion and members of the legion together with ex-servicemen and women and local politicians laid wreaths in memory of soldiers from the Ballyclare area who died during this battle which began on 1st July, 1916. Many men from the area died on that first day including Corporal Robert M. Hamill, 12th Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles, a parishioner of St Bride’s. Serjeant Joseph P. Taylor was wounded and taken prisoner that day and succumbed to his injuries is a prisoner of war camp in Germany on 13th July. His father, Frank Taylor, was a church warden in St Bride’s.

30th June, 2019 - Farewell to Valerie Ireland

Valerie Ireland has been filling the organist vacancy on a temporary basis over the past few months but today was her last day on the organ bench. Her contribution to the music in St Bride’s has been greatly appreciated by everyone in the church and sincere thanks must go to her for the considerable efforts she has made during her time in Kilbride. Valerie is pictured above with Rev. Canon David Humphries and Alistair Montgomery (choir president).

27th June, 2019 - Wedding Bells

The church bells rang out this afternoon for the wedding of Jonathan Auld and Julie Carlisle and the couple were blessed with glorious weather for their big day. Congratulations from everyone in St Bride’s as they begin their married life together.

25th June, 2019 - St Bride’s Rambling Group: Glenarm Forest

The rambling group’s trip to Glenarm forest was well attended this evening and included a couple of new people in the group. The warm and sunny weather was in sharp contrast to last week’s washout at Cavehill when the decision was made to head to the nearest coffee shop! The walk started in the car park near St Patrick’s church and crossed the bridge over the Glenarm river before heading up the main street to the entrance to the forest. For the first stretch the path was never far from the river with sunlight dancing through the trees before the landscape opened up and the glen could be seen in all its glory in the evening sunshine. The path climbed gently up the side of the forest before the steep ascent to the upper level where the return leg back to the village started. Heading back to the car park it was noticed that the local parish church was open so everyone took a look inside this very historic building before returning to the cars. Another good walk, enjoyed even more as it was warm and dry throughout.

22nd June, 2019 - Summer Fête

The church held its first summer fête for a number of years today and it was a resounding success, with a constant flow of people coming through the gates to enjoy the activities provided or to go home with a bargain from the numerous stalls set up both inside and outside the Parish Hall. It was a gloriously sunny day and with many activities taking place around the grounds it was wonderful to be able to enjoy the warm weather. Despite many other events taking place today there was still a very good turnout and it was an event that was thoroughly enjoyed by all. Thanks must go to everyone involved in organising and running a very successful day.

17th June, 2019 - Church Grounds Tidy-up

The grass cutting team has been busy in recent days, ahead of this Saturday’s summer fête, making sure the grounds around the church and the parish hall look their best. The grass has been growing fast and it has been difficult to keep it in check because of all the wet weather, but the job was completed this evening as the small team of volunteers finally got on top of it with a few days to spare before the big event of the summer. If anyone could assist with the grass cutting, even occasionally, your help would be greatly appreciated, especially as we approach the holiday season when not everyone on the team is available. Speak with anyone on the team or with either of the Glebe Wardens, Jim Wilson or Billy Robinson.

11th June, 2019 - St Bride’s Rambling Group: Broughshane

The threatening clouds were left behind in Ballyclare and sunshine greeted the ramblers this evening as they arrived at Houston’s Mill in Broughshane for the start of their walk along the River Braid. It was the best turnout of the season so far as 21 walkers negotiated the busy main street and under the Buttermilk Bridge arch before following the narrow path to the River Braid. The path wound its way close to the river and eventually opened up into wide open grass areas. There is a hidden gem tucked into the area between the houses and the river in the form of the Broughshane Environment Waterfowl & Wildlife Trust compound where a large variety of waterbirds and exotic birds were on display. The walkers enjoyed seeing black swans with cygnets, mallard ducks, guinea fowl and pheasants to name a few. The walkers continued along the river bank, eventually making their way to the Raceview Mill complex with its fantastic selection of small artisan businesses. Back out on to the main road again and back to the centre of the village for some refreshments and great conversation before making their way back over the Collin and home. Another thoroughly enjoyable (and very flat!) route - next week’s will be a bigger challenge as the ramblers tackle Cavehill.

