Sandyknowes Blog

Living beside the busiest roundabout in Northern Ireland gives plenty of opportunity for watching the world go by. Sandyknowes Blog is the personal blog of Niall Lockhart (minister of Ballyhenry). Pull in and have a read…

Sir Alex - A Modern Day Parable

13 October 2015

Earlier this week there was a programme on TV on Sir Alex Ferguson. Don’t know if you saw it, if you missed it it’s on BBC i-player: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b06j7qw8/sir-alex-ferguson-secrets-of-success

It’s an up close and fascinating look at Sir Alex the man and Sir Alex the leader. You learn all kinds of things – for example I never knew that his dad lived in Belfast for a time, working in Harland and Wolff, and playing for Glentoran.

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Thinking about Communicant Membership

9 October 2015

On Sunday 18th October we will be holding a communicants’ class in preparation for our next Communion Service (15th November).

So … who is this for, and is it for you?

Over the last number of years a whole variety of people have come along to our communicants’ classes.

Some people who do not yet have a personal Christian faith (or aren’t sure) have come along to find out more about what it means to be a Christian.

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'The Players Were Outstanding!'

8 October 2015

Wow! What a night at Windsor Park. Northern Ireland through to their first major football finals since 1986. AP McCoy was interviewed tonight after the match on Five Live and he was saying it was taking him in his memories back to childhood and 1982. It’s been a long time, a long long time.

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Harvest Sunday - 11th October

1 October 2015

On Sunday 11th October we meet for Harvest Sunday - an annual opportunity to give thanks God for all that he gives us in our day to day lives.

We are encouraging members to take the opportunity to contribute to the United Appeal of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland - an appeal that supports the mission work of the church around Ireland and Overseas. To find out more about what the United Appeal is and what it does watch this short animated video.

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Sovereign Over Us

24 September 2015

Sovereign Over Us

There are times in the life of a church when certain themes seem to emerge. Themes that keep on rising to the surface as we worship and study the Bible together week by week. Recently I have been struck by a recurring emphasis on what is sometimes referred to as ‘the Sovereignty of God’ – the big idea that no matter what is going on (in our lives / in the church / in the world) God is not only in control but God is also at work, working out His big purposes, in Christ, to bring salvation and healing into a lost and broken world.

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