Posted on by David Steers

Dunmurry Harvest 2025

Quoile Area WI Choir at Dunmurry
Click on the video above to see Dunmurry Harvest Thanksgiving Service as recorded live

We held a wonderful service of Harvest Thanksgiving at Dunmurry on Sunday, 19th October 2025. We were particularly pleased to welcome the Quoile Area WI Choir conducted by Judith Harper with their accompanist Kathleen Gill. They sang three pieces – This Day, All things bright and beautiful(a setting by Philip Stopford), River Song, plus the vesper Go Now in Peace (arranged by I.E. Keenan), while Allen Yarr, our organist, played for the hymns and Jack Steers played Trumpet Voluntary during the collection.

The service was led by members of the Sunday School and Youth Group with Harry opening the service with words of welcome, readings being given by Jenna, Lochlan, Erin, and Bryn, and Adele and Sue, leading us in prayer. The church was beautifully decorated throughout and the Youth Group made the frieze depicting scenes from the hymn We plough the fields and scatter (which we also sang) which adorned the rail above the pulpit.

Following the service we had refreshments and a time of fellowship in the Hall, with many people coming back for that.

On the following Monday members of the congregation distributed the all the produce which had been donated to  L’Arche Village, Belfast.

Posted on by David Steers

Harvest Services 2017

 

The Services of Harvest Thanksgiving in October 2017 were all successful and enjoyable events in Downpatrick, Ballee and Clough churches. The first took place at Downpatrick where the guest preacher was the Rev Ernie Boggs, Minister Emeritus of Downpatrick Presbyterian Church, and special music was provided by the Lindsay Chorale with their conductor John Dallas. The congregational hymns were accompanied by church organist Laura Patterson. Over the year the Sunday School and young people of the church raised £400 for the work of Daisy Lodge and during the service Laura Neill presented a cheque to Aisling Gibson, the South Down regional fundraiser for Daisy Lodge, a purpose-built therapeutic centre located in Newcastle for families affected by cancer.

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Downpatrick Harvest Daisy Lodge

Presentation to Aisling Gibson of Daisy Lodge.

 

At Ballee the service was held on Sunday, 8th October at 3.00 pm when the guest preacher was the Rev Adrian Dorrian, minister of Ballee Parish, Church of Ireland and special music was provided by the Quoile Area WI Choir conducted by Isabel Keenan and accompanied by Kathleen Gill. Congregational hymns were accompanied by John Strain, the church organist.

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Quoile Area WI Choir including also Rev Adrian Dorrian

 

Clough held their annual service of harvest thanksgiving on Sunday, 15th October at 3.00 pm. There was a large congregation present to hear the visiting preacher, the Rev Paul Reid, of the Old Presbyterian Church, Larne and special music provided by local choir Harmonic Progression, the Seaforde based Community Choir for Women under the direction of Carolyn Ross. It was also pleasing to see that the painting of the exterior of the church had been completed in time for the harvest.

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Harmonic Progression including Rev Paul Reid (Old Presbyterian Church, Larne)

On 30th September Ballee also acted as a key staging post for Christian Aid’s Strangford Sportive, a cycle event covering up 120 km around this part of county Down which raised over £6,500 for the charity.

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