PCI to establish new Church in the city centre – Central Belfast
For the first time in 15 years a new church, Central Belfast, will become a congregation of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland (PCI) after last week’s General Assembly approved the move. Meeting in Belfast for the second day of debate and discussion, the all-Ireland denomination agreed to establish the new congregation after eight years of prayerful and dedicated work on the ground by those involved.
The decision was taken when the General Assembly agreed to Carnmoney Presbyterian Church’s ‘prayer’, contained in its Memorial (or petition) to the Assembly, to authorise the Presbytery of South Belfast, to ‘establish Central Belfast as a congregation of the Presbyterian Church’, joining the 500-plus other congregations in the denomination.
While not a member of the General Assembly, David Dickinson, who leads Central, and is training for PCI’s ordained ministry, was in the Assembly Hall to listen to the debate. Speaking afterwards, he said, “As I look at all God has done these past eight years, and as we open the doors every Sunday to see hundreds of people gather…I’m hopeful and expectant for all God is yet to do.”
Established in Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter in October 2016, Central began life with much prayer and nine people. Mr Dickinson said that after eight years, a number of moves and a pandemic – today “is an exciting day and important moment in Central’s journey.”
Talking about that journey, Mr Dickinson said that Central had come as a result of five initial years of incredibly fruitful Alpha courses in the city, “seeking to see a community of believers established in the city centre, living, worshipping, and giving themselves to rhythms of worship, community and witness.”
The church plant began in October 2016 on Wednesday nights with nine people meeting in various spaces in The MAC theatre. The community grew to around 25, and in February 2018 services moved to a Sunday afternoon to facilitate better kids’ ministry and make better rhythms of families. Two months later, they moved to the ground of Assembly Buildings, where numbers grew to around 40.
Mr Dickinson explained, that, throughout this period, the Presbytery of South Belfast, one of PCI’s 19 regional bodies, began conversations with the Central team about “the possibility of taking on May Street, which was to close at the end of 2018 after 190 years of faithful worship. Fund raising began in anticipation of the expected renovation.”
He continued, “We held a joint service with the outgoing May Street congregation in January 2019 to give thanks for the previous 19 decades, and to give thanks for what was to come. In Easter that year, with around 70 attending, we moved our services to Sunday mornings, in the new venue with a number of firsts – first wedding and first Carol services with the expansion of multiple homegroups and a growing kids ministry. When we reopened in 2022, following Covid, having gone online, we’d grown to around 120. Today, Central now exists as a worshipping community of between 350-375 people, which is an amazing work of God.”
Talking about today’s decision of the General Assembly, Mr Dickinson said, “This is an exciting day and important moment in Central’s journey, as I believe it begins the process of putting down roots inside the life of PCI, and roots down in Belfast, so that a church might live here long beyond us as a transforming presence in the heart of the city for generations to come.
“We’re grateful for how PCI has stepped toward us in relationship, and warmly received us as a community, and are excited about how that relationship will develop in the years ahead. It’s also our prayer that our journey is a challenge and encouragement to many more people and congregations inside our denomination to follow God’s voice into planting churches throughout Ireland. As I look at all He has done these past eight years, and as we open the doors every Sunday to see hundreds of people gather, I’m hopeful and expectant for all God is yet to do,” he said.
Proposing the Memorial, the minister of Carnmoney Presbyterian, Rev Stuart Hawthorne, said, “Central’s story is a testament to God’s steady provision as the team has followed the Holy Spirit’s guidance, step-by-step.”
Becoming minister of Carnmoney after the church plant began, he continued, “Today, around 300–350 people gather in the old May Street building each Sunday…for some time, it has been felt that it is time for this church ‘plant’ to become established as a ‘church’—hence this Memorial. While city-centre ministry is not more important than suburban, or rural ministry, cities remain strategically vital in the Mission of God…The journey of Central has always been about faith—moving from one stage of God’s unfolding plan, to the next. We have now arrived at a significant new milestone…”
Mr Hawthorne’s immediate predecessor, Rev John Dickinson, under whose ministry the church plant began, also spoke in the debate, saying, “This is a special moment for all of us who worship in Central every Sunday, and already call it our church.” Having mentioned by name many who had made this day possible, in an emotional conclusion, he said, “In the formative years of my life, my dad was my pastor and now in my white-haired days, my pastor will be my son.”
