Church political ties 'must end' The Free Presbyterian Church has come under pressure to further sever its political links with the DUP.
Last Friday, after a five-hour meeting of the church's Presbytery, Ian Paisley announced he would step down as Free Presbyterian moderator in January.
The DUP leader also said he intended to continue his work as a clergyman.
However, the Concerned Free Presbyterians' website said it hoped to "completely disassociate" the church from the Stormont administration.
"A start has been made and it is our hope that Presbytery will now proceed to deal with the remaining issues," a statement on the website read.
It said these issues included "disassociating the church from the present Stormont administration completely".
'Crisis'
Speaking to his congregation at Martyrs' Memorial Church in Belfast on Sunday, Mr Paisley said he had agreed to stand down because the church was facing a "very real crisis".
"While I am no longer going to carry the weight which I have carried for over 56 years as moderator of our Presbytery, I have news for you ... that I will be here and I am praying to God that I will be able to preach right to the end of my days," he said.
Mr Paisley has been elected moderator of the Free Presbyterian Church every year except one since he founded the church in 1951.
Professor Steven Bruce, who has written a book following Mr Paisley's church and political careers, said he believed the time was right for him to step down from the post.
"The church wants full-time ministers, it wants its clergy working for it and not somebody else," he said.
"I think a lot of people in the church will be generally happy with a gentle separation between the two of them.
"Both the party and the church have developed its own professional leadership.
"The idea of someone straddling the two becomes increasingly hard.
"Whatever the mechanics of this decision, I think everybody involved will be happy with it."
Story from BBC NEWS:http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/6987127.stmPublished: 2007/09/10 13:43:20 GMT© BBC MMVII
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DOP TALKS
FOR 'HONEST" CHANGE IN GOVERNMENT FOR "REAL"CHANGE IN GOVERNMENT JOIN WITH "US " TODAY.............. Mr. Mel Lucas WILL LEAD THE "DOP" TO THE "TOP" WE GET "RESULT'S THAT'S WHAT WE DO ! !
Monday, September 17, 2007
DEMOCRATIC OPPOSITION PARTY
JOIN THE "DOP " TODAY
the democratic opposition party.
Draft MR.MEL LUCAS draft MR. MEL LUCAS
and DO IT TODAY.........draft MR.MEL LUCAS TODAY.....
WE OPPOSE POWER SHARING WITH SINN FEIN/IRA
WE OPPOSE CORRUPTION IN GOVERNMENT
WE OPPOSE GOVERNMENT WASTE
WE OPPOSE BACK ROOM DEALS
WE OPPOSE the GOOD OLD BOYS NETWORK
THE MISSION OF THIS SITE IS TO
# 1 DRAFT MR.MEL LUCAS
# 2 GET THIS NEW PARTY MOVING TO STORMONT
WE NEED TO GET THE "DOP"TO THE "TOP" and we need you...
LET'S TAKE THE "E"OUT OF DOPE AND TAKE THE "U" OUT OF
the dup...........
and we will now have THE "DOP" on the way to the "TOP......
WE NEED YOU TO COME TO THE "NEW "PARTY....the "DOP"
THE "DOP" VALUES YOUR "OPINION" THE "DOP" WANTS YOUR
"OPINION" THE "DOP" NEEDS YOUR OPINION ...draft LUCAS ..
SWITCH PARTY'S NOW ...SIGN UP TODAY.
WE WILL VERY SHORTLY POST A SIGN UP FORM THAT CAN BE DOWNLOADED AND BE E-MAILED OR POSTED.
WATCH THIS SITE FOR FURTHER DETAILS TELL YOUR FRIENDS TELL THEM TO STOP BY AND SAY HELLO (leave a comment of support )TELL THEM WE NEED "LUCAS TO LEAD AND WE NEED HIM NOW.
IF ANY ONE SEE'S MEL HAVE HIM STOP BY AND MAKE A STATEMENT.
DRAFT LUCAS....DRAFT LUCAS .....DRAFT LUCAS ....DRAFT LUCAS.....
FRIENDS OF LUCAS CAMPAIGN...............
REMEMBER IT ALL STARTS WITH "U " SHOW YOUR SUPPORT NOW LEAVE A COMMENT OF SUPPORT FOR THE
"DOP"the Democratic Opposition Party
dop.talk@gmail.com
watch this site often and be sure to tell your friends.
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DEMOCRATIC OPPOSITION PARTY
Mel & others leading and supporting and standing in direct opposition to dup'es/SF goverment may the King of King and Lord of Lords be with us while we stand together and wait on the Lord for His mercy and wisdom, this is not our battle but HIS. I shall begin prayers for battle that our Father in Heaven will lead His people out from the demonic powers that have attacked our home land. May God bless us and keep us from evil control.
Ready and await for sign up form. Have you another webb site or some way to direct more hits to bring more concerned Ulster people on board, with not being on the Free P's link it won't be coming across to just as many potential movers and shakers from the big Ian and Martins fan club.
GET THIS NEW PARTY MOVING TO STORMONT AND KICK BUTT BOYS AND GIRLS.
DUP SOLD ULSTER FOR 40 PIECES OF SILVER WITH ONE STROKE OF A PEN.
Make a change for the right reasons, ready to help others not ourselves, prepaired to serve the people not just use them to get to the top of the tree to feather your own nest.
OPEN HONESTLY IS THE BEST POLICY GOD BLESS.
Thank you Jamie for your kind and force words.No other link but do as i dO spend some time each and every day to send invites to all that you know .working on thr form .
Get a hold of Mel call him write him go to his house and tell him he has a blog call at this site.
send all that you can find e-mail
address's for at storemont web site .
Mr.Paisley Prints
one at a time over time will create a hugh armyof "DOPS" marching to the "TOP".
Thanks for your thoughts on Paisley and your comment. I must admit I find it very difficult to see Ian Paisley step down without a fight, I do feel he will go back on his word and put the moderator position to the ballot. That was one reason I was sorry that the blog put up by dissidenting members of the FPC come down. I think a presence needed to be kept. Paisley is in for hard times at Stormont-only tonight Ford was on saying the honeymoon was over. I believe it.
I can see Paisley change direction and tell worshipers that to forgive is the Godly thing, and to try between the meeting that was held in MM and next September to win worshippers over to that point of view. He will, he will put it to a vote, I'd lay money on it. Therefore sitting in govt with IRA/SF and funding gay groups becomes right when Big Ian does it, but it was always wrong before he did it. Rank hypocricy.
Does anyone know is it still the same candidate/s who will stand to contest the moderator position?
Are feelings any easier towards Paisley now, or have they hardened.
God bless.
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