Rector re-claims record for longest non stop sermon
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Church of Ireland rector Rev Ken McReynolds, from Lambeg Parish, spent six hours in the pulpit on Saturday to set a new record for the longest uninterrupted sermon ever preached. Rev McReynolds based his target on Ezra, who Nehemiah 8 records as having stood on a wooden platform and read the Law 'from daybreak till noon' - a period estimated to be six hours. US4310-523cd |
A LISBURN Minister has reclaimed a church record for preaching the longest non stop sermon.
The Rev Ken McReynolds, rector of Lambeg Parish, preached without a break for five hours 52 minutes last Saturday - the equivalent of 24 sermons.
The Church of Ireland Minister had previously set the record in 2005 with a five-hour sermon, but lost it to an English minister who beat him by 30 minutes.
During his lengthy spell at the pulpit the Rev McReynolds spoke on the principles of living, drawing on the experiences of figures in the Bible.
His wife Dorothy and seven other stalwart parishioners stayed throughout the record attempt and other members of the congregation did stints to lend moral support.
An hour and a half into his Sermon Mr McReynolds said he started to feel hoarse and his wife went and got him some honey and lemon to ease his throat.
But despite being a genuine record-breaker the rector will not be
featured in the next edition of the Guinness Book of Records as the famous
books rules would have made it too easy for him. "They demand you stop for
10 minutes every hour - if I did that I could have gone on all day - so it
is just an unofficial record within church circles," he said. Mr McReynolds
explained his motivation was to raise funds for Craig Dowling who is
embarking on the Church Army Evangelist training programme.
"So far we have raised £3000 and much more has been pledged. I would like to
thank everyone who contributed so generously and showed their support to me
as well."
However, Mr McReynolds said that if his record is threatened again he won't defend it.
"If I lose the record, I don't think I'll try and claim it back again," he said.
jenny.monroe@ulsterstar.co.uk
Ulster Star
05/11/2010
