Places of worship and topics related to belief, faith, religion, and spirituality in Ballymoney, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, are the focus of this part of our web guide.
In all human communities, inner convictions and collective traditions bind people together, offering meaning and hope. Belief refers to the personal, often unspoken, ideals and principles individuals hold as true. Faith extends belief, adding trust. Faith is a commitment to something beyond that which is immediately visible, whether it be a higher power, a set of moral values, or the promise of renewal. Religion represents the organised framework through which communal rituals, sacred narratives, and institutions guide us in our quest for understanding, while spirituality represents an individual's quest for meaning in life. In Ballymoney, these concepts are interlaced with history and geography.
As in much of Ireland, Ballymoney's religious history is complex. An account from 1556 describes a unique convergence of the temporal and the sacred. A bishop's house reportedly joined together with a castle and a church known as Ballymonyn. While this early haven of spiritual life was destroyed during the Irish Rebellion of 1641, its legacy continues in the remnants of Ballymoney's sacred architecture. Notably, the tower of a church built in 1637 by Sir Randall MacDonnell is the town's oldest religious structure.
The town's religious history was further affected by the flows of migration and conquest. Following the Tudor Conquest of Ulster, settlers from lowland Scotland arrived, carrying a distinct form of Presbyterian practice that, while not wholly aligned with either Roman Catholic or the Reformed Episcopal traditions, changed the local spiritual landscape. Over time, these strands merged and diverged as the town navigated various periods of conflict, reform, and renewal. Imperial forces, grassroots devotion, and the search for individual meaning all play defining roles in the religious landscape of Ballymoney.
Ballymoney is home to several places of worship, many worshipping in historical structures. Among these are the venerable Catholic parishes, including the Ballymoney & Derykeighan Catholic Parish, which continues a tradition of communal worship rooted in centuries of ritual and history. Meanwhile, several Presbyterian congregations have long existed in Ballymoney and the surrounding area. Other Protestant bodies, such as the Ballymoney Gospel Hall and the Elim Pentecostal Church, represent newer expressions of charismatic Christianity. Whether meeting in a grand, historic structure or a relatively new building, each of these is a gathering point where people come together to share similar beliefs.
For a comparatively small town, Ballymoney hosts several congregations, including Roseyards Presbyterian Church, the First Presbyterian Church in Ballymoney, Kilraughts Reformed Presbyterian Church, Trinity Presbyterian Church, Finvoy Presbyterian Church, Drumreagh Presbyterian Church, St. James Presbyterian Church, the Church of Our Lady and Saint Patrick, Ballymoney Elim Church, Ballymoney Gospel Hall, Ballymoney Baptist Church, Hebron Free Presbyterian Church, Mount Calvary Pentecostal Church, and probably others, some of which are physically located outside of town or in a neighbouring village.
Topics related to belief, faith, religion, and spirituality in Ballymoney are appropriate resources for this category, including websites representing local places of worship.
Recommended Resources
Founded in 1986, the current iteration of the church draws on earlier Baptist gatherings, dating back as far as the early 19th century, and a short-lived church formed in 1845. The congregation holds regular services in a traditional church building on Ballymena Road in Ballymoney, County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It has Sunday services at 11:30 am and 6:30 pm, and at 8:00 pm on Wednesdays. Additionally, the church offers a range of community programmes for people of all ages.
https://www.ballymoneybaptist.com/
The congregation in Ballymoney, Northern Ireland, is part of the larger Elim Pentecostal Church movement, a network formed in 1915. The church emphasizes traditional worship and teaching, but also embraces modern methods of reaching its audience, with an active online presence, including a YouTube channel. An introduction to the church is provided, with information on what to expect when attending services, leadership contacts, service schedules, and an overview of its programmes and ministries.
https://www.ballymoneyelim.com/
Serving the Ballymoney, Northern Ireland, community since 1927, the Gospel Hall congregation holds to biblical Christianity, emphasizing salvation through faith in Jesus Christ, the inspiration, inerrancy, and authority of the Bible, the Trinity, a six-day creation, and baptism by immersion. The church is independent, not part of any denomination, and led by elders accountable to God. Its address, a map showing its location, telephone number, and an email address are posted on the website.
