52nd Anniversary of the opening of Kilskeery Free Presbyterian Hall

Yesterday, the congregation of Kilskeery Free Presbyterian Church, marked its 52nd anniversary with messages by the minister, Rev Samuel Fitton, and a special season of prayer in the afternoon.

You may listen to Rev Fitton’s messages here:



 



Here are pictures from that event 52 years ago, on August 17th, 1974, and published in a previous marking of the anniversary.

The crowd that attended the opening service.

 

The men involved in the start of the witness. (L to R) Mr George Somerville, the late Mr Robert Edwards, who gifted the site, the late Mr Hugh Gallagher, Mr Ivan Morrison [holding a book], Mr Jackie Neville, the late Mr George Morrison.
It is soul-stirring to look back and rejoice in the labours of so many who raised the hall who are now in glory.

‘One by one their seats were empty,
One by one they went away.’

We are thankful to the Lord that He has maintained the witness of the hall, which in 1977 was constituted as a Free Presbyterian Church congregation.

In February 1978 I became the pastor of the small flock.

The following year, Kilskeery Independent Christian School was commenced under the principalship of Mrs Ann Foster BA, now too in glory since June 8th, 2024.

Mrs Foster (nee Beattie) when I first met her in a Young People’s Fellowship meeting in Ravenhill Free Presbyterian Church, September 11th 1964 — soon to be 62 years ago.

May the Lord answer the prayers offered yesterday, and on many previous occasions, for ‘showers of blessing’ to fall upon the whole Kilskeery district and far beyond.

Rev Ivan Foster (Rtd)
Monday, 17 August 2026

 

View a video of Part 1 of this sermon below:


 

View a video of Part 2 of this sermon below: