RAPHOE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.
A BRIEF HISTORY.
Church Motto: Seek Ye the Lord, Isaiah 55:6
“Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labour in vain. Unless the lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain.” Ps.127 v 1 (NIV).
St. Johnston Congregational Church was formed in 1878, Castlefin Congregational Church was formed around the same time.
Raphoe Congregational Church, which opened on Saturday 22nd, November 1986 has its roots in St. Johnston.
Some people who had formed themselves into a Congregational Church were meeting to worship God in The Good Templars’ Hall in St. Johnston from 1878 onwards. Pastor John Pyper was the spiritual leader of that small group of believers at that time.
A business meeting of this church was convened on 23rd. July 1902 to consider and I quote “the desirability of building a new church in St. Johnston” unquote.
After much prayer, consideration and work the corrugated iron and wooden structured building was opened to the glory of God on Sunday 15th March 1908. Rev. James Irvine from Belfast preached at the opening ceremony, and also at a special meeting on Monday 16th. Rev I. S. Pyper preached at 12 noon and 7.30p.m. On Sunday 22nd. March with a meeting in between at 5.00p.m. at Rylands Newtowncunningham.
The church building at Railway Road St Johnston served that congregation until the Sunday morning service on the 16th. November 1986, after which it was deconsecrated. That building had come to the end of its useful life.
Many people came to personal saving faith in Jesus Christ through the ministry in that church.
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At a business meeting of the above Congregation convened in June 1984 a spiritual and physical stock-take took place, at which it was decided to give ourselves at least one year to wait on God in believing prayer seeking His guidance for the way forward.
On the 24th. September 1985 Pastor Caldwell Darragh’s vision of a new church building at Raphoe was proposed, seconded and adopted unanimously. From that date on we stepped out in faith, as my grandfather and his brothers in Christ had done almost ninety years earlier.
It was a very exciting time, not having any concrete assurance of financial assistance from the Congregational Union of Ireland Home Mission, under whose auspices we operated. We did not know what the future held, but we do know who holds the future and, “Our times are in His hands.” Ps. 31:15.
From September 1985 till May 1986 we spent many exhilarating hours at meetings and in practical matters such as purchasing a site through Harte Property Sales from Garda Kieran Jackson who had been transferred from Raphoe to Letterkenny, drawing up plans and attending to all sorts of detail.
Wednesday 21st. May 1986 we received planning permission to build this church. We held a meeting that night and authorised the purchase of the site as soon as possible.
Thursday 22nd. May 1986 we completed the purchase of the site, held a prayer meeting on the site at which it was dedicated to the glory of God, and Pastor Caldwell Darragh cut the first sod.
Friday May 23rd. 1986 some voluntary workers, with one paid helper, started clearing the site in preparation for Mr. Oliver Gibson to start building this church which he completed by mid November 1986.
Saturday 22nd. November 1986, that unforgettable morning of gale force winds and very heavy showers, we struggled to erect and keep upright, a marquee which seemed to have a very strong mind of its own in the face of such a hurricane. At lunchtime, which did not actually exist that day except in our minds, we fasted and prayed for a very quick improvement in the weather, which God graciously granted.
By 3p.m. many hundreds of people converged from many parts for the opening service conducted by pastor Caldwell Darragh, who called us to worship and announced the first hymn, To God be the glory great things He has done. Mr. Kerrigan, Abbots Cross Cong. Church led us in the opening prayer followed by the secretary’s report from Norman Orr.
The Rev. Edward V. Millar (Secretary of the Congregational Home Mission), read from the scriptures and declared the building open for the worship and glory of God. The Rev. Malcolm Coles led us in prayer as he dedicated the building to God’s glory. The programme continued with the chairman’s remarks, announcements, offering and hymn Onward Christian Soldiers. William Hay our church treasurer gave thanks in prayer for the offering. Pastor Darragh’s brother Rev. Noel Darragh, who was Chairman of the Congregational Union of Ireland that year, preached from God’s Holy Word. We sang the hymn O God our help in ages past, our hope for years to come, after which Pastor C. Darragh closed the main part of this historic service in prayer.
