Historic day as Maynooth Community Church is officially opened

Moderator, Right Reverend Dr Richard Murray spoke of a “a wonderful and encouraging day"

ABOVE:  Members of the congregation of Maynooth Community Church, one of Presbyterian Church in Ireland’s 500-plus congregations, and guests, on the day its purpose-built building was officially opened by Presbyterian Moderator, Dr Richard Murray.

Credit PCI/Jamie Trimble

September 14 marked an historic moment in the life and witness of one of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland’s (PCI) youngest congregations, Maynooth Community Church (MCC) in County Kildare, when for the first time in over a century the Moderator officially opened a new congregation’s brand-new purpose-built church since the Irish Free State was established.

The Moderator, Right Reverend Dr Richard Murray said it had been “a wonderful and encouraging day…[and] while I give thanks for our rich Presbyterian heritage on this island, I also give thanks for what God is doing now, and His plans and purposes for the future.”

Over the years, many Presbyterian churches have been renovated, extended, and rebuilt. More recently new church buildings have been built in existing locations in Kilkenny, Drogheda and Mullingar. This is the first time, however, that a brand-new congregation has opened its own purpose-built building in what is now the Republic of Ireland, since Arklow Presbyterian Church in 1915.

MCC began life when a small group of prayerful people, mainly from Lucan Presbyterian Church, started meeting to study the Bible together in September 2002. Five months later in February 2003, having grown to around 18 people, the decision was taken to run some monthly services in Maynooth Post Primary School. The first public weekly service as Maynooth Community Church was held on 7 September that year.

Four years later, in November 2007, MCC was formally constituted as a congregation of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland with Rev Dr Keith McCrory, who led the project from its beginning, formally installed as its inaugural minister. Over the last 17 years, the congregation has had a number of temporary homes, most recently with the Irish Secondary School, Gaelcholáiste Mhaigh Nuad, in the Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board premises in Manor Mills Shopping Centre – but no longer.

Dr McCrory leads a 140-strong church family, one of PCI’s 500-plus congregations, with a home that they can now call their own. At a total cost of €4.5million, building started on the 3.2 acre greenfield site opposite the new Tesco shopping park in April of last year, “Looking back on the journey that we have travelled, the ups and downs, the tears and setbacks along the way, one thing has remained so tangibly constant, and that has been God’s amazing grace and His faithfulness. It really has been a miraculous journey,” he said.

At the start, Dr McCrory said that they weren’t originally convinced that they needed a building, but eventually realised that if they could, having a permanent presence in Maynooth would create a greater capacity for gathering and ministry. “It would also increase our witness, and contribute to the availability of social space in the town, which the community so badly needs. I have had a number of inquiries from various local groups to see if they could use it already,” Dr McCrory said.

The Londonderry/Derry born minister continued, “I am still looking around the building in amazement. God has been so good, as have our members who have given sacrificially for over 10 years, our other donors and PCI through the Council for Mission in Ireland. The prayers and support of so many people and congregations across the denomination, not least Lucan, our parent church and its minister at the time, Dr Trevor Morrow, have made such a difference.

“Our architect Judith Hamilton, her team at Knox and Markwell, the builders Corbally Construction, our local politicians, Kildare County Council, and those who have hosted us in the past, have all played their part in this journey, and we give thanks to God for each and every one,” he said.

In the afternoon, PCI’s Moderator, Dr Richard Murray, dedicated and officially opened the church building in front of guests from Dáil Éireann, Kildare County Council and Maynooth Community Council. Local churches, including the Church of Ireland and Roman Catholic Church (both dedicated to St Mary), along with the Redeemed Christian Church of God, were also present. Many other friends of MCC from PCI, and the local community, were also present, and heard Dr Murray preach the sermon.

Speaking after the service, the Moderator said, “This has been a wonderful and encouraging day as we have been able to rejoice together in the goodness of God and I would like to thank MCC for inviting me. This afternoon I preached on Revelation 3, where in verse 8 it says, “‘I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut...”’ MCC is an open door to witness, outreach, of opportunity and a new dawn, and I commend them for their commitment and bravery in making this journey.

“Above all, I commend them for their faith in Jesus Christ who is the Saviour and Leader of His people. Having a permanent home now, it is my prayer that it will further establish the congregation's witness in the town, and as the Bible is faithfully taught, I hope that the hunger of many hearts for spiritual truth will be met,” he said.

The Moderator continued, “An important part of my role is to support and encourage our Church and my brothers and sisters in Christ. In the past while I have planted a tree to commemorate the 350th anniversary of a congregation in Donegal, tomorrow, Sunday, I will preach at the 50th anniversary of another congregation in County Antrim. This week I planted another tree in West Belfast, having visited our special ministry there, where we are seeking to re-establish our presence in that part of the city, and today I am here. While I give thanks for our rich Presbyterian heritage on this island, I also give thanks for what God is doing now, and His plans and purposes for the future.”

