Fisherwick Presbyterian Church HELPFUL GENERAL INFORMATION Church Year 2017 For New & Existing Members Minister - Rev Michael Anderson
1 Introduction Hi I m delighted that you ve taken time to read this Fisherwick information booklet. Many people comment that one of Fisherwick s strengths is its warm welcome and its sense of community. People in Fisherwick really do care for each other. I m always amazed that no matter how quickly I go to visit someone in hospital that friends from Fisherwick have been there before me! As such, we re always delighted when people enquire about getting more involved in our community. This booklet is designed to help new and existing members understand what it means to be a church member, to en- able you to Vind your way in Fisherwick and for to supply you with helpful information. In this you will Vind: Information on What it means to be a church member in the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. 1
Explanation of how you can become a full communicant member if you are not already. An introduction to some of the members of staff in Fisherwick including key contacts. An outline of the organisations and activities in the church. Information on how you can contribute to the ongoing ministry and mission of Fisher- wick and our community outreach. A request for information which will enable us to ensure our records are accurate so that we can easily keep in touch with you. We look forward to the days ahead and in sharing together in our worship and work for God. Please keep this booklet as a reference guide through the year. You can also download our free church App (search Fisherwick on the Apple or Google App stores) which contains all this information and more. Kindest regards, Rev Michael Anderson - michael.visherwick@gmail.com 2
2 What is the Church? What is the Church? In the Bible Church never refers to a building, but to a group of people who are believers and followers of the Lord Jesus Christ. Although there are many Christian de- nominations, there is only one true church made up of all true followers of Jesus Christ. What s in a name? The Bible uses different titles for the church. Each of these tells us something about the church. The Flock of God - Tells us God cares for His people like a Shepherd. The Family of God - Tells us we belong together as broth- ers and sisters in Christ. The Body of Christ - Tells us that church members have dif- ferent talents and roles but we all work together for the common good of glorifying God. 3
The Presbyterian Church in Ireland? The Presbyterian Church has 545 congregations in Ireland. We trace our origins to Christ and the apostles, although our existence as a Christian denomination in Ireland dates back to the 17th century. We are a branch of the historical and worldwide Christian Church and are orthodox in our beliefs and practices. All our beliefs and practices are based on what the Bible teaches. The word Presbyterian comes from Presbyter, a New Testament Greek word for an elder (a caring leader). These leaders are chosen democratically by members of the con- gregation. Our leadership is a democracy in which each leader (including the minister) has equal say in decisions that affect the congregation. The minister (like a priest or pas- tor) is an elder with particular responsibilities for teaching the Bible, conducting mar- riages, funerals, baptisms and communion, helping members to discover and use their tal- ents and providing pastoral assistance. Presbyterian churches also believe that local churches need to be accountable to one an- other. So our church family is part of what we call the South Belfast Presbytery. This Pres- bytery is composed of all the ministers and a designated leader from a number of local churches spread across the South Belfast area. There are 19 such Presbyteries throughout Ireland. Each Presbytery meets regularly during the year to discuss and make decisions on vital matters affecting each congregation within their geographical region. Once a year every Presbytery meets together in a conference called the General Assembly. At this, key issues are discussed and important decisions are made that affect all the Presbyterian con- gregations in Ireland. So our church family is accountable to two higher bodies (Presby- tery and the General Assembly) for what we believe and the way we do things. For more information, you might like to check out www.presbyterianireland.org. 4
3 What does it mean to be a church member? A Church Member is. Someone who believes Believers trust Jesus Christ with their lives. This involves believing truths about him and having a personal relation- ship with him. The Bible, which Christians believe is God s Word, clearly tells us that the following essentials must be understood, believed and committed to if a person is to be a Christian: there is only one true God who has revealed himself as Fa- ther, Son and Holy Spirit. all created things came into existence and keep existing by the will of God. the relationship between human beings and God was bro- ken by sin and needs to be restored. to sin is to think we know better than God and to live as if we don t need God, with our own ideas of what is right and wrong. 5
