The church's Big Breakfast 2015 was a big success. Over £1500 was raised for the Church Building Fund. Thank you to all those who "cleaned their plate" for your donation. Thank you to John Gamble (Funeral Directors, Dromore) for sponsoring the event for another year, and all our suppliers. And, of course, thank you to our very dedicated and very hard-working volunteers who made sure everything was cooked and prepared to perfection, made sure everyone was catered for and looked after, who made sure everyone "had their fill", and who made sure everything was cleaned and tidied away again afterwards.

The Church of England has said it is "disappointed and bewildered" by the refusal of leading UK cinemas to show an advert featuring the Lord's Prayer.

The Church called the decision "plain silly" and warned it could have a "chilling" effect on free speech.

It had hoped the 60-second film would be screened UK-wide before Christmas ahead of the new Star Wars film.

The agency that handles adverts for the cinemas said it could offend those of "differing faiths and no faith".

The advert features the Christian prayer being recited or sung by a variety of people.
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They include refugees, a grieving son, weightlifters at a gym, a sheep farmer, a gospel choir and the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Reverend Justin Welby.

Jordan Wilson is just 19 and is studying Natural Science at Trinity College, Dublin. On frequent breaks back home to Dromore, Jordan plays the organ for our congregation.

The young student is a talented musician and has a Diploma in Music (Piano). When he was asked to help out occasionally during church services he was happy to assist, thinking to himself, "Surely it can't be too much different to playing the piano?"

He doesn't think that any more!

Jordan finds accompanying congregational hymns stressful but recognises the great experience he is gaining and is keen to "push" himself musically. He learns with each new verse and chorus.

Yes, it is stressful. Yes, it is a relief to finish the final hymn. But Jordan is grateful for the experience and thankful for the opportunity.

The congregation is grateful and thankful too!

The Women's League monthly meeting was treated to a Flower Arranging Demonstration by Anna McVeigh, with an emphasis on arrangements suitable for Christmas at home. The League meets monthly in the Session Room and all are welcome.

Our service of Remembrance was delayed slightly to allow all those who attended the Act of Remembrance at our town's War Memorial time to make their way, in the wind and rain, from Market Square to Barban Hill. The congregation stood whilst Joe Martin (Church Treasurer) and Rev Sam laid a wreath on our Table of Remembrance.
Rev Sam read from Micah 4: "They will hammer their swords into ploughs and their spears into pruning knives" and said there was as much need for all nations to have ploughs and pruning knives today as there was in Micah's days, and urged arms manufacturers to turn their production to peace. He included the poem, "In Flanders Fields".
The flowers were supplied by Joan Black and the arrangement designed by Anna McVeigh.

Inspiration for “In Flanders Fields”
During the early days of the Second Battle of Ypres a young Canadian artillery officer, Lieutenant Alexis Helmer, was killed on 2nd May, 1915 in the gun positions near Ypres. An exploding German artillery shell landed near him. He was serving in the same Canadian artillery unit as a friend of his, the Canadian military doctor and artillery commander Major John McCrae.
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As the brigade doctor, John McCrae was asked to conduct the burial service for Alexis because the chaplain had been called away somewhere else on duty that evening. It is believed that later that evening, after the burial, John began the draft for his now famous poem “In Flanders Fields”.

(Source: The Great War - A Guide to WW1 Battlefields and History of the First World War)

Rev Sam Peden conducted the Baptism Service for twins Amelia Grace - with their father, David Patterson and Isabella Rose - with their mother, Christine McConaghy, at Dromore Non-Subscribing Presbyterian Church on 1st November 2015. Included are the girls' God Parents James and Amy Patterson, and Jackie and Alana McConaghy.
Rev Sam presented each little girl with a bible as he conveyed to the young family our church's blessing and best wishes.
The church was packed with family and friends of the twin's parents and afterwards they enjoyed lunch at Dromore Rugby Club.