On Sunday 19 October, our congregation at had the privilege of leading BBC Radio Ulster’s Morning Service, broadcast live across Northern Ireland.

The theme of the service — Faith on the Ground — invited listeners to think about what faith looks like in the real world: not a faith detached from struggle, but one that persists in the face of weariness and injustice.

Preaching from Luke 18:1–8, Rev Paul Lutton reflected on the Parable of the Persistent Widow, asking what it means to “pray and not lose heart” in a world where justice often feels slow in coming.

“Faith on the ground,” he said, “isn’t about easy answers. It’s about quiet, defiant trust — the faith that keeps praying, hoping, and loving, even when hope is costly.”

The service was shaped by contributions from across our diverse congregation, with readings and prayers led by members of different ages and backgrounds and including representatives from our Hong Kong Fellowship and our English Project. Music from our choir, praise band, and organ — under the direction of Deirdre Harshaw — lifted the service beautifully, from band led ‘My Jesus, My Saviour’ to the closing hymn ‘All My Hope on God Is Founded’.

Many who tuned in contacted the church afterward — from these shores and beyond — to share how deeply the service resonated, particularly its message of steadfast faith and compassion in uncertain times.

If you missed the broadcast, you can still listen again on BBC Sounds.

As a church family, we’re grateful for the opportunity to share something of our life and witness with the wider community. May the message of Faith on the Ground continue to shape us — a faith that holds fast, reaches out, and keeps hope alive.