A 2020 Celebration Concert will be held on February 20th at 8 p.m. in the Royal Dublin Society, Ballsbridge. A 2020 Orchestra was brought together a while ago and has gained eclat for its performance and well-chosen repertoire. Ms Diane Petherick, a soprano, much involved in encouraging the use of well-chosen music in the worship of the church, will be one of the soloists. She has featured in a number of radio and television programmes. The concert repeats a similar event some time ago which was a sell-out; the same success is hoped for this.
Tickets at £10 for adults with the usual concessions - £5, are obtainable from The Road Ahead Project, 16a Palmerston Park, Rathmines, by sending an SAE or by telephone 4969194.
The proceeds will boost a fund being raised to restructure the historic Adelaide Road Presbyterian Church in the spring. It will provide modern facilities for work amongst the entire community like "An Unemployment Resource Centre-Dolebusters" and various playgroups for toddlers and their parents.
The Rev Frank Sellar, minister of Adelaide Road and Donore, reports that already £500,000 has been given or pledged for this imaginative and beneficial project.
The election of moderators of the various church courts were held at the beginning of February. The moderator of the DublinMunster Presbytery is the Rev James Carson. After ministries in Raffrey and Oldpark in the North, he was installed in Greystones and Arklow in 1989.
The Rev Jean Mackarel is the moderator of the Synod of Dublin by unanimous choice of the three presbyteries in the Republic. She has been minister of Drumkeeran, Killeshandra, Cavan and Bellasis since 1986.
Mrs Mackarel will moderate at the annual meeting of the Synod of Dublin in Christ Church, Sandymount, on March 8th and 9th. The Synod will begin on the evening of the 8th with worship and the celebration of the Lord's Supper and the constitution.
The Rev Dr John Lockington has been elected Moderator of the General Assembly, securing 10 of the possible 21 votes of the Presbyteries. He succeeds the Right Rev Dr John Dixon at the General Assembly on June 7th. He is the minister of the large and influential congregation of Gardenmore, Larne, Co Antrim. Dr Lockington is a stamp collector and a member of the North of Ireland Philatelic Society. He supports the "Blues", Linfield Football Club.
A major emphasis in his ministry is evangelism, ministering to people to bring them into a right relationship with Jesus Christ and to those who are Christians to help them mature and grow to be effective in living for Him. Dr Lockington "would like to see Christians having an impact in such a way that others would feel drawn to the Saviour". In the whole realm of society at every level he would encourage Christian people to bring Christian principles to bear in every situation in which they live.
Traditionally the moderator designate speaks at the annual general meeting of the Society for Orphans and Children of Ministers and Missionaries. Dr Lockington will speak at the 126th annual meeting of the society in Church House, Belfast on February 23rd at 12 noon.
The Rev R. S. McMullan has received a Call to the New Row Congregation in Coleraine. He succeeds the Very Rev Dr Harry Allen, a former moderator of the General Assembly. Mr McMullan, after a ministry in the Maze Presbyterian Church, has been director of Scripture Union in the Republic since 1996.
Morning service will be broadcast (courtesy of RTE) from First Monaghan on Sunday, February 28th at 10.45 a.m. The Rev Brian Black will conduct the service and preach the sermon.