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St. James, Ramoan.
This church is about a mile outside of town at the intersection of Ramoan Road and Church Road and lies a short distance from the original site founded by St. Patrick about 450 A.D where a church was established under St. Ereclacius. A series of churches were built on this site but eventually the current parish church was built in 1849 about 150 yards from the ancient site and the name changed to St. James. It is built in Early English style with Gothic windows. A notable Rector was Rev. J. S. B. Monsell (1811-75) who authored the hymns 'Worship the Lord in the Beauty of Holiness' and 'Fight the Good Fight', amongst others.
Morning Services:
Ramoan parish has two churches and during the summer months (April - September) main morning worship is in Holy Trinity. In the winter months (October - March) morning worship is in St. James. The main morning service (Alternative Prayer Book) is at 11.30 am according to the following pattern:
week 1 Holy Communion
week 2 (& 5) Morning Prayer
week 3 Holy Communion
week 4 All-Age Worship
There is a full, robed choir at the above services apart from the All-Age Service where the worship is more informal and often led by the Youth Choir and/or the Sunday School.
In addition, there is a said Holy Communion Service at 9.30 am in Holy Trinity on weeks two and four of any month throughout the year.
Evening services:
The evening service at 6.30 pm follows the opposite pattern: it is in St. James in the summer and in Holy Trinity in the winter. The pattern is:
Weeks 1, 2, 3 (&5) Evening Prayer
Week 4 Holy Communion with laying-on of hands for the sick.
COMBINED SERVICES
All Saints' Days are celebrated in Holy Trinity at 10 am with Holy Communion. Occasional special evening services are held with Ballycastle Presbyterian Church to mark joint ventures such as the Boys' and Girls' Brigade, Harvest Festival and Remembrance Sunday. We hold ecumenical services during the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity and also for our Christian Aid service when we are joined by parishioners and clergy from both the Presbyterian and Roman Catholic churches. The central position of Holy Trinity in the town comes into good effect as we gather outside the church in the square (weather permitting!) for our annual Ecumenical Schools Carol Service in December.
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