sin alienates us from God and deserves judgement, but in love for us God sent his Son, Jesus Christ, who died in our place and took the judgement we deserved (2 Corinthians 5:21). being fully human like us, yet fully God, Jesus achieved forgiveness for us and restored us to a right relationship with God (Colossians 1:21-22). Jesus Christ was raised from the dead and now shares God s reign as Lord of all (Philip- pians 2:9-11). the gift of the Holy Spirit assures us of our restored relationship with God as Father, en- ables us to grow in character, faith and understanding and makes each of us an indispensa- ble part of his body, the Church, with specivic gifts to contribute. it is a Christians certain hope that Christ will come again, Vinal judgment will be done, sin, suffering and death will end and his people will share the Father s love in eternal joy. A Church Member is. Someone who belongs Because Christians belong to Christ, we also belong to one another as part of the family of God. While it is possible for a believer in a country where Christians are severely perse- cuted to be very isolated, it was always Christ s intention that believers would meet regu- larly. As Christians we all belong to the universal church, a worldwide movement spanning the continents and the centuries, but we are also called to be involved in a local church as a concrete and living experience of this reality. Depending on circumstances the devinition of local will vary (in some parts of the world people have to walk many miles to church). The important thing is to be rooted in and committed to a local congregation of fellow believers in Christ. Two key parts of belonging are baptism (if you are a believer and have never been bap- tised please speak to the Minister) and the Lord s Supper. For more on what the Lord s Supper is all about please ask the Minister you could also read the booklet, Introducing the Lord s Supper, produced by the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. 6
A Church Member is. Someone who worships Because Christians believe, it naturally follows that they worship God for who he is and what he has done for them. To worship is not just singing songs of praise (although it very much includes this) but also to honour God with all of our lives (Romans 12:1). As a church we have a special time in the week on Sunday when we gather to praise God, pray and hear from his Word, the Bible. This time must take priority over other demands because it is church family time that is to be protected. A Church Member is. Someone who prays For a Christian, who lives in a restored relationship to God, praying should be something we do every day and throughout the day. The Bible tells us that prayer is about offering praise to God, telling him we are genuinely sorry when we sin (1 John 1:9), saying thank you for what he has done and asking him to help us and others in many different ways (Philippians 4:6). It can be easy to do this on our own (as long as we remember!) but mak- ing the most of opportunities to pray with others who follow Jesus allows us to praise and thank God together and to encourage each other. A Church Member is. Someone who learns We have been given the Word of God to feed and sustain us as Christians (Matthew 4:4). Just as a relationship is broken if there is no communication our lives are broken if we do not hear from God through his Word. Like prayer, receiving from God s Word is something that is done both on our own and to- gether. The obvious example is the Sunday sermon but there will be other opportunities to explore the bible with others in Small Groups or through informal ways like talking with others about what the message of the Sunday sermon means in your life (Colossians 3:16). Christians also receive from God by spending time daily reading and revlecting on the Bi- ble and Villing their minds with the truths it contains. A Church Member is. Someone who serves Every follower of Jesus is called to serve him through the Holy Spirit, both in the church (1 Corinthians 12:4-11) and in the world (John 17:18). All believers have gifts for serving others (1 Peter 4:10) and are called to make a difference (Matthew 5:13-16). Knowing Je- 7
