2023-12-31-annual-report

Maze

Presbyterian Church Knowing, Serving and Sharing Jesus

Annual Report 2023

Minister

Very Rev. Dr. W.J. Henry B.Sc. B.D. The Manse, 47 Kesh Road 028 9262 1269

Kirk Session
Brian Adams	Stewart Houston		Giles Page
Cameron Bell	Andy Irvine		Alastair Peoples
Jonathan Brown	Kenneth Irwin		George Redpath
George Browne	Alan MarSn		Stuart Thompson
Andrew Gibson	Ian Maxwell		Douglas Walker
Paul Hanna (Clerk)	Harry McKendry		Robert Watson
AnneQe Harte	David Morrow
Elders Emeritus
Denis Adams	Lesley Bell		Stanley Swan
Commi3ee
Graeme Anderson	Peter Hanna		Keith Redfern
David Carlisle	Mark Kirkwood		Diane Rosbotham
Robert Cleland	Andrew McKinstry		Jacqueline Swan
Lisa Cochrane	Robert McIlroy		Valerie Wallace
David Davidson	Brian Miller		Jamie Williamson
Dale Gill	Edna Moneypenny		Paul Young
Secretary	Andy Irvine	028 9266 5959
Treasurer	George Redpath	028 9442 3837
Membership Secretary	Paul Hanna	028 9266 5369
Gi< Aid Secretary	George Redpath	028 9442 3837
Finance sub-Commi3ee	Cameron Bell	Paul Hanna
	George Redpath	George Brown
Property sub-Commi3ee	Robert Cleland	Graeme Anderson Mark Kirkwood
	Andrew McKinstry	Keith Redfern	Paul Young
Churchyard Convener	Kenneth Irwin

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What’s On Around the Church?

MONDAY Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme, 7:30pm TUESDAY Tuesday Club, Second Tuesday of the month, 10:30am Fortnightly, Fellowship Groups, 8:00pm WEDNESDAY Fortnightly, Fellowship Groups, 10:00am Fortnightly, Fellowship Groups, 8:00pm Fortnightly Prayer MeeSng, 8:00pm THURSDAY Parent & Toddlers, 9:30am Women@Maze, As announced, 8:00pm Men@Maze, As announced, 8:00pm FRIDAY Youth Club, 6:30-8:00pm (weekly) Crossroads, 8:00-9:30 (fortnightly) SUNDAY Sunday Club & Bible Class, 10:15am Prayer Room, 10:45am Morning Worship, 11:30am Youth Fellowship, 7:30-9:00pm

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Church Record 2023

BapQsms

James Samuel Hutchinson Hollie Eve McKinstry Micah Fletcher Hughes Logan Alexander Bell Liam Michael Knox Murphy Sarah Brown Philip Waring Ellie Allison Beth Vance Martha Elsie Sarah Thompson

Marriages

Ruth Elizabeth Hanna to Steven Robert David Kidd

Deaths

William McCaw Hilary Thompson

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Session Report

Session had six stated meeSngs in 2023 and one special meeSng. Our Session Conference considered the Vine Project and our approach to Pastoral Care. Each meeSng begins with a short Sme of devoSon and prayer, recognising our need for guidance and wisdom from God, as we seek to spiritually guide our CongregaSon. Session members also meet prior to the Wednesday evening prayer meeSng, specifically to pray for each other, those in our respecSve districts and for the acSviSes within our CongregaSon.

As all Session members are Trustees, the Charity Commission Trustees’ Report for 2022 was submiQed on 23 October 2023 and Session also provided a report to Presbytery as part of their review. Alan MarSn conSnued in his role as our Presbytery RepresentaSve.

gihs and talents God has given him and his wife, Rachel. We also welcomed two new Elders, Ian Maxwell and Douglas Walker, following a meeSng of the CongregaSon on 7 June to co-opt them. George Browne indicated that he intended to step down from his role as Clerk and Paul Hanna was subsequently appointed to the role. We give thanks to God for George’s 12 years of service and pay tribute to him for all the work he put into our CongregaSon over that Sme. His contribuSon was formally marked when Session members and their spouses were invited to the Manse for a meal together, as well as presenSng a small gih during Worship on 7 January 2024. We are delighted that George will conSnue as an Elder.

