This month sees the opening of three new Methodist halls in different places across the country. The first of these was opened at Portlaoise last Saturday.
Next Saturday, a new hall will be opened at Lisbellaw in Co Fermanagh. The fruit of several years of planning and preparation, it is at the rear of the site which already houses the church and minister's residence. The hall will be used for a number of church activities, and notably for youth work. It will be dedicated by the President of the Church, the Rev Kenneth Todd, and a recently formed circuit choir will lead the praise.
May 24th has been chosen as the date for the opening of the halls at Sligo. This event was to have taken place some weeks ago, but had to be postponed for several weeks due to the foot-and-mouth emergency. The choice of May 24th is particularly appropriate as it is celebrated by Methodist people as Wesley Day.
It was on that date in 1738 that John Wesley had the experience at Aldersgate Street in London which revitalised his faith, and led a year later to his beginning the work out of which the Methodist Church developed. It is believed the new halls will revitalise the work of the Sligo Methodists.
The opening ceremony and dedication of the halls will be conducted by the Rev Kenneth Todd. The main hall is on the site of an old hall, with access for the disabled. The second floor provides office accommodation. The building will not only provide facilities for the activities of the local Methodists throughout the week, but will also be available for use by local community groups.
The Sligo church has for many years being making its premises available in this way, and the new halls will enhance this work.
Tomorrow, the Dublin District of the church will gather at Christ Church, Leeson Park, for a day of worship and workshops. The worship at 11.30 a.m. will be addressed by the President of the Church, and the workshops will consider the challenges facing the church at present.
Out of the discussions will come plans for the work on the district over the coming months. The day will conclude with worship at about 5 p.m. The late Rev Dr Donald English was a frequent visitor to Ireland; his wife Bertha is Irish. The focus of his ministry was evangelical, and the Methodist Recorder has announced the foundation of the Donald English Young Scholars' Fund in his memory. This fund has been set up by the Evangelical Forum for Theology and will provide grants of up to £500 for young Methodist scholars.
Details of the fund and the conditions under which grants may be made can be obtained from the Rev Dr Martin Wellings, 53 Oxford Road, Kidlington, Oxfordshire, OX5 2BP, England.
The President of the Church, the Rev Kenneth Todd, will tomorrow attend the Dublin District Day at Christ Church, Leeson Park.
On Monday he will lead the Methodist observers at the General Synod of the Church of Ireland. Next Saturday, May 19th, he will open and dedicate the new hall at Lisbellaw.