Skip to main content

Opportunities To Gather and Grow || SPB NOTES || Coming up to Winter 2024

As we enter a season full of opportunities to gather and grow, I want to encourage everyone to participate in the life of our church. Hebrews 10:24-25 reminds us, “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another.” Gathering is a vital part of our faith, and these events are designed to strengthen our fellowship, prayer life, and outreach efforts.



Each event, whether it’s our community prayer meeting, the winter coat project, or the Advent services, is a chance for us to come together as the body of Christ, using the unique gifts God has given us. 1 Corinthians 12:12-14 highlights that we are all members of one body, and every part is needed to function as God intended. When we gather, pray, and support the church’s work, we not only bless each other but our entire community.


I encourage you to engage deeply in these events and find where you can serve. Whether it’s helping with the Winter Coats Project or joining in prayer, every action contributes to our shared mission of making Christ known in Belfast. Let’s build one another up and work together for God’s kingdom.


Upcoming Events


Winter Craft & Book Fair: Sat, 2nd Nov (10:30 - 13:00) at Seaview Presbyterian.

Translink Remembrance Service: Fri, 8th Nov (11:00) across from the church.

Remembrance Sunday: Sun, 10th Nov during our regular service.

Community Prayer Meeting: Wed, 13th Nov at 19:30.

Evening Prayer: Sun, 17th Nov (19:00 - 20:00).

Winter Coats Project: Wed, 20th Nov (11:00 - 16:00) at SPB Parish Centre.

Advent Family Worship: Sun, 24th Nov with Simon Henry (CIYD).

Lanterns & Lights: Wed, 4th Dec from 18:30, in collaboration with Alexandra Presbyterian.

Christian Family Worship: Sun, 15th Dec.

The Carols We Sing: Sun, 22nd Dec at 10:30 AM.

Community Carols: Sun, 22nd Dec at 19:00.

Christmas Family Service: Wed, 25th Dec at 10:30 AM.


Regular Gatherings


Focused Prayer: Every Sunday from 09:45 - 10:00, focusing on church, faith, and community.

Sunday Worship: 10:30 - 11:30 AM, followed by refreshments.

Gather - Bible Study, Prayer & Community: Wednesdays from 19:30.


Prayer Points


We invite you to join us in prayer for:


Gratitude for our church family and facilities.

Guidance for our minister, vestry, and those who serve.

Blessings upon our Bishop George and the diocese.

Our mission and outreach efforts, especially the Winter Coat Project and Lantern Parade.

Support for local food banks and connections to aid those in need.


A Call to Gather and Grow


As we continue to walk together as the body of Christ, each of us has a part to play in His story. By gathering, serving, and praying together, we fulfill our calling to build up the church and proclaim the gospel. The Church of Ireland’s Collect for Unity reminds us:


“O God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, our only Saviour, the Prince of Peace: Give us grace seriously to lay to heart the great dangers we are in by our unhappy divisions; take away all hatred and prejudice, and whatsoever else may hinder us from godly union and concord.”


May we live this out, united in purpose, as we seek to grow in faith and love, using our gifts for His glory. For more information, visit www.spbbelfast.church or get in touch via phone at 028 9600 5015 or email at office@spbbelfast.org.


Let’s continue to gather, pray, and work together, each contributing to the life of the church, as we seek to make Christ known in Belfast and beyond.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

SPB Sermons || Sent Like the Son || JOhn 20:19-23

Sent Like the Son – Family Worship at SPB Belfast (Sunday 27th April 2025) On the evening of Easter Sunday, as fear gripped the disciples behind locked doors, Jesus appeared among them and spoke the words they most needed to hear: "Peace be with you." At St Paul’s & St Barnabas this Sunday, we reflected on John 20:19-31 and the incredible transformation that the resurrection brings — not just to history, but to our hearts and lives today. We joined the disciples in their fear and doubt, seeing how even the testimony of Mary Magdalene couldn’t unlock their fear. Yet no locked door could keep out the risen Christ. Jesus appeared, scars and all, speaking peace into their brokenness. His scars weren't signs of defeat, but emblems of the victory won at the Cross — a reminder that by His wounds, we are healed. Jesus did not come to rebuke His followers, but to comfort them with His presence, speak peace into their hearts, and to co...

SPB Sermons || Spiritual Vitality: A Psalm for the Weary || PSalm 63

Spiritual Vitality: A Psalm for the Spiritually Weary We don’t often admit it, but many of us know what it’s like to feel spiritually dry. We’re not hostile to God, just tired. Life keeps moving, we keep showing up, but our souls feel like they’re running on fumes. In this sermon from Psalm 63 , Rev. Andrew Irwin invites us to see spiritual vitality not as a bonus for the super-committed, but as a core part of walking with God — even in the wilderness. Desire in the Dry Places David writes this Psalm not from a mountaintop, but from the desert. Hunted, hiding, and weary, he cries, “O God, you are my God… my soul thirsts for you.” It’s not a cry for rescue, success, or answers — it’s a longing for God himself . David remembers being in the sanctuary, lifting his hands in worship, and he yearns for that nearness again. Spiritual vitality begins not with more effort, but with more honesty . When we admit our weariness and desire, we open ourselves to the God who satisfies. Dryne...

SPB Sermons || John 20:24-31 || An Invitation For All To See ||

The Invitation Still Stands John 20:24–31 | Holy Communion | Sunday, 6 May 2025 In this deeply personal and reflective message, Rev. Andrew Irwin explores one of the most well-known and misunderstood figures in the resurrection story — Thomas. Often labelled "doubting," Thomas is shown instead as honest, wounded, and longing for truth. His absence at Jesus' first appearance leaves him reeling in a sea of sorrow, having missed not only the risen Christ but also the peace and power the others received. Still, Jesus returns — not with rebuke, but with compassion. And in that grace-filled encounter, Thomas makes one of the clearest declarations of faith in all Scripture: "My Lord and my God." The sermon challenges the assumptions we carry about doubt, showing us that Jesus is not afraid of our honesty. Like Thomas, we are often shaped by pain, disappointment, and questions, yet we are also invited to bring them to Jesus — whose scar...