We also give thanks for Harry McKendry’s huge contribuSon to the development of our worship at Maze since November 1992. Harry formally stepped down from this role towards the end of 2023 and his work was also acknowledged during Worship on 7 January 2024.

During 2023, Session discussed the development of a new approach to Pastoral Care within our Church. We are grateful to Heather Houston, Jacqueline Swan and AnneQe Harte for leading on the operaSonal aspects of this and trust we will grow together as a Church as we support one another pracScally and spiritually in the future.

In the past year, Session has had a focus on the importance of prayer. The Prayer sub-Group has been re-established and a new Prayer Ministry has commenced under the direcSon of David Davidson, supported by Alastair and Ann Peoples, David and Juanita Morrow and Nora Henry. We are encouraged by the response to this iniSaSve and would encourage everyone to come forward for prayer as well as to pray for others, both individually and corporately. Please drop into the prayer room on a Sunday morning anySme between 10:45-11:15, or come along to our midweek prayer meeSng at 8:00pm in the Welcome Area.

Other acSviSes of note in 2023 include an evangelism training course, our Sunday Service radio broadcast on 16 April and in response to a request from Graham Stockdale (Chaplain in HMP Maghaberry), those in our CongregaSon who now use their musical gihs and talents to support Worship within the prison. It has also been encouraging to see many new people join our CongregaSon and in parScular, to see those individuals becoming acSvely engaged and involved. We encourage everyone to find their place of service within the body.

Paul Hanna, Clerk of Session

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Commi.ee Report

The Church CommiQee consists of elected members of the congregaSon and all Elders. Its main job is to look aher the smooth running and maintenance of the church buildings and manse. During 2023 we held an elecSon for new CommiQee members. CommiQee met six Smes and the following business formed much of our discussion:

1. church accounts. CommiQee is content that repayments on the church development loan remain on track and that organisaSons have submiQed accounts, which have been examined and approved by our independent examiner.

2. Policy for use of church premises. Following a discussion at Session, CommiQee was asked to develop a policy in relaSon to requests from external groups who wish to use church property. A sub-commiQee was set up to consider requests for the use of our buildings. This year we were pleased to accommodate Lisburn and Castlereagh BeeSafe program, ChrisSan Guidelines marriage preparaSon classes, Scripture Union training events, Various PCI groups and the annual conference of the Northern Ireland Ministry Assembly.

3. Property maintenance and manse redevelopment. Maintaining the carpark conSnues to be a challenge, temporary markings have been put in place unSl an affordable final soluSon can be found. For many years, the manse has been showing signs of age and has required considerable work to keep it at a reasonable standard. CommiQee spent much Sme discussing the state of the manse and approved redevelopment which was subsequently agreed at a congregaSonal meeSng. Plans for our new manse have been submiQed for planning approval. The redevelopment of the manse has not gone ahead due to rising costs of materials and rising interest rates, the redevelopment will conSnue to be a priority for CommiQee.

4. AV improvements. CommiQee regularly gives thought to how best to use our excellent faciliSes to enhance worship and to make our services accessible to those who are unable to join us on a Sunday. An improved camera and sohware allow us to record sermons which can now be viewed online via links which are posted on the church website each week. We also have live streaming our services which can be viewed online via YouTube. We have regular viewers watching our services online.

Andy Irvine

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Organisa2on Reports

Crossroads

Crossroads meets on Friday evenings 8:00pm-9:30pm, fortnightly between September and May each year. It caters for kids and teenagers of secondary school age, allowing them to meet informally in a youth club style format. Nightly aQendance ranges from 15-30 kids/teenagers from the local area. Each night acSviSes kick off with a 10 minute ChrisSan talk from one of the leaders followed by a 20 minutes communal game/acSvity in the hall. Thereaher everyone is free to choose between tuck shop, relaxing/chalng in the welcome area or further structured games and acSviSes in the main hall and Bell room. Various "theme" nights also occur which this year included movie night, make your own pizza, escape room, trip to adventure golf, ice bowl/bowling.

