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The Presbyterian Church in Ireland (or PCI) has a membership of 300,000 people in 550 congregations across both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, though the bulk of the membership is in Northern Ireland. It is the second largest church in Northern Ireland, the first being the Roman Catholic Church. All the congregations of the church are represented up to the General Assembly (the church's government).
History Presbyterianism in Ireland dates from the time of the Plantation of Ulster in 1610. During the reign of James I of Ireland (James VI of Scotland) a large number of Scottish Presbysterians emigrated to Ireland. The first move away from the Church of Scotland, of which the Presbyterians in Ireland were part, saw the creation of the Presbytery of Ulster in 1642. This later merged with the Secession Church in 1840. In 1854 the Synod of Munster merged into the church. PCI today The current (2006-07) moderator is the Reverend Dr David Clarke, who is the minister of Terrace Row Presbyterian Church in Coleraine. The Presbyterian Church in Ireland, a founding member of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches, has over 560 congregations in 21 presbyteries across Ireland. The PCI is involved in education, evangelism, social service and mission in a number of areas around the world; The headquarters of the church are at Church House in Belfast. Plans to relocate to a new development in May Street have been cancelled. The 21 presbyteries are: Ards, Armagh, Ballymena, Carrickfergus, Coleraine, Derry/Strabane, Donegal, Down, Dromore, Dublin/Munster, East Belfast, Foyle, Iveagh, Monaghan, Newry, North Belfast, Omagh, Route, South Belfast, Templepatrick, and Tyrone. Church and worship Apart from the seats for worshippers (not shown above), the inside of the church is dominated by four items of furniture. Service The Word of God is central in the Presbyterian Church, along with Prayer and Praise. The worship is a mix of prayers, hymns, psalms, paraphrases, Scripture readings and sermons. In recent years, psalms and paraphrases have been used less but are still an important part of worship. The order of service varies from church to church but it generally involves a hymn, followed by a prayer, followed by a childrens address and a children's hymn. This is then followed by an expository sermon by the minister and another hymn, then another prayer and a closing hymn. Most Presbyterian churches mix more traditional hymns with modern praise songs, and many churches now have praise bands with a variety of instruments, as well as the traditional organ. Logo and motto The motto of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland is "Ardens sed Virens" - "burning but flourishing". It is usually seen alongside the Burning Bush, the church's symbol. A burning bush was included in the more modern logo (top). Main articleBurning Bush According to the Bible, in Exodus 3:2, Moses heard the voice of God coming from a burning bush that was not consumed by fire. This occurred after he had to flee Egypt, and was when he was called to go and demand the release of the Israelites. Footnotes Books Finlay Holmes The Presbyterian Church in Ireland: A Popular History. (Blackrock, Co. Dublin: The Columba Press, 2000) ISBN 1-85607-284-3 See also Other Presbyterian Churches in Ireland Local churches | ||||||||
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