Shall we Sing a Song for you?

Was a great night. Philip rounds off his year of reports:

ALL STAR RENWICK AWARDS NIGHT AT BARNABY’S

Renwick House Football Club and its associates celebrated another great season last Thursday in Ballyrobert, at the second Annual Awards Night. The food was delish and the craic was good, as everyone, with the exception of Matthew Curry, got decked out in formal attire for the biggest celebrity event on the social calendar. If I knew anything about fashion I could tell you which girls were wearing Ralph Lauren and which were wearing Ann Taylor, but I know nothing beyond those names. Suffice to say Next and Dunnes were well represented by the lads.
The main event of the evening, of course, was the awards ceremony for the players. These ranged from the comic Howler of the Season – which I won outright for my fantastic three yard sitter against Derryvolgie – to the much-sought-after Player of the Season Award. Last year’s Player of the Season, Rob McCollum, along with our two-game wonder Steelo, were on hand this year to give out the trophies. The big prize this year is staying in Boghill, after Steve McCollum quite rightly won the most votes by the players. Steve deserves the award for a solid season marshalling the back four, putting in some fantastic tackles and taking a lead on the pitch. Well played lad! Ian Buchanan also scooped two awards, with Goal of the Season for his sweet sweet curler against Union Theological College, and the Golden Boot Award for his twelve goal haul over the fourteen game season. Interestingly Peter Henderson, who only made two appearances all year, was joint second with me on ten, due to the fact that one of the two games he played in was the infamous thrashing of Bloomfield Methodists. What I would have done for a speech without Neil the goalkeeper’s performance that night I just don’t know. Jonny McCollum walked away with the Uriah Rennie Award for Refereeing Endeavour for the second year running, and Mark McCavery also took his second successive award for Most Appearances for the team. Andy Lynch was rightly voted Most Improved Player of the Season, and also shared the award Passion And Endeavour Award with Steve. Given the poor support on offer from the girls all season, it was no surprise that team photographer and devoted fan Bob Parkes walked away with Fan of the Year!
Not wanting to be completely ignored all evening, the girls (well, Emmaline and Rachel) put together a quick and frantic table quiz. No doubt one of the winning team members will leave a comment to remind me what their name was. Suffice to say Phil’s Howlers, appropriately enough, came in near the bottom of the table.
After the quiz there was much standing around and photo taking to be had – one of the team, one of everyone, one of Renwick residents, one of the waiter who dropped everything that he touched, and so on. Eventually the party broke up and headed to the cars for a race back down the M2 and some tea drinking in Renwick.
I have to say a quick thanks to everyone who played for Renwick, supported Renwick, or took photos for Renwick this season. It’s been great craic, and hopefully everyone will be back next year to have another go at that elusive league title.
And so another season ends, and we can all head off for the summer knowing that, certainly, had the league organisation not crumbled, Renwick would have had a successful late surge for the title; Joel would have been let loose for the last ten minutes of our last match and run the pitch to score the goal of the season; Stevie McCollum would have been given his chance upfront; Ian Dunwoody would have done what he was told for once; and Mark McCavery, Conor Hyndman and Philip Dunwoody would have managed at least one tackle between them. Well, maybe next year…

Photos

Joel doing a spot of waitering

Steelo and friends

A cheeky smile from Piemonger

The evening’s entertainment

Everyone

The team – don’t really know what I’m doing…

Renwick plus imposters

Renwick girls

15-minute wonder

Sarah, Charlotte, Sarah & Michaela

Philip and Ian

Daphers, Elizabeth & Rachel

RENWICK F.C. AWARDS 2007-08

PLAYER OF THE SEASON: Steve McCollum

MOST IMPROVED PLAYER OF THE SEASON: Andy Lynch

GOLDEN BOOT WINNER: Ian Buchanan, 12 in 14 games

GOAL OF THE SEASON: Ian Buchanan v Union ‘Theological’ College

ROY KEANE PRIZE FOR DESIRE AND ENDEAVOUR: shared, Andy Lynch & Steve McCollum

HOWLER OF THE SEASON: Philip Dunwoody v Derryvolgie

MOST APPEARANCES: Mark McCavery 14/14

URIAH RENNIE AWARD FOR REFEREEING ENDEAVOUR: Jonny McCollum

FAN OF THE SEASON: Bob Parkes

I’ll put on more photos if / when I get them…

2007

Christ the King: The History and Relevance of the Covenanter Church

I’m doing 3 lectures on Covenanter history in Dromore on Friday 9th, Wednesday 14th and Friday 23rd May at 8pm.