11th June, 2019 - The Herald

The latest edition of the the parish magazine is now available to read on-line. Follow this link to see it on the Useful Information & Links page - The Herald

5th June, 2019 - Watchmen Men’s Group Meeting

The men’s group met in the parish hall this evening as access to the internet using the WiFi in the parish office was needed. David Holmes gave a talk on the award-winning parish website showing everyone the content and highlighting the functionality it has and how it interacts with other websites. David set up the website in January 2017 with it going ‘live’ on St Bride’s Day, 1st February 2017. He demonstrated the analytics that the software has which gives details of how and where the site is accessed. Interesting to see that in the last month it had been accessed over 700 times from all over the world, including China, Australia and Canada. Following the presentation of the award of Best Parish Website at the Church of Ireland General Synod in Londonderry on 16th May there was a large increase in activity with over twice as many visitors the following day.

The website really does show St Bride’s and its congregation in a very positive light but David stressed that to maintain this profile he needs a continuing flow of information and photographs to keep the website fresh and up to date. This presentation may be repeated again later in the year to give others who perhaps don’t use the internet an opportunity to see its content’.

4th June, 2019 - St Bride’s Rambling Group

Sadly the deteriorating weather meant that a call had to made regarding the walk around the various churches in Ballyclare. Heavy and persistent rain was falling and the forecast over the evening was for more of the same so a call was made to cancel the walk. However the opportunity was taken to enjoy a coffee and a chat in Time coffee shop where about a dozen regular walkers met. Hopefully next week’s walk in Broughshane will have better weather.

28th May, 2019 - St Bride’s Rambling Group: Cranny Falls, Carnlough

Once again the ramblers enjoyed bright sunshine and dry conditions for their weekly walk, this time in Carnlough. Starting at the community car park they made their way up the path to Cranny Falls, stopping to chat with some local characters on the way. The rain yesterday meant there was a good flow of water cascading down the waterfall on its journey to the sea down the ‘whiskey’ river. From the falls the path lead up and over the old mine workings where the spoil from a bygone industry has now been covered with grass and from which the views were magnificent. Scotland was yet again very clear in the distance, with the Mull of Kintyre particularly prominent. The path then lead north along the bottom of the limestone cliffs to a narrow road which finally opened into a back road down to the village. The walkers then looked at the boats in the harbour which, as the wind died down, looked they were floating on glass, so calm was the surface of the water. After some refreshments it was up and over the old limestone bridge, which is such an iconic feature of Carnlough, and back to the cars. Another very enjoyable walk. Next week it’s closer to home as it will be a walk around the various churches in Ballyclare for a distance of 8 km (with lots of shortcuts for anyone wanting a shorter walk!). See the Diary Dates page for more information.

21st May, 2019 - St Bride’s Rambling Group: Sallagh Braes, Cairncastle

It was a glorious evening for a walk in the hills and the rambling group took full advantage of the bright sunshine and mild temperature to explore a section of the Ulster Way. Starting at what is known as Robin Young’s car park above Cairncastle, the ramblers headed south over an area of hillside that featured frequently in the hit TV series, A Game of Thrones. They climbed steadily for the first kilometre before reaching the highest point in the walk and from there it was a gently undulating landscape towards Agnew’s hill. Looking over the fence to the foot of the cliffs a carpet of bluebells was visible below and the beautiful flowers stretched across the sloping ground for some distance. In an exceptionally clear evening visibility was magnificent and to the north the Paps of Jura could be seen over 60 miles away, as well as the Mull of Kintyre. To the east the Ailsa Craig and the Scottish coast and to the south, Cavehill with the Mourne mountains beyond. A thoroughly enjoyable evening was had by everyone. Next week it will be a slightly longer drive up to Carnlough and a repeat of last year’s walk to Cranny Falls.

