Raffrey Presbyterian Church holds Christmas tree festival

Raffrey Presbyterian Church holds Christmas tree festival

12 December 2018

RAFFREY Presbyterian Church’s 175th anniversary celebrations have concluded with a distinctly festive feel.

The church was ablaze with festive colour for the recent Christmas tree festival which ended on December 2, raising £5,120 for the Northern Ireland Air Ambulance and Wycliffe work in Cameroon.

Each tree depicted the nativity and biblical themes which deliver the good news of the gospel, with some items that featured in the festival donated to local groups.

Tins of food were donated to the Fountain foodbank in Downpatrick and Friendship House in Belfast, with premature baby hats donated to the Ulster Hospital in Dundonald, Belfast’s Royal Victoria Hospital and Craigavon Hospital.  

Trauma teddies will be given to Dr Marion Gibson for her work with refugee children and knitted jumpers are to be taken to Poland by the Joy Foundation.

The recent festival also featured an impressive exhibition of photographs and memorabilia showcasing the life of the congregation over the past 175 years.

One of the highlights of the display was a tie received from the Martin-Baker Company to represent Sir James Martin, a former member of the congregation and inventor of the ejector seat, after whom the church’s halls are named. 

Church officials said it was a great honour to receive the special tie as it is reserved for members of the Ejection Tie Club which made is up of over 6,000 pilots who have had their lives saved through the use of the Martin-Baker ejector seat. 

The December 2 Sunday morning anniversary service was conducted by the Very Rt Rev Noble McNeely, former Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, with the evening service conducted by the Rev Owen Patterson, Moderator of Down Presbytery.

Also taking part were former Raffrey Presbyterian Church ministers the Rev Trevor Anderson and Rev Sam Conkey.

The church congregation would like to thank all the visitors who joined them over the course of the festival to make it such a memorable occasion and to also those who gave so generously to support the chosen charities.