Greyabbey & Kircubbin with Ballyphilip & Ardquin
St Saviour, Ballywalter Road, Greyabbey,
Holy Trinity, Main Street, Kircubbin,
St James, Ballyphillip Parish Church, Portaferry
Ardquin (Abbacy) Parish Church, Ardquin, Portaferry
Directions to the church:
St. Saviour's is situated on the Ballywalter Road on the outskirts of Grey Abbey.
Holy Trinity is at the Portaferry end of Kircubbin High Street, set back from the road behind iron railings.
Ballyphilip, can be entered from High Street or Church Street in Portaferry town. There is a one way system in operation. High Street is the one main road in to the town and Church Street the one main road out of the town.
Ardquin can be found by turning into the Abbacy Road between Kircubbin and Portaferry and continuing for about four miles, when the church will be found on the left-hand side above the road.
Service times:
Sundays - every week
10.00am: Morning Service: Holy Communion 2nd Sunday, All Age Worship 4th Sunday (St. Saviour, Greyabbey)
10:00am: Morning Service: Holy Communion 1st Sunday, All Age Worship 3rd Sunday (Ballyphilip)
11.45am: Morning Service: Holy Communion 1st Sunday, All Age Worship 4th Sunday (Holy Trinity, Kircubbin)
Other Sunday Services
3.00pm: Holy Communion 2nd & Evening Prayer 4th Sunday (Ardquin/Abbacy Church)
Contact us:
The Revd Gillian Withers (Rector)
(028) 4272 9307
The Revd Roy Taylor (Auxiliary Minister)
(028) 9186 2769
A bit about us:
St. Saviour's Church Grey Abbey was built in 1869, by the Montgomery family, who also built the smaller original church of 1770 on the same site, overlooking the ruins of the 12trh Century Cisterian Abbey. Prior to the church of 1770, the Anglican Parish worshipped in the Nave of the old Abbey until the roof deteriorated so badly that the Nave could no longer be used. The parish was united with Kircubbin in 1975 and the Montgomery family retain the privilege of appointing one parochial nominator.Holy Trinity Church was built in 1843 in the style of a Greek temple. Before the present church was built, the parish was known as Inishargie and was one of three parishes making up the union of St Andrew using the church at Balligan (Ballyhalbert & Ballywalter). The architect was Charles Lanyon. New pews were added in 1877 and a Conacher organ was donated in 1899. The parish was united with Greyabbey in 1975.
The present church at Ballyphilip was built in 1787 with the help of a grant from the Board of First Fruits, and is probably the third church to serve the parish. The previous one, Templecraney, can be seen in ruins in the nearby graveyard. The present church was dedicated in the name of Saint James. A transcept, chancel and vestry were added in 1861.
The foundation stone of the present church at Ardquin (known as Abbacy) was laid in May 1825, the parish being separated from Ballyphilip, in the same year. It is known as the Abbacy Church and was consecrated on 19 January 1827. The Bishop remained nominally the Rector of the Parish maintaining a curate with care of souls. It was rejoined with Ballyphilip in 1885, the first vacancy after Disestablishment.
Greyabbey and Kircubbin were grouped with Ballyphilip and Ardquin in 2008.
The average congregation in Greyabbey numbers 45 on a Sunday morning, with the numbers rising for the monthly family service. The worship of the church is conducted using the contemporary language series of the BCP.
The congregation share a weekly Bible Study, and a Wednesday morning, with Holy Trinity Kircubbin, and also an evening Prayer and Study Group at Holy Trinity.
Greyabbey Parish is looking to build a new hall close to the church.
Holy Trinity is a small but vibrant church community, with an active Sunday School which meets in the Church room below the worship area. Together with St. Saviours, the church runs a Prayer and Study Group, a Bible Study and a small but enthusiastic choir.
The services are currently contemporary language Prayer Book services, together with a monthly family service (Service of the Word).
Ballyphilip is the only parish in the Ards Peninsula to have a celebration of the Holy Communion every Sunday at 8.30am. In the last three years a new parish centre has been built in the grounds of the Ballyphilip Church, which has opened up cross community work. There is now cross community Beavers, Cubs, Scouts, Mum's and Toddler Group, bowling club two evenings per week, a martial arts class, and the local Integrated Primary School use the New Parish Centre for weekly activities. The parish Mother's Union and Historical Society also use this facility. Within the last two years a cross community Bible Evening has been taking place every two weeks in the new Parish Centre.
The Future:
St. Saviours is looking to develop its links with the community, thinking of youth work, but the church's unique role lies in potential Christian outreach to the many visitors to the old Abbey ruins. The church is considering building a hall/education centre for offering education facilities to schoolchildren about the life and work of the monastery form a Christian point of view (e.g. an art session on calligraphy, but explaining what motivated monks to illuminate manuscripts).
Holy Trinity is looking to develop its links with the wider community, seeing how it might use its building during the week for community activities in the name of Christ. One example might be hospitality offering meals to shoppers and to the elderly, or a chance to meet while distributing tea/coffee. Being on Kircubbin High Street, Holy Trinity has a unique opportunity to bring together members of the different Christian communities.
Ballyphilip and Ardquin are in the process of preparing for the future, so that we can welcome more people to our places of worship; for both spiritual and community needs. It is quite clear that we must strengthen our cross-community work, both in the spiritual realm and in all other areas where need is perceived, especially where the very young are concerned, and continue to conduct worship which is God centred, rather than people centred, giving great emphasis to the liturgy of our services, as found in the book of common prayer recently published.
Organisations in the parish:
Bowling - Tuesdays & Wednesdays @ 7.30pm (Portaferry)
Mothers & Toddlers - Wednesdays @ 9.30am (Portaferry)
Slimming World - Thursdays @ 5.00pm (Portaferry)
Upper Ards Historical Society - 1st Tuesday @ 7.30pm (Portaferry)
Womens' Institute - 2nd Tuesday @ 7.30pm (Portaferry)
Strangford Lough Management Cttee - occasionally (Portaferry)
Hospital Trust - occasionally (Portaferry)
Sure Start - occasionally (Portaferry)
Penninsula Healthy Living - occasionally (Portaferry)
Bible Study Group - occasionally (Portaferry)
Mothers' Union - occasionally (Portaferry)