20th May, 2019 - Connor Diocese Website

The success of churches in the Connor diocese in the recent Church of Ireland communications competition is reported on the Connor diocese website, just follow this link - Connor News

19th May, 2019 - Guest Preacher for Family Service with Holy Communion

16th May, 2019 - Church of Ireland Communications Competition

A few months ago the Church of Ireland extended an invitation to every parish in Ireland to enter its Communications Competition. There were various categories that could be entered, namely Parish Website, Diocesan Website, Church of Ireland Affiliated Organisation Website and Innovative use of Social Media. An application form was completed and entered for the Parish Website category and a few days ago our parish webmaster, David Holmes, received a phone call from the Church of Ireland Press Officer to give him the exciting news that St Bride’s website had won! David was duly invited to the Guildhall in Londonderry this evening to accept the award on behalf of Kilbride, an invitation he was very pleased to accept. The General Synod began in the Millennium Forum today and following completion of the day’s business all the delegates assembled in the Guildhall for some socialising and refreshments after a long day in conference. The Mayor of Derry and Strabane, Councillor John Boyle, welcomed everyone to the Guildhall and Archbishop Richard Clarke responded, thanking the council for hosting the event. The prizes for each category of the competition were presented by Scott Hayes representing the Ecclesiastical Insurance Office which was supporting the General Synod event. Connor diocese was also successful in the Innovative use of Social Media category as St Matthew’s, Shankill collected the runner-up prize.

14th May, 2019 - St Bride’s Rambling Group: Woodburn Forest

A group of 17 enthusiastic walkers met up at Woodburn forest car park and set off on a most entertaining and enjoyable walk. As usual, the fittest group sped on ahead and the others dandered along at their chosen speed whilst setting the world to rights! It was a perfect evening weatherwise and following on from a glorious day of blue skies and sunshine it was almost perfect conditions for a walk. After walking around the middle reservoir and through the trees the route left the forest and continued along the road to the Knockagh monument. What a view! The Mournes were clearly visible and yachts from Carrickfergus Yacht Club were also out on Belfast Lough enjoying the super conditions. Scrabo Tower was also visible, as well as a small piece of Strangford Lough. After the sightseeing it was back to the car park where George treated everyone to a "picnic" of tea and biscuits which went down an absolute treat. By the way, it was great to welcome several new ramblers to our group and hopefully they will continue to walk with us each week! Sallagh Braes near Ballygalley next week and hopefully the bluebells will still be in bloom. A slightly more strenuous walk initially but well worth it for the view.

13th May, 2019 - Christian Aid House-to-House Collection in Doagh

12th May, 2019 - Fourth Sunday of Easter

9th May, 2019 - Charity Donation to Mindwise

Lillian Lyttle, on behalf of Kilbride Parish Church, was pleased to be able to hand over a cheque for £350 to the MindWise charity at its office in Ballyclare. This local charity helps support people living with mental illness in the Ballyclare area. For more information follow this link to the charity’s website. MindWise

Lillian is pictured with Kelly and Diane from MindWise

8th May - St Bride’s Church Ladies’ Group AGM

The Ladies’ group held its annual general meeting in the Parish Room this evening and, in her report as outgoing chairperson of the group, Dorothy Gibson gave her personal thanks for the tremendous effort made by everyone in making the last year’s activities such a success. It was a busy year and there had been some very enjoyable events but in particular Dorothy singled out the recent fashion show as having been the highlight of the year. A wonderful event that was enjoyed by around 150 people in Coleman’s Garden Centre in Templepatrick.

The main business of the evening was to elect a new committee and this process was overseen by our Rector with the following being elected as office bearers for the incoming year;

Chairperson - Patricia Robinson; Honorary Secretary - Diane Hurst; Honorary Treasurer - Hilary Rea; Committee Members - Kate Henry, Agnes Montgomery and Barbara Rea.

7th May, 2019 - St Bride’s Rambling Group: Titanic Quarter

The walking season got off to a great start this evening as the rambling group made its way to the Titanic quarter of Belfast. It looked like rain might spoil the evening as it it was wet on the way but luckily Belfast had already had the rain and it was dry on arrival. Starting in Corporation Street eighteen walkers made their way past the Big Fish on Donegall Quay and across the footbridge to the SSE Arena. Around the Abercorn Dock and a short stop at the ‘Nomadic’ to admire the workmanship of the shipyard workers from a bygone era. ‘Nomadic’ is the last of the White Star ships and it has a strong connection with the ill fated ‘Titanic’ having been the tender which transported the rich and famous from Cherbourg harbour to the ‘Titanic’ moored in deeper waters in April 1912. A few short days later the “Titanic’ was lost following its collision with an iceberg. Moving on past the ‘Titanic’ building, which opened on 31st March, 2012, and on to the Great Light. The Great Light is actually the lens from a former lighthouse on Tory Island off the coast of Donegal and more recently Mew Island which is one of the Copeland Islands. Modern technology rendered the light redundant and the lens was relocated to its new location on the waterside in the Titanic quarter. The lens and its mechanism weighs in at 10 tonnes and stands 8 m high and slowly rotates within its enclosure. Next stop was HMS Caroline and then the Thompson dry dock and pump house before turning back to the city for a very enjoyable coffee and good conversation at Custom House Square. A thoroughly enjoyable evening and a good walk to start the season and it was good to welcome three new walkers to the group and our friends from All Saint’s in Antrim. Welcome to Janice, Karen and Derek.