Crossroads provides a follow on from "Junior Youth Club" for kids in the local area, keeping them familiar and connected with our Church and each other as the move to secondary school splits them from primary school group). It is a safe ChrisSan principled environment with a ChrisSan talk each night and leaders are always open for further quesSons and conversaSons. In aQendance are kids from varying degrees of connecSon with the Church so Crossroads sees itself is a reaching and connecSng ministry with the youth in our area that looks to integrate into or promote other church/ChrisSan acSviSes.

Keith Redfern

Duke of Edinburgh

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award at Maze is registered as an Open Award and provides the opportunity for young people between the ages of 14-25 to complete their Bronze, Silver and Gold Award within a ChrisSan environment. This year we had 14 parScipants working towards their Bronze or Silver Award. These parScipants included young people from Maze and Ballinderry Presbyterian, local churches and from the local communiSes.

Training for the expediSon secSon of their Award takes place on a Monday evening between the months of October to April. During these training sessions the young people learn the principles of navigaSon and camp crah skills. These skills are then put into pracSce on day walks in the Mournes.

The Bronze level completed a PracSce expediSon on the North Down Coastal Path in April camping at Crawfordsburn Scout Centre. This was followed by a Qualifying expediSon in the Mournes, camping at Tollymore Forest Park. The Silver level successfully completed both their PracSce and Qualifying expediSons in the Mourne Mountains in April.

The new Award season recommenced in October this year, with all 3 levels of the Award running, totalling 22 young people. Their training will conSnue into the New Year.

Three of our Hillwalking leaders aQended a 21 gun salute at Hillsborough Castle to celebrate the Kings Birthday where they were presented with Volunteer Long Service Awards in recogniSon for their dedicaSon to the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.

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In November we welcomed many young people and their parents to a Sunday morning service to celebrate the achievement of 23 Awards.

Barbara Carlisle

Men@Maze

It has been another busy year for Men at Maze as we aim to deliver a range of acSviSes that develop faith, deepen fellowship and provide some Sme to wind down as well. Over the course of the year we have had a number of newer men to the congregaSon come along to the events, they have found this a good way to get to know other people within the church.

always been a well-aQended event and this year, Richard Coekin, delivered 3 sessions on how the seven churches menSoned in RevelaSon have a message for all churches today. This was a deeply challenging set of teachings and we all came away with a new view of the significance of those seven churches and what they represented. An equally big hit was the lunch we went for at Flame Restaurant which kept us going for the final session!

On Saturday 4 March we trialled a completely new event, a Lads and Dads Day which was a part of Exodus Legacy Project. Legacy days are designed as an opportunity for fathers and father figures to spend some quality Sme with their sons and to develop that sense of communicaSon between each other. For this event we had 8 sets of dads and their sons. We met for a game of football golf at Spruce Meadows before returning to the church to make a bird house. There were certainly some nervous dads using saws and hammer and nails! Aher the shoulder to shoulder element of the day we then moved more face to face. Over dinner (Chippy Tea) dads and their sons took turns to ask each other quesSons from a quesSon pot and then discussed ‘firsts’ on a walk or down Sme together. The final part of the day was looking to design our own personal family crests. The whole day was a great day for dads and their sons to connect and this is something we are keen to develop between dads and their daughters in the following year. Out thanks to Andy Lamberton and his son for facilitaSng the day and organising the acSviSes.

On the lead up to Easter we met on a Sunday evening to look at the theme of resurrecSon as it develops through the Bible. The large group of men split into smaller groups to read and chart the idea of resurrecSon, leading up to Jesus’ resurrecSon. We looked at how this was different than all instances prior and how significant it was. It was great for the men of the congregaSon to study and discuss the Bible together and to see how we all got something slightly different from this study.

The end of June is always marked by our BBQ and tesSmony evening. It turned out to be quite a wet night and thanks to Sam and Robert for sScking by the BBQ while it teemed down! Aher a good feed we all seQled to hear from David and Cameron. We thank them for giving their tesSmony and its always good to be reminded just how important our tesSmonies are. The evening ended in a ‘PhysiQuiz’ where all answers to the quesSons had to be given in a physical way. This started off quite civil but by the end became quite compeSSve! At a stage it looked like the ‘True/False’ ball at the end was going to have to be stopped on health and safety grounds!!

