A special farewell service will be held in the Martyrs Memorial Free Presbyterian Church on the Ravenhill Road in Belfast tomorrow night to mark the retirement of the Rev Dr Ian Paisley (Lord Bannside).
Dr Paisley, now 85, founded the Free Presbyterian Church in 1951 and, until his recent retirement, was pastor at the Martyrs Memorial church for upwards of 50 years and church moderator.
He has also led the DUP, was North Antrim MP for 40 years and Northern Ireland First Minister for two years.
Free Presbyterian ministers and elders from across Ulster and Britain will be present at the service together with members of the various congregations.
The present moderator of the Free Presbyterian Church, the Rev Dr Ron Johnstone, and the deputy moderator, the Rev Alan Smylie, will preside and lead the tributes to their former moderator.
Other tributes will be given by the Rev Dr John Douglas, clerk of the church synod; Dr Paisley’s son, the Rev Kyle Paisley; the Rev James Beggs, Dr Paisley’s brother-in-law; the Rev Dr Brian Green (London); Dr Bill Woods, a missionary in South America, and Dr Bob Jones, from Greenville in South Carolina, who has been a close theological associate of Dr Paisley for many years.
Music will be provided by the Rev Dr William McCrea, South Antrim MP and minister of the Magherafelt Free Presbyterian Church, the Rev Fred Greenfield, and the Magill family.
Presentations will be made to both Dr Paisley and his wife Eileen (Baroness Paisley).