Next week it’s Woodburn forest and the Knockagh monument which is a slightly more difficult walk but worth it for the views across Belfast Lough. See the Diary Dates page for more details.

5th May, 2019 - Holy Baptism

This morning’s service of Holy Communion included the baptism of twin girls, a very unusual event in St Bride’s. The little girls were baptised Amelia Jennifer and Sophie Marina and are pictured here both with their parents, Stephen and Felicity, and with our rector, Rev. Canon David Humphries, and their godparents

5th May, 2019 - Guest Organist

It was a pleasure to welcome Denise Martin to St Bride’s this morning, as organist for the service of Holy Communion which included the baptism of twin girls. Denise made the short journey from Templepatrick to Kilbride to help out during the organist vacancy and we look forward to seeing her again in the future.

4th May, 2019 - Ballymena United Award to Muriel Wilson

One of St Bride’s parishioners was recently presented with an award for her services to Ballymena United Football Club. Muriel Wilson has been involved with the club for many years, working tirelessly behind the scenes in fundraising events and in making sure everything off the pitch runs smoothly. Muriel was presented with the Noel Millar Memorial Award at the end-of-season club awards evening, for her outstanding service to the club, and was complimented on her work by club manager David Jeffrey, who described her as an inspiration to him.

1st May, 2019 - Watchmen Men’s Group

This evening the Rector gave an extremely interesting talk on how the church organ works and there was a chance to see the workings of this magnificent instrument behind the scenes, in an area where few get to see. There are literally hundreds of pipes hidden behind the console and the decorative pipes, with levers and rods and wires in abundance and all to make beautiful music. The Rector demonstrated the effect of adjusting stops and how using different combinations can create such a wide range of sounds. The organ in St Bride’s is quite old and has been refurbished a number of times since it was first installed. From time to time it needs a visit from a tuning expert to keep it sounding as well as it does. The men all enjoyed the talk and the Rector put the organ through its paces as a finale. Everyone enjoyed a cup of tea and a chat in the Parish room to finish off the evening.

28th April, 2019 - Brother David Jardine, Equipping for Life

24th April, 2019 - Wedding Day

The church bell rang today for the wedding day of Jenna Simpson and Gavin Green as they got married in St Bride’s this afternoon. Rev. Canon David Humphries officiated and music was provided by harpist and soprano, Catherine Hamilton from Larne. The wedding went without a hitch and it stayed dry, although a little bit breezy. Indeed the rain that was forecast for early evening stayed off until all the photographs were taken at the church and at the Templeton, eventually falling as everyone enjoyed their meal at the reception. Best wishes and congratulations from everyone in Kilbride to Gavin and Jenna as they begin their married life together.

21st April, 2019 - The Herald

The May/June edition of The Herald is now available. If you haven’t got a hard copy follow this link to read it now - The Herald

Holy Week Bible Readings (click on the link to read the passage - NIV)

Monday - St Luke 22: 1 - 13

Tuesday - St Matthew 26: 36 - 46

Wednesday - St Matthew 27: 11 - 26

Maundy Thursday - St John 19: 17 - 30

Good Friday -

Isaiah 53: 1 - 6 ;

St Mark14: 1 - 10

St Matthew 26: 6 - 15

St Matthew 27: 11 - 31

St Matthew 27: 32 - 54

St Mark 15: 40 - 47

Phillipians 2: 1 - 11

Job 14: 1 -12

14th April, 2019 - Palm Sunday

The wind was howling around the church belfry this morning but thankfully it was dry and the annual procession from the Parish Hall went ahead as normal. Led by the church wardens, the choir sang ‘All Glory, Laud and Honour’ as they processed up the path to the church, closely followed by ‘Annie’ the donkey. ‘Annie’ symbolised the colt that Jesus used in his final journey into Jerusalem in the days before his trial and crucifixion, when the road was lined with people who placed their cloaks on the road. ‘Annie’ has become quite familiar with the inside of St Bride’s over the past few years and once again she was kept calm by the close attention of her owner Kerry as well as a few carrots! The children in the congregation gathered around the donkey for the children’s address before ‘Annie’ made her exit with a reward of hay in the back of the horse box in the car park.

