’Remarkable’ Irene celebrates 60 years in Church Army
Sister Irene Lockett was commissioned as a Church Army sister 60 years ago on 28th September 1951. She was originally from East Belfast and worked as a Church Army Evangelist in England from 1951 until 1957. Irene then joined Church Army work in Kenya and served there with the Mothers Union and CMS before returning to Ireland in 1976 to join the home staff of CMSI working amongst children and schools until 1979.
After a period of leave of absence, Irene joined the staff of Willowfield Parish as Evangelist from 1983– 1987. Although getting on in years, Irene is still active sharing her faith with those in the Willowfield community, visiting older people, sheltered accommodation and joining in the activities of Willowfield Church.
A service of Celebration was held on 25th September and hosted by the Revd Canon David McClay in Willowfield parish where friends from CMSI, the Church Army and the parish gathered together to celebrate Irene’s ministry. Canon McClay interviewed Irene at both this service and a later service in Willowfield where Irene shared her call to ministry and challenged mainly younger people to hear what God would say to them.
On the actual anniversary of Irene’s Commissioning Canon McClay hosted a service of Holy Communion and again a number of friends from Irene’s years of ministry gathered together along with the majority of Church Army Evangelists working in Ireland. Captain Colin Taylor (Church Army Evangelism Resource Officer for Ireland and Scotland) says, “Irene is a remarkable women and continues to be an inspiration both to Church Army Evangelists and to many younger people in the Willowfield Parish. She continues her life’s work of sharing her faith in Christ with those she meets on a daily basis.”
Pictured above left to right: Sister Irene Lockett, Sister Elizabeth Mc Neice and Canon David McClay at the midweek Holy Communion service.