PCI’s Council for Mission in Ireland has encouraged Maynooth Community Church over the years in its development, and provided central funding and other support. It is also oversees and supports Home Mission congregations, including Maynooth, and is responsible for the all-Ireland denomination’s Church Planting Strategy. Council Secretary Rick Hill, also attended the official opening.

“Church planting lies in the history and heart of Irish Presbyterianism, because for each of our congregations to exist, they had to be planted. As Maynooth turns another page in that history, this new building represents the next phase of church development for them, following almost two decades of meeting in rented accommodation,” he said.

“While the Church has always been more than bricks and mortar, its mission also happens in a specific context and this building helps to establish the church’s presence and witness in a more visible way within this local community. It is our hope and prayer that it will be a wonderful blessing to the people of Maynooth and that we would see similar developments across Ireland, north, south east and west, in the years to come.”

Maynooth Community Church

The new church building covers 900 square metres and has a worship space for 220 people, a welcome area, kitchen, prayer room, three kid’s rooms, a family room off the main sanctuary, a room for counselling, minister’s office and administration office, and a large meeting room.

Presbyterian Church in Ireland

The Presbyterian Church in Ireland has around 200,000 members belonging to 500-plus congregations across 19 regional presbyteries throughout Ireland.

The Presbyterian form of Christian faith is best described as 'Reformed' with its strong emphasis on the Sovereignty of God, the Kingship of Christ and the authority of the Bible. It is the largest Reformed denomination in Northern Ireland.

Irish Presbyterianism had its origins in Scottish migrations to Ulster in the early 17th Century. Ballycarry Presbyterian Church in County Antrim is the oldest congregation dating back to 1613. The newest, Donabate Presbyterian Church in County Dublin, opened its doors in 2010. In 1840 two Presbyterian Churches, the General Synod of Ulster and the Secession Synod formed the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, with Rev Dr Samuel Hanna elected as the first Moderator of the new church.

Presbyteries

In the Presbyterian system of church government, each presbytery consists of ministers and elders who are drawn from local congregations and other ministries in a particular area. As a court of the church, each presbytery is responsible for overseeing those congregations in its local area, while undertaking other important tasks, which include the ordination and installation of ministers (also known as teaching elders), the ordination of elders, and the annual selection of the Moderator.

There are currently 19 regional presbyteries. The Presbytery of Monaghan and the Presbytery of Dublin and Munster are located in the Republic of Ireland, while the Presbytery of Derry and Donegal is cross border, with congregations located in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

The Moderator of the General Assembly: Right Reverend Dr Richard Murray

The Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland is the most senior office-bearer of the Church and its principal public representative. By convention, the Moderator is selected each year on the first Tuesday in February by ministers and elders meeting separately across Ireland in their presbyteries. Having been selected for office, the Moderator-Designate is then elected by the General Assembly in June and installed at a special service in front of invited civic guests. Seven Moderators have served twice. The last being Very Rev Dr David Bruce (2020-2021 & 2021-2022) the first in nearly 130 years to do so. The serving Moderator is given the honorific style, Right Reverend (Rt Rev), former Moderators are known as Very Reverend (Very Rev).

Right Reverend Dr Richard Murray is the current Moderator and the 179th person to hold PCI’s highest office since the establishment of the Church. He has been the minister of Drumreagh Presbyterian Church near Ballymoney in County Antrim since 2016. Born in 1965, he was ordained in 1997 as minister of Hilltown and Clonduff Presbyterian Churches, near Rathfriland in County Down, where he served for seven years, before being called to Connor Presbyterian Church near Ballymena in 2005, where he served as minister for 11 years. When Dr Murray was called to Drumreagh it was a joint charge with Dromore Presbyterian Church, which amalgamated with Drumreagh in 2022. As part of his ministerial training, Dr Murray was also the assistant to the minister of Terrace Row Presbyterian in Coleraine for three years, before his ordination as minister of Hilltown and Clonduff Presbyterian.

Dr Murray was originally from Ladybrook in west Belfast, worshipping at Sufolk Presbyterian Church. The family moved to Finaghy in south Belfast, and worshipped at Lowe Memorial Presbyterian Church. Married to Lynn, a GP in Coleraine, their son Andrew is married to Erin. His late father-in-law, Very Reverend Dr David McCaughey, was Moderator for 1994-1995. Dr Murray was formally elected and installed as Moderator on 21 June 2024, having been selected as Moderator-Designate by the Church’s 19 presbyteries on 6 February that year.

During his year in office, he will travel throughout Ireland and overseas to see the work and ministry of the Church, encouraging minsters and PCI members. He will also represent the Church at significant national and state events, while working closely with other church leaders through the Church Leaders’ Group (Ireland). Another important role is the chairing of a number of the General Assembly’s Councils. His theme for the year is ‘Mighty to Save’.