12th April, 2019 - Fashion Show in Coleman’s Nursery in Templepatrick

This evening over 150 ladies gathered in Coleman’s Nursery to enjoy a fashion show and supper in aid of Blythswood, Ballyclare. The clothes being modelled had all been donated to the charity and most were brand new with a small proportion being ‘pre-loved’. The ladies had a thoroughly good evening and enjoyed watching ‘volunteer’ models displaying the beautiful outfits as the models walked through the audience. Coleman’s staff prepared a delicious supper which everyone thoroughly enjoyed. All the clothing modelled was available for purchase at the end of the evening and proceeds from the sale of tickets and the clothing ensured that it was an excellent fundraising event for the charity.

11th April, 2019 - Spring Clean

The spell of good weather this week gave the grass cutting team the opportunity to give the grounds around the church and hall their first run-over with the lawnmowers. Over the past few days the lawns had their first cut and the debris left behind after the winter was tidied up and all in good time for the start of Holy Week on Sunday. The daffodils and primroses continue to add a splash of colour around the grounds and the cherry tree in full bloom in front of the church is looking wonderful. If anyone would like to assist the maintenance team over the summer, even occasionally, please get in touch with Billy Robinson.

9th April, 2019 - Easter General Vestry Meeting

This evening the annual Easter General Vestry Meeting was held in the Parish Room. The meeting was an opportunity for the Rector to give his annual address on the activities of the past year within the Parish of Kilbride and to highlight notable events. One such event was the celebration last June of the 150th anniversary of the consecration of St Bride’s. There were many activities to remember as parishioners and many others enjoyed special services and social events throughout the year as St Bride’s reached this significant milestone. The Rector thanked many people for the wonderful work they have carried out on behalf of the church in the past year. Following his address the financial report was given and accepted before the important business of the evening commenced, i.e. election of a new Select Vestry for the incoming year. A number of new members were elected and the full membership of the new Select Vestry can be seen on the ‘Our People’ page of this website.

7th April, 2019 - Parkgate Masonic Lodge Service of Thanksgiving

Parkgate Masonic Lodge No. 776 was formed a short time after the end of World War I in 1919 and as part of the lodge’s centenary celebrations a service of thanksgiving was held in St Bride’s. Masons from lodges across the Six Mile Valley District attended the service which was conducted by Rev. Canon David Humphries with guest speaker, Rev. Stephen Sheerin, who is minister of Dundonald Methodist Church. Refreshments were enjoyed in the Parish Hall immediately after the service.

3rd April, 2019 - Rural Deanery Mid-week Lenten Service

The penultimate mid-week service was held in St Bride’s this evening and despite the poor weather there was an excellent attendance with many of the churches that are part of the rural deanery being represented. The theme for all of these services has been ‘Jesus - the human face of God’ and tonight’s sermon was entitled ‘Jesus thirsted for us’. Our Rector used the moment when Jesus fulfilled the Scriptures while being crucified, when he said “I am thirsty”, as an illustration that God thirsts for us in terms of his love for us. This built on the earlier Bible readings taken from Isaiah Chapter 53 and John’s Gospel Chapter 19. It was a service that was enjoyed by all and immediately afterwards many made their way to the Parish room for some refreshments and conversation. Next week is the last in the series and it will be the turn of All Saints’ in Antrim to act as host. Once again it will begin at 7:30pm.

2nd April, 2019 - Watchmen Mens’ Group Meeting

This evening the Watchmen enjoyed a fascinating talk by Dr Steve Aiken OBE MLA Commander RN (Retd) as he told everyone of how he joined the Royal Navy and climbed the ranks to be the commander of a nuclear submarine. Steve served in the Royal Navy for over 32 years and in that time was involved in many significant world events in the senior role he held. The Official Secrets Act prevented him from discussing any details but it was still extremely interesting to listen to the story of how his career unfolded and how he used the power of prayer on a daily basis to guide him when making important decisions and to help him with the serious responsibility of command. He never regarded himself as an academic but was pleased to successfully take on a Masters degree at Cambridge in his final years in the service. He retired to civilian life but maintains close friendships with many of his former colleagues. His academic achievements have continued as he has recently completed a PhD, again at Cambridge university. In recent years he had enjoyed considerable success in civilian life too but felt he would like to make a difference to the lives of people in his native Northern Ireland and so began his political career. He currently represents South Antrim as an MLA.

