ICC Women’s Link 50th Anniversary Service was held in the Agape Centre, Belfast South Methodist Church, Saturday 22 October. Gillian Kingston, a former President of Women’s Link and Vice–President of the World Methodist Council addressed the theme “Connecting in Christ”. Nicola Brady General Secretary Irish Council of Churches read the lesson and the praise was led by Salvation Army Belfast Citadel Band, bandmaster John Moore. The service was led by Joyce Bond President Women’s Link and committee members read prayers. Representatives from north and south of Ireland were present.
Gillian based her address on St. John Chapter 13 to help representatives remember they are servants of Jesus Christ. Her focus on Jesus washing the disciples’ feet, with other illustrations, emphasised the need for practical service and witness. She recalled a personal incident that when she was donating blood she had the opportunity to spread the Good News. She challenged everyone as servants of Christ to share the love, compassion of Christ in their every day work and service.
The organisation came into being in the mid 1960’s with the aim of helping the various women’s church organisations to work more closely on their shared aims and to provide a forum for the exchange of ideas; it became known as I.C.C. Women’s Link in 1993. Links were forced with women in England, and Scotland and Wales through CTBI 4 Nations Meeting up to 2010. During the Decade of Solidarity with Women, a visit from the World Council of Churches team sharpened reflection on the position of women within the Church. Representatives come from organisations in participating churches in ICC and from Women’s World Day of Prayer and World Day of Prayer. ICC Women’s Link on the island of Ireland exists to provide a forum for discussion and exchange of ideas and to work together on matters concerning the teaching of Christ relative to the home, the church, the community and the world, to make contact with Christian Women’s Groups and to invite them to participate in events, to raise awareness and address social issues.