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At the end of September, aher all other church organisaSons were back up and underway aher the summer break, we had our annual Bowling Night. It was great to get a couple of games of bowling in and to get a chance to catch up and meet others that we don’t always get the chance to talk to on a Sunday. Aher Philip’s big win last year there were plenty of the guys keen to prove themselves this year. Eventually it was Jamie who claimed our new ‘high quality’ bowling trophy!

of bacon baps and quite a few litres of coffee were consumed, we were thankful to hear Joe Cole talk to us about the work of ChrisSan Fellowship Trust. This organisaSon started with a small group of men who pulled some funds together and with God’s guidance were able to benefit so many people, especially missionaries across the world. Joe closed his talk giving us a challenge to perhaps start something like this within our own men’s group. This is something we are keen to look at for the incoming year and hope to develop this idea further.

Throughout the year there has also been the opportunity for some football. Some of the games have been against each other but we have also had the opportunity to play against another church as well! If you’re interested in a game, keep an eye out on the Men at Maze WhatsApp group which gives details of most of what is happening throughout the year.

Maybe you are reading this report and seeing some of the photos of the group. As you can hear and see there is plenty of acSvity and opportunity for you to meet others within the church. Maybe you haven’t come along before. Why not think about coming along? Please feel free to talk to me or any of the men who aQend, all are more than welcome!

Mark Kirkwood

Parents and Toddlers

Parents and Toddlers meets every Thursday morning from 9.30 to 11.30 am. Each week we follow the same rouSne of free-play in the main church hall, alongside a crah and a themed acSvity, followed by a singing and story Sme in the welcome area, coffee and snack for adults and kids and finishing up with some nursery rhymes.

Our group is open to all families, regardless of background or church connecSon. In the past year we have seen an increase in the number of families aQending, with an average aQendance of between 25 and 30 children and their respecSve parents or carers. Our aim is that all who aQend our group will receive a warm, uncondiSonal welcome and will feel a sense of belonging amongst people who genuinely care for them.

At the outset, Parents and Toddlers is an opportunity for children and adults to engage socially; for children to have fun playing and interacSng with each other and for adults to enjoy some grown-up conversaSon and good coffee! However, we believe that it is so much more than this. Our prayer is that Jesus is made known to all who aQend our group and we try to do this though the inclusion of ChrisSan focused songs, Bible stories and crahs but also know that ohen the most effecSve way of sharing faith is through relaSonship. To this end, we are so grateful for the consistent core group of church families, who are fantasSc at integraSng with and gelng alongside those who join us from outside of the church and we firmly believe that

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the Holy Spirit is at work through these relaSonships in our group, either with leaders or with other parents and carers.

In 2023 it was very encouraging to see the same consistent families aQending regularly and to witness developing friendships, as well as to see some of our non-church families aQend other events happening at church.

trail, Teddy Bears’ Picnic and Christmas party. It was especially a joy to see nearly 40 toddlers and babies exploring the Easter story with their parents and carers at our Easter trail as they completed different crah acSviSes and tasks together. At Smes like these we pray that seeds will be sown in our toddlers’ hearts however limited their understanding but that, at the same Sme, adults might also be challenged and prompted to think.

We enjoyed a beauSful morning of June sunshine for our Teddy Bears’ Picnic and on this occasion, we acknowledged those who moved on to start preschool in September. We pray that the seeds that have been sown during their Sme with us will conSnue to be nourished.

In 2023 it was fantasSc to welcome a number of new leaders to serve in this ministry. With larger numbers aQending, extra help has been essenSal to allow us to effecSvely manage our Thursday mornings. However, we are always on the lookout for those who could give some Sme, even on a rota basis to help.