31st March, 2019 - Mothering Sunday and Songs of Praise

The clock’s changed overnight and there was a real sense of spring in the air for this morning’s service which featured Songs of Praise where many of the congregation’s favourite hymns were featured. Our Rector introduced each one with a little of its history and something about the writer and most were accompanied by a relevant scripture passage. All the ladies in the congregation were presented with a rose to help celebrate Mothering Sunday.

Hymns used today were;

Father, hear the prayer we offer;

Children of Jerusalem;

How great Thou art;

Holy, Holy, Holy;

Amazing Grace;

I hear thy welcome voice;

He who would valiant be;

Angel voices

29th March, 2019 - Live Issue Concert in the Theatre at the Mill

What a privilege it was to have attended this evening’s concert featuring the country gospel group, Live Issue. It was an inspiring evening of music where the five men who make up the band sang some gospel songs, some familiar hymns and well known pop songs but in their own style. Songs such as ‘Let it be Me’ by the Everly Brothers, ‘He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother’ by the Hollies were given a country gospel flavour and in something very unusual ‘Amazing Grace’ was combined with the famous Eagles hit ‘Peaceful Easy Feeling’ to great effect. They also bore witness to the inspiration they take from their own personal faith in Jesus Christ in every aspect of their music and their lives. The band was joined by Belfast based gospel singer Heather Vient who sang in both halves. Heather was accompanied by singer and song writer Sarah Coll and she stamped her effervescent personality on a number of well known hymns as well as songs written by Sarah. Particularly moving were ‘Grace’ and ‘How Deep the Father’s Love for Us’.

A very enjoyable evening for a very appreciative audience who got a chance to chat with all the performers afterwards.

28th March, 2019 - Visit to Belfast Hebrew Centre

The Rector has held a number of very interesting talks in the past two months using the theme ‘How Jewish is Christianity’ and the fitting conclusion to the series was a visit to the Jewish synagogue on the Somerton Road, Belfast. Fourteen parishioners from St Bride’s made their way to the synagogue where they received a very warm welcome before being giving an extremely informative talk on the orthodox Jewish religion practised in Belfast and a history of the Jewish faith in Ireland dating back to the 18th century.

17th March, 2019 - St Patrick’s Day Lunch

Today was St Patrick’s day and there was a theme of St Patrick throughout the service as we remembered our patron saint and how he brought lasting Christianity to Ireland. Many sprigs of shamrock were worn as a symbol of St Patrick on this his feast day. The service was followed by the annual St Patrick’s Day lunch when many of the congregation made their way down to the Parish Hall for a delicious bowl of stew followed by apple tart and cream.

13th March, 2019 - Rural Deanery Lenten Service in Christ Church, Ballynure

The second of the mid-week services was held this evening in Christ Church, Ballynure and despite the inclement weather there was another good turn-out from parishioners in Kilbride. The wind was howling outside but inside the church was warm and cosy as Rev. Jonny Campbell-Smyth continued the Lenten message, Jesus - the Human Face of God, with the topic of “Jesus loved us”. Refreshments were enjoyed in the church hall afterwards where everyone had a chance to mix and meet parishioners from other churches in the rural deanery group. Next week the mid-week service will be in Drummaul, Randalstown.

6th March, 2019 - Ash Wednesday Service in St Saviour’s Church in Connor

The first of the Lenten rural deanery mid-week services took place in St Saviour’s church in Connor this evening. It was good to see the service so well attended and especially such a good representation from St Bride’s. The service of Holy Communion was conducted by Rev. Ian Magowan and the topic for his sermon was “Jesus prayed for us”, part of the overall theme of the mid-week services - “Jesus, the human face of God”. Next week the service will be in Christ Church, Ballynure with the topic “Jesus loved us”.

