A PRESBYTERIAN minister in Sligo has voiced concern about the behaviour of members of his church in the North during the Drumcree stand off last summer.
The minister of the Sligo Presbyterian Church, the Rev Alan Mitchell, said that as a Northerner living in the South he has had "almost to apologise at times for the behaviour of some members and even ministers of my denomination".
The comments were made by Mr Mitchell in a recent letter of thanks addressed to members of Craigavon Borough Council. The letter followed a civic visit by a delegation from the council to Sligo in October, led by the mayor of Craigavon, Mr Hugh Casey.
The visit, which coincided with the Sligo Choral Festival, was extremely successful, according to Mr Mitchell, who said that the mayor of Craigavon had presented people in the Republic with the face of reconciliation rather than confrontation. Mr Casey attended services in the Church of Ireland, Presbyterian and Catholic churches during his visit and spoke positively about the prospects for peace and reconciliation, Mr Mitchell said.
"In the presence of so many people from Europe, England as well as Ireland, it was great that they heard words from someone in an area of conflict that gave them hope and encouragement."
Mr Casey, a Catholic and describing himself as a Labour member since he broke with the SDLP - which expressed opposition when he accepted an MBE - is sharing the mayoral office with Ulster Unionist Party councillor, Mr Samuel Lutton.
"Some of my colleagues talk as if the Presbyterian Church begins and ends in the Six Counties. Sometimes they talk as if the church exists only in the North and not in the Republic. They, have to bear in mind that we are an all Ireland church and they should consider that when they are making statements," Mr Mitchell said yesterday commenting on the letter.
"We were all deeply saddened by what happened during the summer and I feel that the Protestant churches, of which the Orangemen were all members, should have foreseen the impending crisis and become agents of peace and reconciliation, rather than issuing statements afterwards.
"There are times when ministers and politicians in the North make statements and they do not take account in those statements of how it will be received by ministers and congregations in the Republic. I wouldn't say they deliberately do it. It's a lack of thought.
"They are up there and they are not aware of us down here, because so many of them have never put a foot across the Border. We encourage Protestants in the North to come down and visit Protestants in the South, so they can see how well the minority is integrated into the majority situation.
"People were thrilled that someone from the North was coming to talk about reconciliation and was calling for peace and prayer. It was great to hear such a positive message. He talked openly about Drumcree and how the events there had divided people and how we had to get over it and engage in an exercise of bridge building", Mr Mitchell said.