Their main purpose is for the people in the congregation, but the local RP churches have been invited and everyone is welcome :-)

Reading the Bible and Praying in Public (Banner of Truth, 2008)

With thanks to Tim from the Irish Evangelical Church for going to England just to get me a copy:

From the introduction: “What you believe about the Bible, what you really believe about the Bible, comes across in the way that you read it in public. If you read it like any other book, it is because in your heart of hearts you believe that it is like any other book. Do you read it inaccurately? This is because you do not believe that every single word is important. Do you read it unattractively? This is because, in your innermost soul, you do not find the Bible captivating. Do you read it without expression? This is because you are not convinced that the Bible is a message. It is a fact that poor reading of Scripture in public reveals that the reader has problems in both his theology and his spiritual life.”

The Bible is sufficient: “When we come to the end of our public reading of Scripture, we should stop and say nothing else at all. Let the Word of God ring in the silence of each listener’s heart! There is a widespread habit of rounding off the reading by adding some form of pious ‘ditty’, as if a mortal and sinful man could somehow pronounce a blessing on the Word of God or speed it on its way. This is a bad habit and we should abandon it. Let the people be confronted with the bare Word of God!” (Controversial? – but of course, if Stuart says it, it must be right :-P)

Public Prayer is Didactic (whether we want it to be or not): As we lead in prayer, we are teaching our people something…Our public prayers will determine the content, the manner, and the spirit of their prayers, whether those prayers be in secret, in the family, or in the prayer meeting…If our prayers are shallow and irreverent, we will be teaching those who hear us that it is all right to be shallow and irreverent. If we fill our prayers with sickly repetitions, we will be endorsing such a practice for all…

On the Shorter Catechism (which he recommends to focus on to make sure public prayers are rich in doctrine): “It encapsulates God’s revelation so succinctly and fully that you feel as if your heart will burst with wonder and gratitude”.

From the (First) Book of Discipline (1560). (Drawn up by the six Johns, including John Knox):

We consider that if the ministers whom God has endued with his [singular] graces amongst us should be appointed to several and certain places, there to make their continual residence, that then the greatest part of this realm should be destitute of all doctrine; which should not only be occasion of great murmur, but also should be dangerous to the salvation of many. And therefore we have thought it a thing most expedient for this time that, from the whole number of godly and learned [men], now presently in this realm, be selected twelve or ten (for in so many provinces have we divided the whole), to whom charge and commandment shall be given to plant and erect churches, to set order and appoint ministers (as the former order prescribes) to the countries that shall be appointed to their care where none are now. And by these means [your] love and common care over all the inhabitants of this realm (to whom ye are equal debtors) shall evidently appear; as also the simple and ignorant (who perchance have never heard Christ Jesus truly preached) shall come to some knowledge by the which many that now are dead in superstition and ignorance shall attain to some feeling of godliness, by the which they may be provoked to search and seek further knowledge of God, and his true religion and worshipping. Where, by the contrary, if they shall be neglected, they shall not only grudge, but also they shall seek the means whereby they may continue in their blindness, or return to their accustomed idolatry. And therefore we desire nothing more earnestly, than that Christ Jesus be universally once preached throughout this realm; which shall not suddenly be unless that, by you, men are appointed and compelled faithfully to travail in such provinces as to them shall be assigned.

(Under the role of the ‘Superintendents’ – a temporary measure set up as there was a Reformation going on!)

And from the Second Book of Discipline (1578) (authors included Andrew Melville)

Of the Elderships, and Assemblies, and Discipline:

23. [The General Assembly] should take care that kirks be planted where they are not planted.