Churches and other places of worship in the seaside town of Portstewart, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland, are the focal point of this part of our web guide.
Portstewart occupies a unique position concerning Ireland's indigenous Catholic population and the Plantation of Ulster in the early 17th century, in which King James I invited English and Scottish Protestants to settle on the north coast of what is now County Londonderry, creating a lasting Protestant majority in towns like Portstewart, while Catholic families remained in smaller enclaves along rivers and backroads.
Tensions again broke out in the 1960s during a period of sectarian conflict known as "The Troubles," in which there was violence between largely Catholic nationalists (seeing Irish unity) and Protestant unionists (in favor of British rule). Although quieter than the larger cities of Belfast or Derry, Portstewart nonetheless felt tensions. Paramilitary security checkpoints occasionally sprang up on the Coastal Road, and the town's beaches and promenades were regularly patrolled to deter bombings or riots. However, beginning in the 1980s, local Protestant and Catholic leaders organised cross-community events, such as sporting events, children's pageants, and combined choir concerts, which many credit with keeping Portstewart largely free of large-scale violence during this period.
Since the 1998 Good Friday Agreement, formally ending The Troubles, Portstewart's worship communities have cooperated in annual ecumenical services on Palm Sunday and Remembrance Sunday, the "Portstewart Welcomes All" food bank, run by volunteers across denominations, and youth "Faith in the Round" events that combine sports, worship, and art.
Currently, several churches of various denominations serve the religious needs of Portstewart residents.
Agherton Parish Church, affiliated with the Church of Ireland, was established as an Anglican church in the early 19th century as Saint John the Baptist. Agherton serves the western end of Portstewart, meeting in a Gothic Revival building dating back to 1860. It offers Sunday worship services, a Mothers' Union chapter, youth fellowship (Sunday Surfers), and periodic "Faith & Fibre" cafe gatherings.
Portstewart Methodist Church, a Wesleyan Methodist congregation, was founded in 1830. Its brick chapel on William Street was rebuilt in 1912. The congregation provides weekly worship services, a medweek Bible study, and a thriving Girls' and Boys' Brigade programme.
There are two Presbyterian congregations, both part of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, serving the PortStewart community. Portstewart Presbyterian Church was established in 1883 to accommodate the growing families in the area. Its current church hall was erected in 1905 and expanded in the 1990s. It offers Sunday School, Sunday worship services, monthly community lunches, and various youth groups, such as Girls' Brigade. Burnside Presbyterian Church was founded in 1958 as an outreach of the main Presbyterian congregation to the newer Burnside housing estate. The family-focused congregation features regular Sunday services, midweek prayer meetings, and a summer youth Bible club.
Portstewart Baptist Church was organized by a group of congregants who branched off from the town's Evangelical Alliance meetings in 1924. Its current brick sanctuary on The Crescent opened in 1931. It offers Sunday morning and evening worship, weekly prayer groups, and an active children's ministry, along with annual Bible clubs and a summer outreach on the Promenade.
The Roman Catholic Parish, Saint Mary's Star of the Sea, began worshipping in a schoolroom in the 1870s, and its current red brick building was constructed in 1907. Masses are held at 9:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. on Sundays, as well as daily rosary and seasonal retreats. The parish also runs a "Seashells" toddler group and a St. Vincent de Paul charity programme.
Other faith communities in Portstewart include a Kingdom Hall of the Jehovah's Witnesses on Greenvale Avenue, which has been active since 1987, and the Poststewart Spiritualist Church on Edward Street, founded in 1920.
Websites representing places of worship in Portstewart are appropriate for this category, regardless of the religion, denomination, or sect.
Recommended Resources
The Church of Saint John the Baptist is a Church of Ireland parish situated on Church Street in Portstewart, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. Locally, it's generally known as Agherton, but its official dedication is to Saint John the Baptist. Early worship in the area dates to a small chapel where the Agherton and Coleraine roads meet, although only a ruined chancel arch remains. Service schedules, programmes, clubs, and societies are introduced, along with directions and contacts.
https://www.agherton.com/
Founded as a mission meeting in Burnside Orange Hall in 1974, the congregation moved into its own church building in 1990. Situated on the Causeway Coast and Glens, Burnside overlooks Portstewart Football Club and Cashlandoo Park. They gather for worship each Sunday, and services are streamed live on YouTube. Scheduled services are posted on the church website, which includes directions, a blog, a newsletter, a photo gallery, prayer information, and contact data.
https://burnsidechurch.weebly.com/
The Baptist fellowship is situated on Northern Ireland's North Coast. The family church has deep roots in the Portstewart community. Founded over 70 years ago, the congregation meets for worship on Sunday mornings and evenings, as well as at other times, according to its calendar of events and announcements on the church's website. Membership information, service opportunities, and an overview of its ministries for children and youth are set forth, and contacts are provided.
https://www.portstewartbaptist.com/
Portstewart Parish (Star of the Sea) is a Roman Catholic community on the Atlantic shore of Portstewart in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It forms part of the Diocese of Down and Connor and centres on the Star of the Sea Church, which was completed in 1916, shortly before the Dominican Convent opened the following year. Mass schedules, Sacraments, Confession schedules, and parish news are all reported on the site, along with information on life events, groups, and contacts.
https://portstewartparish.website/
Portstewart Presbyterian Church
Portstewart Presbyterian is a Reformed Christian congregation within the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, located in the heart of Portstewart on Northern Ireland's Causeway Coast. The congregation meets on Sunday mornings for Bible reading, preaching, public prayer, psalm- and hymn-based praise, alongside contemporary worship songs. Its midweek programmes cater to children, youth, and adults. Its location, events, sermon archive, and blog are included, along with contacts.
https://www.portstewartpresbyterian.org/
