175 Years || St Paul & St Barnabas || Shaping a Hopeful Future For Christ in His City

 

For Christ and His City

In 2026, St Paul’s & St Barnabas will mark 175 years of life and witness in the heart of North Belfast. Since the first service was held here on 30 September 1851 at 11:30am, this place has stood through immense change — and yet, by God’s grace, it remains.

This anniversary year is first and foremost about thanksgiving.

We look back with gratitude for those who gathered here for the very first time, and for the generations who followed — worshipping, praying, serving, giving, persevering. We give thanks for lives marked, faith nurtured, grief shared, hope sustained. Much of that story will never be written down, but it has shaped this place more deeply than any stone or structure ever could.

To mark this milestone, we will gather again at the same time as that first service — 30 September at 11:30am — to give thanks for what God has done. We will also celebrate together on the Sunday before, as part of a wider Celebration Sunday, bringing people together to mark this moment in the life of our church and community.

But this year is not only about looking back.

We believe it is right to remember the past so that we can look forward with clarity and hope. North Belfast today is not the same as it was in 1851 — or even a generation ago. The challenges are real, but so are the opportunities. And as we mark 175 years, we do so with a renewed sense of purpose: shaping a hopeful future, for Christ and for His city.

Over the past year, new life has already begun to take shape. We are starting a Mothers & Toddlers group, creating a welcoming space for parents, carers, and little ones. We are launching an early evening Café Church on the first Sunday of each month, opening our doors in a different way for those who may never have crossed the threshold on a Sunday morning. These are small but significant steps as we seek to reach our city with the hope of Jesus Christ.

There is much more ahead. Not because we are chasing novelty, but because we believe the gospel is good news for real people, in real places, at real moments in their lives. Looking back helps us give thanks. Looking forward helps us stay faithful.

This 175th year belongs not only to those who worship here now, but to the wider community around us — past, present, and future. Whether this building holds memories for you, curiosity, or simply questions, you are part of the story too.

We look back with gratitude.
We look forward with hope.
And we seek to serve — for Christ and His city.

If you would like to be part of the year ahead, or simply stay informed as plans unfold, you can register your interest via our website.