European economic governance needs to be balanced by a social dimension, according to Churches in Europe. At a meeting with the Irish EU Presidency in Dublin on Friday March 8, they questioned the sense in discussing economic austerity without including measures for social cohesion. Efforts aimed at the eradication of structural poverty and inequality should all be considered when measuring [...]

The Presbyterian Church has welcomed the proposed amendment to the Criminal Justice Bill which it believes brings clarification and accountability to the circumstances under which abortions are possible in Northern Ireland.

The next Moderator of the Presbyterian Church will be Rev Rob Craig (58), minister of Kilfennan Presbyterian Church, Londonderry.

With Westminister due to debate the issue of same sex marriage tomorrow, Tuesday 5 February, the Presbyterian Church has again stated its clear opposition to any change in the present marriage legislation. In a letter to all sitting Northern Ireland MP’s the Church expresses its “strong support for the retention of the present legal definition of marriage as ‘the permanent [...]

Two ministers with strong north-west credentials are the only two names for consideration when Presbyterians around Ireland vote next Tuesday evening, 5 February, to decide who will be the next Presbyterian Moderator and chair the General Assembly when it meets this June in Londonderry.

The Irish Churches Peace Project, a new initiative supported by the largest Christian denominations in Ireland and due to be publically launched in the spring of 2013, is currently recruiting six regional Good Relations Officers.

Presbyterian Moderator Dr Roy Patton has welcomed the announcement by Agriculture Minister Michelle McNeill that a further £15m is to be made available to local farmers to ease the significant pressure they are currently under. “One of the recurring themes as I visit Presbyterian congregations around the country are the difficulties that the farming community is facing,” explained Dr Patton. [...]

Ahead of today’s Private Members’ Business in the Northern Ireland Assembly on ‘Marriage Equality’ the Presbyterian Church has written to all MLA’s stating its opposition to any change in the current legal definition of marriage which is stated as “the permanent and lifelong union of one man and one woman, to the exclusion of all others”. The letter (copy below) [...]

Presbyterian Moderator Dr Roy Patton left Saturday, 04 August, for a three week visit to Indonesia to meet with Presbyterian overseas personnel, representatives of partner Churches and to see projects that the Presbyterian Church has been supporting. It is 40 years since the Presbyterian Church began working in Indonesia, the fourth largest country in the world with a population of [...]

The four church leaders met with a Sinn Féin delegation today, Friday 27 April, to discuss the implications of possible welfare reforms in Northern Ireland. The meeting took place in Armagh and is part an ongoing involvement of the church leaders with this issue.