Knoekbrneken Se&8ion Report for 2023
We are grateful to God for the blessings we have received &$ we review the life of the congregation of Knockbracken.
We are grateful for the clear, challenging and compassionate t￿Ching our minister Rev Peter Jemphrey has delivered
from God's Word through the year. We have been led through the following series.
AM
PM
Nehemiah 8-13
Jonah 14
Mark 16
John 4
John 14-17
Revelation 1-3
Peter
Revelation ¥7
Luke2 21-38
RoJnans I
Jan - March
April - August
Sept- Dec
In addition to leading our own services, our minister also led the Cloughmills RP Church weekend in September and
spoke at the installation of Paul Wright in Cookstown RP Church in March. Peter is also fulfilling the role of
moderator of the Eastern Presbytery this year and is a member of the French Section of the Mission Committee. He is
also a member of the College committee.
The evening service is preceded by the weekly prayer meeting.
The midweek meetings were held on Wednesday evenings in the book centre and we have studied the following topics
through the year: _
Covenant Renewal l Nehemiah 10-13 1 The Names of God
We held a public signing of the Covenant prepared for Synod 2022 at the conclusion of our morning service on 12th
March 23. In addition to the weekly midweek Bible Studies. we hosted speakers from Wycliffe (Mike and Miranda
Jemphrey). Philip Dunn from EMF. Asialink (our own Steven Mccollum and Henry Montgomery), and an UFMlate on
Rev Catalin Croitor and his work in Romania and Ukraine following a visit by (Stanley and Brian).
The Session was fonnally constituted 7 times to deal with matters of rule and oversight of the congregation. In
addition, we were constituted 3 times for our communion services in January, May and September. Session attended
the Synod meetings held in .1 rinity RPC and the statutory Presbytery meetings.
Our nornial programme of activities carried on as usual. Before the morning service Sabbath School starts at l 0.30am.
We have 3 Young people's classes as well as the Bible Class. On Wednesday mornings the well-alt¢nded Happy Tots
meet from l O-11.30am. The men's group and ladies fellowship continue to meet on a monthly basis. The Youth Club
meet on Saturday evenings- the Juniors group starts at 6.30 and the seniors at 8. In addition, the Seniors Group meet
monthly on Thursday mornings.
On Friday mornings a new venture has begun at Shaw s Bridge. Rev Peter Jemphrey and Steven Mccollum go
regularly and man a"Coffe¢ Dock" Their aim is to engage with those who are out for a walk and challenge them to
thAnk about their eternal destiny.
In August we welcomed a '￿0 Team" to help us in a week of outreach. We held a Holiday Bible Club in the mornings
for Primary School children. distribution work on some afternoons. In the evenings the team were involved in young
people's work, door-to-door vlsitation, and outreach at Shaws Bridge. A Senlors musical afternoon was hcld on the
Thursday afternoon and this proved very successful. This included an inlcresting and challenging testimony by Ernest
Brown.
We were saddened by the deaths of 3 of our older meMber￿adherent$. We have 16 families in membership and 27
communicant members. In addition. we enjoy support from 16 adhercnts. The average attcndance at worship services
on the Lord's Day was 35 in the morning up from 30 last vear and 26 in the evening up from 22 last year. The average
attendanc¢ at communion was 27 up from 23 the previous year.
We ar¢ cncouragcd to have a number of older memkrs who are strong spiritual examples for the rest of the
congregation. W¢ remain conscious of our smallness bul continue to pray that our Heavenly Father would build his
church both spiritually and numerically. We are encouraged that a few new people are attending and ask for wisdom
in pastoring them.
lan Mccaughan
Clerk of Session