Clergy visit their local to discuss Christianity
The Revd Jonathan Pierce, Rector of Kilmore and Inch is taking part in an initiative to discuss Christianity in a bar in Crossgar.
Adapted from an article in the Down Democrat Newspaper - Tuesday, December 09, 2008 by Joanne Crozier;Two ministers and a priest walk into a pub... to answer the meaning of life. Sounds like the opening line of a joke, doesn't it? Really it sums up a brave new outreach programme for Crossgar spearheaded by three cross denominational church leaders. The idea was initiated by the Revd Jonathan (Jono) Pierce, Rector of Christ Church, Kilmore and St Patrick's Inch, with the support of Crossgar parish priest Fr Kevin McMullan and the Revd Sam Peden of the Non-Subscribing Presbyterian Church at Rademon.
Collectively the three clergy invited patrons to write down questions on Christianity and post them anonymously into a box stored at the licensed premises, to be answered at a public meeting in the same bar. The first of the three planned sessions has already taken place. Over 20 people gathered in Magee's Bar on Wednesday evening, 3rd December for a lively session which Jono described as a ‘great success'.
It is hoped that the pub project will bring Christianity out into the community this Christmas and help people form a deeper connection to its message. Warmly embracing the concept was Father McMullan: "It was a good idea and we all got a lot out of it," he said. "The questions were interesting and it was very positive to see all of us from the different churches in the area come together."
Explaining why, at Advent, it was important for them to go out to have this added fellowship with people, Jono said: "We don't want to be a holy huddle in the corner so we decided to go to where the people are on their familiar territory. It was something completely unknown for us and we didn't know whether people would take a hand out of us, but they were very respectful."
Although he knew it was a good idea, Jono also had some concerns prior to the meeting. "I'll admit, it was a scary thing to do. We hadn't done it before and we didn't have an idea of what the questions were. But it all turned out well."
The clergy went with the view that they were not going to preach, but to answer questions from believers and non-believers alike.
The next pub debate will be held on Thursday (December 11) at The Corner Inn and the following Thursday (December 18) at The Villager.
The three clergy would like to thank the proprietors for the use of their premises and for all who have backed the special Advent project. Edward Magee, of Magee's, was happy to support the project: "We were glad to have them here," he said.
With thanks to Joanne Crozier and the Down Democrat Newspaper for supplying the majority of the text and the photograph for this article www.downdemocrat.com