sus gives us a heart to serve in church, home, work, leisure and public life. In order to use our gifts in God s service (Ephesians 2: 9-10) we may Virst need to discover what they are. Ask others you trust to give you honest feedback about where you are gifted and how these gifts can best be used in the service of Christ and other people. A Church Member is. Someone who gives God has given us the precious gift of his only Son, Jesus Christ (John 3:16). Everything we have comes from him and belongs to him. This makes a church member someone who gives generously. Giving Vinancially is crucial to resourcing God s work in both the local and wider church and such giving is also a sign that we love him more than money (Matthew 6:24). But giv- ing involves much more than money. It also includes our time and effort, even when this costs us. It is giving ourselves. A Church Member is. Someone who tells others about Jesus Being a church member means being involved in the mission of reaching out to others with the love of Jesus. Your local church will have specivic ways to do this. The thought of telling others about Jesus can be scary, but they deserve to know about the precious gift we have received (Acts 4:20): a restored relationship with God who loves us. Our lives should show that Jesus is real, but we also need to explain that we live as follow- ers of Jesus and are members of his church. A Church Member is. Someone who is committed It can often be hard to be a Christian in today s world. Jesus said that to follow him is costly and demanding (Luke 14:27-33). Pressures of life can make commitment to Christ s church difvicult too, but the Bible en- courages us to keep meeting together (Hebrews 10:24-25). In this way we can love and support each other to bring honour and glory to Christ in every aspect of our lives. A Church Member is. Someone who is cared for and valued Church members will receive the pastoral support of the ministers, elders (church lead- ers) and other congregational members. Church members automatically receive voting rights in the congregation for the election of new leaders or committee members. Over 8
time new members take a more active part in the work of their church and will eventually be able to take up leadership roles. 9
4 How do I become a communicant member of Fisherwick? The Presbyterian Church in Ireland is part of the family of churches, which baptise both Adult Believers who come to faith and the Infant Children of believing parents. Baptism only happens once. Those who have been baptised as In- fants or young children are convirmed or admitted to Com- munion or received into fellowship after attending Com- municant Classes and publicly expressing their personal faith by convirming their commitment to Christ and His church. Differing churches use differing phrases to mean es- sentially the same thing. We recognise the various ceremonies and methods by which differing denominations mark the acceptance of full membership on professing your own faith. Here in Fisher- wick we call this ConVirmation or Becoming a Communi- cant Member and each year we offer a series of Communi- cant or ConVirmation Classes for Adults and Young People which lead to a ConVirmation Service at which those who profess their faith are convirmed (or baptised and con- Virmed if they have not previously been baptised) as com- municant members of Christ s church. 10
If you have not yet become a follower of Christ, if you have never been baptised or con- Virmed but are thinking seriously about any of these issues, please speak with the minis- ter who will be happy to help. If you have been convirmed or admitted to communion or received into fellowship in another church, but are new to Fisherwick and would like to become a member, please speak to the minister. (You can also speak to the ministers about Baptism and Marriage if you require that infor- mation) 11
5 Who s Who FULL- TIME STAFF Rev Michael Anderson, BSc, PGCE, MDiv, DipM Minister - michael.visherwick@gmail.com Michael taught Biology for eight years in a high school in Bangor, Northern Ireland, before being called and trained for ministry. He has ministered in Scrabo Presbyterian Church, Newtownards, St. Andrew s Presbyterian Church, Belfast, Ballygowan Presbyterian Church, Newtownbreda Presbyterian Church, Belfast. And from September 2007 to June 2014 was the Minister of Arklow Presbyterian Church, Ireland. He is passionate about local and international mis- sion and every member ministry. Michael is married to Emma. They have three children: Erin, Patrick and Conor. A keen sportsman, Michael enjoys coaching junior rugby and junior cricket in his free time. Raymond Robinson, BA(Hons), DipM, DipMRS Church Manager - raymond.visherwick@gmail.com 12
