Bethany Church of the Nazarene, Dunmurry

Bethany Church of the Nazarene, Derriaghy, formerly the Derriaghy Mission Hall, built in about the early 1910’s.


Rev. Irene Wallace Minister	The Church Board. L to R: Rennie Braithwaite, James Elwood, Sidney Sloan, Rev. Irene Wallace, Paul Wallace, Jim Spratt and Donald Kelly. Missing from the photo: Sadie Mulholland, Maureen King and Eileen Oliver.

Queensway, Dunmurry.

Minister: Rev. Irene Wallace

Telephone: 9266 2068

Sunday services:

Morning Worship: 11.00am

Evening Service: 6.30pm

HISTORY

On Easter Sunday, 1995, Sunday Services commenced in the home of Mr & Mrs J King, Corby Drive. The group were called the North Lisburn Nazarene Fellowship. They had been praying for some months concerning a new work within the Church of the Nazarene and were at that time described as a church type mission. The team of people shared together in ministry with the help of visiting preachers.

This format continued with blessing until October 1995 when the District Superintendent, Rev. Colin Wood, organised the church with twenty-five charter members.

At this time Mr. Hubert Maze and the trustees of the Derriaghy Mission Hall offered the new church the use of their hall. The Mission Hall had been in the area for over eighty years as an effective evangelical witness and their desire was for the work of God to continue.

The church took up the generous offer of the use of the hall and commenced services there in November 1995. This helped to make a reality of the purpose and ministry of the church in this local situation:

‘The Church of the Nazarene is a global community of faith composed of individuals who have made Jesus Christ Lord of their lives. We share our lives together in Christian fellowship, seeking to strengthen each other in faith development through worship, teaching, preaching, fellowship and service. Beyond this, we strive to express the compassion of Jesus to all persons along with our personal commitment to Holy (Christ-like) living. We are committed to the ministry of evangelism to proclaim Jesus as the only answer to the deep needs of the human heart.’

In February 1996 the church took on the name of Bethany Church of the Nazarene, and the Rev. Irene Wallace was appointed Pastor in a part time capacity. The church has continued in this way with various members assisting in ministry and with the help of visiting speakers. During 1997 - 1999 the Rev. David Leeder, while living in Northern Ireland, assisted in ministry.

In Bethany, special ministry to children, youth and senior citizens soon became popular meeting times with people finding Jesus as their personal Saviour, answers to prayer, and personal healing.

In 1998 the Trustees of Derriaghy Mission Hall offered to sell the hall to the Church of the Nazarene. The Bethany church accepted this offer, purchased the property and completed a major refurbishment project creating a beautiful sanctuary and small rooms for other activities. New members have been added to the church and other forms of outreach and ministry have commenced in and from Bethany.

The global interest in mission is also an important feature of the church. As well as supporting and praying for missionaries around the world, Bethany, through Work and Witness teams, has sent people to help in Hungary, Romania and Poland; and Colin McConkey and his wife Tanya went as missionaries to Poland in 2003. All of this gives the local church a wider vision helping to fulfil the challenge to minister to others around the world.

Bethany Church of the Nazarene has an ongoing ministry, believing and sharing the message of the Bible - that all may discover forgiveness, peace, joy, purpose, love and meaning in life, and by having a personal relationship with God through his Son Jesus, the promise of heaven when life is over.