24th February, 2019 - Baptism

17th February, 2019 - Family Service

17th February, 2019 - The Herald

The latest edition of the Parish magazine is now available to read. If you haven’t got a paper copy you can read it by following this link to the Useful Information and Links page of this website - The Herald

13th February, 2019 - Invisible Trafficking

The Ladies’ Group met this evening in the Parish Room to hear more about the problem of human trafficking in the UK, Ireland and in particular Northern Ireland. Ash Richmond from the charity Invisible Trafficking, gave a very informative talk on this disturbing practice and its effects on the people involved. All types of modern slavery were discussed including farm workers, builders, factory workers as well as the sex industry. People are brought to Northern Ireland from various parts of Europe and beyond, with the promise of work and then they are forced to live in appalling conditions. They are poorly paid and cannot easily escape from the people exploiting them as they have had their passports and other important papers taken from them. This is a hidden world in what we consider a civilised society and efforts are made by charities like Invisible Trafficking to expose modern slavery and stop it. It was a very enlightening talk on a very emotive subject.

For more information on this subject visit the charity’s website by following this link - Invisible Trafficking

“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves” - Proverbs 31, Verse 8.

13th February, 2019 - Air Ambulance Thank You

6th February, 2019 - Watchmen Outing to War Years Remembered.

The Watchmen men’s group went on its first outing this evening and spend a very enjoyable evening exploring the War Years Remembered exhibition in Ballyclare. The guide for the tour was the very knowledgeable David McCallion who explained what fighting in the trenches was really like during the First World War. David has been an avid collector of wartime memorabilia for many years and he has literally thousands of items on display. In his talk he gave a great insight into the events leading up to the war and what was happening in Ireland at the time and how Nationalist and Unionist battalions fought for the same cause. Irish regiments raised in all parts of Ireland were prominent in many of the famous battles of the war. Ballyclare’s importance was also described and the sacrifice made by so many local families, including many from Kilbride. A very interesting outing which in the three hour trip only covered a fraction of what is on display so it may be somewhere to visit again.

6th February, 2019 - Charity Donation

Iris McCormick and Lillian Lyttle had the pleasure of presenting a cheque to the Children’s Cancer Unit in the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children this morning. This charity exists solely to support the work of the Children’s Cancer and Haematology Unit at the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children as well as their families.

For more information on this charity and the work they do please follow this link - The Children’s Cancer Unit

1st February, 2019 - Charity Donation

This evening Kate Henry and David Holmes from Kilbride’s Select Vestry presented a cheque to Grace Williams representing the Air Ambulance NI charity based at the Maze near Lisburn. Grace is the Area Fundraising Manager for Co. Antrim and Belfast and she was delighted to receive the cheque for £350 from Kilbride parishioners and especially on 1st February, being the Festival of St Bride’s. Grace explained that the money will be well used in helping to run this vital service which, in the last 18 months since the air ambulance began its service in Northern Ireland, has seen the helicopter deployed a total of 672 occasions to emergencies right across the country . In that time it has saved many lives in a variety of medical emergencies and accidents, 55% of which have been road traffic collisions and 10% farming related accidents.

For more information on the air ambulance follow this link - Air Ambulance NI

1st February, 2019 - Celebration of the Feast of St Bride

Today is St Bride’s day and, to celebrate the Saint after whom our church is named, a service of Holy Communion was held, followed by refreshments in the Parish Room.

29th January, 2019 - Charity Donations

Ivan Topping, representing the Select Vestry, visited two charities today to present a cheque for £350 to each as a donation from St Bride’s. It has been a long standing tradition in our church to support local charities and Ivan was delighted to visit both the Simon Community and the Women’s Aid offices in Larne to hand over the cheques. In addition another cheque was forwarded to the SoS Bus charity in south Belfast to help its work with vulnerable people. A further three charities will be receiving donations in the very near future.

For more information on these charities follow the links below;

Simon Community

Women’s Aid

SOS Bus NI

27th January, 2019 - Holocaust Memorial Day

Holocaust Memorial Day

This morning’s service commemorated the victims of the Holocaust, a dark period of the 20th century’s history which must never be forgotten, when six million Jews were systematically murdered by the Nazis during World War 2. Millions more people were killed under Nazi persecution and in subsequent genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur. 27 January marks the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz in 1945, the largest Nazi death camp located in Poland, and this date was chosen as the international date for commemoration across the world. A special address was read by David Humphries, Kate Henry and David Holmes where the horrors of life for the people persecuted by the Nazis was described, with the hope that by remembering this terrible time that it will never be allowed to happen again.