Kathryn Kelsey

Sunday Club

The Sunday Club team is made up of 20 enthusiasSc and energeSc teachers and helpers who are commiQed each week to faithfully teaching God’s word to almost 100 children and young people. Each Sunday morning, from 10.15 - 11.15am, we meet together with the desire to teach them more about Jesus. Each week the primary classes begin by singing, learning memory verses and praying together. We teach from the Bible and through sharing experiences from life, to ensure the children and young people have a sound knowledge of God, and that they are supported in growing in their spiritual life, faith and understanding. We encourage them to ask quesSons from a young age and to learn the importance of prayer, Bible reading and connecSng with other ChrisSans to ensure they are confident in living their life for God.

From January to May 2023, we used SU teaching resources with the primary classes and Junior Bible Class while Senior Bible Class studied Paul’s leQers to the Corinthians. In September 2023, to help the children and young people understand more about the storyline of the Bible, we started to use ‘ The Biggest Story Curriculum ’ as our teaching material. We encourage parents to explore the lessons we have learnt in Sunday Club each week, by signing up to receive ‘ The Biggest Story ’ email newsleQers. This year, the primary classes are also learning the names and the order of the Books of the Bible. Since September, Senior Bible Class has been focusing on having a personal relaSonship with God including prayer, praise and Bible Study.

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On Sunday 5th March, as part of our mission focus, we held our ‘Stew and Apple Pie’ lunch aher the morning service, raising approx. £1000 to support those working in the Arab world. We greatly appreciated the support from the church family aQending the lunch, providing food, serving/clearing up and donaSng to the ministry.

God to us throughout the year at Sunday Club. We recalled what we had learnt about Jesus and God’s wonderful love for us from the Bible lessons, the first ten quesSons and answers of the children’s catechism and the ‘I am’ sayings of Jesus. At the end of the service, the children and young people received books as gihs from Sunday Club.

On Sunday 10th December, the children and young people had the privilege of leading an allage service, retelling the story of the first Christmas using a naSvity script enStled ‘The Light’ wriQen by Shelley Spiers. Throughout the service, we were reminded that Jesus, God’s own Son, is the ‘One True Light’ and that ‘…through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.’ (John 1 v 15)

Throughout the year we enjoyed some social acSviSes together, including Bible Class breakfasts in the church building and in McDonalds, a ten pin bowling ouSng in January for Junior Bible Class, a Movie Morning and lunch for the primary classes on Saturday 16th December, a Christmas Crah morning on Sunday 17th December and our Sunday Club ouSng to High Rise on Saturday 20th May, which proved to be a memorable adventure for everyone who parScipated in the acSviSes!

The Sunday Club team greatly values the ongoing prayer, encouragement and support from all of the prayer partners and from the whole church family.

Debbie Davidson

Tuesday Club

Tuesday Club meet generally on the second Tuesday of the month in the welcome area of Church and 15 to 20 people aQend regularly at 10.30. We have a speaker followed by tea/coffee and scones in a very informal atmosphere. The Tuesday Club is an ideal venue for old friends to meet and for mature new Church members to make friends and learn more about our congregaSonal life. We open in prayer and share Church news before handing over to our speaker. Speakers last year include Paul Hanna sharing his experiences with Prison Fellowship, John Coulter talking about his life in broadcasSng, James O’Neill, our last Assistant Minister and R and H who joined us for a light lunch while explaining their new life of service overseas.

Alastair Peoples is our bus driver when we can arrange a minibus from Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council and in 2023, we had a very enjoyable guided trip to Gracehill which was a real insight to the Society of Friends in this province. We also called on Alastair’s services in November to travel to Colman’s Garden Centre in Templepatrick. Following our usual pracSce, we enjoyed Christmas lunch together in Lisburn.

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New members are very welcome, and I would encourage everyone who is able to aQend to join us in the New Year and would ask for your prayers for this important area of Church life.

For further informaSon contact [e-mail].

Ann Peoples

Walking Group

The walking group has been going for a few years now and has been gelng numbers consistently in the high teens and low twenSes. It meets every month between March and June and between September and November.

The group historically met on the third Thursday in the month although this was changed this year to the third Wednesday. This change has seen a number of new members as a result. The walks try to fit the ability of those walking splilng into faster or slower groups as required but are usually at least 3 miles in length. All the walk leaders have been trained by the SEHSCT and are insured by them whilst walking. All the walks end with tea/coffee and scones!

