St Pauls and St Barnabas

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...

A Vision of Worship and Witness A Vision of Worship and Witness At St Paul’s & St Barnabas, we were invited this week to lift our eyes and hearts to a bigger reality — the heavenly vision found in Revelation 7. In this powerful passage, the apostle John sees a great multitude gathered around the throne, worshipping the Lamb. This vision is not only a promise of what is to come, but a mirror of what the church is called to be today. Revelation 7 offers us two things: a vision of what is and a vision of what should be . It begins with worship — people from every tribe, tongue, and nation united in adoration of Jesus. This is not an abstract hope, but something we are already tasting. As we look around our congregation in North Belfast, we see glimpses of that future now: different backgrounds, cultures, and stories gathered by grace around one Saviour. Worship is not limited to songs or liturgy — it is a way of life, marked by grace and fuelled ...

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...