https://ballymoneygospelhall.com/
Dating back to 1834, the congregation initially held services in Bendooragh School House while its meeting house at Drumreagh was being built. Today, the church is located in the village of Bendooragh, a village just over one mile from Ballymoney, Northern Ireland. The church's website includes its history, a statement of beliefs, service schedules, a calendar of events, an introduction to its Girls' Brigade, Boys' Brigade, and Presbyterian Women, and a sermon archive.
http://www.drumreagh.org/i
First Presbyterian Church, Ballymoney
The Ballymoney, Northern Ireland, church has a history dating back to at least the early 1800s, when it was under the care of the Presbytery of Root. However, it later petitioned to be placed under the Presbytery of Ballymena. The congregation meets at its facilities on Meetinghouse Street, where it holds weekly services and also live streams its Sunday morning worship. Announcements and a calendar of events may be found on its website, along with a profile of the church and leadership.
https://www.firstballymoney.co.uk/
Hebron Free Presbyterian Church, Ballymoney
Founded in 1951, Hebron Free Presbyterian is a Protestant congregation with Presbyterian roots tracing back to the Reformation. Located in Ballymoney, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, the church offers various ministries, including Sunday services, youth fellowship, missionary outreach, and Bible conferences, along with other programmes and activities that can be found on its website. Its history, organizational structure, a statement of faith, schedules, and contacts are provided on its site.
http://hebronfpc.org/
Kilraughts Reformed Presbyterian Church
The congregation has been worshipping in its present location since 1805, in the townland of Kilraughts, east of Ballymoney in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. The congregation follows a simple and focused worship style, emphasizing Bible readings, sermons, psalm-singing without musical accompaniment, and prayer, an approach they believe aligns with early Christian worship practices. Its location, schedules, and contacts are provided, along with an introduction to the church.
https://kilraughtsrpc.com/
Mount Calvary Pentecostal Church
Mount Calvary was founded in 2006 on a one-acre site along Ballymena Road in Ballymoney, County Antrim, Northern Ireland. The church holds Sunday services at 11:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m., a Wednesday prayer service at 8:00 p.m., and other activities and programmes that are announced on its website or listed in its calendar of events. Its address, a map showing its location, the office phone number, and email address are posted on its site, along with a statement of beliefs, and photographs.
https://mountcalvaryballymoney.co.uk/
Parish of Ballymoney & Derrykeighan
The Roman Catholic community is part of the Diocese of Down & Connor. It covers Ballymoney town and surrounding areas like Bendooragh, Balnamore, Dervock, and Derrykeighan, in Northern Ireland. Churches in the parish include Our Lady and Saint Patrick's in Ballymoney, as well as Our Lady and Saint John the Evangelist in Dervock. Schools within the parish include Saint Brigid's Primary School and Our Lady of Lourdes High School, both in Ballymoney. Addresses, schedules, and contacts are provided.
http://www.ballymoneyparish.com/
Places of Worship in Ballymoney
Ballymoney Ancestry is a genealogy website dedicated to helping people trace their roots in Ballymoney, Northern Ireland. In this section of the website, a list of churches and other places of worship in the Borough of Ballymoney is arranged by Civil Parish. Civil registration of births and deaths did not begin until 1864, and registration of marriages in 1845, so churches will sometimes have records that pre-date these times. Closed churches may also be included.
http://www.ballymoneyancestry.com/places_of_worship_in_ballymoney.aspx
Situated in the townland of Roseyards, just outside Ballymoney, Northern Ireland, the congregation is part of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. It describes itself as a friendly and welcoming community with members of all ages and backgrounds. The congregation holds Sunday worship services at 11:00 am, with online services later in the day, and various ministries throughout the week, including Bible classes, youth fellowship, prayer groups, and community clubs.
https://roseyards.org/
Affiliated with the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, St. James is a Reformed Christian congregation founded in 1834, serving as a place of worship, fellowship, and outreach for nearly two centuries. Its history, mission statement, ministries to men and women, fellowship programmes, and an introduction to its congregational and community activities and projects, its leadership and pastor, address, directions, telephone numbers, an email address, and a prayer request form.
http://stjpresbyterian.org.uk/
The church is located on Rodeing Foot in Ballymoney, Northern Ireland. It offers various services and events, which can be found on its website. It also has a link to its YouTube channel for recorded services and messages. Its address, a map showing its location, and an introduction to the pastor, leadership, missionaries, and staff are set forth. Service schedules, age and interest-specific programmes and ministries, announcements, and an online contact form are provided.
http://trinityballymoney.org/