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Pastor C. Darragh with his wife and family, left to live by faith while taking up an Evangelistic Ministry at the end of June 1988, after nine years distinguished service to his Lord in St. Johnston and Raphoe Congregational Churches.
At a church meeting convened on the 7th. July 1988, we decided, in faith to build a manse.
On 5th. November 1988 Mr. James Logan was inducted as Pastor of this Church.
April 1990 the Logan family moved into the new manse after having lived in a rented house for eighteen months.
On the 1st. January 1992 we took what was possibly the biggest step of faith in Congregational Church history in over a century of worship in Donegal, in that we went independent from the Home Mission. Up to that time the Home Mission was responsible for the Pastor’s salary in full or in part depending on the financial position of the church involved. Financial independence has meant increased spiritual dependence on God.
In 1993 we purchased a plot of land, which has been developed as a graveyard.
Pastor James Logan, under whose ministry there was much blessing, left for ministry in Newtownards Congregational Church Co. Down at the end of October 1997.
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During the latter part of Pastor Darragh’s Ministry and the earlier months of Pastor Logan’s Ministry we produced a Constitution and Code of Doctrine booklet, (revised during 2001 & 2002) which outlines our beliefs and practices. Some of the main points are as follows, we believe in the full inspiration of the Holy Scriptures as God’s revealed Word to sinful fallen man, The need for man to be saved from his fallen state, that Jesus alone is the only Saviour from sin and from the wrath of God which will one day fall on all who do not accept Jesus as their own personal Saviour.
Rom 3:23 “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” (NIV)
Rom 3:10 “As it is written: There is no one righteous, not even one;” (NIV)
1 Tim 2:5 “For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,” (NIV)
John 3:16-18, 16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
17 “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”
18 “Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.” (NIV)
John 14:6 Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No-one comes to the Father except through me.” (NIV).
We practise Presentation of Children before the Lord, 1 Sam. 1:22 & 28, Mk.10:13-16 & Lk.2:22 and Believer’s Baptism, that is one who comes to the place in their lives where they recognise their sin, repent of it and by faith asks Jesus to be their Saviour.
Heb 11:1 “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” (NIV)
Heb 11:6 “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” (NIV)
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On the 5th. May 1998 we issued a call to Mr. Mervyn Carter to be our next pastor in the will of God. He was originally from Portlaoise and at the time of that call was a trainee pastor in Abbots Cross Congregational Church Newtownabbey. He was ordained there on Sat. 12th. September 1998 and was inducted to the Pastorate of this Church on Sat. 3rd. October 1998.
Our Honorary Treasurer made another very important announcement at that Church Meeting, (05/05/1998) namely the fact that he had made the final payment on our outstanding loan the previous week. Although free from financial debt we remain continually indebted to our God.
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On Tuesday 3rd. April 2001 The Diaconate met for prayer and one last discussion, about the possibility of building a Church Hall. This followed much prayer and discussion in the previous years stretching back to Pastor Logan’s ministry here. Our priority was to decide if this project was of God or of our own minds.
We concluded it was of God, therefore we decided to recommend this to a Church Meeting on the 20th. April 2001 at which it was unanimously endorsed. The new Hall, which is attached to the Church was Dedicated to God following the Sunday Morning Service on the 27th. June 2004. The almost finished main hall was used from Monday till Friday of that week for games as part of our Children’s Holiday Bible Club activities. The finished Hall Complex was officially opened on Sat. 25th. September 2004.
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In all matters we have found God to be totally faithful and sufficient and because of God’s wonderful provision we have been debt free since June 2010.
“LORD, you establish peace for us; all that we have accomplished you have done for us.” Isa . 26:12. (NIV).
Norman Orr,
Honorary Secretary,
Raphoe Congregational Church,
November 2011.