MEET THE PASTOR

Pastor Laurie Hayes is pictured with his wife, Agnes

I was born in Portstewart, Co-Londonderry in 1947. Although my family were not Christians, they raised my two brothers (Jamie & David) and me to respect other people. I left school with very little in the way of qualifications, mainly because I was more interested in Rock'n'Roll, playing the guitar, and other related subjects.

I left school in 1964 and stepped into a job as a cartographer, which I held down until 1987, when I left to go to the Irish Baptist College. I came to know Jesus Christ personally as my personal saviour one morning, 11.00 am, 31st December 1982 in my little flat in Mullaghacall. I came to realise that morning that I was a sinner. It wasn't my job, or my girl friend, or my mental state, or my friends, or my lack of money, or my family, that was the problem in my life, that was making me unhappy and discontent with life. I came to realise that morning that the problem in my life was my sin. I realised that until my sin was dealt with, I would never be content, regardless of anything else in my life.

That morning I was reading my Bible, given to me by Kenny, whom I worked with at BKS Surveys Ltd, when I came to Matthew 11:28-30 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." As I read those words, it was as though the Lord Jesus Christ spoke to Me: "Come to me, Laurie, and I will give you rest ... unto your very soul." And there that morning at 11.00 am, I kneeled down at my black reclining chair, and asked Jesus to forgive me for all the things I had done in my life. I had lived a selfish life, a life which revolved around me. I asked Jesus to forgive me, to come into my life, and take over, to live through me. I asked Jesus to use me in whatever way He saw fit.

And do you know, Jesus did just that. He saved my soul. He saved me from the penalty of my sin. He took the punishment in His body on the cross that I should pay at my death. I started going to Portstewart Baptist Church. I found the folk there very encouraging. Pastor Sam Simpson was a wonderful pastor, and gave me great opportunities to develop and use the gifts the Holy Spirit had given me. One of the elders, Norman Lynas, spent hours with me, taking me to meetings, and encouraging me to think through the deeper things of the faith. Norman and Linda opened their home to me, were very patient with a young man with a huge chip on his shoulder.

The elders at Portstewart came to me one day and asked me if I would consider going to the Irish Baptist College to be trained for a future ministry. I said I would, when I found a partner to share life with me. Enter Agnes. I met Agnes at the wedding of mutual friends. I fell in love with her at first sight, although she doesn't remember me from the wedding. Sore on the old ego that.

We married in 1987, and went to the college to be trained for whatever God had in store for us. That turned out, in His wisdom, to be Staincliffe Baptist Church. We were inducted into the ministry here in September 1991, and have known His rich blessing every moment since.

Laurie retired as Pastor on 31st August 2008. The post is currently vacant.

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UPDATED: 1 DEC 2008

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