25th January, 2019 - Rev. Canon Ken Ruddock

Rev. Canon Ken Ruddock has retired after 20 years as Connor Diocesan Curate. Canon Ruddock has been a familiar face in St Bride’s in recent years having conducted numerous services during the vacancy following Rev. Paul Redfern’s retirement.

Follow this link for an article on the Connor Diocese website - Rev. Canon Ken Ruddock

20th January, 2019 - Second Sunday after the Epiphany and Family Service.

This morning we were pleased to welcome Valerie Ireland to St Bride’s as our guest organist. Valerie is no stranger to St Bride’s having joined our choir on a number of occasions for recitals and special services. She will be back with us again next week.

This Sunday was also our family service and at the end everyone was able to enjoy a cup of tea or coffee and some good conversation with other parishioners. An excellent opportunity for an informal chat and to catch up with what’s happening in each other’s lives.

13th January, 2019 - First Sunday after the Epiphany

Jim Drennon was on the organ bench again at this morning’s service for the second week since the organist vacancy arose. His wife Betty also had an active role to play this morning as she joined the alto section of the choir, donning the blue robes of St Bride’s in place of her more familiar red ones that she wore in St Anne’s cathedral choir. Betty was a member of the cathedral choir for many years and was delighted to add her voice to the praise this morning.

10th January, 2019 - How Jewish is Christianity?

This evening was the first of three talks given by our Rector on the origins of the Christian faith and its very strong connections with Judaism. David explored the genealogy of Jesus and the Old Testament prophesies regarding Jesus and the Jewish faith. A very informative talk which will be continued in two weeks time.

9th January, 2019 - Kibride Ladies’ Group Art Demonstration

The Ladies Group welcomed local artist Adrainne Bowden to their January meeting. There was an excellent turnout and some were surprised to learn that they were actually going to paint and not just sit and watch! Adrainne had very kindly prepared cards for each of the members to paint their own watercolour under her guidance and patience. Adrainne shared that she had taken up painting again about 20 years ago and attends various exhibitions with her watercolours throughout the province. Adrainne is a member of Jordanstown Art Club and enjoys painting holidays in such places as Croatia, Italy and France. She has been doing demonstrations to various groups of people over the past 16 / 17 years. By the end of the evening everyone had created their very own masterpiece. Exhibition details to follow!! Supper was served with some leftover Christmas goodies and a massive thank you to Adrainne and her helper Janice for a great evening.

6th January, 2019 - Feast of the Epiphany

St Bride’s celebrated the Feast of the Epiphany at this morning’s service of Holy Communion and welcomed Mr Jim Drennon as guest organist. Jim was delighted to accept the invitation to play for two Sundays from David Humphries, the two having been good friends for many years.

5th January, 2019 - Ice Hockey at SSE Arena

The young people in the Sunday School and their families had a very enjoyable afternoon in the SSE Arena as they watched two ladies’ ice hockey teams from Clarkson University and Northeastern University in the United States go head-to-head in the ‘Ulster University Friendship Series’. These teams represent the elite of ice hockey in the US as Clarkson University from New York are the 2018 NCAA Champions and Northeastern University from Boston, the 2018 Hockey East Champions.

2nd January, 2019 - Watchmen Men’s Group

This evening was the first monthly meeting for the newly established men’s group. It will be known as ‘watchmen at Kilbride Parish Church’ and it got off to a very good start with ten men from the parish coming to hear our Rector give a presentation on the Holy Land, a place he is very familiar with having organised pilgrimages there for well over twenty years. David showed very interesting photos of many of the locations that the pilgrimages visit every year and there were many very relevant questions asked by the audience, and indeed by David, as he tested the men’s knowledge of Biblical locations and characters.  Everyone enjoyed a cup of tea and a chat during what was a very informative and sociable evening. It is intended that these meetings will be held on the first Wednesday of every month up until June when they will stop for the summer months. Look out for more interesting talks and outings in the Diary Dates page of this website.

1st January, 2019 - Feast of the Naming of Jesus

The first service of the New Year was held this morning as the Feast of the Naming of Jesus was celebrated with Holy Communion.