Anne McConaghie, Vice President of the RPCI Women’s Fellowship recently sent us this report. If you would like to see a congregation or ministry you are involved in highlighted on the RP Global Alliance website, don’t hesitate to get in touch!
‘The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?’
Psalm 27:1
On Thursday 22nd April the WF held their Spring Conference by Zoom. Miss Elizabeth Greer (President) welcomed those present and opened the conference with prayer. After a reading by Miss Diane Dinsmore, the speaker, Professor Margaret Cupples, OBE was introduced. Margaret grew up in the Loughbrickland RP congregation which was then linked with Clare R P Church. Her father Rev. R B Cupples was minister of both congregations.
Margaret, in her early life, became a Christian after hearing a sermon preached by Rev William Lytle, a missionary in Lebanon. In her adult years Margaret worked as a GP in Markethill, then Belfast and lectured in Queen’s University where she became Professor of General Practice. She was awarded an OBE in 2017 for services to medicine.
Margaret’s topic for the evening was ‘Shining Lights in the World’ and she opened her address by focussing on Paul’s message in Philippians 2: 15. Paul tells us to shine like lights for our Lord so that we will reflect the light of Jesus our Saviour. Christ was obedient and left the glory of heaven to become a servant and die an awful death on the cross and Paul encourages us to follow Christ’s example of always being ready to serve, being doers of the Word and not hearers only (James 1:22).
She went on to explain how best we can equip ourselves to be effective witnesses by having physically fit bodies, clear minds and by looking after our spiritual health. She used her extensive medical knowledge and a series of PowerPoint slides to illustrate how we should care for ourselves by following a healthy diet and getting regular exercise. She stressed that it was only by looking after ourselves that we in turn are fit and able to help others. We were encouraged to develop good friendships in order to avert loneliness and to be ready to befriend others especially looking out for those who are socially isolated or house bound.
Elizabeth thanked Margaret for her interesting and challenging talk following. The ladies then divided into smaller groups for a time of prayer. Each group had an assigned prayer group leader and an encouraging time of fellowship and prayer was enjoyed by all.
Anne expressed appreciation to all who had helped with the Spring Conference especially our speaker Margaret and Heather McCullough and her daughter Sarah who had organised the technology for the evening. Anne then brought the evening to a close with prayer, focussing on those in the persecuted church in China who are presently under great opposition and not able to meet virtually as freely we do.
