JULY/AUGUST 2026
Fearfully wonderfully made
&
A DIFFERENT PATH
Parenting a child with additional needs
FEARFULLY AND WONDERFULLY MADE
Focus on Special Educational Needs
FOOTBALL FEVER
Mission focused football in Senegal
A little look at this year’s events... Recurring Events
One-off Events
Morning Prayer Meetings Mon 17th - Fri 21st at 10am Hamilton Road Baptist Join us to pray for the work of the Convention.
Worldwide 20s30s Friday 14th from 7:30 - 10:30pm Kings Church Tea | Coffee | Worship | Stories Teaching with Hassan John.
Bible Studies with Conrad Mbewe Mon 17th - Fri 21st at 11:30am Hamilton Road Baptist
Mens Breakfast Saturday 15th from 8:30 - 10:30am Lisnabreen Presbyterian Church With Spud Murphy, RUMbLE.
Gospel Truck Holiday Club Mon 17th - Fri 21st, 10am - 11:30am Lisnabreen Presbyterian Church Worldwide Kids Mon 17th - Fri 21st, 11:15am - 12:45pm Hamilton Road Baptist Children’s Special for Primary School children led by CEF. Creche Mon 17th - Fri 21st, 11:15am - 12:45pm Hamilton Road Baptist Evening Celebrations Mon 17th - Fri 21st at 7:30pm Bangor Elim Mission reports, interviews and a time of praise together. Monday 17th - Europe Tuesday 18th - Asia Wednesday 19th - Africa Thursday 20th - Ireland Registered events. Please book online at worldwidemission.org
Worldwide Unplugged Saturday 15th from 7:30pm Hamilton Road Baptist Worldwide Book Launch with Rebecca McConnell. Times of open prayer. Looking back with thankfulness with Chris Wright & introduction to Bible Studies – Conrad Mbewe. 20s30s ‘Equip’ Saturday 15th from 10:30am - 1:30pm City Church Bangor Worship, teaching, prayer, seminars, lunch. With teaching by Chris Wright & worship led by Noah Bartlett. Sunday Celebration Service Sunday 16th, at 6:30pm Bangor Elim Speaker Conrad Mbewe & interview with Timothy Cho. All Welcome. Ministers Lunch and Q&A Wednesday 19th at 12:45pm Hamilton Road Baptist With Conrad Mbewe For all clergy & those in full time ministry.
Ladies Event Thursday 20th at 2:30pm Bangor Parish Church With Speakers: Ida Johnston, Rebecca McConnell & Päivi Räsänen.
Amy Carmichael Remembered Friday 21st from 1:30 - 4pm Bus trip to Millisle, leaving sharp at 1:30pm from Hamilton Road Presbyterian Church and returning to there. Refreshments included. Talks by David Gordon, Dohnavur & Ross Wilson, Sculptor. Worldwide Youth Event Friday 21st, from 7:30pm Hamilton Road Baptist Food | Worship | Stories | Teaching For those in youth groups & secondary school age. D TICKETE
Worldwide at the Waterfront EVENT Saturday 22nd, from 7:30pm Waterfront Hall, Belfast Celebrating 90 years of Worldwide with New Irish Arts. With speakers Alistair Begg & Bishop David McClay & others. Global Village Exhibition in the foyer.
Satellite Services Portstewart - Sunday 16th at 11am Belfast - Sunday 16th at 7pm Drogheda - Wednesday 19th at 7:45pm Magherafelt - Thursday 20th at 7:30pm Lurgan - Sunday 23rd at 10:30am Dublin - Sunday 23rd at 11am North Coast - Sunday 23rd at 7pm
Hamilton Road Baptist & Bangor Elim 14th – 23rd August worldwidemission.org
CONTENTS | JULY/AUGUST 2026
FEATURES
12 General Assembly 2026 This year’s highlights
16 A community competition Clogher’s ploughing match
18 Fearfully and wonderfully made Focus on Special Educational Needs
24 Podcast popularity Highlighting PCI podcasts
32 A different path
Parenting a child with additional needs
35 Benefit, blessing and bounty Interview with Helen Johnston
38 Your Church
New PCI resource on including young people
40 Presbyterian presidents
Fearfully and wonderfully made p18
USA presidents with Ulster Presbyterian roots
42 Football fever
Mission focused football in Senegal
REGULARS
4 5 6 7 8 26 45 48 49 52
Editorial Life lessons Apostles’ Creed News My story Mission articles Life in PCI Reviews Reflections Church Record
Benefit, blessing and bounty p35
Your Church p38
CONTRIBUTORS Deborah Sloan is a member of Bloomfield Presbyterian Church. She is married to Russell and has four daughters. Having left a career in academia, she is now a freelance writer.
Will Leitch is a Christian journalist, broadcaster and podcaster. He serves as an elder at Knock Presbyterian in east Belfast.
Pip Florit is a mission support officer for PCI. She is a member of Bloomfield Presbyterian and lives with her husband Ishmael and son and daughter in Belfast.
Billy Kennedy is a senior News Letter journalist and a member of Tandragee Presbyterian Church.
Cover photo: Siân McKinty July/August 2026 No. 880 £2.20/€2.60 Published by: The Presbyterian Church in Ireland, Assembly Buildings, Belfast BT1 6DW. T: +44 (0)28 9032 2284 E: herald@presbyterianireland.org W: www.presbyterianireland.org
Editor: Sarah Harding
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Herald July/August 2026
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