15-05-2025
Presbyterian Church in Ireland members meet women living in war zones as part of conference
Members of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland have returned from Lebanon after taking part in a special conference of Christian women who continue to be impacted by war and conflict.
Rev Dr Liz Hughes, the former convener of the church's council for global mission, and Heather Clements, convenor of the council's global mission committee, took part in 'The unheard voice: women's persevering witness in war' conference, which brought together women from Lebanon, Syria and Transcarpathia in western Ukraine, along with Hungarian speaking reformed communities in central Europe.
Mrs Clements said: 'Of the 24 participants who attended, some were pastors, or pastor's wives, and others were women who were in leadership in their congregations. We heard of the impact of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the ongoing war, for others it was coping with Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon, or surviving Isis death squads.'
Rev Dr Liz Hughes said: 'Each of the women felt deep sadness for what conflict had done to their countries, family and church families.
'It was an incredible privilege to see just a glimpse of what God sees: the silent, resilient and courageous persevering strength that you often find in women hidden in the pages of the Bible.'
