About

Over 130 Years of Faithful Service to God’s Work in the Woodvale Community of Belfast

The Welcome’s story begins with the famous missionary Amy Carmichael. Hailing from Millisle, Amy is best known for her work in India, founding the Dohnavur Fellowship.
In the mid 1880’s Amy started a successful Sunday morning class for the ‘Shawlies’ (the mill girls of Belfast who wore shawls instead of hats). This was in the church hall of Rosemary Street Presbyterian.

Amy’s work among the Shawlies grew and grew until they needed a hall to seat 500 people. At this time, Amy saw an advertisement in 'The Christian' where an iron hall could be erected for £500 that would seat 500 people.

A donation of £500 from Miss Kate Mitchell and a donation of a plot of land from one of the mill owners saw the erection of the first Welcome Hall on the corner of Cambrai Street and Heather Street in 1889.

Amy continued at the Welcome until she received a call to work among the mill girls of Manchester in 1889.

John Johnston - 1926 to 1959

Unfortunately by 1926, much of the evangelistic outreach of the Welcome had ceased. That is until Mr John Johnston was asked by a Church of Ireland Minister, Cannon Warren of St. Silas’ to use the Welcome to touch people in the area.

Known as a man of prayer, Mr Johnston started in a small back room to hold Faith Mission Prayer Union Meeting. He then proceeded to start a boys Bible class, then a girls class, followed by Gospel services and finally a Breaking of Bread service on the Lord’s Day morning.

Slowly the Welcome changed from a simple out-reach to mill girls, to a church with all its various services. Mr Johnston faithfully ministered to the Woodvale area for 40 years and had the joy of presiding over the opening of the current Welcome building which was erected in 1959.

Robert Mackey - 1965 to 1970

The Welcome was then pastored for five years (1965-70) by Robert Mackey, under whose leadership the Welcome changed its name to the Welcome Evangelical Church.

Edward Young - 1980 to 1997

The next major pastor to minister to the Welcome was Mr Edward Young who had been a missionary in Senegal for 20 years, he was inducted in 1980. Pastor Young was to see the Welcome take another step forward with the installation of a Baptismal Tank in 1982.

Pastor Edward Young retired from full responsibility in 1997, and the services were carried on by many gifted speakers. The pastorate was later filled by two others who only stayed for a few years each. The congregation sought the Lord to send a man of His choice to take up the reins, and to carry the work forward.

Jonathan Clarke - 2006+

In the beginning of January 2006 Pastor Jonathan Clarke was brought to the attention of the Welcome, a young man with a wife and a son, who was born and reared in the area.

It so happened that in April 2006 Jonathan had left the Elim Church in Randalstown, where he had served as pastor for three years believing that his time there was at an end. The church oversight after having several discussions with Pastor Clarke, decided to give Jonathan a call to the ministry in the Welcome.

So on 28 May, 2006 Pastor Clarke accepted the call and took over the full responsibility of the Welcome Evangelical Church.

Read our full Church Constitution here.

1. GOD

There is one God, who exists eternally in three distinct but equal persons - The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. God is unchangeable, holy, just, wise and love. He is the almighty Creator, Saviour and Judge who sustains and governs all things according to His sovereign will for His own glory.

2. THE BIBLE

God has revealed himself in the Bible, which consists of the Old and New Testaments alone. Every word was inspired by God through human authors, so that the Bible as originally given in entirety the Word of God, without error and fully reliable in fact and doctrine. The Bible alone speaks with final authority and is always sufficient for all matters of belief and practice.

3. THE HUMAN RACE

All men and women, being created in the image of God, have inherent and equal dignity and worth. Their greatest purpose is to obey, worship and love God. As a result of the Fall, every aspect of human nature has been corrupted and all men and women without spiritual life, are guilty sinners and hostile to God. Every person is therefore under the just condemnation of God and needs to be born again, forgiven and reconciled to God in order to know and please Him.

4. THE LORD JESUS CHRIST

The Lord Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of a virgin, and lived a sinless life in obedience to the Father. He taught with authority and all His words are true. On the cross He died in the place of sinners, bearing God’s punishment for their sin, redeeming them by His blood. He rose from the dead and in His resurrection body ascended into Heaven where He is exalted as Lord of All. He intercedes for His people in the presence of the Father.

5. SALVATION

Salvation is entirely a work of God’s grace and cannot be earned or deserved. It has been accomplished by the Lord Jesus Christ and is offered to all in the Gospel. God in His love, forgives sinners whom He calls, granting them repentance and faith. All who believe in Christ are justified by faith alone, adopted into the family of God and receives eternal life.

6. THE HOLY SPIRIT

The Holy Spirit has been sent from Heaven to glorify Christ and to apply His work of salvation. He convicts sinners, imparts spiritual life and gives a true understanding of the Scriptures. He indwells all believers, brings assurance of salvation and produces increasing likeness to Christ. He builds up the Church and empowers its members for worship, service and mission.

7. THE CHURCH

The universal Church is the body of which Christ is the head and to which all who belong. It is made visible in local churches, which are congregations of believers who are committed to each other for the worship of God, the preaching of the Word, the administering of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper; for the pastoral care and discipline, and for evangelism. The unity of the body of Christ is expressed within and between churches by mutual love, care and encouragement. True fellowship between churches exists only where they are faithful to the gospel.

8. BAPTISM AND THE LORD’S SUPPER

Baptism and the Lord’s Supper have been given to the Church by Christ as visible signs of the Gospel. Baptism is a symbol of union with Christ and entry into His Church but does not impart spiritual life. The Lord’s Supper is a commemoration of Christ’s sacrifice offered once for all and involves no change in the bread and the wine. All its blessings are received by faith.

9. THE FUTURE

The Lord Jesus Christ will return in glory. He will raise the dead and judge the world in righteousness. The wicked will be sent to eternal punishment and the righteous will be welcomed into a life of eternal joy in fellowship with God. God will make all things new and will be glorified forever.