Raymond joined Fisherwick in 2007 having worked for many years in a wide variety of business sectors, including Banking, Consulting, Advertising, IT and FMCG in Senior Man- agement positions with specialisms in Marketing Communication and Strategy. He is a professionally qualivied Vlute and world woodwinds teacher and musician. Immediately prior to joining Fisherwick, Raymond was in full- time ministry for four years teaching and ministering in Worship. He has a passion for the local church and its place in this world and in people understanding the true meaning of worship. He continues to minister and teach in worship internationally and has a website dedicated to this purpose - www.christianvlute.com. He is also a Board Member of United Christian Broadcasters Ire- land. Raymond is married to Julie and has two daughters Hannah and Rebekah. John O Donnell Assistant Minister - john.visherwick@gmail.com John joined Fisherwick in September 2015 as Assistant Minister. He completed his Di- ploma in Ministry Union Theological College in June 2016. He is married to Sarah and they have a son, Timothy. PART- TIME STAFF Daniel Moore Youth Worker - daniel.visherwick@gmail.com Daniel joined Fisherwick as Youth Worker in January 2016. David McCalmont Church OfVicer - david.visherwick@gmail.com David is married to Michelle they have three daughters, Holly, Megan and Amber. David is often the Virst point of contact for visitors and organisations using the church and halls. Neale Agnew, BEd, AdDipED, LTCL, LGSM Director of Music - ofvice@visherwick.net From a young age, Neale has been involved in every aspect of choral music as singer, con- ductor, accompanist and organ soloist. He began singing as a chorister in First Presbyte- rian Church, Bangor at age 8 and took over his Virst church choir aged 18. He joined the team at Fisherwick in January 2005 having spent 25 years as Organist & Choirmaster in 13
Ballygilbert Presbyterian Church. Neale has worked with most of Ulster s leading choirs and choral societies and his interest in liturgical music has given him opportunities to per- form at venues throughout Ireland, in England and more recently in Germany and Austria. He is married to Ciara (a music teacher and singer), and has two daughters, Colleen & Ais- ling. As a primary school teacher, Neale is keen to involve young people in music making and to promote high standards of worship and performance in all styles of church music. Maggi Pielou Finance Administrator - Vinance.Visherwick@gmail.com Maggi has worshipped at Fisherwick since 2004 and is a keen member of the choir. She worked in business for 35 years latterly as an Accounts Director & Company Secretary. Outside of church, she looks after her four young grandchildren. She and her husband, John, sing with the Belfast Community Gospel Choir and are volunteers for the SOS Bus Vlasking team. Janice Stockman Babies & Toddlers Coordinator - ofvice@visherwick.net Janice was our Family and Children s worker until her husband Rev Steve Stockman be- came minister of Fitzroy Presbyterian Church. She continues to coordinate the Babies & Toddlers Group. She is married to Steve and has two daughters Caitlin and Jasmine. Sheena McIlwrath Pastoral Assistant for Older Adults - ofvice@visherwick.net Sheena is married to John and has two married daughters (one in Belfast, one in Edin- burgh) and a son in London. They have four grandchildren at the last count. Sheena took up her role as Pastoral Assistant in 1995. She is a friend, mentor and convidante to a wide range of our older adults and oversees provision for this age group. This includes involve- ment with the weekly Wednesday Club, monthly luncheons, summer holidays and various outings throughout the year. MINISTERS EMERITAE The Rev Dr David Lapsley (who served the congregation from 1973-1993) and the Rev Dr Derek McKelvey (1994-2013) are Fisherwick s Ministers Emeritus. 14
CHURCH OFFICERS Clerk of Session - Linda Little Chairperson of the Board of Management - Alan Hewitt Church Treasurer - Peter Little Church Secretary of the Board of Management - Fiona Skelly Convenor of Finance Committee - Peter Lunn Freewill Offering Secretary & Recorder - Maggi Pielou Finance Payments Secretary - Maggi Pielou Gift Aid Secretary - Adrian Ferguson Convenor of the Development Committee - Alan Hewitt Convenor of Property Committee - Neil Stewart Convenor of Facilities Committee - Marlene Hanna Convenors of Welcome Committees - Dermot Gallaugher and Norma Best (Morning), Andy Wright (Evening) Convenor of the Audio Visual Committee - Gary Skelly ELDERS Alex Abraham, David Allen, Samuel Armstrong, Norma Best, Fred Boal, Dorothy Boyle, Tony Breene, Ian Bridgett, Cindy Brown, Robert Carson, Ruth Crawford, Muriel Cromie, Bill Dale, Carol Davis, Beatrice Doyle, Susan Eakin, Yvonne Elder, Gerry Gault, Trevor Grif- Viths, Mabel Hazlett, Alan Hewitt, Tom Hunter, Paul Hutchinson, Iris Jebb, Raymond Lig- gett, Peter Lindsay, Valerie Little, Peter Little, Linda Little, Peter Lunn, Jeremy Lyons, Yuile Magee, Bill McCrory, Hilary Newland, Tracey Robinson, Hazel Scott, Peter Scullion, Gary Skelly, Fiona Skelly, Tom Sloan, Neil Stewart, Roy Suiter, Don Taylor, Mabel Trory, Rose- mary Wilson, Arthur Young. 15