During the year we have walked in Lurgan Park, Clare Glen, Gosford Forest Park, Antrim Castle gardens and Portadown Boulevard.

The walking group is open to all ages and whilst it is Maze PC walking group, it is open to anyone. The benefits of walking are many and it is one of the most enjoyable forms of exercise. It is also great for gelng to know folk as well. With a bigger church it is easy to see people on a Sunday morning but not get the chance to speak. I think all who come would agree there is as much talking as walking, and they don’t noSce how far they’ve walked!

So why not join us? Walk Leaders:

• Hazel Swan

• Ann Peoples

• David Cameron

• Alastair Peoples

For more informaSon, please contact Alastair Peoples ([e-mail])

Alastair Peoples

Women@Maze

Our year began with a fun night out at Lisburn Bowl where we enjoyed a meal together before the bowling. In June we enjoyed a walk and supper in Hillsborough and in September we had a games night to reconnect aher the summer break. While these nights don’t include Bible teaching, they are so good for building fellowship allowing members to come alongside each other and develop relaSonships within the church family.

All our speakers this year have been excellent, not just in what they have shared with us but in the example of godly living they have demonstrated. Julie PhilpoQ related the struggles her family have endured through their daughter being born with Apert’s Syndrome and Heather

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Lyle told of her experience of inferSlity and subsequent adopSon of two liQle girls from China. Both Julie and Heather were able to tesSfy to God’s faithfulness and miraculous intervenSon in their lives. In November we heard about the work of Hope and Light in Thailand, supporSng women caught up in slavery and were able to buy some of the jewellery they are producing as an alternaSve form of income.

The highlight of the year is always the Ages and Stages Night where some of our own members tesSfy to what the Lord has been teaching them. This year the theme was ‘Songs in a Strange Land’ thinking about experiences of worship in another part of the world. Ruth shared about her Sme studying in the Netherlands, Jenna spoke of mission in Kenya and SaneQe told us what it has been like for her to leave South Africa and seQle in N Ireland. Each of them really challenged us and having the teenage girls to lead us in praise was another blessing.

Women@Maze is very much for all ages within our congregaSon and the aQendance at each meeSng varies according to the topic or Sme of year! But there’s always a good mix of all life stages and a real sense of fellowship among us for which we are very thankful.

Janet McKendry

Youth Club

Maze PC Youth club started back aher the Christmas break on Friday 13 January, welcoming local children from pre-school to P7, with an average of between 70-90 children per week. Aher registraSon and sign in the children congregate in the hall for a Sme of lively singing before breaking into 3 separate age groups to complete 3 zones. Group 1 (pre - p2) start the night in the crah zone headed up by Edna Moneypenny and Allison McLeod, who conSnue to develop exciSng new crah ideas each week for the children. Group 2 (p3-p5) enjoy games in the upper rooms including board games, tablet tennis, pool, air hockey etc, alongside a refreshing snack. Group 3 (p6-p7) start the night compeSng in sports and games in the main hall. Every 20mins each group moves to a new zone. The last 15 minutes of youth club, everyone comes back together again to hear a Bible lesson given by one of the leaders, before closing with a short game to finish the night. The 22/23 youth club year finished on Friday 26 May, to allow for preparaSon for the upcoming Holiday Bible Club running from 26-30 June 23.

The 23/24 youth club year commenced on Friday 22 September with lots of familiar faces returning aher the summer break. This term in our Bible lesson slot we were thinking about the amazing aQributes / characterisScs of God to the children, from “all knowing” to “all powerful” and everything in between. We conSnue to be blessed with a steady number of children each week, as well as an amazing team of energeSc leaders.

15 December and invited the church family and wider local community to aQend. Between 400-500 people supported the night, with several families at a Sme being led along a trail through the church buildings where the Christmas story was acted out at each zone, by some of MPCs very capable amateur performers. At the end of the Christmas trail, the children had an opportunity to enjoy the MPC puppets summarising the true Christmas story of how God

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sent his Son to earth in the form of our Saviour Jesus and what that means for our lives. The night ended with families enjoying a Sme of fellowship and refreshments in the hall.

