History

East Belfast Mission Opened

23 Nov 1985 EBM official opening. 

The Revd Jim Rea could not have foreseen that on the day he chose to hold the Service of Dedication to mark the inauguration of the new development in the life of Irish Methodism that there would be a huge Unionist rally, estimated at over 100,000 people, at Belfast City Hall to protest against the Anglo-Irish Agreement (AIA). [The slogan in the campaign against the AIA was 'Ulster Says NO']. 

Despite concerns, it was decided to go ahead with the service and it turned out to be standing room only. The only hitch was a delay in starting due to the late arrival of one of the main speakers who got stuck in the evitable traffic caused by the rally.