6 What s On For information regarding any of the organisations, clubs or activities listed below please contact the Church OfVice on 02890 666683 or email ofvice@visherwick.net. We will then pass your details on to the relevant Leader. 1. SUNDAY SERVICES & FELLOWSHIP Sunday Morning Fellowship at 10.00am in the Minor Hall is a great opportunity to build community and to get to know other members of the Fisherwick church family. Everyone is very welcome! Each Sunday we gather in the Minor Hall from 10:20 10:50 for tea, coffee and toast. Games to play for the young and the young- at- heart and a play area for the little ones! The Sunday Morning Worship Service starts at 11.00am. It is a family service including a Creche (Little Fishes 0-3 years), Young Peoples Church (KingVishers, Disciples and Soul). After the service each Sunday there is tea and coffee served and everyone is invited. 16
Sunday Night Live, evening service starts at 7.00pm. Tea and Coffee are served from 6.45pm and the service is open to all ages. 2. SMALL GROUPS We currently have a number of small groups in Fisherwick and they vary in location, size and style. Other churches may call these home groups or fellowship groups. They are a great way to make friends and grow in faith together. Most groups have an element of bi- ble study, prayer, discussion, fun, socialising and supper. If you are interested in joining a Small Group please contact the Church OfVice and your de- tails will be passed onto one of the Small Group Co- ordinators who will introduce you to a group that suits you. There is also information on the Notice Board regarding the present groups. For further information speak to Peter Scullion Small Group Co- ordinator or any small group leader. 3. CHILDREN & YOUNG PEOPLE LITTLE FISHES This is where babies to 3 year olds are cared for, meeting in the Parlour during Sunday Morning Service - available from 10.45am to 12.30pm. BABIES & TODDLERS Tuesday mornings 10.00am to 12.00pm. Parents, babies, toddlers and carers all welcome. Held in the Minor Hall and Parlour. KINGFISHERS Children stay with their parents for the Virst part of the Morning Service and participate in a children s talk. They then leave for Young Church. There are three groups, Nursery to 3 years, P1 - P4 and P5 - P7. We follow a programme of Bible teaching, activities include story telling, art and craft, prayers as well as songs. We help the children learn about Jesus and grow in their faith in a fun way. 17
DISCIPLES At a vital stage in life between progressing from Primary to Secondary school, young peo- ple become more aware of the world around them and begin to explore and ask ques- tions. It is at this stage where faith can be a important part of their personal journey. We believe as a church that the best way in equipping young people for their journey is to teach the words and actions of Jesus Christ. Disciples is a programme designed for Young People between Year 8 and 10 with the aim of discovering what it means to be a Disciple of Jesus Christ. It provides an opportunity to know more about God and how to live a life that imitates Christ. This programme runs during the morning service and young people are asked to meet in the Youth Room after the children s address. For more information contact Danny daniel.visherwick@gmail.com SOUL Soul is a programme designed as a Communicants Class for young people between Year 11 and 14 with the aim of becoming a Junior Member of the church. It provides the oppor- tunity to know more about what it means to be a member of the church and all that is in- volved within that. This programme is more Vlexible and will be offered during certain stages of the year to meet the needs of young people with the hope to be a member. For more information contact Danny daniel.visherwick@gmail.com GIRLS & BOYS BRIGADE The Girls Brigade is a Christian uniformed organisation for the girls aged 3 years and up- wards. It is international and interdenominational. They meet on Thursday evenings in the Church Halls from September to April. Girls 3-8 years are called Explorers and meet from 6.30-7.30pm. The Juniors (P5- P7), Seniors (From 1-3) and Brigaders (Form 4+) meet from 7.30-9.00pm. The Boy's Brigade also meet on a Thursday. The Anchor Boys (P1- P4) and the Junior Sec- tion (P5- P7) meet at 6.30-7.30pm. 18
