We are celebrating our sesquicentenary this year.
A church plant from our neighbouring parish Knockbreda, St Jude’s Church was the first parish church to be built after disestablishment. It had its first service on Sunday 30 March 1873, but was not consecrated for another four months, on Thursday 7 August 1873.
Rector Rev Peter Bourke notes “We are excited to be celebrating 150 years of witness in the heart of Ballynafeigh this year. We are developing an exciting programme of events, and we invite everyone with a connection to St Jude’s to celebrate with us.
“Planned events include a parish dinner at Harvest, a concert and a Lego exhibition.
“However, we are most looking forward to the centrepiece of our celebrations - a service of thanksgiving and rededication on Saturday 20 May 2023 at 7pm with the Right Reverend David McClay, Bishop of Down and Dromore, and guest preacher Rev Canon William Press, our friend and neighbour as Rector of Knockbreda Parish.”
Peter adds “We are organising an exhibition of photographs and artefacts for a sesquicentennial exhibition. If anybody has any interesting photographs or items from the parish’s history, we would love to hear from them.”