Stuart Thompson

Youth Fellowship

Maze Youth Fellowship is held every Sunday night in the Youth Room of the Church from 7:30 – 9:00pm. We cover the age range of Year 8 to Year 14 of high school. Our focus is to develop ChrisSan fellowship between the leaders and the young people. We want them to start to take ownership of their faith, consider how to implement personal Bible study and prayer into their own lives and share their faith with their friends. A typical night at YF starts with a game, a Sme of worship, the topic for the night being introduced by a leader, breaking into small groups for discussion and finishes with supper.

We started 2023 by looking at the book of James. We considered how with faith, we can “consider it pure joy” (James 1:2) when we face trials as it will produce perseverance. We also looked at why favouriSsm is forbidden and the link between faith and good deeds. One lesson that was parScularly poignant was that of taming the tongue. Aher James, we used the Origins 24/7 prayer resource. It used the acronym “PRAYER” to explore why we pray as well as how to pray. The 8 sessions covered ‘Why do we pray?’, ‘Who do we pray to?’, ‘Praise’, ‘Rejoice’, ‘Ask’, ‘Yes’, ‘Endure’ and ‘Repeat’. We finished off the year with a resource wriQen by the leaders called ‘In the World, but not Of the World’ which was adapted from the Gospel CoaliSon’s New City Catechism. We organised the 52 catechism quesSons into 14 sessions with small group tasks and discussions to find the answers in the Bible for the various quesSons.

Throughout the beginning of the year, we also aQended several Lisburn youth nights, as well as hosSng one ourselves at Maze. Various other youth groups and YF’s came together for nights of fellowship, games, worship, and teaching.

In September 2023, we said goodbye to Adam McKendry as he stood down as Head of YF. We thank him for all the work that he did at YF in his Sme and wish him all the best in wherever he next serves. From September to Christmas, we’ve conSnued with our leader wriQen series with studies such as, “What is Sin?” and “What is jusSficaSon and SancSficaSon?” Furthermore, we’ve been pulng a greater focus on gelng the young people involved in different elements of leading each week, for example, helping to lead worship or organising a game. This was most evident the night that they lead a prayer and praise evening. A number were involved in leading worship for the night, whilst the rest worked in groups to organise two prayer acSviSes.

As leaders, we were extremely encouraged by this as the faith of our young people was so evident, and God was glorified as they chose to use their skills and talents in worship to Him. We were reminded that night of the verse in 1 Timothy 4:12 “Do not let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity”. We were also grateful that two of our newer elders, AnneQe Harte and Giles Page were able to join us this term to answer quesSons about being an elder in Maze,

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and their own personal faith. Just before Christmas, we enjoyed an ouSng to the Hillsborough Twilight Market where we had great food and fellowship!

We would greatly appreciate prayer as the new year begins that kids would be open and excited to learn more about God with us and how we can glorify him. Pray for the leaders who so generously volunteer their Sme each week to serve the youth of our Church. Finally pray that God would be in all that we do this year!

Ruth & Steven Kidd

Treasurer’s Report

and large reducSon in the Church debt. The figures in the accounts are before the recent £130,000 pay down in the Church Building Loan, and a £10,000 one of payment to Mission.

33% (largely due to a large single donaSon), United appeal by 10%, Harvest by over 50% and Missions by 3%.

The cost of USliSes has conSnued to rise, and the impact of professional weekly cleaning of the Church is now in for a full year.

Expenditure is approved on a case by case basis, but it is hoped to develop a budget mechanism to allow leaders of organisaSon to beQer their year’s events and manage long term goals.

Due to the delay in the Manse project, there were no professional fees this year, last year these had been £16,495, and we had lower staff costs due to Student Minister having been recently appointed, and not replacing the youth worker. These costs will increase in the coming year.

With the loan now standing at £130,000 and the likely hood that this will be repaid early 2025, Session has requested a review of staffing and projects so that these can be discussed at the session conference in June 2024. It is highly likely that addiSonal staff will be employed in the later part of 2024, both to reduce the load on William Henry and strengthen local outreach.

It is hoped that the Manse project will be revived in early 2025.

George Redpath

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