We provide activities and opportunities for the girls and boys and help them Vind new in- terests, learn new skills and discover their gifts. It is all about having fun and meeting new friends. 4. STUDENTS Fisherwick has an excellent location for access by students, set right in the centre of Queens University Campus, next door to the Physics and Engineering Building, the Archi- tecture Department and the Science Library. The Church is passed by over 1000 students daily who are walking from the Halls of Residence to the main University Buildings. STUDENT LUNCHES Free lunches are served every Thursday during term from 12.00 to 2.00pm. Approximately 600-700 students from Queens and Stranmillis gather into the Church Halls for their lunch to enjoy the food. They receive a cup of the best soup in town, hot- dogs, salads, fruit, biscuits, crisps and tea/coffee. It is quite a feast and all absolutely free. It is a great way of spending a relaxing lunch hour (well 2 hours actually) and to meet ex- isting and new friends. Everyone is very welcome. INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS In Belfast there are over 2000 overseas students from every country in the world. When they arrive in Belfast they face separation from family and friends and the challenge of liv- ing in a strange country with a new language and culture to adapt to. The vision of Fisher- wick is that every international student would have a Christian friend. For information on how to be part of the student "family" in Fisherwick, please contact the Church OfVice. 5. ADULTS BADMINTON The Ladies Badminton Club meet on Tuesday at 10.00am in the Musgrave Hall. Over 18 Badminton Club meet on Tuesday at 7.30pm also in the Musgrave Hall. TABLE TENNIS The Wednesday Table Tennis Group meet each week 10am - 12noon. 19
BOWLING CLUB The Indoor Bowling Club meets in the Musgrave Hall at 7.30pm each Wednesday. THE CHOIR The Choir Practice begins at 7.45pm meeting in the Parlour. Please speak to Neale Agnew our Musical Director if you are interested in joining. WEDNESDAY CLUB The Wednesday Club (55+ age) meets in the Parlour each week from 10.30am to 12.00pm for a time of fellowship over a cup of coffee. There is a varied programme for older adults. We have several outings during the course of the year such as shopping trips and short holiday breaks. FURTHER INFORMATION If you require any further information about any of the organisations, please email either the specivic email addresses noted or email ofvice@visherwick.net. A full Annual Calendar is available in the Fisherwick Church App. 20
7 The Grace of Giving FULFILING THE GREAT COMMISSION The Grace of Giving Fisherwick is a vibrant church with numerous activities running on a daily basis, not only for its members but also for many people in our community. Resourcing all of these activities requires professional staff. We also have a dedi- cated Finance Team that keep a close check on costs so that the money that you contribute is used as wisely, effectively and as efviciently as possible. Income and expenditure is re- viewed on a monthly basis by the Vinance committee, in ad- dition to quarterly by the Board of Management and on an annual basis with detailed information being communi- cated to the entire congregation at the church AGM. It is the vision of the church not purely to cover our costs of ap- proximately 300,000 p.a., but to grow our income and re- sources so that we can fulvill our vision for ministry in this community which is outlined in our Strategic Plan. In light of this, along with many other Presbyterian churches in Ire- land, we launched our Grace of Giving Campaign in Febru- ary 2015. This encourages us all to review our contribution 21
to church life in the light of God s goodness to us expressed particularly in sending His Son to be our Saviour. The biblical principles behind this concept of giving as a response to God s grace are outlined below The Face of Giving First of all, it s important to put a face on giving: the loving face of the Father who calls and welcomes His children home.our giving occurs in the context of this relationship. It is a response to who God is and all he has done for us. We love because God Virst loved us.we forgive because we know what it is to be forgiven. We are compassionate because compassion has been showered upon us. And we give be- cause God is the great giver, giving even his Son. The Grace of Giving Giving is a response to the grace that God extends to us. Whilst we can never match the ex- tent of God s giving, we should seek to emulate its spirit, our imitation of God s love played out in our attitudes and actions. There is freedom and joy in giving that is totally non- transactional. We cut no deals with God and our giving earns us nothing: everything we need to earn has been earned for us by Jesus. Giving, therefore, should never be a matter of guilt.none of us would like to receive a gift that is thrust miserably into our hands, nothing but an obligation. God is no different. Cheerful giving means generous giving.the Old Testament taught the principle of tithing, giving 10% of income. Whilst the New Testament does not command tithing, revlecting our new found freedom from law, a tithe is a guide rather than a command and remains a benchmark. A Tithe would be 10% of our income net of tax, as through Gift Aid the tax paid can be recovered. For some people there will be times when the circumstances of life and the demands of family or the loss of a job may mean that it is not possible for some people to meet this standard. The mathematics of tithing is simple even after 10% has been given, we still have 90%, and that 90% is much more than most people in this world even have to begin with. We should not overlook the hard times that many in our society are experiencing. Every con- 22
gregation has a wide diversity of incomes. Our giving should be proportionate to our re- sources. Giving generously for some people may mean being able to contribute much more than 10%. The Place of Giving As Christians, both young and old, there are many worthy calls upon our money, but the foremost place of giving ought to be our local congregation, and the mission of the wider Presbyterian church to which we belong. In our proper recognition that other causes are important, the pendulum of our giving should not swing away from the mission of this church of which we are a part. Each indi- vidual will decide how much to give to charities and other Christian organisations. It is not unspiritual to say that the church needs resources individuals called and set aside for service, as well as buildings and a rich variety of programmes and projects all need to be properly funded. Our giving results in thanksgiving and brings glory to God s name. 2 Corinthians 9:12. When more is given, more is possible:scripture uses the analogy of a harvest, teaching that a church whose members sow generously can expect a rich harvest. Giving is not a loss, it is an investment in the kingdom of God. Our giving should be planned and regular,in addition to one- off projects. We should also regularly evaluate our level of giving, whether in cash terms or as a percentage of our in- come. We should take time to read our church reports and church magazines, to under- stand the Vinancial situation of our local congregation and the work of the wider church and respond accordingly. This is an intrinsic part of church membership and part of the working out of our faith. There are over 2,300 verses in the Bible about money, wealth and possessions, and around a third of Jesus parables related to such themes. The Mechanisms for Giving Setting up a Standing Order - you can set up a standing order if you have online banking by creating a new regular payment to Fisherwick Presbyterian Church. The details are as follows (you may not need all of them) Account Name: Fisherwick Presbyterian Church - General Account 23
Sort Code: 95 01 32 Account Number: 12791676 This is a Danske Bank Account and the branch is Benmore House, 353 Lisburn Road, Bel- fast BT9 7EP Please put your name in the details box. OR Even if you don't have online banking, if you instruct your bank in person with these de- tails, they will set up a standing order for you. You can set this up with an ending date or to keep going until you change it. OR Standing Orders used to be set up using Bankers Order forms, but the banks rarely use these forms now. If you do prefer to use a form, We can send you one which you can then pass to your bank. Setting up a Pledge Each year we send each member a Pledge Card on which they are meant to indicate the amount they hope to give in the following year. This enables us to budget accurately, to live within our resources, and to seek alternative funds to balance our books. It is an indi- cation of your intention, not a formal or binding contract should circumstances change. If you have any questions concerning Giving to the church, please talk to myself, our Church Manager or Church Treasurer. 24
8 Your details Keeping accurate records is vital to ensure that we can com- municate with you. It is therefore important to inform the Church OfVice (ofvice@visherwick.net) of any change of details (address, email, mobile). We use email as the main means of personal communica- tion, as much as possible (to reduce post costs), so if you cannot recall if you have sent the Church OfVice this infor- mation, please email (or post) the following details: THE INFORMATION PROVIDED WILL BE TREATED IN THE STRICTEST CONFIDENCE Please provide the following information for every adult in your household. Full Name Date of Birth Address Email 25
Mobile Number In addition, if applicable, please give names of under 18s in your household. Thank you. 26
CONNECTIONS KEEP IN TOUCH BY DOWNLOADING THE FREE FISHERWICK CHURCH APP AVAIL- ABLE ON ALL DEVICES Church Address Fisherwick Presbyterian Church, Church OfVice, 4 Chlorine Gardens, Belfast BT9 5DJ Website www.visherwick.net Telephone 02890 666683 Church App Search Fisherwick Church on the Apple or Google App stores to download our free church app Facebook Email www.facebook.com/fisherwick ofvice@visherwick.net 27
Fisherwick Presbyterian Church Church Office 4 Chlorine Gardens Belfast, BT9 5DJ T - 02890 666683 E - office@fisherwick.net W - www.fisherwick.net Church App - search Fisherwick Church on App Stores 28